First a little backstory — because, naturally, the first thing anyone asks when they see my giant beast of a walking boot is “what happened to your foot!?”. Unfortunately, it’s literally the least interesting story… I stepped off our friend’s back porch one Saturday morning while letting out their dog and basically fell into a hole!!! I mean, could it be any later than that?! I went immediately to the urgent care where I found I broke my fifth metatarsal near the base. For the first two days, I was in a cast with crutches and was in a near panic… how can you shoot with crutches! Luckily, when the orthopedics office reopened on Monday, they fixed me up with a walking boot and I was good to go… well, as good as I could be anyway!

But I learned a lot along the way and ​to the ​future photographers shooting with a broken foot — I promise you can get through this!​ Here are some of my best “remedies”!

1. Stack Your Team
I shoot every wedding with a second shooter and have some AWESOME ladies who help me out, so I truly wasn’t too worried on that on. I did end up bringing an assistant with me as well to carry all the bags and do some of the running back and forth for me on the day of — this allowed myself and my second shooter to simply focus on shooting and saved me a ton of energy!

2. Notify the Planner
If you’re working with a wedding planner, I suggest making them the first person you notify to alleviate any stress from your client. I worked with two different planners who both made different decisions on whether or not we should loop in the bride; ultimately, both decisions worked best for that particular client, so always trust the planner!

3. Shoes, shoes, shoes
I highly recommend bringing multiple pairs of shoes! I HATED the idea of showing up in sneakers — that just isn’t how I run my business as I prefer to dress similar to the guests, but I also knew I had to be practical. I started the day in a heel, which was actually quite comfortable because it levels you out with the walking boot. I then slipped into my sneakers during the reception once the lights were down and it was less noticeable!

4. Raise ’em Up
If heels aren’t for you, I totally get it! But you’ll still want an insert for your sneakers so you aren’t totally out of alignment — the walking boot is several inches high which will destroy your hips in just a few minutes by walking unevenly! I found THIS on Amazon and it worked perfectly in my sneaker!

5. RICE
If you have to shoot a full wedding, don’t be surprised if your foot is exhausted the next day. While I’m definitely not a doctor, I found a lot of relief in the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) method​. Be prepared to take it easy for the following 24-48 hours after a wedding day! I loved THIS compression sleeve!

6. ​Tylenol​!​
Tylenol Consider that​ your new bestie :) ​I took some BEFORE the day even began so that I could avoid the pain later. I took another dose again during the wedding so I could last the entire day! Again, please chat with your doctor! ​

7. Wool Socks
I couldn’t have picked a worse time to break my foot — during the peak of summer when it’s 100 degrees and humid every day in DC! I swear that walking boot adds 10 degrees! So wool socks may sound counterintuitive, but they actually helped keep moisture out! I loved THIS lightweight pair from REI — it came in black which helped it blend! ​

8. Uber
Finally, if you’re extra unlucky like me and break your right foot, Uber will quickly become the most used app on your phone. Don’t waste time and precious energy trying to walk​ — I promise, you’ll thank me later.

It’s funny — I came across so many people who were shocked I was still shooting, but it never crossed my mind that there was another option; I will literally do anything I can to not miss a client’s wedding day! After all, they only do this once and deserve the absolute best no matter what is going on in our personal life! 

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I was first given the advice to write things down. The problem with this was I had post- it after post-it lying around with varying lists. I needed everything in one place and a place that I would actually be able to access it at all times. An App, duh. There had to be an app out there for this! I searched and eventually stumbled across TeuxDeux that had everything I was looking for. Think GCal meets task list. Basically, it lists out every day of the week individually and you type out exactly what needs to be done that day. When you’re done, you simply cross it off and it gets grayed out. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t feel accomplished after crossing something off I add stuff just to my list JUST to cross it off! I can schedule TeuxDeuxs as far in advance as I’d like, so I never miss anything. And the best part is, if there is something you do on a regular basis, they have a recurring option! Now whenever something pops in my head that needs done, I just grab my phone or laptop (they have a website that also syncs with your phone) and type it on there. Then when I get to say, Friday, I know I need to trim the dog’s hair. Which if it wasn’t on the list, it probably wouldn’t get done!! And if something doesn’t get done, it automatically moves it to the next day!

This probably sounds like a sponsored post, but I promise it isn’t. TeuxDeux doesn’t even know I’m writing this… but if they do ever find their way here I’d just like to say, TeuxDeax team, you’re amazing and I owe you! There are a just few products I swear up and down by and this is probably the top of the list after like, Gmail. Yeah, it’s THAT good. If you’re like me and need a break from yourself sometimes, TeuxDeux has given me my sanity back. Well, most of it anyway…

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1. The Buddy System
We probably all remember our second-grade teacher using the “buddy system” during field trip days; well, this is also how I approach conference and workshops. Whenever possible, sign up with someone you already know so you have a built-in support system. If you can’t sign up with someone, try to meet a new buddy before the conference even begins! CAH requires an overnight stay, so step out of your comfort zone and use the Facebook group to find a roommate; take some time to get to know one another before the first day so you already have a built in friend upon arrival. Bonus point if your buddy (ahem, Emily) is an extrovert because they will introduce you to new buddies!!

2. When in doubt, buy a new dress. 
I don’t know about you, but I never feel as confident as when I’m rocking a new dress. Maybe for you it’s something else – shoes, a fresh notebook, or even a new Swell bottle. Whatever that may be, bring your confidence booster so you are ready to put yourself out there! This conference brings in so many talented small business women and you don’t want to miss your opportunity to chat with Katelyn because you left your A-game at home.

3. Schedule a day off… post conference.
When investing in a conference, you know that means giving up time with your family and spending your hard earned money on this learning experience. And trust me, with speakers from all over the country like Abby, Mary, Bonnie and, of course, our very own Kat, it’s absolutely worth it! But, to ensure you’re making the most of a conference, you’ll want to give it your all. Which, for us introverts, can be exhausting! Trust me, I speak from experience when I say it will be tempting to skip out a group dinner or go to bed early during the late night treat. But don’t… I promise, do not miss a minute! The weekend goes by in a flash and while it’s hard to be “on” for that long of a period of time, it will pay off from all the amazing women you will meet and build connections with that will last a lifetime. By Tuesday, however, you’ll need a break to catch up from all the extroverting you’ve been doing the past few days, so plan for a day off where you can think about everything you’ve learned and catch up on some sleep!

I’m not sure if reading this put any of you at ease, but let me tell you this: don’t let your fear stop you from making a business changing move. Whether that’s attending a conference, reaching out to a mentor, or changing your business plan, Creative at Heart can help you accomplish those goals. Make sure you check out registration for Round Six in Memphis, going live on August 8th! Here’s a mix of some digital and iPhone images of what you’re in store for during a weekend at Creative…

The gorgeous welcome dinner for speakers, panelists, and volunteers!

Some of our swag!!

TRUFFLE FRIES!

Headshots!

Love these two — thanks for all your help during round 5!

Panel groups — one of my favorite parts of the entire conference! 

Late night treat – yum!!!

Nothing better than the wonderful friends you will meet! 

All images by yours truly, Bulloss Photography, and Abby Grace Photography. 

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The feeling of being burnt out will quickly lead you down a path of complete loss of creativity and passion. This isn’t fair to yourself, but it also isn’t fair to your family or your clients! Personally, whenever I start working with a new client, I want to be able to promise each and every one of them two things: a. gorgeous images and b. a fantastic experience from beginning to end. To ensure this happens seamless, I’ve made two small changes to my business.

First, I do so by limiting the number of wedding commissions I accept per year. Over the past few wedding seasons, I’ve learned my limits and now know exactly what will allow me to give my clients the attention and service they deserve. This sometimes means I have to pass up really fantastic opportunities or amazing clients, but every couple deserves a perfect experience (you only get to do this once, after all!) and it’s my responsibility to make sure that happens even if it isn’t with me! 

The second is to take room to breathe. What does that mean exactly Well, I truly think it varies from person to person. For me, it means scheduling intentional weekends off to spend time with my husband and Granger. This month, for example, I am enjoying a bit of a break after a crazy spring/early summer and before the rush of late summer/fall begins. We are travelling to New York and Denver, but also spending time at home doing nothing but relaxing! For someone else, they may have an entirely different perspective. I know my friend Abby enjoys shooting her passion project, ballerinas, during her busy season as a way to take a break from couples portraiture. Someone else may find rejuvenation in a workshop or conference. And not one of these ways is wrong or bad! It’s just a necessary fact in life that, unless you are a robot, no matter how much you love something, you always need a brief break at one point or another. So as you find yourself feeling a lack of creativity, take a step back and look at what you need to change for the betterment of your client’s experience and your own mental health! 

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If you find yourself in the same situation, here are three tips to help manage your balancing act:  

1. Schedule your hustle time.
It’s easy to say to yourself, “I’ll work on that tonight”. But after a full day of work, you find yourself on the couch watching The Bachelorette, wondering if Jordan is really as nice as he seems, and that quickly goes out the window! For me, scheduling blocks of time on my calendar to focus solely on my photography business helps me accomplish more work in a shorter period of time.  If you’re someone who has to commute to your job, try bringing your laptop to answer e-mails on the train. Or if you are a morning person, set your clock an hour early to finish that recent design.  Knowing you have set amounts of time will help you get as much done in that block as possible and avoid distractions (I’m looking at you, Instagram).

2. Set limitations.
As self-starters, many of us are also “yes” people. You know, the kind who wants to be able to take every opportunity at all times. Let me tell you from experience, that is a quick way to burn yourself out! Before your next season begins, decide upfront what you want it to look like. For me, I need one weekend off per month to recharge and double headers are almost always a no-go. And  don’t just limit this to client work, apply it to all facets of your business from conferences and workshops to social events and networking opportunities.

3.  Take a break.
I’d be lying if I said there weren’t going to be hard days. Really, really hard days during busy season when it feels like you haven’t slept in weeks and there isn’t an end in sight. The only thing that gets me through this is taking a break to catch a movie with my husband or have dinner with friends. It may seem counterintuitive, but you’ll feel refreshed and ready to tackle that seemingly endless to-do list after stepping away.

While many of us are anxious to leave our day jobs behind to chase our dream (trust me, I’m right there with you!), I want to remind you to slow down and breathe. Juggling both can certainly be a struggle, but it also affords you the ability grow your business and offset start up costs. The hustle may be hard, but the reward is oh so sweet!

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I thought about this over the next few days and realized, after much agonizing, just how much of a compliment that truly was. Because while I may not have thousands of eyes on everything I put out, I am getting the right eyes on my work. As someone who doesn’t market themselves in the traditional sense of ads and magazines, this proved that my methods were not only working, but working well! My biggest source of business comes from referrals of past or current couples – by going above and beyond from the moment of their initial inquiry to the time their wedding images are delivered, I hope to make a lasting impression beyond just my product. There is truly no greater compliment you can receive than when a client loved working with you so much, that they want their friends to do the same and I am grateful for all my clients who have felt this way!

So for those of you reading this and don’t have followers in the thousands – heck even the hundreds! – but are finding your ideal client here is my advice: keep doing what you’re doing, simple as that.  As you continue to display your talents and show you are doing something you love, that speaks volumes against just numbers and your people will come.

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WARNING:
You will walk away with your head spinning, trying to digest all the amazing knowledge you’ve absorbed over the past few days.
You will meet some incredible leaders in every industry — photographers, bloggers, planners, florist, etc.
You will cry at this conference. Trust me, you can say you’re not a crier, but listen to Mary Marantz speak for 75 minutes and tell me I’m wrong. 
You will create an amazing connection with at least one individual who will become a rock in supporting your business and watching it grow. And you will do the same for them. 

Round 4 was held a few weeks ago at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club, a popular wedding venue in Annapolis, MD. If you’re already in the wedding industry, it’s safe to say your Instagram was probably filled with images of all the gorgeous styled lunches with flowers by The Floral Gathering and Intrigue Designs. And sure, CAH is full of those beautiful, picture perfect touches that look amazing on your feed. But the conference is about SO much more than just that. It’s about bonding with like-minded creatives during the late night treat. And finally hugging your favorite industry leader after hearing their presentation. It’s the look on your roommates face when she realizes the direction she wants to take her business and knowing you had a small part in that. Each conference, the number of alumni attendees continues to increase substantially and there is a reason — the sense of community that is built during the conference is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced and leave feeling changed, for the better. Not just for you, but for the future of your business.  If this speaks to you in any way, I highly encourage you to consider attending one of upcoming conferences! 

Tickets for Round 5, happening July 24-25 in Denver, CO, go on sale TONIGHT, April 4th, at 8:00PM! Past conferences have sold out in hours, so I recommend setting and alarm and have your finger on the checkout button! Hope to see you there!

Late night treat fun!

Our calligraphy class by the amazing Laura of Paper & Honey

And Simply Jessica Marie taught us all do make pretty watercolor peonies!

She also had a surprise for all the speakers… during their presentation, she did live paintings and gave them to them at the end of the day! 

Of course we had to do some photobooth time provided by the girl who always keeps me laugh, Annmarie Swift Photography!

And last, but certainly not least — one of my favorite parts of the whole conference: our group photo! 

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And as I’ve dug deeper, I’ve realized it’s not my job to simply capture the joy of love. Of course as a wedding photographer that comes with the territory, but at the core of my business, what I want to be capturing is your love story. That it existed. That it mattered. And that it was worth the fight to get to this exact moment. Because the journey is so much more powerful. When marriage gets hard — and trust me, it inevitably will — you’ll have authentically documented the foundation that got you to now. 

My favorite image from our wedding day is of our first dance. To an outsider, it looks like nothing; you can’t even see my face! But for me, this was the best moment of our entire day. The years of dating long distance throughout the summer; graduating and finding jobs during the economic downfall; navigating a career and building a life — all that work was the journey that got us to that exact moment and we were simply happy being together, as husband and wife.

This is our story. Find a photographer who will tell yours. 

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When I first started, I looked to blog after blog as I began purchasing new items to see what I needed next, but that was definitely not the right way to go — what works for one person may not work for the next! I ended up selling some of those items to buy the things that *I* actually wanted and needed! So I’m sharing not only what I use, but WHY and WHEN I use it on a wedding day! My collection has been carefully curated to my needs, so these are just suggestions based on my experience!

Canon 5D Mark III Body | This is my workhorse and where the magic happens! I started shooting with Canon because I’ve always shot with Canon — even when I was using a point and shoot camera in high school, it was Canon! So I guess I can thank my mom for helping me make that decision :) This is an incredible camera body that is fast and reliable. I love the dual card holders so I can be shooting on one and backing up images on another to avoid data loss.

Canon 35mm 1.4L | I feel like this lens doesn’t get a lot of love, but it’s actually one of my favorites! I use this in really tight getting ready rooms, for a wide shot during the ceremony and reception, for epic landscape shots during portraits, and for dancing!

Canon 50mm 1.2L | I know this is the most popular lens for a lot of photographers, but I haven’t fallen in love quite as much! This is a standard portrait lens and I’ve personally found that I prefer the look of my 85mm a bit more. 

Canon 85mm 1.2L | Now THIS is the lens I love — definitely my baby! I have this on as much as possible throughout a wedding day, especially for portraits. It’s bokeh cannot be beat and it makes skin tones look absolutely flawless. I love having my second shooter shoot a bit wider so I can use this beauty during getting ready and portraits; it’s also a fantastic choice during ceremonies, although you have to be careful because it’s focus is on the slower side. 

Canon 100mm 2.8L | This is a macro body, so I use it primarily for details! Things like close ups of invitations, ring shots, room details, etc. It’s VERY slow to focus (much worse than the 85mm!), so I don’t recommend it for portraits or ceremonies as you might miss something! 

Canon 135mm 2.0L | One of my new favorites! It’s my most recent addition to the “team” and I initially purchased it so I could have a longer lens for ceremonies. But it’s quickly worked it’s way into my bag for portraits because when I have a little extra time, I love breaking it out to create a romantic feel! 

My lighting kit: 3 Canon 600 EX-RT, 2 Light Stands, 1 Umbrella, 1 Beauty Dish | One of my goals for the 2015 wedding season was to increase my off camera flash skills. To achieve this, I increased the quality of my flashes and created a set up system that can be used to light almost any room — it’s been working great and I’m not longer scared of dark ballrooms with high ceilings! 

Bonus! I also bring all of my film equipment with me on wedding days in case the mood ever strikes! 

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A few weeks ago, Rob and I were driving home from the beach and I was surfing through Instagram as he drove. I started ranting (nothing like an 18-hour road trip to bring out the best in you ;) ) about some news I received. I found out someone had some great news to share; joyous news that had been a long time coming. But it was something that, until that point, had only been discussed third hand. And I was angry because I knew how hard the struggle was to get to that point and yet, I was only allowed to participate in the celebration and not be there to support the long, hard suffering. I felt cheated… as much as I want to share in your triumphs, even more I want to support you through your hardships. 

I took a step back to think about how I was feeling and realized something. I do this myself. all. the. time. After all, just look at my blog. How many times have I been so lucky to share about my photography featured on a great wedding blog But have you ever once seen a, “Hey, I got rejected again! Maybe next time!” post Not once.

At the end of the day, it’s simply easier to share the good than the bad. The less hardships you put out there, the less real they feel. You bottle them up until you’re about to burst and then something great comes along and you can’t help but celebrate what you’ve been through. But you want to know a little secret The thing about sharing the struggle is… that is what makes you human; that is what makes you real and relatable. Because the truth is, we are all dealing with it. We all have our own personal battles, whether it’s business or personal or financial or spiritual, we all are trying to work through something. And maybe opening up about these struggles is the best way through it because I’m willing to bet someone else has already had the same experience and is willing to share their advice, or at the least, tell you it’s going to be okay. 

Social media is a look at other peoples’ lives through rose colored glasses. But sometimes, say, on an 18-hour road trip, it’s easy to forget and get jealous and angry. It’s human nature. It’s something we have to consciously fight and it can be a battle for some. But if you can take those feelings and find a way to better yourself from it, then maybe it’s not so bad, right Right. So my goal for the rest of 2015 is to start sharing everything; the good AND the bad — please hold me to it. 

And because every post needs a picture… how cute are these baby birds! I watched them grow from eggs in our bush! 

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I know some of you are already aware, but it’s not something I talk about often, largely driven out of the fear I mentioned above. I’ve seen SO many other small business owners I admire talk about their struggles of building a business while working full time, so I decided it was time to share mine.

As I talked about in my post about working to live vs. living to work, trying to do it all is nearly impossible some days. Balancing a 40-hour a week job, with my photography business (a 50+ hour a week job during the busy season – shooting the wedding is just the tip of the iceberg!) all while being a good wife, friend, daughter, and dog mom can be daunting. There literally are just not enough hours in the day. I’m that person that always wants to say yes, but I’m slowly learning how to gracefully say no if I cannot give something or someone my all that day.

It isn’t all bad; after all, I have chosen my choice. The biggest perk is I get to do something I LOVE! For me, photography isn’t just a hobby or another job, it’s my passion. I wake up every morning excited to shoot and truly miss it during the lulls. And while my full time job doesn’t get me quite as excited as photography does, I am still so incredibly grateful for it. It allows Rob and I to live in our home, take some of our dream vacations, and save for the future. It also is one of the main reasons I have been able to build my business so quickly; if I hadn’t been working full time, I wouldn’t have been able to put as much of my photography income back into my business to build my equipment and brand.

I’m constantly being asked, “When do you want to go full time with photography?”. And the answer is, I don’t know! Right now I’m enjoying the balancing act and while juggling both can be a struggle, it also affords me the ability to live comfortably while still doing something I love – and it doesn’t get much better than that :)

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Work is not the be all end all of life – no matter what you believe in, the fact remains that we are on this earth to do more than work. Our lives are short and should be rich in precious memories; a well-lived life is one that is full of the things that make us happy.  Photography makes me happy. Building this incredible business from the ground up makes me happy. But so does binge watching Netflix, afternoons at the dog park, and eating at new restaurants. It’s easy to take things too far, to become exhausted and empty in our search for success — so through living more intentionally in 2015, I plan to find a better work/life balance that supports all those things.

This change is in no way going to be easy or happen overnight; I need to consciously choose to have a better balance because no one else is going to do it for me. I’m in the process of developing, for lack of a better word, a business plan – except in this case not for my business, but for my daily practices. A plan that tells me when to start working and when to turn off each day. Tells me how much time is okay to spend on social media and lays out how much I should (realistically) expect to accomplish on a daily basis. This will all be trial and error; there isn’t a magic answer out there that works for everyone. And until I discover what works best for me, I will be giving myself a bit more leniency and grace to experiment.

This isn’t to say I’m not going to continue busting my butt this wedding season; I stand by all of my goals for this year and am SO excited for the kickoff of the 2015 season. But as I told Kat, I will be living and breathing intentionality right beside her this year, focusing on what is best for my family and myself because THAT is what will make be a better business owner for my clients.

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