***All images in this post are copyright Carrie Viohl***

NEXT WEEK: Elizabeth Messina

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-make sure to include your info in the comment fields so that I can get in touch with you- or write to me at: davina at davinafear dot com }

Make sure to check out the rest of the series by clicking here. Tell a friend!

CarrieV:

Carrie, I remember seeing your firemen project about a year or so ago and loved what you were creating. Your images have such a magical feel to them! You have a successful studio and a family and I'm so excited to have you here on the Women and Business series!

Thank you so much for being here!

You have 2 kids, right? What does a typical day look like for you?

That's right... a 9 year old daughter, and a 7 year old son. I'm-unendingly-lucky that my husband, Phillip, is such a hands-on dad. I get the kids up & dressed at 7:00, and by 7:25, Phil and the kids are in the truck on the way to school. While he's taking the kids to school, I take the time to watch the day's local weather & national news. I also do a very quick, 5 minute yoga morning stretch, called the Sun Salutation. (This helps me a LOT, since I spend most of my photo shoots sprawled out on the floor!) He gets back at around 8:00, and we are at the office by 9:30 each day that the studio is open. Our staff gets there shortly after, and we open the doors of the studio at 10:00AM! Depending on the week, I either have shoots or selling sessions thru-out the day, a constant stream of people coming in for portrait planning sessions, bridal consultations, and people coming to pick up their portraits! Phillip does all of the accounting and most of the management work. At 2:30, Phil goes to grab the munchkins, and brings them to our studio. (They have their own small "office" in our office area, complete with a homework & snack table, a computer desk, and a TV/couch area.) The kids have Piano, Yoga, French, & Violin classes, and seasonal sports. We all split the chauffeuring duties!By 6:00, our staff all go home, and the studio is closed, but I often have another outdoor shoot, so I drop the kids & Phil off at the house. My husband happens to be a great cook, so if I'm home, we cook a meal together, if I'm doing a shoot, he cooks! (He's amazing!)

Our unwind time is after the kids are in bed... I get a lot of creative excitement in fashion & culture magazines, and a good glass of wine! Phil loves to read as well, but he's also likely to go meet up with his guy pals after supper... he spends ALL day with women!

What do you think are the most important things you do as a mom and every day?

I'm a big believer in family time. I'm so lucky that this career has allowed my whole family to be together most of the day. The kids are at funny ages right now... they are not babies anymore! *sob* but they aren't teenagers, either. I want to soak up as much time with them right now as I can, because soon, they will be WAY too busy for us old fogies!

I saw that you’ve moved into a new studio space fairly recently. What did you do to prepare to make that jump?

We had been renting a studio across town for about two years. It was a funky, crazy old Edwardian building that stuck out like a frilly, sore thumb in an industrial area! We loved it, but we knew from the beginning that we would rather own a building, so that we could really modify it to suit our unique style. We started saving for a down payment, and then began the LONG search for a building that we loved. We looked at everything from a 4500sq ft building with a 5 acre yard out in the country for $400,000, to abandoned houses, and garage studios, and finally, a 115 year old building in our city's historic downtown district. The 115 year old building simply spoke to me! It was an utter mess, as it had most recently been a charity thrift store & soup kitchen! But we bought it for only $35,000, and with about 3 months worth of renovations, we had a studio that REALLY suited our style! (Not to mention a financial asset for the business.!) We opened the new studio with a glorious Open House party one year ago this month!

How did you incorporate your branding and colors into your studio?

We have a relationship with an interior designer that has been helping us for a while. We were working on a new logo to go with the new look of the studio, and when we showed her our new, understated logo, she took off from there. We decided on a color palette that centers around olive green and natural copper. We painted the walls a pale blue green that really made our "focus colors" pop. All of the frames in the studio are copper. We bought big expanses of corrugated metal and had them powder coated copper. The front facade of our brick building had been painted beige. We painted over the beige with "our" green, to make our building really stand out. After our colors started to come into place, we started working on the overall look of our studio. I wanted to make the studio look like stepping into one of my photos. So, we went for strong textures, and beautiful lighting. We tore down the plaster in some areas to expose the amazing 115 year old bricks, and we left all of the overhead ductwork exposed, as well as the original 14 foot tongue-and-groove ceilings. We have one long hallway that we've treated as a gallery, so we used museum track lighting there, but everywhere else, we have soft, indirect lighting for a spa-like feel. We want people to feel both cozy & artsy when they are with us in our studio, and from the comments we hear, I think it's mission accomplished! :)

What do you think are a couple of mistakes that women make as business owners/photographers? What advice do you have to avoid these mistakes?

I think women artists almost always undervalue (and underprice!) their work,especiallyat first. Icertainlydid! I think the best way to overcome this fear of pricing was to get solid business education. In my case, my amazing friend, Ann Monteith, forced me to look at my pricing and my work from an objective, business point of view. She told me once, "You don't have a business, you have a very expensive hobby!" OUCH! Spend your education dollar learning the BUSINESS of photography!

How did photography find you? And why did you decide to go into business?

Strangely, photography has been kinda *chasing* me since I was a kid. Part of dress-up with my sister always included a photoshoot. Back in the early 90's, I'd dress my kid sister up as a fairy, and then put her in the window of an old barn. Our mom would just roll her eyes and laugh when the developed film came back! I always admired the silhouettesof dead trees, and the tiny creatures in the grass, and the way that light fell into a room in the afternoon.

In 11th grade, my journalism teacher took one of my photos to the Student Journalism state competition (behind my back!) and it claimed the first prize.

Cleverly, I went to college to study psychology.

Then, I got married at the ripe ole' age of 19, I dropped out of college, and we moved to Germany. A year later, we had our first child , and of course, our families demanded photos of the new baby! Right away, people started asking who created the photos of my daughter. I took photos of other people's kids for fun quite a lot! Still, the thought of becoming a professional photographer never occurred to me.

It took a chain of strange events, and 4 more years, for me to even consider photography as a valid means of financially contributing to my family. When the thought finally floated into my brain and stuck there, my wonderful husband was in college, studying accounting. He told me, If you think that photography is what you want to do, I will support you as well as I can while you get started. He was going to school during the day, and bar-tendingat night.

After 3 years, the studio was growing fast enough that I was able to convince my husband to come work with my full time!

How do you stay creative?

Creativity takes time, and work. When I've got my head buried in lightroom & photoshop, working to crank out the next presentation for a client, I do NOT feel creativelyinspired. Editing is a rote,reflexive action for me. I much prefer my creativity to be in the camera room, or on location shoots. The lighting, the posing, and the stories that we are telling in camera are what keep me excited about photography.

I prepare for a session first & foremost by having really good planning sessions. Every client of mine comes into the studio about a week before their shoot to work with me on brainstorming for their session. We talk about their unique family story, their favorite colors, their dream house, their dream vacation... whatever it takes for me to get into their mindset. After a good planning session, I'm just as excited about their shoot as they are!

It's my job to stay inspired and focused, so I make it a part of each day to feed myself visually. I have a folder on my desktop called "inspiration" and it's filled with images, textures, colors, phrases, places... whatever stirs the right side of my brain in a new way! Reading escapism novels keeps my brain from falling into a rut, and fashion magazines like Vanity Faire & Vogue keep me up on trends in colors, textures, and lighting.

Also, get OUTSIDE, for goodness sake! There is no greater inspiration than the living world that we so often forget is out there.

You have a fairly large studio, what does a day look like at your studio, who do you have working for you and what do they do to help you manage your studio and life?

Yes, there are 5 of us working here, 4 that work in the studio full time, and one who designs from home.

We have a somewhat unusual arrangement, inspired by my wonderful friend, Carol Andrews. For one full week, I shoot & edit, and then the next full week, I meet with clients, and view proofs/ sell. This is vital to me, because I'm just not that clever, and shooting, editing, meeting, and selling, all in one day would be a NIGHTMARE for my brain!

Renee, our production manager gets in at 9:30, and checks to see that all of the orders that were placed the day before have successfully made it into WHCC's system. UPS normally comes at around 10:30-11:00, and she handles the incoming images. She takes all of the images into her production room, where she sorts, inspects, and packages them, and labels them to be either shipped or picked up. Renee also coordinates with me to research new marketing ideas, new goodies for clients, and we are always working to improve our packaging, and overall customer experience.

Rachel, our Customer Service rep, gets in around 9:45, checks the voicemail, and her email, and makes any changes to the schedule that might arise during the day. Rachel also manages my personal calendar, scheduling things like vacations, Dr. appointments, kids' activities, and the like. She greets clients as they come in, answers the phone and email all day, and enters new clients into our database. She also enters orders into SuccessWare after the purchasing appointments, and delivers the orders to Renee, who places the orders through our various vendors.

Haley, who works from home, designs all of our books, for weddings, babies, and seniors. She comes in about once a week, to deliver completed books, catch up on what's going on in the studio, and pick up more orders to be designed! Phil does all the accounting, payroll, and together we manage the overall operation of the studio.

You are married, what do you do to keep your love fresh and fun?

Phillip and I have been married for 10 years now! We are both passionate,opinionated people; so we butt heads in the studio. But when we walk out of the studio doors, we go back to being just married folk & parents. We leave any heated discussions at the studio's door. I think moving the business out of our house was vital for our marriage. When I used to work at home, I could never really turn off "Work Carrie," and I could see that it was becoming a problem. Phillip & the kids saw the back of my head more than anything. In the new studio, Phil and I share an office, and we oriented our desks so that we can look across the room and talk to each other, face to face. *awwww*

At work, I'm the boss, and the final decisions usually come down to me. But outside of work, I feel like it's important for Phil to be the head of our household. (Plus, my brain a little fried from making decisions all dadgum day!)

We tend to LIVE for our free weekends! We L-O-V-E hiking and nature trails, so if we have more than 4 hours' free time, we throw the kids in the truck, and head for a little mini-adventure!

Moms who are business women have so many things vying for their time. What do you do to market and how do you fit that into your already busy schedule?

This is so true! I'm a huge believer in blogsites. I have had a blog as my website since 2004. It's been my main marketing tool, and wildly successful! Our blog gets about 600 unique visitors per day, and it keeps our phone ringing. We've found that treating our clients like friends is the most natural, productive way to run in this industry. The other major marketing we do is TV commercials in about a 100sq. mile radius from my city. We purchase the commercials through our local cable company, and so we get a great deal, and really great, saturated distribution! Between the blog & the TV spots, we stay VERY busy! :)

What 5 tips do you have for women who are feeling overwhelmed with trying to manage life, business, being a mom, etc. etc. etc.?

1.) Take a pen & paper to bed! :) Seriously, one of the worst things in my daily life is when I wake up at 2:00am, with my head full of everything I have to do the next day ! If I have a pen & paper on my bedside table, then I can just jot down what's in my head, and then I can (usually) let it go and get back to sleep.

2.) Take a bath! With the door SHUT! I call it bathstorming. A LOT of my best creative ideas come to me while I'm relaxing in a quiet, warm bath. Creativity takes time, and so does sanity, so find a way for you to make quiet, peaceful alone time. Even if it's only 15 minutes a day. It doesn't have to be a be a bath... one of my favorite friends finds the same peace while she's gardening, and my mom gets up each morning by 5:30 AM to read and pray. Find "your" time, and make it a priority.

3.) Don't waste your off time! Off time needs to be OFF TIME. Turn off the computers, and spend time with the people who love you. If you're a mom, I can guarantee that your kids will appreciate your time MUCH more than facebook, photoshop, or any photographers' forum.

4.) Stay healthy! As momish as it sounds of me: eat your veggies, get fresh air, and take care of yourself! It's much easier to be stressed out & depressed if your body isn't feeling 100%.

5.) Find your self esteem! This was the turning point in my business. When I found out that it was OK for me to feel great about my photos just the way they were, it changed the way I did everything. Find a person you trust, and ask them to tell you what's GOOD about your work. Make sure this person is knowledgeable, honest, and NOT your Mom! :)

My website: http://www.studioviohl.com

The PPA's Studio Management Service's website:http://www.ppa.com/studio-management-services/

Ann Monteith's Website:http://www.monteithworkshop.com/ (Check out her wonderful blog!)

***All images in this post are copyright Carrie Viohl***

*Tell a friend about this series*

***All images in this post are copyright Tanja Lippert***

NEXT WEEK: Carrie Viohl

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-make sure to include your info in the comment fields so that I can get in touch with you- or write to me at: davina at davinafear dot com }

What 5 things have you learned as a mother?

I have learned that I will never live up to my own ideals as the kind of mom I always thought I would be before I actually had kids and that my kids still love me despite all that.

I have learned that having a glass of wine (or three) in the evenings is a coping mechanism and has saved my sanity many times.

I have learned that my kids are amazing!

I have learned how NOT to feel guilty sleeping in when I really need it

I have learned that the secret to making it all work, is having a good husband.

What 5 things have you learned as a business woman?

I have learned that I am only one person and I truly cannot do it all by myself

I have learned that I feel successful not when I am making money, but when I am helping other people

I have learned to be more faithful and more grateful for the blessings

I have learned patience

I have learned to be true to myself in my work

How do you stay so inspired and fresh from wedding to wedding, session to session?

I must admit, sometimes I do struggle with this one, especially at the end of wedding season. However, I get inspired by the beauty surrounding each shoot. I get inspired by wardrobe, shooting locations and light. I love creating a fantasy for my clients.

I also get inspired when brides have taken the time to make their weddings personal and unique, I get inspired by unique details.

What do you think sets you apart from other photographers and business people?

I think there are many things that set me a part. I am my own unique person and I consider that fact a huge asset to my business. I know me. I know what I love and I trust that. I believe in having fun, being adventurous, spontaneous and creating an adventure for myself and my clients. I am really good at making people feel comfortable around me, which in return helps my photographs feel more natural. I also am a 100% film shooter, which sets my images apart from the masses who shoot digital. I think it has forced me to become a better photographer and artist. I also believe in giving back. Any way I can, I try to give back and be grateful. Another thing I practice is staying positive and looking at life and business in an encouraging way. Life is too short to be cranky or be around cranky people all day :0)

What is your workflow like? How do you keep from spending too much time working in your business?

I don't think I have mastered not spending too much time on my business. Sometimes I feel like that I all I do is work. Truthfully though, I LOVE my work. It does not feel like work to me when I get to do things that I love. I have learned however, that I cannot do it all by myself and so now, I delegate. I have learned to let things go and trust other people to help. My workflow is pretty crazy, but we have pretty much created a system for it. I spend the day creating gorgeous images on FILM for my clients. Then, I send the film to my AWESOME lab in Los Angeles, Richard Photo Lab. They develop my film and scan everything onto high res discs. When my film comes back from the lab, it's like Christmas for me. I have my assistant go through and put everything in chronological order. Then, I go through and delete the images that are not keepers. Because I shoot film and use a fantastic lab, there is VERY little if any Photoshop work needed. Once I have the images in order and editted, I create an online slideshow for my clients and then all their photos are uploaded to an online catalog (I use pickpic). Then, when my clients are ready, they will come into our gallery and order products. Or, they can order through our online catalog as well.

What has changed the most in the last year?

The biggest change in my business over the past year has been the creation of Tanja Lippert Photographers. Instead of taking on associate photographers, it really appealed to me to work with photographers who were already established in their business and understood what it took to run a successful photography studio. In order to be able to pay for all the things I wanted to do (like hire studio managers and have gorgeous storefront studios), I found it to be much more beneficial to work with other photographers in a team environment while keeping our own studio identity and branding. In a co-op situation, we are able to share the expense and operational overhead.

What has stayed the same in the last year?

My passion for creating the best images possible for my clients. I absolutely LOVE my job.

What does a day in your life look like between family and shooting and business and husband and everything else in between?

I get up early and help the kids get ready for school. Crawl back in bed for a 15 minute moment of "oh how nice it is to be in this big bed alone in a quiet house." Have my coffee while checking a few emails....quickly dress and get out the door to meet my personal trainer for an hour and a half of working out! This helps me keep my sanity throughout the day. Get home and quickly shower and do my best to make myself cute! Head out the door to my studio, which is more like a boutique gallery in downtown, Los Gatos. I usually arrive to the studio around 11:30. Some days, like today, I have a photo shoot scheduled. On other days, I work at the studio just trying to get my list of "to do's" done or I have client meetings that I schedule during this time. At about 2:30, my hubby heads out the door to pick up our kids from school. When he gets back with the kids, I usually wrap up my projects and head home with the kids (I have two btw- 9 yrs and 7 yrs old)...I usually give my kids a snack and have them start on their homework, while I get some more computer work or emails done. At this point, my husband is usually getting home from closing our gallery and ready to make dinner. We either grab dinner on the run, or one of us (okay, usually him) will make dinner....I sit down to dinner with my family and then, we usually have family time after....sometimes American Idol...sometimes....hang out with friends. Once the kids go to bed at night (usually by 9pm)...then, I am free to jump back on my computer and work until I get too sleepy....usually about 1am....that's a pretty typical day in Tanja Land!!!

How do you keep up with the constant change of the photography industry?

I don't. I am a dinosaur and I love it!!! I just keep pumping out the best images I can and thank GOD the phone just keeps ringing. I do, however, blog more regularly now....I can't keep up with the whole online twitter thing, it just boggles my mind!!!

What do you do outside of being a mother and photographer/business owner to have fun?

I love hanging out with my family and friends....dinner parties....BBQ's.....beach trips...all that good stuff....oh, yeah, rollerblading and thrift store shopping are awesome too!!

What are five things you would recommend to other women in the industry?

Build a strong team. You do not want to go at this alone, running a business is too much work for one person. Also, follow your heart and pour yourself into your work. Be patient and most of all, have FUN!!!

You have a wonderful sense of fun, playfulness, and humor? How do you keep that up when you’re feeling stressed out?

I assign all the stressful parts of my business to other people, so that I get to do all the fun stuff. My husband is like my manager and my muscle. He fights all my battles for me too. I know, I am blessed!!! When I do feel the sting of stress start to come my way, I do a lot of praying...I release all the negative things to God, he's the only one who knows how to sort them all out....I fight for staying positive and looking on the bright side of things. Last week, on a photo shoot, my stylist and I got our car stuck in the mud. We were not just run of the mill stuck, we were REALLY REALLY stuck. So stuck that we had to call the shoot and a tow truck. Instead of getting stressed out though, we decided our energy would be much better spent MODELING for each other in the rain on the side of the road while waiting for our tow truck...yep, we just hung out and waited....first, I modeled for her, then she modeled for me....we modeled ourselves silly on the side of the road with our iphone....it was pretty darn funny. When the tow truck arrived and decided that he could not pull us out....instead of freaking out about it...we just took pictures with the tow truck man, our stuck car, the rain, the street lights....made friends with the tow truck guy. He gave us a ride back to town, where we made friends with a sweet man in an Italian restaurant who let us taste his pasta while waiting for a friend to come pick us up. Turns out that we got to pray with the tow truck man, since he revealed to us that he had not gotten to see his 4 kids in 3 years since his wife took them and left him. Then, the really nice man in the Italian restaurant turned out to have a really big interest in film photography and even has some of the same cameras as me. Two days ago, he emailed me and said he would LOVE to assist me on some photo shoots. See, how cool God works. Also, the other cool thing about our car getting stuck in the mud that day was that we had to reschedule our photo shoot that we were working on. Which was a huge blessing as well. You see, we were shooting sexy pictures on one of my brides and we were able to get 2 really cool shots done in the rain BEFORE we got stuck. Because we had to reschedule, we also got to do some AMAZING sunny skies pictures pictures as well, the following Friday which turned out to be our favorites......you see, BLESSINGS GALORE!!!!!

To see more of Tanja's work:

website

blog

***All images in this post are copyright Tanja Lippert***

***All images in this post are copyright Love Life Images***

NEXT WEEK: Tanja Lippert

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-make sure to include your info in the comment fields so that I can get in touch with you- or write to me at: davina at davinafear dot com }

Jennifer and Mary, I'm so interested in what you have to say in this interview because you are the first studio on the series that has joined two separate studios into one studio. You are also both photojournalists and come from a newspaper background. You've both put so much time and effort into this interview, I really appreciate it and I know that other women will as well. Thank you so much for being here!

**Please note that Jenn's answers are in black, Mary's answers are in blue, and when they both answer it's in orange.

What 5 things have you learned as a mother and business woman over the past

year?

Jenn’s Answer:

1. If you focus energy and effort toward something, you will see the return on it. (This applies both to children and business)

2. I cannot be everything for my children. I have to rely on others to help me raise them, including my husband, their teachers and their grandparents. It’s better for my children and me.

3. You have to work out early in the morning or else you won’t make it to the gym.

4. Having employees is oddly similar to being a parent.

5. Facebook is an amazing marketing tool.

Mary’s answer:

1.There are not enough hours in the day. Make every hour count as best you can.

2. Guilt will get you no where. As a mother I have felt plenty of that when I miss an activity because of work, or am not home to put my little one to bed. But, I’m a business owner and I have obligations both as an artist and as someone whose photography helps sustain jobs within our company. I know that my children (especially my daughter) will appreciate what I do. They still have smiles on their faces.

3. You can’t do it alone. Don’t be an island. There is a wealth of knowledge out there for mom’s and business owners. Embrace it. Teach it. Share it. Thank goodness for my amazing husband David, my friends, and my incredible business partner, Jennifer Domenick. The accomplishments we have done together in the past year could have not been done if I were alone.

4. Be strong in the face of fear. Live the way you want to teach your children. I want my children to be strong and understand they can be anything they want if they put their minds & energy to it. I can’t believe how blessed I am to have a career that is considered an art form. But, I realize that it’s taken a strong will, hard work, sacrifices and shear obsession.

5.Never settle. Keep an open mind. Always look for the next possibility. You never know what might happen. Motherhood has definitely taught me that and I carry it over in my business practices. In the past year, Jennifer & I, have grown the business three-fold. We have a full-service photography studio with 3 employees, we offer documentary-style videography services, our portrait business has doubled, we’ve started Photo Nights for Charity lecture series, and we’ve partnered with Momenta Workshops to offer a unique blend of workshops geared towards photojournalists. Our first workshop, Wedded Bliss 2009 will be held June 4-7. And this is just the beginning! We are not afraid to grow, even in the face of a struggling economy.

What do you think sets you apart from other photographers and business people?

Mary:

Many wedding & portrait photography businesses are run by a single person or by a couple. It’s rare to find two people from two separate businesses merge together to form something completely different. While merging was a very difficult transition, we still had the drive to keep moving forward and grow. We tell everyone we are “married” now, because, well, we are in so many ways. The beauty is that we have a very similar approach to our business style & the customer experience. We have the drive to grow and expand. Yet, we both bring different strengths and, yes, weaknesses to the businesses. We play off those strengths & weaknesses. And it works! I really love and admire Jennifer. Not only is she incredibly talented, she has this incredible drive to get things done, to try new things. She has very little fear and a ton of energy. She keeps me motivated.

Jenn:

OK,ok, so now I have to love and admire Mary. I would not have been able to survive these years without the soft side of Mary. She listens to me vent and then takes my frustration and turns it into sanity for me. I’m so thankful to have her to share this business with me. She gives me confidence that I was not able to find on my own.

Do you have a set schedule/routine? If so, what is like?

Mary:

I have the early morning shift at home. My husband leaves by 5:30 am, so I get the kids off to school in the morning, get a coffee at my favorite coffee shop in Baltimore, then head to work. I’m always the first one in.

Jenn:

A schedule in my working life and my home life is essential. I don’t know how to function without it. The kids all have to be at school by 9ish, so my husband and I share morning duties. I work late on Monday and Wednesday, so my father-in-law does dinner and bedtime routines. I’m home on tues, thursday and friday nights. friday nights are movie nights.

Both:

Mondays are our editing days & meeting day. We’ll sit over lunch with the whole staff and go over our agendas. Then, sit until the wee hours editing. We offer evening client meetings, as well. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays are a mixture of Editing, marketing, business lunches & shoots. We make ourselves available Wednesday evenings for client meetings.Thursdays: Jenn & I are off. But, are we really ever “off” ? Saturdays: Shoot, shoot, shoot. Sundays: Family time.

What has changed the most in the last year?

Mary:

My confidence. For the better.

Jenn:

The workload at home. The twins are 4 and they can finally dress themselves. My husband and I are starting to feel a bit more human and finding time to spend with each other.

What has stayed the same in the last year?

Mary:

My drive to grow as an artist/person.

Jenn:

The radio stations that are dialed in to memory on my car radio. Seriously, I can’t think of much that hasn’t changed.

What does a day in your life look like?

http://lovelifeimages.net/2008/09/our-life.html

These slideshows are part of an annual “Day in the Life of” that we do as a studio. It is such a great way to know our employees better and to expose our lives to our clients in a way that they have done for us. We not only photograph our entire day, but we also open it to our clients to take a picture of their life onthat same day and submit it to us. We then post a few chosen images on theblog and let the internet loose on them to vote on the best. We give away portraitsessions to the winners just in time for the holiday portrait season. I look forward to it every year as a reminder of how much my life has changed.

What are the most important things you do in your business every day?

* Market, market, market. Communicate. Stay focused. Be creative.

What do you see women in business doing that you wish they would stop doing?

Jenn:

Having “mother guilt,” or feeling guilty for having to work and not be with your children. Having a career you love does not take away from being a mother, it’s being a role model for your children.

Mary:

Luckily, the women I’m surrounded by are strong-willed, talented, and smart and have very successful businesses. I’ve come across a handful of women who have isolated themselves. So not necessary. Share the knowledge, everyone wins.

What tips do you have for moms when they need to travel and have to be away from their family?

Both:

Make the most of your time away from them. Stop feeling guilty about it. It is much harder on you than it is on them when you are away. Separation is a natural part of the parent/child relationship. You miss them and they miss you, but it’s not damaging them when you go away. You will come back and they know it.

Is there anything you wish you would have done differently over the years as a mom/business woman? If so, what? and how would you do it if you had another chance at it?

Mary:

Mom: There is always something I could do differently. Lots of guilt. Too much, at times.

Business Woman: I went about starting my business the hard way. I did NOT do enough research. I should have spent more time researching and talking to others in the business. Lesson well learned.

Jenn:

As a mom and a photographer, I wish I had hired a photographer to help me document the first year of the twins. It was a difficult and crazy time for me and there are some things I have already forgotten. I have a lot of “nice” photos fromthat time, but it would have been great to get a more documentary view.

As a business woman, I wish I had left my job at The Washington Post sooner. I was scared at the time to leave because the Post meant stability, but it was like a prison for me. I was never meant to work for someone else. I just didn’t do well with a regular schedule and very boring repetitive work. I love being my own boss and will never go back to working for someone else.

What 5 things do suggest to a woman who is trying to get her studio up and running?

1.Don’t re-invent the wheel. If someone has already done something you don’t know how to do, learn from them. I’m not saying copy them, but if you know someone who really rocks on Lightroom for example, then ask to spend time with them learning how they do what they do.

2. Find someone who can mentor you LOCALLY! There are a lot of online forums to get advice and help, but you really need to have someone nearby that you can talk to and relate to. Find this person by looking online at photographer’s work and asking ones you really love for lunch.

3.Learn that some of the business has to be separated from emotion. Every time a client wants to negotiate on price, you can’t take it personally. It’s just business.

4.Go to workshops!! There are so many amazing workshops out there now that teach everything you need to know in this business. Talk to other photographers (again, locally)to find out which ones are really great for what you need. It’s also a great way to network.

5.Listen! Listen Listen!!! If someone is giving you advice that has more experience, then it is likely they are telling you something because they learned the lesson the hard way. This is your ticket out of learning something the hard way. Take it!!!

Jennifer and Mary, you both had separate studios, what made you decide to join forces?

Mary:

We re-united after several years and we had lunch one day. Jennifer was already well established in the Wedding industry for a couple of years and I was a newbie. So, I came to her studio space for lunch to chat. We hit it off. She needed help with a second shooter and I wanted to learn as much as I could. I still had my business and so did she. Then, I rented out her space to meet clients. Then, I started spending more time there. I just could not run a business in my house while simultaneously looking at dust bunnies in the corners and feeling anxious about all the laundry that needed to be done. Next thing you know this gorgeous, natural light space opened up and we looked at each other and basically said let’s go for it. Our intention was to maintain our separate businesses within the space. Soon after we realized that we were putting ourselves in a competitive situation, we were spending too much money advertising, and too much time at our desks processing instead of marketing. We both had a very similar business approach. We realized

we could do more working towards a common goal together, then we could separately. It took many tedious, stressful months to get to that place. We both had fear about losing our identities, we had to gain trust and confidence in each other, we each had to be 150% committed. We did this all while running our own businesses and running a household. The outcome of all that hard work these past two years has been fabulous. I love Love Life Images and everything we’ve made of it so far.

What do you recommend to women who are considering having a studio together?

Both:

Sharing a business is a lot like being married (except without the perks). You have to choose the right person. Study the other person’s personality to see how the two of you will manage working together. Communicate clearly your expectations from the very beginning. Prepare to expose yourself. Be brutally honest even if the truth hurts.

Like marriage, it is wise to be up front with your business partner about your plans. Your personal life will affect your business life, so you have to know your business partner’s life plan, too. Treat each other with respect and be prepared to make tough decisions together (which can be harder than making them alone...there will always be some difference of opinion that you have to work out). If you make it through this incredibly tedious time, you’re halfway there. The rest is opening your minds to new ideas and implementing them.

How do you manage the logistics of your studio to keep stress to a minimum?

This is always a work in progress. When it gets crazy, divide and conquer.

How do you keep from becoming overwhelmed?

Jenn:

I don’t. It’s a big job, being a mom and a business owner. I get overwhelmed a lot, but I’m not alone. I have help from Mary and other friends to get me back on track when I am not seeing clearly. I have to remind myself that there will be a day when my kids are all grown and I’m not as busy as I am now, so I try to relish the chaos.

Mary:

1.My husband keeps the sanity to minimum at home. I’m so lucky that he’s so organized and loves being a family man.

2.I make lists. Lots of them. There’s nothing better than crossing something off your list.

3.Talk about it. Another perspective is always helpful. Jennifer is awesome when it comes to this. She keeps me in line.

4.Hiking & exercise when I can. I can honestly say that I lack in this department. This should be something I do religiously. But, I’m getting better.

What are some things that can be difficult when running a studio with women? And how have you worked through those types of issues?

Both:

We really see ourselves as business owners. It doesn’t really matter about the gender.

Jenn:

We try to keep it professional in the office. Mary and I argue sometimes, just like any close couple, but we’ve had enough life experience to get over it quickly. We are lucky to have two rooms, one is for shooting and one is the working office.

This way, we always have a getaway, so if anyone needs a moment, they can take it into the other room. For the most part, there is very little drama in theoffice.

Mary:

One difficulty I’ve had to face is that I’ve never liked to make waves. I like to keep the peace, be soft. I’m not so sure that is a “woman” thing. It’s a personality thing, which can have both negative and positive attributes. Sometimes in business you have to make tough decisions that may directly effect another person. That’s hard to do, but necessary. I have to rise above that soft demeanor and make a decision keeps the business going. Jennifer & I have become great sounding boards. We really listen to each other’s thoughts before making a final decision, however tough it may be.

What are some of your favorite things about being a woman in the photography industry?

Jenn:

What I like most about this industry, unlike many others, we are free to express ourselves. Our voices, along with our emotions, are welcomed and applauded in our work.

With three kids, my husband (well, maybe not so much him) and I are DONE having children. But I miss having babies around, so it’s always great when one comes in to the studio for a session.

I also get the BEST hair, make-up and fashion tips from all the girls in the getting ready rooms and the hair and make-up people. I’m just saying, it’s a perk.

Mary:

I love being with other women in the photography industry. There is definitely a little bit of a “sisterhood” society. Now, I’m going out on a limb here by saying that women are inherently more intuitive and sensitive. As a photographer, especially a photojournalist, this completely works in our favor. Much of what I do is “feel” my way through a portrait session or a wedding and the end result are real moments with emotion & truth. It’s such an amazing experience to hold a newborn, see new parents dote, capture the essence of a feisty 2 year-old, observe a gaggle of girls prepare for their best friend to walk down the aisle, watch a dad tear up after seeing his daughter all dressed up. I’ve almost lost it many times at a wedding. I’m on a constant quest to capture the true essence of life (including my own) and all it’s craziness..

What are you most proud of as a woman and as a business woman?

Mary:

My generation of women have certainly found their place in business, in the arts and, yes, in the home. While there will always be a struggle to find the balance, I believe if there wasn’t that struggle we would sit stationary with no desire to grow or discover. We are unique, strong, and beautiful in so many ways. And, more importantly, a necessity to keep this world of ours functioning.

Jenn:

As a woman and as a business woman, I am most proud of how far I have come and the person I am becoming. I am a woman who is raising three sons and trying to show them that a beautiful, strong woman is not something you can see from the outside. That even though my waistline does not match those they seeon television, I am a still a super-model.

***All images in this post are copyright Love Life Images***

You have 2 girls, what does a typical day look like for you?

Penelope will be eight in April and is in second grade, and her little sister Millie is 4 1/2 and will be entering Kindergarten this fall. I’ve been married for nearly 14 years and our family is pretty laid back... We love to hang out together, laugh about silly things, and one of our favorite things is to snuggle together in our bed. We have a hard time getting up in the morning because the girls crawl into bed with us and we don’t want to get out. It is my favorite place to be, all cozy with my little family. That is one of the reasons Jules’ took a bedtime shot of us for our Christmas card this year... It typifies my family perfectly.

Mornings are pretty crazy in my house, getting my girls up, fed, dressed, lunches made , and out the door by 8am. If I was smart I would make their lunches and have their outfits chosen the night before, but I’m usually up late working on something for the business, so I always put it off.... Thus we have a reputation for sliding into school just as the bell rings!

I try to focus on work while the girls are in school so that I can focus on them when they come home. It isn’t always easy to manage doing work things at just the exact hours they are in school, however. And my youngest is still in preschool, so she is only in school three days a week.

I work out of my house, so of course I’m surrounded by laundry and dishes and tripping on toys as I’m trying to handle emails and phone calls... It can make for a distracting environment, and sometimes I’ll just have to tell myself to focus on one thing or the other... Either let the mess go and focus on work or put off work and deal with household things. I think that a block schedule would be the answer to this issue... So that while I’m working I’m not thinking about all the domestic things that have to happen. I’m trying to be better about that—just focusing on work when it is work time and home when it is home time, but life is not always that neat and usually one thing bleeds into the other. What happens to me is that I’ll be in the middle of one project, get distracted by something else, and then start something completely different, only to realize hours later that I never finished the first project!

When it is time to pick up my 2nd grader from school I feel very strongly about focusing on my girls for the first hour or so they are home. I haven’t seen them all day, so I usually make a snack and sit down with them at the table and talk for a little while. Evenings start to get away from me as I’m balancing between the attentions of both girls, getting homework done, dinner, baths, that sort of thing... So I usually put off any sort of work related thing until they are both asleep at that point. It is just too difficult to try and put them off in the evening, and not fair to them either.

What do you think are the most important things you do as a mom and every day?
One of the most important things I can do as a Mom is to give my children uninterrupted time and be fully present with them. I make sure that I give them my full attention when they are talking to me. I have an issue with being distracted by my iphone, so I’ve tried to make a conscious effort to put it down and be present in the moment. I realize that they are going to be children for only a little while, and then it will be gone. I need to enjoy it now and really be here while they are young. Sometimes I get stressed out that I’m not being productive enough or not doing enough for the business, but then I realize that work will always be there... And I will regret missing out on my children’s youth more than I will regret missing out on another hour of emails.

How did you come to be part of Jules Bianchi Photography?
When my sister’s business was getting overwhelming for her, I was actually looking to go back to work part time, so it seemed like the perfect choice! My sister and I are best friends and have a blast together. We have a very synergistic relationship, and I have always admired what she has built with her business. Although her business is based in Los Angeles and I live in the Bay Area, she has a lot of work in the Bay Area, so I started second shooting weddings with her when she worked up here. It gradually grew into more and more involvement with her business. By the time I attended my first major photography convention I was hooked. This year I’ve been more involved than ever before, and it has been more stressful for me, trying to figure out a balance between the two worlds, but most of my mommy friends are pretty jealous that I can escape the mommy life for a while and go to fun conferences in the name of work!!

What do you do to help the studio run smoothly?
Jules and I have different areas that we are in charge of.... She is the main shooter and has an in-house editor who handles most of her post-production. I’m involved in album design and I’ve been taking the lead on her new portrait business, which has reached out to our past bridal clients now that they are starting their own families. I’m more involved in marketing, and the side of Jules’ business that handles workshops and speaking engagements. I helped to launch julescafe.com; Jules’ site for photographers, which has been really fun. I’m actually just a good sidekick. Jules’ bounces her ideas off of me, and we develop them together. Like I said, we are really synergistic together.


How do you balance working with Jules and your family life?
As I’ve gotten more and more involved, this has been increasingly frustrating for me. My travel has picked up, and I’m usually traveling for Jules about 4-5 days a month, which can add up when you have small children. I think the key is focus, like I mentioned before... Work when you are working, play when you are playing. I can’t say that I’ve got it all figured out and that I have mastered it, but I keep trying.

You are married, what do you do to keep your love fresh and fun?
My husband Brett and I will have been married for 14 years this June. We still really like each other! Sometimes I feel like we are ships passing in the night... One month we were both traveling quite a bit and we literally did just hand off the kids... I arrived home and he left the next day! But we make sure that we are in communication and on the same page—sometimes we will text or chat online more than talk in person, but we are always in communication with each other. For our eleventh anniversary, we got re-married in Vegas by Elvis (I’ve included some pictures) and it was so fun! We had a blast together, and the little ceremony was very meaningful, even if it was Elvis! My sister was the only one there, and she got some great shots of us...we made a new wedding album and it’s been really fun to relive that weekend. We are both willing to let lots of things go (messy house, anyone?) and laugh at life too. That will save you every time.

What do you do to get inspired?
Seriously, I watch Jules. She is amazing. Working with her is inspiring... She just lives and breathes that camera. The way she documents life and how she is always looking at the world keeps me thinking in new ways. Also, of course, my children inspire me because they are changing so quickly. I feel like I need to capture time and stop them from growing up so fast. There is a cherry tree in our front yard that blossoms for one week out of the year, these gorgeous snowy flowers... Every year I’ll photograph my girls in front of the tree and document their growth (and the tree’s growth!). Projects like that inspire me, and thinking about capturing time for others makes me feel like what we are doing is worthwhile. I don’t like doing work that is pointless, and I really feel that photography is so important on so many levels.

You and Jules always seem like you are having a great time together, how do you keep work fun?
Work isn’t always fun, but working with people is! I love the photography community, and all of the people that I’ve had the honor of becoming friends with in this industry. The internet makes it all so small, I can read twitters all day and feel like I know what my friends in Denver, LA, Chattanooga, and Oregon are up to. We also love our clients. Jules has a knack for finding clients who really adore her and her photography so working with them is always a pleasure. We have fun with our clients during the shoot—Jules and I are usually so happy to be working together (since we usually are working 400 miles apart) and it shows! During a wedding, if we are really having a good time, we might bust out the twin dance.


The creative synergy has just taken off at Jules Bianchi photography in terms of all of the new things that you’ve launched in the last year. Will you explain that creative process?
I think Jules is always looking to improve herself and her business. We are always trying to push ourselves for the next thing... whether that is starting a new workshop or website, Jules is willing to try something new, which I really appreciate about her. Jules has always been an amazing photographer. It is just part of who she is. She gets a lot of requests from other photographers for information about how she does things, how she shoots, etc. We spend a lot of time talking about that and have recently re-launched Jules Café, which is her site for photographers. It is not only about what Jules is doing but it is a site that compiles lots of information on the web into one place. It is still a work in progress, but it’s been fun to see how that plays out. Her new book, Olive Goes to Hollywood, came out of a pet project that she did photographing her dog in different places around Hollywood.

One of our latest workshops will actually be for non-professional photographers. It’s aimed towards moms who want to understand their cameras so that they can do a better job photographing their own children. The workshop came out of my experience as a mom and in working with our portrait clients who love Jules and want to learn more about photography.


You are good at keeping things fun with your little girls, how do you do keep things fun instead of letting stress carry you away?
I try to always remember that life is temporary, and a gift. When I get stressed out about things, I try and stop and say, “What are you really stressed out about? Is the world going to end because you didn’t get that project done today?” I want to look back on my life and remember the people that I spent time with, and I am aware that my girls are growing up quickly. We have lots of dance parties in the kitchen! We play rockin music and dance while doing dishes or making dinner... It livens things right up! We’ll have picnics on the floor and I am really ok with them eating extra cookies (and then I get some too). I just don’t let things bother me that I think are ultimately not that important. People are more important than things. Getting that right helps prioritize a lot for me.


Here are some links for you!

www.julescafe.com

www.anoliveaday.com

www.julesbianchi.com

***All images in this post are copyright Jules Bianchi.***

***all images in this post are copyright Haley Warner***

NEXT WEEK: Joy Bianchi of Jules Bianchi Photography

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-make sure to include your info in the comment fields so that I can get in touch with you- or write to me at:  davina at davinafear dot com }

Haley, thank you so much for being on the Women and Business series! I 've not met you in person but somehow found my way to your blog and felt an immediate connection when I read that you were pregnant with twins and you have three children already! I'm excited you've been so patient with all of my questions. I hope we meet in person someday and that I'll get to see those sweet twins!

How long have you been in business? I started photographing bath products for a bath and body company in 1998 and worked there until 2001, when myson was born. I took a few months off and then ventured into portrait and wedding photography, which was much more up my alley.

What has been the hardest thing about getting started? Worrying about not being "good enough,"lying awake at night dreaming up business plans AND sacrificing time with my family.

What did you do to manage those things that were hard for you? I'm really NOT an easily stressed out type of person so when I noticed that I was constantly stressing over my photography and feeling guilt, Iasked myself .. "Why am I doing this and am I enjoying it?" I then decided to take things really slow, keeping my family first, but building my business little by little through research, practice and trial and error. It relieves a lot of stress, pressure and guilt when you remember to ask yourself, "Why am I doing this and am I enjoying it?"

You just found out you are pregnant with twins. What are you doing to prepare for them in conjunction with your business? I decided at the end of 2008 that I would only be offering Wedding Photography to give me more time at home, so I am planning on shooting until about April. The twins are coming in June.

What are you telling clients and potential clients? I have a few backup photographers that will take my clients if anything unexpected happens before April, so everything will be covered until then. I am not shooting anything (except my twins and3 other kids:) until September so I've been referring clients toother great photographers that I trust.

What are your plans for your business after they are born? I haven't made any plans whatsoever. I'm just not scheduling anything until SEVERAL months after the babies. I've never had twins before so I have no idea what to expect. It's hard not to be able to plan and be in control.

So are you planning to just play it all by ear? I am totally flying by the seat of my pants on this one! I'm hoping I'll have good sleepers and eatersthat love to be on aschedule so I can have my schedule back, but that'sbest case scenario! I'm praying for asmooth adjustment to having 5 kids under the age of 7!

How long are you thinking you’ll take for maternity leave before you start shooting and taking clients again? I'mplanning on shooting again starting in September.

What do you think are the most important things you do as a mom and every day? The most important thing I do as a mom every day is to send my kids off to school with a prayer, an "I love you"and with confidence in themselves. I really do keep a prayer in my heart all day for my kids.. for me to know how to best help them in their own personal needs and to be ready to act on those "feelings." I try and listen and have conversations with them even when it's really really annoying and mostly focused around Indiana Jones.

You’ve just redone your website. What are the things you think are most important to consider when putting together a website? I think it's easy to fall into the trap of "copying"popular photographers and trying to emulate their style and logos and colors and design. Decide what YOU like, what colors and light and lines and form.. You are trying to stand out, not follow behind.

How did you decide and figure out what you like and how you stand out from other photographers? I've had 3 different websites in 7 years and it has really taken me that long to feel completely comfortable with my style and who I am now. I've always been a simple person. Less is more.So the photographs I take are less about props and backdrops and lots of equipment, they are about the subject. Simple.

How did photography find you? I was on the yearbook staff in high school and LOVED it. I really got into photography in high school and still keep in contact with those friends from yearbook and photography classes. Professionally, I just got lucky andlanded the perfect job to help build my skills.

Why did you decide to go into business? After Cole, (my oldest) was born, I knew I didn't want to work full time outside the home, so I quit my awesome job (which was one of the hardest things I've done.) I knew I would never be able to give up photography completely as itis such a big part of who I am.. so I slowly, slowly, slowly started to build up my business.

What did you do to slowly build up your business? I took it nice and easy by studying and researching (pricing, style, business plans, etc.)and not taking on hundreds of clients at once. I also didn't go into debt buying equipment. I saved forever to buy my Canon 10D body, (which I still useas a backup)a cheap flash and a Sigma 24-70mm lens. Over the years I've added lenses, lights, umbrellas and reflectors and with each purchase, I take months to practice and figure out how to best utilize my new "toy."

What do you think has given your business the biggest boost over the last 18-20 months? I think confidence.. I finally feel confident and know I can create awesome photos for my clients, no matter the situation! I've always second guessed myself and clients can sense that.

What are some of your best ways to bring new clients in? I have solely relied on word of mouth and referrals. I did a Bridal Fairabout 5 years agoand vowedto never put myself through that again! I have had several weddings published recently which has helped me meet new clients. Blogging and Facebook are always fun too, and a great way to network.

What are you most proud of as a business woman within your business? I am proud that I've never had anything completely fall apart within my business. I'm really not the most organized person alive, but I've somehow managed to keep everything flowing and moving along with no major glitches. (I have learned, however, toALWAYS have backups at ALL times of ALL photographs.:)

What is your number one tip for someone just getting started?Don't feel pressure to be as amazing as all the photographers who have been in the business for years and years. You won't be as good as them right off the bat.. it will take several years and a lot of practice. It is very discouraging to think you will never be where you want in your business, but it will come.. someday! Keep going and push forward, no matter how discouraged you get.

What are you most proud of as a mom? That my kids know they are truly important and loved. I am so blessed to even be able to be a mother and I never want to have regrets ofputting my kids second.If yousay"yes" tosomething, it meansyou are saying "no" to somethingelse.