Ain’t All Sunshine

I’m not here to sugarcoat this. I’m not here to tell you this is the best.job.ever and that every person on the planet needs to quit their corporate job and be an equine photographer. The truth? This business has highs, but it has lows. Not every person is built for entrepreneurship. If this is a passion you have that you are devoted to, then I’m here to teach you everything I know. But I never want to paint a picture that there aren’t tough moments about owning your own business. 

Sometimes I’m treated like royalty, but sometimes I’m treated like dirt. 

Some people offer me words of flattery, but I’ve also been cussed out and fired from the job. 

Some clients pay in full but some demand full refunds. 

Some horses are angels and some horses are… not. 

Some clients I connect with immediately and some I struggle to bond with. 

Some galleries are easy to edit and others feel impossible. 

Some people are overly kind and generous and some are extremely demanding. 

Some sessions get published and others go through repeated rejections. 

Some days are filled with photography and others are all bookkeeping. 

Some companies hire me for marketing material and other companies steal from me. 

Some clients come back to me and some replace me with a new photographer. 

Some days I feel good, but most days I’m battling my body and mind to fight through my autoimmune disease. 

Some seasons I feel charged and some seasons I feel burnt out. 

Some days you make money and other days you give it all away paying taxes. 

Some parts of the year the cash balance is thick but in other parts it gets thin. 

Some places I’m welcomed with open arms and in other places it feels like I’m walking on eggshells.  

Some days are sunshine but some days are stormy. 

There is so much I love about this vocation that I regularly only share the highlights. I want to blame that on a few reasons:

First, my personality leans toward eternal optimism, so I rarely dwell on the hard times. 

Second, I am so blessed by this work that I am afraid to publicly complain about it. If I share that I am stressed out, will it come across as ungrateful for the work? I’m extremely grateful for the work so I grin and bear it. 

Third, when I’m struggling with a tough client I think that should remain confidential.

Fourth, I’ve built my brand on unicorns and rainbows, so — for better or worse — it feels off-brand to discuss anything negative.

It is important to remember that the duck looks smooth & calm on top of the water, but, under that, there is restless pedaling. It’s hard work, but it is worth it. If you find this business difficult, please know that you aren’t alone. There are no “big breaks”. Other people don’t have it easier than you. If you feel burnt out, I want to help you learn how to rest and place more boundaries to prevent that. If you feel overwhelmed, I do my best to educate you on topics ranging from shooting to editing to marketing. If you feel anxious, I’m the first to point you to a therapist. My therapist was extremely helpful for me! If you’re feeling discouraged, I want to be your cheerleader giving you a boost of confidence.

The longer I’ve done this the better I’ve learned that there are seasons. Seasons of busyness lead to seasons of rest. A string of bad clients will break into a stretch of easy ones. A week of storms will end and the clouds will break into sunshine.