04/06/2022
It’s about time.
As I enter my 16th year of professional photography, it’s been hard to ignore the push and pull the universe has been putting on me. My life looks very different than it did when I started this venture. My kids are grown and on their own. My husband works night shifts and sometimes we tend to miss each other. My body is tired and broken down. And the last few years have been difficult on us in all sorts of ways.
After the stay at home order and coronavirus cancellations of 2020 causing scheduling issues, I tried very hard in 2021 to make changes to help avoid the same issues. Stress and adrenaline were the only things that helped me get through 2020, but at a physical cost I could no longer afford. I made adjustments and plowed forward.
However, in the spring of 2021, just before starting g spring sessions, I fell and required surgery on my hand, another setback. I, again, adjusted and moved forward. I was starting to get the message it’s time for me to slow down as my 2021 season was delayed until July.
This gave John and I time to re-evaluate our situation. Our kids moved out on their own, and the house felt empty and overwhelming. John and I realized how exhausted we both are after 25+ years of working, side hustles, volunteering, and side projects while trying to stay afloat. Each of us was struggling mentally and physically. We made the mutually beneficial decision to move in with John’s parents in Owatonna. It was hard decision, because it meant giving up almost all our belongings, letting go of the dreams we once had, and imagining a new future together. We want to be able to help his parents be able to keep up on their home so they can stay in it as long as possible. Plus, this move could help free up time so I could finally travel to spend time with my parents, who live in different parts of the US. The timing felt right.
The day after we made a final decision to move, my dad fell in Virginia, suffered a TBI and nearly lost his life. The timing couldn’t have been worse for me, business speaking. It was the peak of autumn, the busiest time for portrait photography in Minnesota. Everything went on hold for two weeks as I traveled to Virginia and we prayed for my dad to recover. I returned to Minnesota, smacked in the face with the realization that no time with our loved ones is guaranteed. My dad is strong, healthy, and relatively young, but we almost lost him in an instant. I almost lost precious time I had been planning to spend with him.
Everything was telling us to put our parents on the forefront. I returned home for two weeks, sorted through all our belongings, packed up and a what was left, crammed in a whole lot of rescheduled sessions, and flew back to Virginia.
Finishing the 2021 photography season was difficult. I was once again tired and exhausted, running on stress and adrenaline. I am forever grateful that I could spend 5 more weeks in Virginia with my dad and stepmom as they adjusted to their new life post TBI. I returned home before Christmas to also adjust to my new home and circumstances.
Time is the most valuable gift we are given. I have spent 15 years of time shooting sessions, countless hours at my computer editing photos, and corresponding with clients. While I used to love my work, my priorities have changed. I think about the weekend adventures I missed with my family because I was busy with sessions, time we didn’t spend together because I was in my office editing, pulling all-nighters, sleeping my days away, only to get up the next day and do it all again. I put client needs ahead of children, my spouse, my family, and too often, my own needs. I can no longer go forward like this. The kind of photography and schedules I have been practicing are too often a burden I cannot carry forward with me.
I will only be taking on a handful of sessions between July and October of 2022. I will be releasing a schedule on May 15th for 2022 bookings. If you have a gift certificate, I am more than happy to photograph and accommodate adding you to the schedule. I am not taking on any new clients at this time. I have started a waitlist for those who would like to be notified when the schedule is released in May.
I appreciate your understanding and welcome new opportunities as I navigate this change in my photography life. So many of you have made this work so worthwhile, and I am very appreciative of that. The past 15 years of photography work has been fulfilling and wonderful, but it’s now time for change. It’s time to shift focus. It’s time to rest and renew. My time is now more valuable than ever. It’s time to spend it wisely.
