A New Chapter
Once I started taking photography seriously, I realized how nice it would be to have my own dedicated indoor space. Rain delays would come up and clients would ask, "Do you have anywhere indoors we could go?" not wanting to push their session back. I always felt like I wasn't providing enough when I had to say no. On top of that I wasn't able to use my creative side as much as I'd like because a lot of what I wanted to try (and still do) would need to be done in an indoor setting. The more I got into photography, the more I wanted to learn and it was so frustrating that I couldn't expand on certain skills just because I didn't have the space.
While all of the positives kept adding up, I let the negatives keep me from pushing myself to go further. What if I didn't book enough people? What if I couldn't find a space? What if nobody liked my ideas? I had so much doubt in myself that when it came time to sink or swim I realized I'd never succeed if I didn't start believing in myself first. So I did.
I started off extremely small gathering the props and supplies I would need over the period of a year. I owned a consignment store at the time and had a small area that I practiced in and got enough to build a portfolio for those kinds of shots. I invested in the eduction I needed to learn how to properly use lighting and the differences that I needed to know between my normal outdoor sessions vs indoor natural and studio light. It was a lot, but I honestly enjoyed learning all of it.
At that point I knew that with my store I wouldn't be able to afford the costs of two businesses if they weren't both successful. I know myself and my limits I was already running on empty trying to keep up with not only the two businesses but also my two kiddos. I was sad that one needed to go, but I really couldn't imagine my life without photography. While opening the studio was a big risk, I was so excited.
The space my store was in is a beautiful building with the original floor to ceiling brick wall. It definitely needed some love, but it was the perfect location and made complete sense to keep on renting and build my business in a building that I already felt like home. I was so excited to make it mine.
On the financial end, once my store closed I could only afford 2 weeks off to give myself enough time and money to overhaul everything. I worked from morning to night up to the evening before I had a session scheduled the very next day. The store had 15 years worth of things to clean out, the space needed deep cleaned so badly from where all of the furniture and racks had been, the walls all needed painted, and the bathroom desperately needed a major update l to be presentable for clients, then I had to build the custom set ups that I wanted to offer my clients. In those two weeks I drained what little savings I had and worked harder on that space than I had ever worked in my life.
If you know me you know that I don't do manual labor well. But with everyones hectic schedules I was on my own for the most part. My husband put the kids to bed most nights without me, which isn't normal at all for our household and thankfully people stopped in when they could to help do what I couldn't on my own (shoutout to my Mom, Dad, Tim, Al, and Taylor). I learned how to do more things in those two weeks than I have in my life. Thank the Lord for YouTube tutorials, Tim, and the workers at the hardware store next door.
I still have a lot I want to do to finish and grow the studio. There's so much I want to learn and offer and it's such a weight lifted off of my shoulders to know that in my own time I have all of the tools that I need to expand my passion.
Once I opened my doors, the bookings took off and any doubts that I had left turned into more confidence in myself that I could do hard things. There's days when I need to get away, and the studio is where I go. I love it when it's filled with clients laughter, but there's something about the calm of just me and my hard work that I've built from the ground up that is so satisfying.
They say you don't work a day in your life if you love what you do, and I'm so incredibly thankful for this journey and the fact that even when I'm at work, I'm having the time of my life.
To all of my people, thank you for supporting not only my business by also my dreams. You've helped not only build my business but also have given me a chance to find myself again and for that I will forever be grateful.
xoxo Jaley
