Unemployed vs. Self-Employed

Well today is my first day of being self-employed. It is however a very fine line between that and being unemployed, because the reality is that I probably won't be making any money any time soon. However I do realize and know that, and it doesn't scare or worry me; besides I have a sugar mama. Jess and I are definitely going to have to curb some of our spending and make sure we are a bit more stingy with money. However starting this business is something that is very important to both of us and we are ready to make the sacrifices necessary.

Alpenglow of Mount Washington in Great Basin National Park



I think what I am most excited about is how I will answer the question, "So what are you doing now?" Since I graduated CSU I have had my fair share of jobs, and that question quickly became annoying. I would seemingly have a different answer every few months, people wouldn't know where I was working or what I was doing. Now I have a good answer. I am also excited about the prospect of being my own boss, scary yes, but exhilarating as well. I am going to have to be more self-motivated than ever before, I am going to need patience and determination. The fact, though, that I will be making all the decisions, and I will be putting MY ideas into action is what will keep me going.

Creek in Rocky Mountain National Park


So what will I be doing today, and the rest of the week? I need to set some tangible goals for myself that I can reach by the end of the year. Things like registering my business name, getting a tax number, and doing some advertising. The next four wednesdays will be spent at the Small Business Administration taking a class they offer. This week is "Starting Your own Business," I think it will be appropriate. I will need to be contacting other photographers and learning more about the trade. There is alot to do and I am excited about doing it.

A new idea in weddings

I have read about and seen many photographers who create a blog entry for every wedding they are a part of. It is an idea that I really like, so I have decided to try it. I think it gives the couple a third party account of how the wedding went. The photographer is not as emotionally involved as the family members so he or she will have a slightly different perspective on everything that takes place. Not only that but the photographer is usually right in on some of the most important aspects of the wedding. The idea I have for this blog will be a few paragraphs about the whole day along with a few pictures. I believe it will be a great way for the couple to look back at the day, and also a great way for them to continue to share the day with family and friends. I have created a new blog which you can check out at http://schaeferphotography.blogspot.com, I have also created a link to it on the right. I have created a post about the first wedding that I photographed. Hopefully this will be something that couples will find to be unique to their wedding. It may also be an idea more appealing to younger couples, that I'm not sure about. Well check it out and let me know what you think. Today is thursday and my last day of work got snowed out, I'm not all that dissapointed. I am however very excited about being able to spend alot more time dedicated to my photography business.

A Big THANK YOU

I would like to say thank you to Mike and Carly (I'm not sure what their combined moniker is) who have given me the opportunity to photograph their upcoming wedding. It will be a huge step for me, allowing me to add to my wedding portfolio. So thanks again Mike and Carly, I look forward to being a part of your wedding.

Taking an online class

I signed up for an online photography course, The Business of Photography, through betterphoto.com recently. The class consists of 8 weekly lessons, this week for example is creating a mission statement. I also submit 6 photographs each week that are critiqued by the instructor. The instructors are well known photographers, many of whom have written books on their particular trade. I believe this course will be helpful, first it will allow a third party to critique some of my photos; unfortunately family and friends aren't always critical of my photos. However it is great to hear family and friends tell me how great my pictures are, that positive praise is what gives me the confidence to know that I can make it as a professional photographer. Secondly the class will allow me to think more about the business aspect of photography, the part I know the least about. Things like a mission statement, and a business plan are necessities of a successful business, so this class will allow me to focus more on those aspects of photography. I think the class will be very beneficial, and will be a great stepping stone. I would also like to say thanks to my parents who have graciously offered to pay for the class.


On an unrelated note, northwestern Colorado is an extremely beautiful region of the state. My dad and I recently went antelope hunting in Craig, Colorado. It is a town roughly the size of Silverthorne, however much less developed. It is about 45 miles west of Steamboat Springs and unfortunately most people think there isn't much past Steamboat. Craig is definitely a hunting town, all of the grocery stores, sporting goods stores, restaurants, bars and gas stations display huge banners that say "Welcome Hunters!" A great sight to see when you are a hunter. Craig's elevation is 6100 feet so the climate would be similar to Denver's. In a day and a half there, we saw hundreds of deer, elk, and antelope. There are mountain lions, bears, badgers, and a myriad of other wildlife. Northwestern Colorado boasts the best elk hunting in the state, and from my experience some very friendly people. If you ever have the chance to visit Craig I would recommend it. The wildlife and scenery are definitely worth it.

Three antelope about 200 yards away.Oh, and by the way both my dad and I were lucky enough to both harvest an antelope.

Free Counseling

I went to the Small Business Administration in Downtown Denver on Friday. They have a program called SCORE, which basically provides free counseling to anyone who is starting a business, or in business. There are between 10-20 counselors who have anywhere from 15-50 years of business experience. They are very knowledgeable people who have expertise in many different fields and many different businesses. The best part of the whole program is that you can go as often as you want, as many times as you want for free. The gentleman I met with was very helpful and gave me some great ideas as to where to start. Basically I am in the "information gathering stage," I will need to research my market; find out who my competition is and determine exactly what it is I want to do. I will need to start calling photographers in the area and asking first if they will send me some of their marketing pieces; and also see if I can find some photographers who will meet with me so that I can ask them some questions about the business. I don't think it will be easy to "cold call" people and ask for their help, especially if I will become competition; but I am hopeful that there are a few people out there who will be willing to help. I have also changed my website and hopefully made it better; there are more pictures and I feel that it is more professional. You can link to it from this blog, so please check it out and let me know what you think about it. Go Broncos!

I'm finally doing it

Well after years of reading about and studying about the business of photography, and frankly procrastinating, I have decided that now is the right time to start my own business. My seasonal job as a trail monkey ends in one month, so I will need to continue working somewhere, probably part-time, but the rest of my time will be spent on photography. Especially the exciting aspects like marketing, advertising, taxes and busniness plans. Actually those things do excite me, the whole idea of being self-employed is very exciting to me. I have decided that this blog will be a good way for me to let everyone know what I am doing, but it will also allow me to monitor my own progress. I will write about where I am in the process, what challenges I am facing and how I am overcoming obstacles. Please feel free to give any advice or opinions you may have, and also ask me how things are going. I will also post pictures that I have taken, so please give me some feedback, both good and bad. I hope that life is treating everyone well, and I look forward to hearing from everyone.