Personal Reflections: A Photographers Portrait of 2009 and vision of 2010

     To have my husband home the entire year of 2009 was a blessing that I'll never take for granted again.  He was deployed with the Marines at Camp Fallujah, Iraq for the entire year of 2008.  Not having him here for the 31 weddings and dozens of engagement sessions in 2008 was tough.   Luckily, I have some really great photog friends who supported me throughout the year as second shooters, assistants, computer-fixers and kid-sitters.
     2009 was a year of personal and professional growth for me.   I only shot about half as many weddings as the year prior so that I could focus on networking, refining my business strategy and marketing, and defining the balance I want between my career aspirations and my life as a wife and mother.  Its nice to be at a point where I can decline a wedding if it interferes with my commitments to my family (sports tournaments, school events and such).   This is what Stephen Covey refers to as 'Deposits' in the emotional bank account (7 Habits of Highly Effective People).  I photographed a lot more seniors and families than usual, and focused on learning from others.  I managed to attend several photography workshops, and embraced the social networking phenomenon just to see what all the hoopla is about :).  I started this blog in April, and by summer, I was tweeting and facebookin.'
  All my friends had to endure my learning the difference between FB groups and fan pages, and such, but I think I've got it down now.  Thanks for your patience :) Its interesting to me that I booked double the number of brides before I began "social networking" online.  Perhaps I'm sacrificing the time once spent networking in person for the simplicity of updating a post to a few hundred at once.   I can't say that I've ever booked a bride through networking online.  My number one source of referrals come the old fashion way:  word of mouth from my brides and Mothers of the brides.  The most powerful marketing message in the world is a happy client!  I was blown away this year and last at how many of my bride's mothers from so many different states called me to wish me a Merry Christmas, or just to see how I was doing.  Thanks so much, that meant a lot to me.    The biggest benefit I've found in using FB is the amazing ability to communicate directly with so many wonderful and awesome photographers, and it keeps me aware of events that I may want to attend.
   I'd also like to thank all of the organizations who welcomed me as a member or vendor this year.  Thanks to Brook at Ceremony Magazine for inviting me to the Cuisine in Casablanc event at Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa.  I look forward to working with Ceremony more in 2010.  Thanks to Charlene Keys (Premier Bride / Access Temecula) and Annette Nielson (Events by Annette / Keyways Winery) for welcoming me to the Temecula Valley Wedding Professionals.  The TVWP socials and wine tour were a blast!  Thanks to Terre at the Marry Me Lounge in Temecula and Orange County for the gracious hospitality.  I'm proud to be one of the four photographers selected to be on display in the boutique.  Thanks to all of the Temecula wineries who've added me to your vendor list.  I appreciate all of the referrals!  Special thanks to Jamie Purinton at Wiens Winery for all of the event invites.  Looking forward to shooting the New Years Eve party for you guys.
  The Smugmug User Groups have also been a great forum to network and socialize with hundreds of local photographers.  Thanks to Jasmine Star and Jeff Jochum for hosting the Orange County SMUG meetings and keeping them free! Likewise, I shot my first event with the SoCal ShootOut club, and that was a blast. 
  So what's new for 2010?  I'm focusing more on quality than quantity.  I intend to be much more selective in the weddings I accept, and promise my family not to make them endure any unnecessary sacrifices.  That said, its shaping up to be a busy year!  I've already booked as many weddings for 2010 as I shot in all of 2009.  I jump right in with a wedding at Ponte Winery on Jan 2rd, and Pala Mesa Resort on Jan 9!  I'm looking forward to an upcoming workshop with Joe Barnet and plan to tap into the resourceful expertise of the ladies at Be Inspired.  You may notice that I've implemented new colors for my website and blog, and I have a ton of new marketing products to compliment!  Here's to hoping for another great year!!!