I laugh incredibly hard usually producing tears. I talk A LOT and can be loud at times. I smile just because I like to. I make weird noises all the time, seriously! Just ask my clients. My reasoning is a little strange but it works for me. My name is entirely too long. Seriously, it takes up 2 lines on my Social Security Card. But this is me and I’ve grown to love it. Yea, when I was younger I wasn’t too into the fact that I was wired a little bit differently. I even tried to change my name on several occasions, true story! In order to be effective you must be comfortable with who you are even if it doesn’t fit the presently existing mold.

I struggled with this a lot when I first decided to jump headfirst into photography. Everyone else had thriving businesses with expensive cameras. They seemed to know everything about the business and I didn’t. When they blogged they blogged about recent photo sessions or various craft projects they were working on. I’m not too into crafts and at the time I didn’t have many sessions so really when I blogged all I had was my words and it was different.

I began to become obsessed with other photographers businesses and desired to be exactly like them. I began coveting their success and it was taking a toll on my own business and I realized it. My light came on while I was reading the pages of Exposed magazine published by Jasmine Star. She talked about how when she first started her business she took a hiatus from looking at other photographers blogs so that she could develop her own style and be comfortable with it. Ah-ha! That’s it! That’s what I needed to do and I did it.

I’m not saying it was easy. I sit at a computer for most of the day so trying to resist looking at one of your favorite blogs is like trying to stay off Facebook when you have tons of work to do. Yea, it’s like that.

But it was worth it. I began to become more comfortable with who I was and confident in my business and it began to show in my pictures as well as my client increase. I began to develop the business that I was totally me!

So what they I’m not like you (other photographers). The world would have some seriously boring photos if we were all the same. Really this applies to any business that you start in any area. You’re different and that’s okay. There are clients that are waiting for your specific personality to come on the scene.

Let’s look at Michael Jackson for a moment. I mean, I personally wouldn’t purposely wear only one glove, or decide that it’s a great idea to group dance with zombies, but he did! And it was different. No one had ever done that before but he did it and it was a hit. It became his trademark. He created his own mold that he alone, fit perfectly in.

Everyone wants the keys to success when it comes to their lives, dreams, visions, and businesses. One of the main ones, in my opinion, is to build a brand that is totally you. No one can be you better than you can. You’ve got the advantage.

It’s true. I have a thing for sitting in the middle of the street! 

In love,

C.B.