sweet miss.

Dancing and twirling and laughing and jumping...and so much more.

I love that little kids have so much enthusiasm for everything.  There isn't one thing that goes by that isn't approached with at a minimum of endless excitement.

Grace is so happy and bubbly and all about dancing.  I loved the time I got to spend with her photographing her just being her...

twirling. LOVE.

***All images in this post are copyright  Jessica Claire.***

NEXT WEEK: Barb Uil of Jinky Art

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-or if you have a question you'd like to see in the interviews--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 }

As always make sure to leave comments for the women who are featured. They like comments as much as i do I'm sure...let them know if you have questions or just to say thanks! for their insight and wisdom...



You can check out the rest of the series by clicking here. Tell a friend!
 

Jessica, I am amazed constantly at the amount of work that you can accomplish.  You are not only a fantastic photographer who moved across the country to make your dreams come true; you've also built 2 successful companies, gotten married, and taken the photography world by storm.  I have no idea how you manage to do it all.  You are at once professional and approachable and gracious.  Thanks so much for being here on Women and Business!

You made a big leap and moved from North Carolina to California.  What inspired you to do that?  Did you know anyone in California?  Why did you pick California? 

Although I love North Carolina, I knew early on in my career that I wanted to explore a different market.  North Carolina is a state rooted in tradition, especially when it comes to weddings.  Many brides did what their sister or friends did, and didn't choose to express their personalities and individual style through their weddings. When I looked at the style coming out of California, I just fell in love with the idea that clients were actually AIMING to be different and unique--I felt that this was a better match for my own style and goals.

You recently remodeled a room in your home to be your studio.  Did you buy that particular home with a studio in mind?  Why did you opt for an in home studio rather than a retail location?  How do clients feel about meeting in your home? 

My home is very unique in that it's zoned for both commercial and residential.  So although my studio is in my home, it has a separate entrance, a sign, and a style of decor that suits my brand perfectly.  It makes it feel both homey because it is attached to my home, and still business-like as it is very separate, so I think that clients do love coming here!  I never wanted to go to an office every day--that was one of the reasons I decided to become a photographer instead of pursuing a corporate career!  I love that I can work from home and have clients meet me here.  I hope that it also makes them feel like I am accessible and down to earth.

What does your workflow look like?  Do you outsource or keep everything in house? 

My workflow is very simple--I don't retouch or process any images other than the ones I use for my blog or that my clients choose for their albums or reprints.  This GREATLY cuts down on the time involved with my images afterwards, and allows me to focus all my attention on the most important images.  I have a designer that works for me and has for the past four years.  She knows my style of processing and is responsible for reprint orders and album designs.  This way, I outsource in the sense that the work is not on my own plate, but is close enough that I am able to keep a watchful eye on each item going out with my name on it.

What do you do to help your clients be so comfortable with you during a photo shoot?
I always try to talk to them and find out what they love about each other early on in the shoot.  I never interrupt them or stop them from talking when they get going, even if it doesn't look great in the photos.  I trade those bad photos for the GREAT ones I'm able to get later when they feel comfortable enough with me to be themselves in front of my camera.

What do you recommend women do who are just getting started in the industry?
I would recommend that any woman getting involved in the industry take a good look at who they are and who they want to be in the industry.  It's too saturated now to come in and try to be all things to all people.  You will just end up getting frustrated with your inability to please everyone,and in turn, will end up trying to constantly change your photography to suit others.  Figuring out what most resounds with you style-wise FIRST will help with the decisions you will have to make in terms of what clients you want, and whom you want to associate with.

How do you keep from feeling overwhelmed? 

I'm always in a state of overwhelm!  It works for me, because I thrive under pressure. The less I have going on, the more I feel restless like I should be doing something.  When I feel too crazy, I try to wrap up the most important things on my plate and then unplug for a day or two.  A short break can help me to feel more ready to conquer the tasks that pile up from day to day.

How do you make time for your new husband and marriage?
My husband isn't a photographer or involved with the industry at all, which is both a blessing and a curse!  In one sense, I find it hard to help him understand the importance of certain things and their implications on the industry and myself personally.  On the other hand, he is so far removed from it that it's sometimes easier to concentrate fully on him because while it's my whole world, it's a minimal part of his.  He keeps me balanced--because he is in my life, I can never get so far in over my head in the minutia and drama that the industry can bring.

What do you do for fun...that has nothing to do with photography?
I LOVE to play poker!  I find it to be such an interesting game on so many levels.  It's fun to think creatively about my strategy, and I love putting the pieces together about how my opponents might play.  When I play poker, completely different parts of my brain are in use than in my normal day to day, although it's still very creative. 

What are you most proud of as a business woman?
I'm most proud of Shootsac®.  Being able to throw my energy into building a company that actually helps people become better photographers makes me SO excited!  I am also proud of the fact that although I am an artist, I am also a business woman--it's nice to be able to say that when I never though I would.  When I graduated from college and chose art instead of a more traditional career, I figured I'd never be taken seriously.  By building Shoosac® with my business partner Keats, I feel that I can hold my own in any business conversation with people in any industry.  It's fun to be able to relate concepts and principles across those borders.

How do you keep your marriage safe from the stresses of your business?
I think that to some extent I don't try to keep it out--I'm lucky in that my marriage is a safe place in which to talk about the things that are stressful to me instead of keeping them bottled up within myself.  When I feel nastiness or stress starting to overflow though, I take some time for myself away from work and Jeff and try to work out what is stressing me out.  If I can get at least a part of it focused and under control, I can talk to Jeff with more clarity about what is upsetting me, and be more accepting of his help in fixing it :)

Your work continues to evolve.  We want our clients to see consistency yet we also want our work to have a living, breathing quality about it so that it doesn't become stagnant.  What core part of your work remains the same for you?
My work will always be somewhat consistent because it comes from ME!  When you are shooting what you love, you are going to be naturally drawn to certain angles, light, moments, etc that are unique to the way that you see things.  Because I have grown and I love different things than I used to, my work has evolved, but at it's core is still the same--you can look at photos I shot ten years ago and still know that I shot them.  That common thread running through my work may change with my equipment and my location, but the part of it that comes from ME is what you can recognize as consistent. 

 

What five suggestions do you have for women who are trying to have a more whole, content, and blissful life?
1.  Never compromise who you are to please anyone but yourself.

2.  Spend the first $1000 you make but don't need for bills on something completely frivolous that you have always wanted.  Choose carefully--for the rest of your life you will look at it 

     and remember the day you became able to give yourself a gift that means something.

3. Don't worry so much about the future that you don't enjoy the present

4.  Have at least one goal so big you are pretty sure you will never reach it.  Then try as hard as you can to get there

5.  Take time out for yourself every week to do something you LOVE doing for yourself, that nobody else depends on you to do

To see more of Jessica's work:

blog
shootsac®
workshops
blog themes

***All images in this post are copyright  Jessica Claire.***

sneak peek.

I was so excited to get to work with this sweet family.  I met Gwen at the festival that I did some weeks ago. Even though she has 3 kids she had taken the chance to be with just her one son and he was loving the opportunity of having her all to himself.  Gwen is a beautiful mother in so many ways.

When I arrived the boys were ready to show me all of the cool stuff they could do...and I loved that!

Gwen and Jeremy are really great parents.  It's so obvious how much they love their kids.  And even if their life is busy...they really love the chance to be together and it shows.

We ran around the house grabbing shots in the bedroom and on the porch.  We played candyland, jumped on the bed, read books, blew bubbles and went to a horse farm for a few minutes (all of that will be coming later).

For now here's a quick look at this family because....their real life is beautiful...

fun. LOVE.

***All images in this post are copyright  Tara Whitney.***

NEXT WEEK: Jessica Claire

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-or if you have a question you'd like to see in the interviews--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 }

As always make sure to leave comments for the women who are featured. They like comments as much as i do I'm sure...let them know if you have questions or just to say thanks! for their insight and wisdom...



You can check out the rest of the series by clicking here. Tell a friend!
 

Tara, You are a person who is amazingly soulful and beautiful in the way you approach family and life and love.  It seems that you had a time in your career that made you really rediscover that philosophy.  I think it's safe to say that your journey to this moment has immensely blessed so many women who are inspired by your ablility to find joy in family, life, and love. Thanks so much for being here on Women and Business!

You are a mom and wife.  How many kids do you have and what are their ages?  How long have you been married?

I have known my husband Jeff since the fourth grade, but we didn’t start dating until high school. This November we will have been together for seventeen years. We have four children. Mckenna (14), Drew (12), Nate (10), and Anna (7). One thing that makes our family different than most is that our daughter Mckenna was born with an undiagnosed neurological disorder that causes severe delays in speech and development. So, I don’t have a typical fourteen-year-old daughter. Hormones yes. Boys and unlimited texting no.

What is the best thing about being a mom for you?

Simply being in the presence of these four people every day and having the pleasure of knowing them for their entire lives. The joy of being able to train them and raise them up to be people that eventually go out into this world and continue on our life story is something that blows my mind on a regular basis. Talking to them and listening and learning about who they are. Being able to grab them and squeeze them in my arms and nuzzle right under their chins with kisses and smelling how good they smell. Yes, even my twelve year old son still smells good to me. 

What is the best thing about being a photographer/business owner?

Giving the end product, which is relative to giving happiness, and knowing a piece of me will be in their home.

Why photography?  And why have you chosen to focus on families rather than something like weddings?

I was drawn to photography in my early adolescence. I used to beg to be the photographer on family vacations. I love everything about it. I think a lot of my love is rooted in the freezing of time. Photographing a moment and being able to hold onto it forever.

I don’t like weddings. Not as a guest, not even as a bride. I would be miserable if I had to attend weddings every weekend! It is as simple as that. (I’m an introvert.)

Families were a natural draw because of my own. I started out photographing what I would want of my own children. Of our own interactions. I knew the moments that were special to me, and I set out to photograph them for other people.

What do you do to help your clients be so comfortable with you during a photo shoot?

I don’t really know! I don’t TRY to do anything, or set out to do anything specific. I just try to get to know them. I try to make them laugh at me, or at themselves. I try to have a genuinely good time. I think we do.

What do you recommend women do who are just getting started in the industry?

I don’t really like to tell other people what to do – but my best advice is to be yourself. You will only stand out from the crowd if you stay as unique as your fingerprint.

And, photograph whatever makes your heart sing.

How do you stay grounded and keep business/photography from taking over your life?

In my third year of business things really started heating up for me. And I got very swept up in all of it. I traveled all over the United States. I worked my butt off. I made a lot of money, but in the end, my personal life suffered. My family suffered. My marriage suffered. It didn’t take long for me to realize my mistake and to reign things in. I stopped traveling and limit the amount of sessions I do in a month. I want my focus in life to be on my family, and running our life together, with my business running smoothly in the background.

I recently changed how I schedule my sessions and work at home. I am using the first two weeks of the month for shooting, and the last two weeks of the month for editing, ordering, and other business miscellany. My first two weeks are very session focused, and I am out of the house quite a bit. My last two weeks are very home based, and I am strapped to the computer while the children are at school. It is working so much better for me this way. Instead of having everything going on all the time, I am able to focus much better on the task at hand.

What do you do for fun...that has nothing to do with photography?

I love to read. There are usually 3-4 books on my nightstand. I love to browse for music online and organize my iTunes playlists. I love to decorate and futz around my house. I love to thrift shop and could live in a flea market. I love to grab a drink and a meal with a friend. I love to watch tv in bed with my husband at night. I love laying at the pool in the afternoons while the kids play.

What are you most proud of as a businesswoman?

I am proud of being able to help support the way we live our life.

What do you do to keep your marriage fun?  

We are goofballs and have known each other a very long time. Our sense of humor is so synced that we almost don’t have to say anything to laugh. Most of the time we spend together is pretty fun. I am very lucky to have him in my everyday.

How do you keep your marriage safe from the stresses of your business?

We talk. A lot.

What is the best thing you've done to make your business successful?

My blog. 100,000 trillion percent. If I hadn’t started my blog I would not have this life. I started my blog as a way to connect with friends and family, before I had a business. Strangers started emailing me to ask if I ever photographed other people. Everything slowly snowballed from there into what I have today.

What do you do to keep your children from feeling like your business is more important than them or that you love your computer more than them?

I limit the amount of work that I do every month. I stay off the computer as much as possible after they are home from school. When I am with them, I am with them.

Being a photographer has made me a fuller person, and so a better mother.

We all know that portrait photography has it's seasons.  You can't really plan to shoot 2-4 sessions every single week because there are times of the year when that just doesn't happen.  What do you do to get through the slow times?  What do you do to get through October/November/December?

My slow season is actually Jan-March. After Christmas card season no one wants to think about family photo shoots. I consider it my vacation time. I love every second of it. We make sure we have savings to make it through those months.

It seems like you are excellent at enjoying every moment, staying in the moment with your kids and family.  How do you do that?

I’m not sure. It is just this grand desire within me to not let life pass me by. I want to LIVE. I want to EXPERIENCE. I want to LOVE and LAUGH and LEARN.

What do you do to keep from feeling overwhelmed?

Oh, I don’t do that very well. But I am learning. I am a professionally overwhelmed person. But I am changing that. I want to be done with that.

I am learning my limits. And I learning to set them strictly for myself to avoid burnout.

Your work is very organic.  How do you work with your clients to get that kind of feeling in your images?

I just talk to them like friends. I like to learn about who they are and what they like. I tease them, I make fun of myself. We connect on our commonalities.

What three products or things help you stay organized?

iCalendar, my iPhone, and my husband.

What five suggestions do you have for women who are trying to have a more

whole, content, and blissful life?

Slow down.

Learn your limits.
Take care of yourself first.

Make time to laugh with your husband/partner/family.

Surround yourself with things you find beautiful and meaningful.

To see more of Tara's Work:

***All images in this post are copyright  Tara Whitney.***

body type.

So...Move it Monday is on Wednesday this week...it's been a little crazy with school ending in 7 days.  Wohoo!

A bunch of years ago I learned about the body type diet.  I thought it was intriguing.  What I liked most was that it taught you about how your body chemistry works, why you may gain weight in certain places, and what foods are extra good at helping your particular body put on the fat.

I have to give the disclaimer though...I don't believe in any one diet...or any diets for that matter.  I think what's most important is that you eat healthy foods, keep your body active, exercise, and refrain from eating more than you really need.

I do like the idea of findyourbodytype.com teaching us about how our body may work and giving us information that will help us keep from overworking one part of our system to the detriment of another part of our body.  I hope the information helps you.  Let me know what you think...

Weekly Challenge:

Pay attention to your body.  Listen to your body.  Notice when a certain type of food doesn't make you feel good or when another food makes you feel healthy.  Listen and obey your body when it speaks to you.

aware. LIFE.