photography faq- round 5

Hope you’re all enjoying the season! I’m taking a little break this month, and it’s wonderful. 🙂 It’s fun having extra time for making Christmas decorations, updating my website, organizing new projects (including a mentoring program I’m starting in January!!), cleaning the house before family arrives, visiting friends, buying gifts and watching Christmas movies!!! Oh and posting an overdue FAQ blog entry…

How did you start/fund your business?
It was a sloooooow process, because frankly, debt scares the *you know what* out of me. Ask Anderson! We try to live debt-free to the best of our ability, (other than a mortgage) so from the very beginning I just saved every penny I made from photoshoots and put it towards the business. Okay, other than the pennies that I sometimes spent on new clothes and other necessities. 😉 Doing it this way meant I couldn’t run out and buy everything I wanted at once, but it also meant I wasn’t stressed over paying bills!

What is the best business resource you’ve found?
That’s an easy one! The Easy As Pie Cookbook.
Early this year my friend Audrey told me to that I HAD to buy it. So I did. And let me tell you – it is the best photography business resource I’ve come across. If you feel like maybe you aren’t charging the right amount for photoshoots and prints, get it. If you KNOW you aren’t charging the right amount, get it. Trust me. You need it! I didn’t realize I was undercharging for everything.

Mac or PC?
Both! I have a small PC laptop that I drag around the house with me. It’s great for when I want to edit in bed on a rainy day or on the couch late at night. We also have a Mac Pro with a HUGE screen. Anderson said I needed it, but it actually makes my stomach a little queasy when I stare at it too long. The screen is that big! They both have their advantages, but I’m really not partial to either one.

I’m not a photographer, but I want a nice semi-professional camera (if that exists!) that I can play around with and learn on. What would you suggest?
I have gotten this question 5 times in just the last week. FIVE! Sounds like a lot of people are getting cameras for Christmas-yay! There are a lot of good cameras out there, but I always recommend the same one, because it’s one I’ve used and loved: The Canon Rebel. It’s a great camera. I like that it has a full auto mode that you can start out on. But if you want to really learn photography and play around with exposure and shutter speed and all that fun stuff you can, because it also has a manual setting. I got a Rebel when I graduated from college and used it for 4 years! I loved it. I actually still have it b/c I can’t part with it. 🙂

We always take fun pictures in front of the Christmas tree. It’s one of our silly traditions!