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I have always loved the Dear Abby section in the newspaper. It's the place where people can write in questions to ask advice to the ominous "Abby" who apparently knows all things about well... ALL things. Not sure who crowned miss Abby the queen of "knowing it all" but she sure does know a thing or two about humanity, manners, people and everything else in between.
My inbox can get pretty full from questions from photographers, due to limited time during the day and in an effort to keep my priorities straight I am unable to answer each and every photo related question, but I sure would love to. So perhaps I will do a "Dear Abby" section of the blog if I have some good questions come through- if you have one, leave it in the comment section of this post. The other week one of our blog readers, Annie, sent me a short email with the following question;
Annie Asked: Do you have any tips about what to do when there isn't any work coming in? Anything I can actively do to push myself, take risks, etc. I want to follow my dreams, but sitting around waiting for the work to come in doesn't feel like I'm taking any steps towards anything. I need movement!
I asked Annie if it was okay that I posted her question on the blog and answered it here since I would imagine it will likely be of help to someone else out there reading, she kindly said yes. And thus begins my feeble attempt to KNOW it all like our sweet miss Abby from the paper. But really all I know is what I have learned from my limited life experience... so here goes.
We've all had slower seasons of our business'. I can remember picking up shop and moving to a brand new city (Seattle) where I knew no one. I didn't exactly have people knocking down my door to hire me at that time. So what did I do? I made things happen. I reached out to fellow photographers in the area, I networked with vendors, coordinators and the like, I worked on a couple personal projects, I approached couples I saw at the market and asked if I could photograph them, I explored, I improved my website, I brainstormed ways I could get my name in front of more people in my new market by providing value to their respective brands.
Basically the bottom line is this, regardless of where you are at in your business you've got to POUND THE PAVEMENT. Work isn't coming in? What a great opportunity to use free time to meet with people, explore a creative endeavor, figure out new ways to get your name in front of people, and for goodness sake KEEP SHOOTING. Work IS pouring in? Guess what, the answer's the same, POUND THE PAVEMENT! Work even harder for your clients, go above and beyond, keep your name at the forefront of their minds. Continue to carve out time for personal creative endeavors and SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT... and then go out and shoot some more. Because guess what, we've all got a long way to go until we get to that 10,000 hour mark. Throughout life there are seasons of great fruitfulness and conversely seasons of drought... each teach us very valuable lessons about ourselves. The valleys make the mountaintops that much greater, but it is what we do in the valley that really counts. It is what we do in the seasons of drought that truly show us what we are made of and prepare us for the season of abundance. Make it count. -Sarah
Thoughts
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you are incredibly inspiring my dear.
This message is so on point for me and where I am in my career at the moment!!! Thank you!!! xo
This post was exactly what I needed today, thank you!!
The valleys make the mountaintops that much greater, but it is what we do in the valley that really counts. It is what we do in the seasons of drought that truly show us what we are made of and prepare us for the season of abundance."
This is true not just in my photography, but in my personal life as well. This has been a hard season for me, but I've done some real showing up in my valley. Thank you for these words! thankyouthankyouthankyou
oh YES, i love this new type of post, sarah! and i like how it goes hand-in-hand with your journalism background. you have your own 'column' now :) can't wait for future installments.
EXACTLY! that is exactly what I am doing.... Self-schooling and finding work to keep me busy, even if it is unpaid. I learn from every experience. And I think it's what we do with the slow time, that determines where we end up... Thanks for sharing your words.
LOL @ Rog. So funny!
Sarah -- you are so wise. Wise beyond your years. Lots of love to you always.
time to go pound some pavement - thanks for the advice!
Yes please! Please do this "Dear Abby"esque thing -- I would love to read your answers, especially if they're as thoughtful as this one.
My question is along related lines -- when reaching out to fellow photogs, how can you foster a relationship that is one not of competition, but of collaboration and support?
Super rad. I want to make-out with this post.
this is exactly what i needed. at this very moment. i hope to someday be able to give to others like you so generously do :)
Beautiful and very true:)
Love this idea Sarah! You are such a wise woman and I absolutely love reading your blog! Thank you for being such an open book!
This is great! Thank you Sarah!
Wow. Thank you so much. This really helped a lot!!
this is fantastic advice, I did exactly the same thing with sheer determination, vision and a leap of faith and hard graft you can make your dreams come true...
Dear Sarah,
You rock. I am SO happy that you have introduced a Dear Abby section :) Can't wait for more - and I loved this one and all of your advice, you are very true with all that you said.
With love,
Alex
this is fantastic advice, I did exactly the same thing with sheer determination, vision and a leap of faith and hard graft you can make your dreams come true...