This blog topic has been on my mind for quite a while, but it wasn’t until recently that I’ve really felt called to write about it. I’ve experienced so much pain and frustration from this topic, yet I don’t even know where to begin. I am a child of God. But, I am also a friend, sister, daughter, girlfriend, employee and photographer. That’s right, I said it. I’m a wedding photographer, and it’s a title that I confidently call my own along with all of the others that I presented.

Some people may think that I am just someone with a fancy camera. Others have hired me for my God-given talent. What is so mind boggling to me is that there is a huge gap in the mindset of those two groups. One group loves my work so much that they are willing to hire me on the single most important day of their life, while the other group doesn’t even recognize me as a professional photographer. I’ve always pondered that disconnect, but recently I’ve had some interactions with friends and acquaintances that have led me to share my heart about this topic.

I love this job of mine and I take it very seriously. Even though I didn’t major in photography, I have invested in my education through a variety of other channels. As a small business owner, I am the queen of hustling, so I wear multiple hats at one time. I’m a photographer, blogger, editor, accountant, designer, marketer, customer service “rep” (I guess that’s what you could call it? haha), boss lady, entrepreneur, and so much more. It takes a lot of hard work and determination to run a successful business, and I’m sure all of my fellow creativepreneurs would agree. So when someone that we love and care about doesn’t recognize our work as “legitimate” it hurts. Whether it’s our age, our experience, our style, etc., there is always someone who isn’t going to care. They don’t realize the passion that you have or the love that drives your business forward. When I share with people that I’m a wedding photographer, I often get some interesting reactions. However, I have noticed that if I can get those select few to listen to me share about the heart behind my business, they sometimes will begin to understand. Their skepticism transitions into support, and they begin to join me in my journey.

If I could leave you with one piece of advice, whether you are skeptical or supportive, it is this: Don’t get in the way of someone who is chasing their dreams because no matter what, they will find a way to make it happen. So many friends of mine have shared some sweet tidbits about my character with me recently. They recognize my work ethic and know that whatever I set my mind and heart to, I am going to do whatever I can to accomplish it. They’ve never seen me fail in that regard (now obviously I fail all of the time, but we will save that for another blog post). So if you are supportive of my business, I am so incredibly thankful for you. It’s people like you that encourage me when the days are tough and remind me of why I love what I do. For those of you who are skeptical, know this: your doubt is what fuels my passion even further. Your unbelief sparks a drive in me that wants to prove you wrong. Maybe that’s just me, but something tells me that I’m no different than anyone else chasing their dreams. And if I could bet on it, I’m sure you’re dream chasing too.

P.S. I’ve seen this image floating around social media (and unfortunately I don’t know the original source!) but it never really hit me until recently.  When you know your “why” your “what” becomes so much more impactful, regardless of what others think or say. You do you, and go conquer the world!