Atlanta Newborn Photographer – Marietta Family Photographer
Back in July, KBG Photography celebrated our 8th birthday, and it got me thinking about where I started with this little company of mine and where I am now.
Photography is an interesting career. I absolutely adore that I get to make a living doing what I love, I enjoy creating my own schedule with my own hours, and I really love being my own boss. However, just like with any job, there are definitely ebbs and flows, burnout, and questions about if this is really what I should be doing forever. Some weeks are amazing, some are good, and some are stressful, but the good weeks really do make up for the bad ones and then some. I’m constantly humbled that my clients trust me to capture their precious memories, and I have captured many over these last eight years (and cannot wait to capture many more over the next years!).
This week has been exceptionally exciting as I was accepted as a Click Pro Master (an association of professional photographers pursing advanced artistic and business development while amplifying the voice of women worldwide). Members are accepted based on a portfolio review to ensure that its members meet strict standards of excellence. It is a goal that I set several years ago, but I never felt confident enough to go for it until this forced Coronacation (thank you 2020) and all of its time for self-evaluation.
In addition to being accepted as a Click Pro Master, I was awarded the Master Photographer seal from the National Association of Professional Childhood Photographers (NAPCP) in the child, family, and maternity categories. I am gathering images to submit for the Newborn category when it opens for review soon as well 🙂
I say all that to hopefully help or encourage anyone just starting out in the field of photography, feeling stuck in a rut, feeling burned out, or just not feeling like they’re thriving currently. It’s totally normal to go through all of the highs and lows in this business, sometimes highs and lows all in the same day. Know that it’s okay to take a break. It’s okay to turn down clients that aren’t your ideal clients. It’s okay to not love every moment of this job. Take those discomforts and reflect on why you are feeling the way that you are and how to use that discomfort to grow. If 2020 has taught us anything, it has taught us to not take life for granted, and to always make time for yourself, family, and for self-growth!
This was from my very first newborn session, ever. I was so nervous for the session, but I was super confident, as I just KNEW I was good (HA!). Looking back, I can see all of my “mistakes” (like the super saturated lips, gray feet, weird color shifts in skin tone, awkward pose), but the baby still looks as precious as I remember her being!
Thankfully, I had plenty of room for improvement, and soaked up as much information as I possibly could about newborn photography throughout these eight years. Now, my newborn images look much more like those below; however, I am constantly learning, growing, and evolving to be the best photographer for my clients as I can be!
