Thursday Thread #22 | Happy Birthday!

Today is a great day — a day of celebration! It is my birthday — yep, the big 2-7 {eek!} — but more importantly, today marks the one year anniversary of the official launch of Chelsea Davis Photography! As I nibble on a cookie {yes, when it is your birthday, you can have a cookie for breakfast — thanks, Cheryl!}, I cannot believe how fast time flies, and how blessed this year has been for the business. Since all of this falls so close to New Years, it seems natural to think about resolutions, goals, and lessons learned; how they apply to my life and to my business. Overall, I would say that 2011 was pretty darn amazing, but there is always {ALWAYS} room for improvement and growth, and I am so excited for that. I sure hope all of you will join me and grow with me in 2012, because I definitely wouldn’t be at this place without all of you.

 

Now to the goals. I am a big note-taker, always have been. My favorite college classes were actually the ones that allowed me to fill up *multiple* spirals with notes that I could browse back through come finals time. I don’t know what it is, but there’s just something kind of solid and reassuring about a page full of notes. I keep my business goals in a nifty little red book the hubs got me, and we keep our personal goals tucked safely in our brain. Who I am I kidding? We sooo need to write them down, I know, but Troy and I usually end up discussing them late night or over coffee somewhere, sans notebook :-/ So this year, for the business, I nailed down a few major ones:

 

1. Rebranding. I love the overall look of the business brand, but I put it together so quickly last year, that I have been dreaming about refining it and making it custom to me. Well, I am happy to say that I have been working hard on that one already, late night, after all of the world has gone to sleep and my work is on hold for the day. Here is a little peek at my ideas for the NEW website, which will likely trickle over to the blog 🙂

 

2. Structured Pricing, More Options. Again, everything happened so quickly last year that my pricing was done rather hastily. I always want to make sure that my pricing is competitive, fair, and consistent with the product I offer. Pricing is so dang hard — ask any photographer! I have probably spent more hours on that little booklet than any other part of the business aside from actually shooting. I think we have something really great though, so we are rolling it out for 2012 and are super pumped about offering more options for obtaining, displaying, and sharing your beautiful photos. Which brings me to value and worth…

 

3. Value. This is a big one for me. Truly value what I do and the service I provide. I love the heck out of my job and what I am fortunate enough to do with my camera, but I really need to value it as an art, and recognize what it’s worth. Sounds so snooty, doesn’t it? I don’t mean for it to be. I just seem to always associate the value and success of my work by my audience’s measure. I think something is good, but ‘it isn’t great until the client says so’, or someone leaves a comment on the blog/FB telling me that it is. I guess I have always been one of those people who sought positive feedback. But all that really means is that I need to value what I do, measuring quality, success, and greatness by my own standards first. Everything else should just be a bonus 🙂

 

4. Shoot MY style. During the first year of the business, there was a lot of experimentation — with shooting styles, with editing and post-processing styles, business strategies, policies, everything. At first, there was definitely a learning curve as a business owner, and as an artist. I needed to find MY style, one that was easily identifiable, consistent, and me. This year, I need to hold my ground more on that one, even if it means losing work. If shooting half-naked maternity photos in front of a black backdrop isn’t my style — DON’T AGREE TO DO IT {note: that was just an example; never had that happen, hehe}. This can be a grey topic though because I love being creative and pushing my limits. I love trying new things and working on interesting and different projects, so I just need to approach them with my style in mind, treating it more like a recipe you tweak a little, rather than going from one recipe to a-whole-nother.

 

5. Streamline. Time just wasn’t on my side last year. I think that’s obvious by now. So this year, I want to reduce clutter, reduce editing time, reduce shooting time {where necessary], get on a stricter schedule, and go to bed before 4am. This may be the hardest one on the list, because I know I will have to work REALLY hard at this one. But I believe it will be the most rewarding goal to complete if I can stay on top of it and make it happen. A few things that are already in place/in the works: electronic forms and model releases {no more signing, scanning, and emailing, or having to bring forms with you to shoots!}, aside from a project here and there, I am OFFICIALLY taking Mondays off, and you will no longer be seeing emails from me at all hours of the night…hopefully. Haha.

 

6. Grow. I am always learning, always wanting to be better, to gain more exposure, fans, clients, equipment. I think that most ambitious business owners continuously go after things like that. But this time, it needs to be structured and purposely sought out. Do I want to do 100 shoots again this year? 70? 10 Weddings? 5? More styled shoots and creative projects? Would I like to see 500 fans on FB? Ok, how do we get there? And what about the clients? I know that we have a great photographer-photographee relationship, but do you guys want more from me? Tips on the blog for using your own camera? Another workshop? Offer more give-aways/charitable projects? These are all things I am pondering…would love your feedback if you would like to provide it. Wait, does that mean I just violated goal #3?? 🙂

 

So that’s the tip of the iceberg. I see great things for this little business of mine and I am committed to having an even better and more rewarding year than 2011. None of that can really happen without all of you though, my support system, friends and family, my amazingly awesome clients, and my rockstar of a partner and husband. So whataya say? Are you with me???!!! {insert motivational Braveheart-ish image here}

 

In keeping with the New Years tone, I want to end this Thread with some of my favorite images from 2011 {in no particular order}. I look back at these and feel so much pride, see so much growth, and know that I am extremely blessed. Greatest gift ever. Happy birthday to me 🙂