30-Mar-2010

Wow, I have done such a horrible job at posting! Ack! Last night I do have an excuse, because I basically had to leave right after work to stay with my Grandma in the hospital, but other than that I pretty much have just forgotten about it. :( So, I've been proactive, now, and I just finished putting a reminder in my phone for every weekday evening to post on my blog.

This past week I've been editing a lot. My process is slowed down because my silly computer is so full it's so slow. [i really need to just move everything to an external hard drive.]

Other than that, I've been working on my client profile. I've been struggling with it, because it's been tempting to make my client into a girl I've always dreamed of being, rather than making her a girl I want to be one of my clients. BUT, after talking to Christina this evening, I think I have a clearer picture of how to do that. [can anyone say Google? ;)]

I'm working on my procedures and processes, too, and trying to figure out how I do things. I think I'm discovering I really have more illusions of what I want to do than realities of what I actually do. ha. I guess i really do have a 'dream' business. :P

Tonight I had my call with Christina. It really went well, and I felt like I was clarifying some things I needed to get done. Of course, I was also off the hook about completing my assignments because I forgot to write them down last time and she forgot to send them to me. [hehe]. I had actually done quite a few of them, though.

Well, I'm off to research photographers in the DC area.

-Susie

15-Mar-2010

Monday. Wait, is today Monday or Tuesday? I have been so confused about days of the week lately I keep second guessing myself.

Today was a profitable day for me, in several ways:
1) I wrote more of my dream business. It's getting to be a pretty cool business, if I do say so myself. ;)
2) I wrote down more phrases that are unique to me.
3) I contacted a client about a possible photo session.
4) I also spoke with another client about a photo session they want to schedule within the next 3 weeks. yay. :)
5) Wrote a to-do list for tomorrow. ha.

In other news, I took a personality test with the Meyer's Briggs personality profile, and discovered I am an ISTJ....and then, to make things better, I realized I'm also in "Catastrophe Mode" right now. haha.
["Under stress, ISTJs may fall into "catastrophe mode", where they see nothing but all of the possibilities of what could go wrong. They will berate themselves for things which they should have done differently, or duties which they failed to perform. They will lose their ability to see things calmly and reasonably, and will depress themselves with their visions of doom."]
There have been some things that have happened at my job that are stressing me out...mainly the fact that I need to find two people to hire and train in the next six months to completely run the office. yeah. a bit stressful.

Anyway, it's off to bed for me.

-Susie

11-Mar-2010

Today I was writing 10-Mar-10 all day...it was that bad. I was the only one in the office today, since the girl I work with took the entire day off. Of course, that's when everything happens, plus I have my family needing more things from me today than usual...nice. [For those of you who don't know...I am the Office & Service Manager in an Air Conditioning and Heating company, owned by my Father. This can be a blessing [most of the time] or a curse [when it gets difficult to separate work and family].

Then, tonight after work, I came home and we had family over because my Aunt is visiting from Honduras [she's a missionary down there], and, of course, since I get to see her about once every two years, I didn't do much photography this evening. heh.

I did manage to do a few things today:
1) Download Tweetdeck. ha. marketing...marketing....
2) Got my Graphistudio album ready to order! yay. :) [AND, I just got notice that Graphistudio shipped my sample pack, so I'll be ordering as soon as I get that in and can decide on what I like best. I'm quite excited.]
3) I also began researching design/colors/web layouts in order to better refine my blog and website.
4) Updated a few things on my website.

10-Mar-2010

Wait, it's Wednesday already? Where has my week gone?

So, yesterday evening, I did another blog post, and posted a link to it on my facebook and Photography facebook pages. It's amazing how many more hits I got than when I don't link it...heh. Yesterday I had 39 hits, and today I had 55. Much better than 2. ;)

Here's what I've accomplished today....
1)I thought a lot about my dream business....what fun! I also started writing my story of my dream business, and got quite a bit accomplished. I like dreaming big. and I especially like dreaming big about photography.

2) I started writing more specific values of my business. I like digging deeper into things...and I really do enjoy putting practical applications to my thoughts, so it works out quite perfectly to be doing all this. yay.

3) I also started an Excel spreadsheet with my goals for each day and week that I'm doing. I'm a Spreadsheet junkie, and anything that can be spreedsheeted [wait, is that a word? haha] I will put on one. So, yup. that made me happy.

4) I also uploaded some photos to the FB page. I had totally forgotten about it until Christina sent out the reminder email today. bad me.

5) I worked on getting my sample GraphiStudio album designed. I'm almost finished and pretty happy with it! I can't wait to actually hold one in my hands...that will be quite amazing.

6) I also learned [late last night...]how to compress a link so I can post it on Twitter. I am determined to have more internet networking in my business, so one of my steps is to learn how to twitter...

7) I also began writing down five statements about myself that are uniquely me. I have two done so far.

I like this keeping track of what I do. It makes me feel quite accomplished, and I can go to bed knowing today was profitable.

Susie

5-Mar-2010

Well, I managed to make it here in time to go to a coffee shop with free wifi before I have to be at the rehearsal, which means I get to update after all. yay.

Today consisted of driving, driving, and more driving.

Brainstorming was definitely my photography accomplishment today, and I was thinking of everything from processes to inspiration to values to marketing. A very wide range, but I really do love planning out practical ways to grow and improve my business.

Once I made it to the coffee shop I refined a few of my pages in my album. I feel like I'm always almost there with designs, but like I still haven't quite gotten it. :P

-Susie

3-Mar-2010

Today was a busy day, and I'm going to be glad to hit my bed in a few minutes!

If you want a little glimpse of what's going on in my life check out my other blog.

As far as photography goes, here's what I've finished today:

1) Got Camera Equipment together for wedding this weekend - which is quite a task since some of my equipment is at my house and some at the shop where I work. Of course, I'm still missing a few memory cards which always seems to happen. I'll have to hunt them down tomorrow...

2) Updated blog

3) Refined a few pages in an album I'm designing

-Susie

1-March-2010

My first day of photography mentorship began with me wanting to turn my alarm off and go back to sleep. I think this was because last night, after my first call with Christina, my mind couldn't stop turning as I thought of all the new ways I want to invest in my business. I don't think late night calls are good for me....

Nevertheless, I did manage to get up, and go to my "real job" [an Office Manager in my Father's Heating and Air Conditioning Company].

As far as photography goes....here's what I've accomplished today:

1) thought about how I want to work my new Photography blog for my business [ok...so I didn't get actually think of anything I liked, but don't tell anyone].

2) Wrote down a list of values that my business has to offer. [now I can feel good about charging people lots of money to take their pictures. yay!]

3) designed another two page in my amazing, cool Graphistudio Sample album that I'm about to order. [I only had on my list to design one...so I was happy to do two.]

4) Thought about how amazingly cool my wedding is going to look at this place: [oh, woops! that wasn't part of my photography building....]

5) I now have a place to store all of the things I find that inspire me.

6) I also have uploaded a few preview photos of a bridal shower I shot for a Bride who's getting married in a few weeks.

7) And, besides all that, I'm also currently in the process of exporting an engagement gallery to upload for my clients - which I'll be uploading to the internet as I sleep. Ah...it's wonderful to be able to work and sleep at the same time.

All in all, I had a wonderful day, and can only hope that tomorrow will be even better. [if it will just stop raining.....]

-Susie