My New Year’s Resolutions! 

This post is a wee-bit late. Last week I took an accidental week off from blogging, so sorry things were a little quiet! Two weeks ago, I wrote a post about 5 Things That Worked for My Business in 2014 and promised to write a follow-up post about 5 things I want to work on in 2015. So here they are! It’s a mix of business-related and personal goals. It’s almost the end of January… a good time to check in on New Year’s Resolutions. How are yours going?! Here are 5 things I’m working on in 2015…

1. Implement More OCF (Off-Camera Flash) into my Wedding Work { Business }

It’s no surprise when you look around my website that I love natural light. It’s that glowing, airy light that makes my heart go pitter-patter. But on a wedding day, a lot of the wedding happens when it’s dark outside. This year I started off 2015 with a goal to incorporate more off-camera flash into my wedding work. Kelly & Doug had specifically asked for a photo at night in front of this barn, so I knew this was the perfect opportunity to start off my new years resolution and I couldn’t be happier with the way it came out!

2. Set Up an Online Studio Management System { Business }

This is where I need other photographers’ input! Right now I’m trying to decide between setting up shop with 17 Hats vs Pixifi vs ShootQ. One of my goals is to implement an online studio system so that my contracts & payments can be completed online, and so my calendars, business expenses, and contacts are all in one place. For any photographers who have had great or not-so-great experiences with any of these platforms, I’d love to hear your feedback!

3. Get Involved in More Styled Shoots { Business }

I always love looking at other photographers’ styled shoots and think to myself, “Why don’t I do that?!” And it’s total lack of initiative on my part! It always seems like life is too busy and I should tend to my own clients’ needs before taking on an extra project. WRONG. So wrong! I think allowing yourself the creativity & time to do personal work is so important and I know it would only enhance my own clients’ experiences. I already have 1 in the books, teaming up with an INCREDIBLE local team in the Upper Valley! Valley Flower Co, Kate Dawson Events, A to Z Cakes… it’s going to be pretty incredible :) But I don’t want to stop there… My goal is to do at least one other styled shoot in 2015.

4. Take Sundays Off { Personal }

Last year I actually started off my wedding season sticking to this and it was amazing. Through June & July, I would shoot a wedding on a Saturday and then allow myself to completely take Sunday off, with no feeling of guilt about the e-mails that had piled up over the weekend or the mountain of editing waiting for me. Sundays were my days, to spend with Corey, family & friends. Then as the to-do list got even longer and demands for weddings, portraits & engagement sessions grew in late summer & fall, I let my schedule get the best of me and didn’t leave any free time for myself. This year I’m going to work a little harder at making sure that time off is important and just because I don’t have anything on the schedule for Sunday doesn’t mean that’s a green light to schedule a session. I’m hoping in 2015 that I will only use a Sunday for a wedding or an engagement session for a KDP couple that can’t be scheduled for another time.

5. Cut Out Coffeemate { Personal }

I feel like everyone has a health-related New Years Resolution. I of course want to exercise more (that is the FIRST thing that goes to the wayside during wedding season). And I’m not one for diets, but for years I’ve been adding Coffeemate to my coffee every single morning. I always knew it was not good for me, but it just tastes so darn good! Well when I thought about a realistic change I could make to my diet to make a healthy change, this was it. Let’s be honest, when you don’t understand and can’t read the majority of the ingredients in something, you probably shouldn’t be adding it to your coffee every morning. So I first tried switching to just regular half & half with sugar, but then tried this Silk Vanilla Soy Creamer and love it! It’s an awesome healthier replacement for Coffeemate and I feel much better about adding that to my coffee.