I sat down to write a business plan a few days ago. I've been playing with this photography thing long enough. I decided that its time to take that step away from practicing amateur to full-on professional. I began putting together what I would need to build my dream studio, and what my life would look like once I'd built it.
Here's the trouble. I didn't like it.
The dream studio would be amazing, but very difficult to control. I could use our sun room in this house, but what could I use in Venezuela? The State Department guarantees us housing for our family, but not necessarily but a traveling home business. Am I willing to sacrifice our largest bedroom for this?
The timing seems good. This would be an evenings and weekends job, which means that our kids will generally have a parent available to them. But should I succeed, then I won't have much of my husband available to me. Or any spare time - those evenings are kept pretty busy right now, and we really enjoy those weekends. Am I willing to sacrifice our family time for this?
The future looks good. As long as we're traveling, we'll be landing in small and changing communities of foreigners. A talented photographer to take family and children's portraits will always have some level of demand. But once we land back in the states, do I want to retire from children's photography?
This is when I realized that although photography is loads of fun, and although its exciting to feel a real talent and the willingness to nurture that talent, it doesn't make it any easier to sleep at night. When I go back to work, I want it to be something I truly care about; more than simply something I enjoy.
So, I'll carry my camera everywhere I go. And if you'd like pictures of your kids, please let me know. I'd love to take them for you - I may even allow you to pay me for them. But as far as my career goes, I'm going to switch back to social worker as soon as my mothering schedule allows.
Here's the trouble. I didn't like it.
The dream studio would be amazing, but very difficult to control. I could use our sun room in this house, but what could I use in Venezuela? The State Department guarantees us housing for our family, but not necessarily but a traveling home business. Am I willing to sacrifice our largest bedroom for this?
The timing seems good. This would be an evenings and weekends job, which means that our kids will generally have a parent available to them. But should I succeed, then I won't have much of my husband available to me. Or any spare time - those evenings are kept pretty busy right now, and we really enjoy those weekends. Am I willing to sacrifice our family time for this?
The future looks good. As long as we're traveling, we'll be landing in small and changing communities of foreigners. A talented photographer to take family and children's portraits will always have some level of demand. But once we land back in the states, do I want to retire from children's photography?
This is when I realized that although photography is loads of fun, and although its exciting to feel a real talent and the willingness to nurture that talent, it doesn't make it any easier to sleep at night. When I go back to work, I want it to be something I truly care about; more than simply something I enjoy.
So, I'll carry my camera everywhere I go. And if you'd like pictures of your kids, please let me know. I'd love to take them for you - I may even allow you to pay me for them. But as far as my career goes, I'm going to switch back to social worker as soon as my mothering schedule allows.
