This last year has been such a whirlwind for our family, and a lot of that can be credited to the 'boom' of Julia's Focus Photography. What started out as 'maybe I could try this to take the place of babysitting a couple of days' became, 'will I ever sleep again with all of this editing?'.
So, at the end of the three most hectic, crammed-full months our family has ever seen, I have decided to refocus! And what better time to implement than at the start of a fresh new year. This may be a boring post for some, but for my current clients, this will give you a little insight as to why things will be changing oh-so-much.
I'm going to start off with the topic that is the least comfortable for me to talk about, but that will have the most impact on my clients, and that is Price Increase. Let me say that I don't feel that I 'owe' an explanation for a price increase, after all, this is what happens in business, but I desire to let you know the reasoning so, hopefully, you can respect this decision.
-My first 'reason' for price increase is logistics. After equipment, time, travel, and taxes, there is very little left to put in our pockets at the end of the day. And that is, after all, why we all work, right? To support our families.
-My second reason, is so that I can focus on shoots that are more my 'genre'. Up to this point, I was the 'cheap' photographer...(it's okay, we can just say it;)). Just getting started, I felt that that was the best decision for our business, until I could build a reputation. But with a slightly more competitive price point, I am hoping that only those who truly want JFP will be hiring me and I can feel the liberty to shoot and edit creatively.
-The third and final reason is quality. I feel that in the past several months, I have been unable to devote the time and thought into each individual shoot. Whether in props, scouting locations, many areas have not been the caliber that I envisioned my photography being. A price increase will enable me to do less shoots, thus putting more effort and creative energy into each individual shoot. (Think Wal-mart vs. J.Crew;))
(*updated pricing can be found by clicking on the 'Investment' tab)
Another big change for 2011 will be the amount of shoots I will take. Since September, JFP has has 38 shoots! For those who are not in the photography business, let me tell you, that is INSANE! The 2-3 hours per shoot 'on location' is a lot, but the hours and hours of editing, is where the bulk of a shoot's work comes in, which has left me sleep deprived and has left me neglecting my family. As thankful as I am for all of the experience and business this has granted me, it is time to prioritize. A wise friend recently shared this quote with me by Theodore Rosevelt,
”No piled-up wealth, no splendor of material growth, no brilliance of artistic development, will permanently avail any people unless its home life is healthy…”
Don't get me wrong, I love photography, but I love being a wife and a mom and a home-maker more. I feel that I could fail at JFP and could still succeed in life, but if I failed at being a wife and mom, success is no longer an option.
I will also be taking on weddings this year which is a new, terribly exciting venture for me. I *LOVE* weddings, and really can't think of many other things I'd rather photograph than two people, in love, starting their life together. I'm honored that brides have trusted me to capture this special day and I take the responsibility very seriously. Which means that months that I have a wedding booked, I will not take other shoots, unless they are infant or milestone shoots. In any month, I will have a limited number of shoots. We are thinking four might be the magic number, but we haven't solidified that yet. At 17-18 shoots per month, I had to turn away families for Christmas shoots, so I know that this will be quite a shock come those 'high demand' times of the year.
Lastly, there are some minor, fun changes that will be happening: blog posts for every shoot, shorter turn-around time on CD's, and only photography-focused blog posts on JFP.com.
I love what I do, and these changes enable me to continue improving my business, talent and skill without neglecting the things that matter to me most!
I know this is a lot of information, I welcome your thoughts, questions, concerns, etc.
We are so excited for what 2011 holds!
And a post would be complete without a picture...of my two main men! Looking forward to a lot more time with them!
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