Forever Acquiring Important Lessons | Atlanta Child Photographer

If you follow me, you may have noticed that recently I advertised for Fall mini-sessions. These types of sessions are not my normal thing but I figured, hey, why not try it.  Well, let’s just say it was not a successful venture. People seemed interested in it and in my photography but I’m guessing that they weren’t interested in the products that I offered. To be fair, the products were not my normal products but they were still of excellent quality. It could have also been the price point. I’m not really sure and the only way that I can be sure is to ask those who clicked but didn’t book.

Some of you may be thinking, “Why is she telling us this? Isn’t this a bad thing?” Well, it all depends on how you look at it.  Of course, I would have loved to have photographed some wonderful people with their amazing children but I didn’t. Would I have enjoyed getting paid for all the hard work I put into it and the beautiful images that would have come out of it? Absolutely. What I realized though, is that even though I thought I wanted to have mini-sessions, it turns out that I really didn’t. Mini-sessions are perfect for families with small children and short attention spans or people who just don’t have the time. I could have served them well but I just don’t think I could have served them well enough.

You see, my brand is about relationships. How can I develop any type of relationship when photographing someone for 20 minutes then rushing off to meet the next family for their 20 minutes? Just talking about it gives me stress. That’s not how I work. First, I have a consultation with my clients. This does two things: 1) It allows us to meet and make sure that we are a fit for one another; 2) It allows me to help my potential client be prepared for their session so it goes off without a hitch. After the consultation, there is the session. I only book one session a day. Why is that? Because I don’t want to rush my clients and I definitely don’t want them to feel rushed. I want to give them all the time and attention that they deserve. To be frank, they are spending a lot of money with me, so that is the very least I can do. Lastly, we have another session which is currently done virtually, for them to pick their images and order their products. After that, I actually deliver their order, unless they live further than 40 minutes from me.

It all worked out well because it ended up raining that weekend. We had tornado warnings along with the rain. No one wants to come out in that, let alone bring their children out in it. I’m glad things turned out the way they did because I want to give people the entire experience, not just a snippet. I don’t want to tease them, I want to please them. That sounded a little funny but you know what I mean. So, to recap, bad things are not always as bad as you think. I think I was saved from some serious stress and for that, I am very appreciative. I will gladly call it a F.A.I.L…Forever Acquiring Important Lessons. Pssst…don’t ever be afraid to fail, that’s how we learn.