There was a turning point. I don’t know when it happened, but within the last few years certianly. It was the point where my goals for my business changed. Maturity set in. I guess that is a good way to look at it.
Instead of being elitist, thinking someone was insulting my abilities to offer me a “lower standard” gig (sorry, but these would be the gigs that most commercial photographers turn their noses up at) I realized that if someone asked for my services, I should be excited about it. No matter what the gig. It’s always a compliment to have someone want to hire you. I can tell the industry I am in has scared off a lot of people from asking commercial photographers for shoots, this would be indicated by the number of times someone calls and says “I don’t know if you even do this sort of thing”. But why? Why did I for so long turn my nose up at jobs that I can do and make people happy doing? Today these gigs, small by some standards, huge by others make me happy. Through doing them, I’ve learned that I can find equal fufillment in bringing great photos to companies and consumers. It’s a shame I turned my nose up before, but that is a lesson in business I had to learn. How would I have appreciated those phone calls, and turned them into compliments otherwise?

So today, I spent the morning shooting and retouching jewelry for a multi-million dollar company, and at 4pm I ran to Key Biscayne and took a portrait for a family that hasn’t been able to get a photo together in years. The daughter is mega talented (singer, I’ve heard her, she is fantastic!) and heading off to Berkley soon, this was one of the last chances the family had to take a shot together before she starts Life. It’s true, both really do fulfill me in different ways, but both are massively fulfilling.

I hope it’s the start to an equally awesome weekend, for you and for me.