love. LIFE. Hello Friends! Over to the left you'll see all of the categories that you can check out. If you're a photographer make sure to check out the For Photographers page. I just launched the new Family GTKY kit and the NEW Insight Kits Blogsite!!! Click here to see the new site! LOVE. LIFE. TIPS. These posts will help anyone who is trying to keep or get back all of the things that they love in their life and/or business. The tips are packed with ways to manage a hectic life, kids, business, meaning, love...and more. Also, make sure you check out the new Women and Business series! (Click here) Also, see how Day with Davina can come to you. (Click here) My favorite pricing guide (that I wish I had when I started my business over 8 years ago). You need this guide! Easy as Pie. Click here to visit Served Up Fresh. (affiliate link) Thanks for stopping by...and don't forget to leave a comment...or two...I want to hear from YOU! And make sure to TELL A FRIEND! |
Entries from May 1, 2010 - May 31, 2010
books and horses: Fort Mill Family Photographer
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.
Women and Business: Tara Whitney
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***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.***
Move it Monday: body type
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.
Women and Business: Dawn Shields
***All images in this post are copyright Dawn Shields.***
NEXT WEEK: Tara Whitney
{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!
Dawn, You've accomplished a lot in the past year...your business has grown, you invested yourself into an emotional personal project, and won the biggest award at WPPI this year. You are a mom and wife and you're managing to run a thriving business, make time to create personally, and have a family life. Even after such a big year it seems that you're keeping everything centered around your family. Thanks so much for being here on Women and Business!
How long have you been in business?
I started out with no clue what I was doing in Aug of 2002.
How did you get started? What drew you to photography?
Being a photographer was something I knew I wanted to be when I was about 8-10 yrs old. I got started by buying an SRL to photograph my own children. I never planned on making it a business.
How are you married with children?
I am married to a wonderful man, Sean, and I have 2 children who make me happy every day, Sierra 13 and Sutton 7.
What are some ways you keep family and business life feeling like they are both getting the attention that they need?
When I go home at 5pm I am home. That is my family time, photography time does not start until 8:30am in the next morning. There has to be a careful balance, in the end if I work every waking hour and end up with a hugely successful business but all my children remember is me working, then I have failed. During those moments when I want to have a set up in my home so I can work more I just try to remember one thing: when I'm in my last days of life it's my family I want to spend time with my not camera or computer. In the end it’s the way my children think of me that means the most. Photography always comes second to family!
Are you in a retail space or a home based studio?
I own two homes on the same street, one we live in and one is my studio.
What made you decide on the space you have? It gave my business its own space but still kept it close to home. I also liked the idea of investing into something rather than paying rent.
What does your workflow look like? Do you outsource or keep everything in house?
Everything is kept in house.
What do you do to help your clients be comfortable with you during a photo shoot?
Make a connection and have fun. Everybody loves being around an upbeat happy person who they can connect with on some level.
What do you recommend women do who are just getting started in the industry?
Learn from the best! Take workshops and learn your craft and advance yourself by taking 5 years off of your learning curve!
At WPPI this year you won the highest award for your album design. Will you share a link to it here?
I suggest turning the HD to the on position or http://www.rangefindermag.com/storage/articles/dawnShields.html
What brought you to a place that made you decide to do a project like this?
When my sister googled my grandfather’s name and the search brought up the Alcatraz inmate roster. I knew without a doubt I had to know more, then the whole process began to unfold and I just moved forward knowing I was supposed to do this. Great friends stood by me and helped guide me when I needed them. When you are doing this type of an emotionally charged project you need those who love you to stand by you, it’s not easy.
Your album has brought emotions and reactions that range the gamut from loving the idea to having strong feelings against the project, how have you handled those reactions?
I have tried to convey to others this is a personal project it is meant to reflect my feels and my view of my grandfather’s life. I have not gotten upset with others over their feelings; it is a very different story than most have ever seen before in this type of competition therefore it is emotionally provoking. Some feel the need to applaud the album and others feel the need to let their feelings of dislike be known. In the end it is an art piece and no artist's work appeals to all people. Really I keep it in perspective; it’s about my life with my grandfather.
How did this personal project affect your personal life? How did it affect your business life?
In my personal life I saw my friends and family surround me with love as I worked within a very emotional place. On a business level I think it has made others see there is so much more to me than pictures with smiles. I'm a very deep person who has a lot to offer, I think those in business who thought they knew me just took a step back and said "wow, I want to know more about her, I never knew".
What are the three most important things you learned while photographing this project?
I have an amazing family.
Who my friends are.
That love trumps all things.
What are you most proud of as a business woman?
That I have had the ability to hire great people, those you surround yourself with can help or hurt your business. My team is awesome!
What do you do to keep your marriage fun?
Travel as much as possible so we are focused on each other, no phone vacations are the best!
What are the top three things you did when you were first getting started in business to bring in clients?
Wedding shows were key! Along side that would be bridal magazines. Friends and family were a huge help in getting the word out.
How do you keep your marriage safe from the stresses of your business?
Safe is a strong word, we have stresses on our marriage because we own four companies. To be honest love and a real respect is the only thing that can keep a marriage safe. There are days when you are not feeling the love, which is when true respect is so important.
What is the best thing you've done to make your business successful?
Getting an education through workshops. I think it took at least 5 years off of the learning curve.
When you are overwhelmed, what do you do to stop feeling overwhelmed?
Get in my car and drive to Starbucks, the combination of driving and coffee calms me.
What three products or things help you stay organized?
My PAPER booking book, old school I know :) My Boda bag, I know where everything is in it without looking. My team! Two have been with me for four years, without them I would be a mess!
What is something that you think women in the industry should not do?
Be blind to their own talent. We tend to always see the best in others and only see our faults.
What is something that you think women in the industry should do?
Stay true to who YOU are, not who some big name photographer is. Be inspired by others but realize your art is beautiful!
To see more of Dawn's work:
***All images in this post are copyright Dawn Shields.***
RVs and Love: Mooresville, NC Photographer
sneak peek.
I was so excited to meet this family! I spoke with Iris on the phone a few times before our session and she told me about their RV (you'll get to see those pictures later). I knew it would be fun to get some images of them hanging out together.
The thing that I loved about this sweet family was the affection they showed each other and the fun they had together. Iris and Brian are wonderful parents and it shows in their girls. They are good and caring and love their parents dearly.
It's such a gift to get to be around such a beautiful family. Thank you!
show. LOVE.