In case you missed the memo, we recently moved into a shared creative space with fellow photographer Paul Smith of Photohouse Studio and Christine Shea-the best RMT in Brantford.
We are almost 4 years into our business, and that moment of getting a set of keys to our very own office and a shared studio space was truly a culmination of so many dreams coming true.
We moved in a month ago and the whirlwind that has followed has left little room for processing or reflection of any kind.
But all these weeks later, I find myself alone in our building, coffee in hand and surrounded by quiet. So here goes.
We've both been professional photographers for over a decade, but we started our business with a meager collection: one old camera and an older camera, a free set of decades-old lights, a few acceptable lenses, one decent lens and a mountain of hope.
For almost four years we sat together day in and day out, in a tiny corner of our 1-bedroom apartment, working our hearts out for this dream.
With almost no business experience or marketing knowledge, we had little idea what commencing upon a path to a successful photography and videography business truly meant.
Starting our own business has been, without a doubt, the headliner in challenging, terrifying (and fulfilling!) things we've done in our lives. Unless you've done something similar, you have no idea the formula of vulnerability and desperation this involves. It's basically like standing up naked in front of a million people every single day asking "Am I good enough?"
That part sucks.
So many people have told us "No."
And that hurts on a level I can't begin to describe with mere words.
But so many others have said, "Yes, a thousand times over, YES." And that's why we're here today.
I'm not bragging when I say that we work as hard as humanly possible. It felt accurate when one of our interns said earlier this week, "You guys work so hard, I'm surprised you're not millionaires by now."
Spoiler alert: we're not.
But we've sweated, bled, cried, laughed, attempted, failed, fallen, soared and worked our asses off for the last four years. We've given it everything, every day, with all we are.
And here we are with a new office, a new season, and an official sign coming soon.
It
feels
good.
It also feels scary-we've signed up for something unknown.
It feels beautiful-a huge risky step in the direction we want to go.
It feels humbling. We've had so many people champion us along the way-people who believed in us, encouraged us, hired us, let us document their lives.
We couldn't have done it without you.
We still get excited every time we get a call/text/email for a booking. We don't take it lightly that you let us into your lives to tell your story.
Thank you to every person who has told their friend about us, who has "liked" our photos or followed our page, who has gone the extra mile to believe in us and our dreams.
We are floored by your love.
In just this past week we've shot video at a wedding, video'd a real estate listing, photographed an engagement shoot. We've edited head shots, an anniversary shoot, and a couple of weddings.
Over the past few years, we have saved our change and our dollars in mason jar after mason jar to purchase the professional photo and video gear we've needed. We have a few more mason jar savings accounts to go, but we're getting there.
We're getting there.
Our photography studio is at 58 Brant Avenue in Brantford so come see us for your headshot or or portrait session. But don't worry. We'll keep documenting weddings in Toronto, Niagara, Oakville and beyond.
We aren't slowing down; we're not even close to being done. But it feels sweet to see the miles we've come.
One of my friends recently told me that it feels as if all the components are ready and in place for our business to really snowball into something Big.
I truly hope so. We've strategized to make it so.
And here we are today.
Laughing, crying, hoping.
In a new space, with a thousand hopes and dreams and ready to work as creatively as we can to tell your story the way it should be told.
Whatever our own story is, whatever it becomes, I know we've given it our all. And we've been with each other every bloody, beautiful step of the way. For that we are ever grateful, and that in itself is more than enough-I think we're doing just fine.