Thirteen years ago today I opened my photography studio in Rocky River, Ohio. At that time I was shooting only black-and-white film. Today, digital photography has made it much easier to start a photography business. It’s a saturated market. I think it’s my love and passion for photographing children that has kept me going. I don’t think I could have made it this far without that love. I get emails and calls all the time from aspiring photographers asking me how I made it this far. It’s really the obsession that keeps me going. This is not a 9-5 job. Having a photography business is 80% business and 20% photography so you have to been committed to the business end of things as well. There are lots of behind the scenes work that is involved. Just answering phone calls and responding to emails is a big part of my day. There’s also scheduling sessions, traveling to and from sessions, book keeping, accounting, insurance, legal, marketing, backing up images, editing images, prepping orders, packaging, shipping orders/delivering orders, researching new products, software and computer updates, web site and blog updates. Some of this stuff I absolutely hate doing, like book keeping and accounting—ugh, yuck! I wish I could say, “sorry, that’s not in my job description.” But, unfortunately, it IS when you own your own photography business. You must wear many hats.

So what makes me different and why should you hire me over someone else?

Experience. Experience. Experience. Oh, and did I say Experience.

I am not only writing this to say you should hire me (though of course you should—a duh) but to remind you to hire someone with experience when it comes to your precious little ones. These moments won’t happen again. There are no retakes when it comes to your newborn. Don’t look back with regret. Make the right choice from the start and you will not only have a wonderful photography experience, but gorgeous art for your walls of your own child that you will look back on for years to come.  So now, without further ado…

Let’s have a  sell-abration!! I thought it fitting to do a giveaway on my anniversary:) My photography business is 13 years old today! Hurray! Let’s eat cake!