Quit Bullying Newbie Photographers!

The definition of a "professional" according to google: 

  (of a person) engaged in a specified activity as one's main paid occupation rather than as a pastime.

I have been reading tons of blogs lately where professional photographers are bashing people just starting out in their photography businesses.

"They can't be a professional photographer! They just have a camera! And one lens! AND no business skills."

Well, according to Google, if photography is your main occupation rather than pastime, and you're getting paid for it, that's it. You've reached professional status. Give yourself a hand!

Yay!

Here is something I want to tell you -- all of you who have ever tried so hard at something and had a wall of people telling you that you can't do it...

You can. 

I did.

If I can do it, you sure as heck can too.

I started my photography business at the age of 20. I had a camera, one lens, and NO business skills. But I tried it. And tried it. And tried it. I worked hard at making people feel comfortable in front of my camera. I didn't listen to my parents when they told me I'd never make a living being a professional photographer. I didn't listen to the hundreds of pages of information I read on the Internet telling me the technical skills I'd need to master and the thousands of dollars I'd need to immediately invest in equipment.

I opened my heart and my eyes to the ever-evolving art of photography. I was flexible and brave. And the rest followed.

Here we are entering our third year of business in Kansas City! I run a professional photography studio out of my home where we focus on making women feel absolutely gorgeous and empowered.

Our feature on the news:

http://www.stjoechannel.com/story/military-wives-women-pin-it-up-for-photo-shoot/d/story/kNss9A9yJUeIVt4fk_VBfw#!

My advice to you newbies is: work with what you've got! And learn your equipment! By the way, the people making fun of you for your lack of knowledge -- at one point they also had no idea what they were doing. I think we forget that we all start somewhere. Everyone's starting point is completely different.

Stay positive. Don't listen when people tell you that you can't do it. But also be open to knowledge. Be teachable. Be agreeable. And be loving.

Now here is a shout out to the seasoned photographers who feel the need to bring others down with this stupid, stupid soapbox stuff.

STOP IT.


1. Quit complaining about newbies stealing your clients.

"Well so and so is doing photos now because they're a 'professional', and they're doing blah-blah-blah and giving all the images on a DVD for NOTHING! How can I compete with that?"

YOU, my friend, need to think about this in a different way. You are not competing with a photographer in this price range! If a client leaves you to go to another photographer who is newer and cheaper than you, that's their loss. AND most likely, that photographer is not who you want to be competing with anyway.

This situation actually helps you weed out "good" clients from bad. They obviously weren't your top demographic!


2. Stop having the victim mentality.

Photographers enter the world of photography every day. Some of them stick around, improve, and get grrrrrrreat! Some never make it out of the gate. Either way, what they do really does not matter. Because they aren't you.

You're you.

You are in charge of YOUR business. You are your own brand. You are in charge of your decisions. Saying 'the photography market is saturated' and 'I'm never going to find work' is self-deprecating and self-defeating. Even worse is taking the step to make fun of new people coming in because you feel insecure about your business. In a way, that makes you a bully and a victim all at once.


3. Quit posting bad things about your clients on Facebook.

I would be quick to add to Google's definition of "professional" as one who

"does not dis you on the internet cuz my momma taught me better than that."
Destiny's Child. Bringin' It Back, ya'll.

Seriously, though. You cannot talk badly about your clients and at the same time complain about how unprofessional other photographers are.

My advice? Keep all the frustration off Facebook and your blog. And if you have an issue with your client, go talk to your client.

LOVE your clients. All of them. They are amazing, amazing people. It's your JOB (literally) to love them, even when it's hard.

You might disagree with me. You might say, "No, Hilary. My job is to photograph them. I don't have to put up with anything beyond that." Well, I'd say to you, sir: Nope, you are wrong. The most important things in your business are those gorgeous faces you photograph and the souls beneath them. Don't forget that. Don't forget to bring the love when you bring out your camera. Talking poorly of someone, even just posting something negative on as your status can feed a whole bunch of negativity. If you want positive and amazing clients, be a positively amazing person.

4. Be real. 

If you are real with yourself, who you are, and what you want your business to look like, everything will fall into place. The minute you start comparing your business to someone else’s, you will be gearing up for failure. BY THE WAY, you are totally doing this every time you put a newbie down. You're comparing their "starting point" to your "middle!" Quit it!

5. Know what you need to work on.

The part of being real with yourself that's hard is knowing your weak areas. This could be anything from the art of photographing someone to the clerical end of owning a business. Maybe you don't understand lighting. Maybe you aren't good at hitting your sales goals for the month. Maybe you don't even know what your sales goals should be! Or your weakness could be as simple as not remembering your clients’ names! Whatever the case, find your weakness and improve.


But seriously...photogs...quit making fun of the newbies and quit blaming them for your problems.

STOP letting them annoy YOU.

And start enjoying your business a little more by "worrying about yourself."

Much, much, MUCH LOVE!

h i l a r y  h o p e 

5 Ways to Have Fun.

This is my step by step guide on how to stay fun and interesting. 

POSSIBLY on a Dos Equis level.

1. Don't care so much.

What do you mean, Hilary? Do you mean I shouldn't be awesome and help people that run out of gas on the side of the road? Should I quit giving my contributions to my local charities? Should I skip holding open the door for the mom carrying tons of groceries, a baby, and a diaper bag? Should I quit caring?

NO. Care about those things. Keep your heart sincere in what you do. 

When I say "don't care so much" I'm saying don't give a hoot about what other people have to say about your idiosyncrasies. For me, I like to make weird dinosaur-like roars behind people in the grocery store aisle. For you, it might be making funny youtube videos. Or playing dungeons and dragons. Or wearing vintage clothes. OR, if you were me in college, it's setting off your car alarm whenever anyone gets super close to it. Keep that up. Keep doing that. Don't care about what people think about you especially with things that make you unique. 

2. Hang out.

Have friends. Put yourself out there. Be vulnerable. There is always a chance that someone won't like you. For that case, refer to rule number 1. But in the meantime, don't be afraid.

Here is your assignment (especially if you are not outgoing). Talk to 3 people that you don't know every single day for a whole month. It will change your life. I promise.

3. Work out.

When we feel awesome about ourselves, we love ourself more. (Back to rule number 1). I feel like after I weight lift, or run, or do Stroller Strides that I can take on the freakin' world! If you're a busy mom, I recommend mall walking, a park, or a romp in the grass with your little dudes and dudettes.

4. Read encouraging things.

A good friend of mine was saying that her days start out best when she reads the Bible. I have another friends who lives and dies by 90's encouragement posters. For me, I like to use the pinterest "positive" search method. 

Whatever you do, DO NOT read negative things. Especially if you are feeling in a negative mood. I used to do that, especially in college... after breakups... cue Taking Back Sunday and my iTunes. 

If you're feeling sad, be active, take responsibility for bringing yourself up out of the dumps. Read some positivity and for God's Sake:

5. Laugh.

Not like a crazy person. Not like an evil villian. But just laugh at things that you think are funny. Don't be afraid to laugh with all of you. Don't be afraid about whether other people found what you were laughing at to be funny. Just do it.

This blog was brought to you by

Spring Cleaning | Are you feeling it?

I don't know about you, but mid-April has me in such a funk. I am really feeling the need to just dump and start over. With EVERYTHING. My couch... My kiddos room... My closet. (Ahhh-no not your wardrobe Hilary! Screams the 3 people that read this blog... hahaha). But I really do just need to get rid of all this junk in my life.

Spring cleaning?!? Me?!? Well...last week my mom was here and she was observant enough to recognize my kitchen's cry for help. We went through my kitchen together and cleaned everything. Given that my kitchen is tiny, you would think there wouldn't have been much involved. However, this ate up a good 2 hours of our time together. (And I'm sorry I don't have pictures right now, but it is clean. You can trust me. I even got cool little vintage Flour, Sugar, Grease and Tea containers from this awesome vintage store (click!).)

My house is still a mess, though. I'm also pretty sure I'm still wearing the makeup from my date night...ON FRIDAY.

UGH! Life, man. So full of things to do and yet I am completely and totally unmotivated to do anything, except edit photos. I've gotten so much business stuff done this past week it's pretty much qualifies as me "being on a roll." Which never happens (seriously-NEVER).

So I guess when I am on a business roll, my house's cleanliness goes to poop. When I'm not on a roll in my business life, my house looks pretty great. AND SO, the teeter-totter of life as a mom, work from home business owner and wife begins....

These are the days of my life. ;)

Do you feel disorganized around this time of year? What do you guys do when you get in a cleaning funk?



xoxo,

h i l a r y  h o p e 

Today I am thankful for my husband.

A few of the things about my husband I find the most endearing. 

Besides being an amazing dad, these are just a few.

1. He plugs the drain in the bath tub when he takes a shower. 

As he would say, "my feets get cold." I think that's adorable.

2. He loves making everyday situations awkward. 

He'll tell you otherwise. But I know deep down he thrives on that awkward silence after he says something totally weird or touches a statue inappropriately. 

And I love that.

3. He is nostalgic for EVERYTHING.

Hilary, we can't throw that shirt out. I need it. 

It's from 1999. I was 12 then....

...Shut Up. ...My memories! 

4. When we do household chores together, it's fun.

weird, but fun.

5. He let's me take pictures of him and is such a good sport about it!

He really is a terrible sport about it. He'll act like he is having the worst time of his life, but then when I snap the photo, he'll make an awesome expression. This of course, plays to his ham like nature. I love that ham.

6. He cares about his strength in every aspect!

Alan works out a lot and he does it because he wants to be a strong guy for Emmett and me. He cares about God and his relationship with him is an example for Emmett and Me. He wants to do a great job at work because he wants to provide for Emmett and me. See a pattern? He's completely selfless and truly, a real go-getter.

7. He really doesn't care what anyone thinks about him.

Alan is his own person. A witty, charming, sweet, amazingly unique person.

I'm glad I hooked myself to this dude.

Just a few things I was thinking about today when thinking about my daily gratitude. 

What are some things your husband does that drives you wild?

xo,

h i l a r y  h o p e 

Seizing the Day By NOT Seizing the Day

I often call myself the energizer bunny.

This is NEVER out-loud of course; because I think if I called myself the energizer bunny in front of my friends, they'd either go straight to the dirty thoughts that roam the confines of their in-the-gutter brains (get the laughs out now, people) or they'd think I was crazier then I already am. 

...OR WORSE. They would not know who the energizer bunny is...much like my conversation I had with a girlfriend over "who is Zach Morris." 

fail. Fail. FAIL.

So WHY then, do I identify so well with a fluffy pink bunny that never turns off? Ignore the fluffiness, and the pinkiness, and you're left with something that just keeps "going and going and going..."

Being busy and living life that way is just something I have ALWAYS done. I like having places to be, people to see, work to do. Being busy takes me to new relationships, new creativity and new discoveries about myself and life.


THE DRAMATIC TWIST:

This was it! It happened sometime between the pages of "Life Changing Conversations: A Coach's Guidebook" and a bite of Panera's Mac and Cheese.

"Come away with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and rest for awhile." Mark 6:3

Aaaah...what am I supposed to do, God? You want me to go to a quiet place and turn my brain off and rest?!

Yeah. Let's see... how can I do that?! I've got people to see. I've got photos to edit. A little boy to burp. Don't you know that I just keep going and going and going? I'm the energizer bunny!

And yet, You're calling me to rest. 

Okay. But what does this rest look like? 

I know upon further conversation/investigation with my friend Lindsey that rest looks different for different people. But here is the outline of what we discovered for me:

1. It most likely does not mean sleep-though I need that and think that should count. The rest Mark 6:3 is talking about is a deep rest. One that is good for your soul and leaves your tank full afterwards...which is different than sleep.

2. It means chilling on using the iphone. My brain is constantly stimulated by that apple "ding," a plane swooshing sound for sending emails, and my sound I set for facebook notifications. I noticed today, when I pulled out my iphone to check something that Emmett was staring at me for five whole minutes before I noticed!

3. It definitely means chilling on the computer and internet. I am a social networking fiend, a photoshop wiz kid, and I LOVE reading blogs and pinterest. So much so that during Emmett's nap today (keep in mind I'm still in my PJs) instead of showering I went over to the computer to scan my newsfeed and began working on photos simultaneously. AND I REALLY NEEDED TO TAKE A SHOWER! Ugh.

4. It means taking care of my body. I need to be working out, getting fit, feeling good and like me again. 

5. It means date nights. Since I discovered this yesterday, I immediately set to a family date night. We went to Buffalo Wild Wings and played that game they project on the TVs. )We're HilAl and HilAlEm so if you see us, you know it's me beating you, haha.) So now Alan and I just need to have our date night together-which is planned for us on Saturday night.

6. It means setting boundaries. Yes this might mean if you call me, I might not answer. If you text me, I might not answer back right away. If you email me, you may have to wait until tomorrow to get a response. But I promise I WILL Get back with you! Do not worry-I've got you covered.

7. It means time with God.  This is the HARDEST out of the group because I'm not sure what this looks like. When I feel God the most is when I'm around people and when I'm being creative! I feel him when Alan wraps his arms around me. And I breathe in that feeling of thankfulness 100 times over with Him when I look into Emmett's eyes. ...But then again, I know that's not a "Quiet Time" with him. And I think I'm a very kinetic person, so I'm feeling I might be journaling or blogging a lot for this. 

So, Carpe Diem, people!

I'm seizing the day by not seizing the day. I'm going Off the electronic grid. I'm doing the things on this list today and I'm going to know what it feels like to rest.

Really, truly, rest.

What does your "rest picture" look like?

xo,

h i l a r y  h o p e 

New Years Res (One of-in no order)

Less Swearing. More Positivity.

I don't want to swear around this dude!

...And I use the s-word a little too much, especially while driving...

More New Year's Resolutions to come! What's one of yours?

xo,

h i l a r y h o p e 

Today I am thankful...

Today (and everyday) I am thankful for you, baby Emmett.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

xoxo,

h i l a r y h o p e