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***All images in this post are copyright Carla Ten Eyck***

NEXT WEEK: Wendy Whitacre

{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 }

Carla Ten Eyck:

How long have you been in business? I think you already had children when you decided to go into business, what was the process you went through to get things running smoothly?

I've been in business since about 2003. It started up in between havingmy children- Jackson in 2002 and Georgie in 2004. I say ‘about’ only because it kind of morphed into where I am today, kind of slowly and then all of a sudden it was like WHAM! I have a studio with four employees and two photographers, and I actually make a living shooting! Kind of surreal when I stop and think about it…

So basically it started much like if did for many people I know- I would go to my friend’s weddings and bring my camera, then take some pictures. My friends kept urging me to consider doing this as a living, because they always liked my pictures better than their professionals. But the pressure and stress of not only photographing a wedding (which you can’t do over!) but ON FILM! Was like, no WAY!

But I eventually gave in to the pressure, after realizing that I loved it and that I was good at it. I mean, I took the time to go to school for it (I went to RIT for photojournalism) what was I so scared of?

Flash forward to: me meeting clients in my home, with my toddlers! Then editing in the same room as they were, watching PBS kids, or playing- sometimes they were actually in the chair with me while I worked (Georgie still does this) and I just made it work. They didn’t know any different, to be honest- Mommy always took pictures and then worked on the computer, now it’s just in a prettier space!

We moved into the house I grew up in two years ago after my Mom died and renovated the entire house- turning our crazy big back deck area into my new studio space.

You’ve done a project that spotlights women. Will you tell me more about it? How did you get involved with the project?

I had my ‘A-HA!’ idea for this project back in 2005- I saw a photography project in something that had always intrigued and kind of bothered me my whole life. Why did the more ‘typically beautiful’ women not ever really feel beautiful? Was it that they had a warped idea of what beauty really was? So I thought about it more- what was everyone’s idea of beauty? I came to the question that I then asked women of all ages, shapes, sizes, creeds and colors:

How do you feel most beautiful?

The answers I got back were colorful, simple, funny, and sometimes sad. Some women said they never felt beautiful! I then realized that the project’s strength lay not just in how I photographed their answers, which was a fun photographic problem solving exercise- but in having their written answers be included with the photographs.

After putting the call out to practically every woman I knew, I had a woman respond that she thought there would be a grant for this! Turns out there was, I got it and two years later I had my show opening – ‘See Real Women: Really See Women’ in October 2007.

The whole project (so far, it is still a work in progress) can be seen on Asuka Books’ website –asukabook.com- under the book of the month for 2007.

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

Honestly I think it’s to not lose yourself in being just a Mom. I use the word ‘just’ with great care, mind you. The one thing my Mom imparted to me before she died was to have an identity of my own, outside of my children and husband. She never did and while she loved us all fiercely, she really regretted it.

Whatever that is for you, find it and pursue it. It doesn’t have to be an entire career, but even something as small as taking an art class or joining a running group.

What do you think are the top three things you must do as a business woman every day?

Have a schedule, an organized to-do list with deadlines, and lastly- take a break! Go outside and get some fresh air!

What three products or things help you stay organized?

Surrounding myself with positive, organized, do-ers is A#1 on my list- whether they work for you or not is irrelevant! Having these people hold you accountable for what you say you are going to do is something that you can’t measure.

My studio uses ShootQ and we love how it helps us stay on top of our shoots and our new leads and our old leads…. It’s great!

Mobile Me is also the best thing ever- I can add stuff to my calendar remotely and Katie will see it in iCal without me having to tell her that I can’t book a shoot that day or whatever- it saves on a lot of back and forth communication!

OK, one last important thing: we have created Protocol Binders for everything! A general studio one; an Album Design one and an Editing Workflow one! Once we get our workflow down, we write it up and put it in the binder, that way everything is in one place and everyone can access the info to get their jobs done even if I am not in the studio!

With so many things on your plate, what do you do to market your business? How does that fit into your busy schedule?

I make it part of my workflow! Blogging regularly keeps people coming back to my blog.

The packages that I offer also take marketing into consideration. Last year I did guest books for every engagement shoot so that at the wedding reception every guest became familiar with my work.

Then during the reception I do a slide show of my favorite 100-200 images that I shot so far. Referrals from past clients are the number one way I get business.

The second biggest thing is other photographer referrals! In Connecticut we have a BIG, strong group of photographers that get together every month for our PUG meetings (Pictage User Groups) This way you get to know each other as friends in addition to seeing each others work and can refer people that you feel really strongly about.

What plans do you have for your business this year? How will your plans impact your family?

My monthly photography workshop- Ten Eyck Tuesday- has really taken off this year, and I couldn’t be happier! One of our goals this year is to reach a broader audience with it and really market it to everyone- from beginners to pros. Right now I have been getting people just from my blog (which is incredible) and so we are going to do a national push soon! I am also toying around with doing a destination workshop someplace warm…I will keep you posted.

Personally I am planning on branching out more with what I shoot this year. Before when I pretty much did it all I limited myself to only shooting weddings. Now that I have a staff to help, I am shooting more maternity, boudoir and families. I was always scared to do it, to be honest- because I felt like people expected these shoots to be shot a certain way…it was a way that I just did not want to do, and so I never got into it! But now, I shoot these new subjects the way I see them and I am having SO much fun and my clients really love them!

We also took a big business leap and hired an associate photographer, Erik Maziarz! Big only in the fact that I now feel responsible for another person’s work…but he is just such a natural fit for our studio. He is an incredible photographer and has this sense of composition that is just beautiful.

With the addition of Katie, Graham, Dominique and Robin I am hoping that this doesn’t affect my family too much! I decided that hiring people to help me was going to free me up for more time with my family, which is WAY important to me. So this year, even though I have more weddings than last year (we currently have 33 booked so far) I am hoping to have more quality time with my family.

What 5 tips do you have for women to help them maintain a balance in their lives between everything they have to do?

Again, it’s back to the schedule! It’s honestly the one thing that helps me maintain any type of sanity in the balance between work and personal life…

Monday and Tuesday are client meeting nights / shooting days

Wednesday is my night with the kids and Dave’s night out – this is also my networking day- if you want to go out to lunch then this is the day! The rest of the day I am off and the studio is closed.

Thursday is my night out for fun / I can shoot during the day as well

Friday is Date Night with Dave (unless I have a wedding)

Saturday is shooting day

Sunday is Family Day

So that’s basically my 5 things to maintain balance! And it seems to work so far

Are there times that you feel overwhelmed? What do you do?

HECK YES!! A lot of the time I feel overwhelmed but I know that is because that is who I am. Even thought I have all of this help I can’t stop thinking of the next project or new thing I want to work on. I am a very motivated and self driven person, I can’t seem to turn it off! It’s good and bad, but it’s me!

I am going to design and plan my gardens this year, which is something that I find incredibly relaxing.

I am also going to start running again- this was a great stress reliever for me.

Talking to others in the industry is another great way to get it out- I have a great network of people that I can turn to for this.

There’s a really strong community of photographers in Connecticut. How did that come about and develop and how does it help you and your business?

A few years back, Justin and Mary Marantz got the Connecticut PUG going. I attended the second meeting and haven’t looked back! The one downside of running your own business is that it can feel so lonely. Everyone we met up with was feeling the same way and so it just seemed like perfect timing. I made some life long friends in my PUG, and am incredibly thankful for everyone I have met.

I think the one thing that keeps us going is that we are not afraid to share information or to help each other out.

To see more of Carla's work:

Website

***All images in this post are copyright Carla Ten Eyck***

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