***All images in this post are copyright Chenin Boutwell.***

NEXT WEEK: Jasmine Star  (January 7th)  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

{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!

You are married and have a sweet little baby. What has the transition to motherhood been like for you?

For me, the major transition has been trying to balance work and play.

The first few months were easy, because I could set Max down in one place and tend to emails, phone calls, etc. Around 4 months old, I noticed that he was needing more stimulation and I simply could not continue to mix mommy time and working time. I immediately hired a nanny to come two days a week, 9-5, and made those days "office days." My husband cares for Maxfield on Saturdays while I shoot and Sunday is family day. The other three days, I am a full-time, stay-at-home mom; I may answer emails or sneak in a phone call during naps, but Max has my full attention on those days.

Since Maxfield was born, in what ways have you had to change your approach in your studio on a day to day basis?

Simply put: I HAVE to be disciplined. Since I only get two full days in the studio, I have to get my work done on those days. It requires a lot of structure and no messing around or wasting time, but it is possible to get my work done in 2 days.

You are very busy. What do you do to keep things normal at home with your family?

I think having a schedule has really helped. On work days, I come home from the studio at 5pm, usually walk the baby to the market and then prepare the ingredients for dinner. 6pm is bath time, then dinner for Max and some cuddle time before bed. He is in bed by 7pm, at which time I cook dinner (everything is usually prepped at this point). By 7:45, my husband and I are enjoying a nice glass of wine, a good meal and some quiet time.

We also schedule time to work out, time to take Maxfield to a Mommy and Me class, and Doug and I go on one date a week.

Again, there isn't a whole lot of spontaneity around our house, but we do get in some solid family time this way.....

What are the three most important things you do as a business woman?

Network. Network. Network. And be a nice person with a good reputation.

If you get yourself out there and put your best attitude and effort forward, people will want to help you succeed.

What are the three most important things you do as a mom?

The most important things I do as a mom are Work and Play. Although it is hard to be a working mom, I know that it is what is best for me and Max. I get a sense of accomplishment and independence and Max gets to see that his mom is ambitious and dedicated. Being a working mom is a big part of my identity. It is also important that I Play. Nothing makes me happier than playing with my family. I used to take life waaaaay too seriously, and now I take time to goof around.

What does your workflow look like? What have you done to make is simple and efficient?

-Saturday: Shoot a wedding

-Sunday: Download cards throughout the day; back up to a hard drive that I keep at home (as offsite backup)

-Monday: Mommy Day: cull through my images during nap times (usually two

1.5 hour stretches)

-Tuesday: Studio Day; copy images to my tower at the office; put "keeper" images on a hard drive and ship out to Colorati; pick my favorite images and rework them in Photoshop using the Totally Rad Actions (www.gettotallyrad.com) - keep for when I design the album; post favorites on my blog

-Wednesday: Mommy Day

-Thursday: Studio Day; receive last week's wedding from Colorati; generate proofbook and post images on PicPick for client to view; design an album (usually from 3 weeks prior), this includes choosing 50-100 images, retouching them using TRA and designing the layout

-Friday: Mommy Day; charge batteries and pack up equipment for tomorrow's wedding

Do you travel quite a bit? How do you make this easier on Maxfield?

I just wrote a blog post on this! -http://cheninboutwell.com/stuffforphotographers/destination-wedding-photograph.html

You were recently featured in Rangefinder magazine. What have you done to become so sought after and recognized?

I think having a reputation as an approachable person and hardworking photographer has led to a lot of these opportunities. Sometimes I think a lot of photographers get too big for their britches and blow off opportunities to get their name/work out there. For me, some of the smallest opportunities have turned it to big, big opportunities. For example, a nice woman contacted me a few years back about doing a little article for a magazine; she was not a photographer and so had a lot of questions. I immediately called her back and went out of my way to help her out. A year later, she was asked to write a book on wedding photography and included a chapter on my studio.

What are you most proud of as a business woman?

I am most proud of the way I weathered the transition from being a husband/wife studio to being all by myself. About 2 years ago, my husband left the studio to pursue another career and I was left to run things on my own. I was terrified, but instead of throwing in the towel, I decided to completely revamp my brand, launch a new website and really infuse the studio with my own, individual photography style. It was a big risk, but I learned A LOT about running a business and how to weather a storm.

What do you do that your clients rave about most?

Probably my customer service. I pride myself on getting back to clients quickly and on providing amazing service.

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

The single best thing I've done for my business is to be true to myself.

I make business decisions based on what's right and wrong, not on what will make me the most money. I created a brand that is 100% representative of my personal style. If you base your business on your true values and style, it makes all those hard business questions so much easier. I never ask myself what would so and so do.... I am always listening to my heart and my gut.

What do you do to keep from feeling overwhelmed?

The three S's: Structure. Schedule. Shopping.

What do you think are the 3 core things on which to build a business?

Values. Hard work. And a healthy dose of Fearlessness.

What strengths do you think we, as women, bring to the table in this industry?

Women can multitask! Women can answer an email, while holding a baby, while returning a client call, while boiling a pot of water on the stove and keep it all under control. I think what women bring to the photography business is the sense that, if you work hard, you CAN have your cake and eat it too. We can be good wives, strong business people AND great moms.

To see more of Chenin's work and make sure to check out her WORKSHOP:

Website

Blog

WORKSHOP!

***All images in this post are copyright Chenin Boutwell.***