The last few years so much has taken a back seat to make room for my full time job of teaching, being a wife, and now having a baby, that I have neglected some of passions. Like we all do, I still made time for some fun. Like fishing with my husband, stand up paddle board yoga, and keeping up with social media, I hadn’t made time for my photography business until this last year. Maternity leave has actually left me inspired, feeling more creative than ever, and driven to make this side hustle my full time hustle. While it can’t happen right away because, let’s face it, living in the mountains is expensive, I now have some big time goals for this photography business of mine.
I just saw on Instagram that the first couple that hired me to shoot their wedding had their nine year anniversary. Nine years. Nine years since I shot my first wedding (which I was paid $100 to shoot) and when this passion for shooting weddings first took hold. I was in college and a little bit of extra money was nice. I was majoring in broadcast journalism which is when I got my first camera, and thought I could definitely do this for a living. That’s when I realized running a business and being in college is not as easy as it sounds. Then, I decided to pursue my masters degree in teaching, and the thought of pursuing photography full time was put on the back burner.
Next week, I return to my full time job, as a cheer coach and a teacher. Just this morning, I spent it making up a cheer dance that hopefully 40 middle school girls will be able to pick up in three days time. (And look a whole lot better than me doing it!) Then comes teacher work week and welcoming 100 8th graders through my classroom doors. I do love teaching, don’t get me wrong, but I always have doing photography full time in the back of my head. I’ll continue doing sessions and weddings during the school year and seeing how hard I can hustle to make it happen.
Since moving to Colorado, I’ve shot weddings on my own and as a second photographer to other professionals. Of course, I love booking wedding as the lead photographer, but there’s something fun about being a second photographer. Makes the day of a little less stressful, and you have the opportunity to be a tad more creative and take a wider perspective as a second photographer at a wedding. I’ve been lucky to work with photographers that let me also step in a do a little directing during the day as well. I had the great pleasure of shooting Emma and Brian’s wedding for Leisa Gibson Photography in Silverthorne, Colorado.
They were such a precious couple and went everywhere with their friends along for all the portraits. That was very telling of who they are as a couple and how much their friends adored them as a couple. They weren’t afraid of snuggling up and giving a quick kiss with their friends right behind, taunting them. They had their beautiful, quant ceremony on the shore of the Blue River and their reception at the Silverthorne Pavilion. This was my perspective of the day and I love how the images I took turned out!
