Diving in Head First

So I finally did it. I opened up my photo business online. I was on the edge, forcing myself to jump into the portrait photography business when it's landscapes, natures, and cityscapes that I love to shoot. Why was I going to force myself to participate in portrait photography when it's not my favorite thing? Kind of seems a little ass-backwards {if you don't mind me saying}. You get into a passionate business like photography because you love it and want to get paid doing what you love. Why then should you settle for less? Well, I had this feeling that it was the only way to go about getting paid for photography. I had this idea that it was either portraits or no one would pay me. So far I'm right, but I'm happier for trying to go at what I really love.

I set up an Etsy shop with my photography. I crunched all the ridiculous numbers. The charges from Etsy, PayPal, the drop shipping {so my customers don't get a branded box with invoices inside}, the cost of the actual photographic print with my personal favorite pearl photo papers, and the sales tax. What I'm left with is barely enough to profit, but it's a profit. The first time I saw a photographer charging $30 dollars for an 8 X 10 I thought, "Holy smokes they're making BANK!" I guess now that I'm knee deep in my own calculations, I was wrong. However, no one else will see that.

I need to focus my energy on marketing to the people that either understand that or to the people that will appreciate the original photographic art they can get in their home at the end.
Not only do I have the Etsy store, but also a website of my own: www.gladyannephotography.com. I officially got it up and running about a week ago. It has a store and blog. I encourage everyone to check it out, this stuff is hard work {good thing it's fun} and I'm trying to get a handle on it all before I get into a full-time groove at my job.

For all my lovely readers out there, I truly appreciate each and every one of you. I've made a special coupon code for my blog readers: BLOGLOVE24
The code I published on all my social networks will do the same, give you 24% off; however, this one is special because I gave you guys more time to use it. The code that you'll find on my facebook page is good through the 17th in celebration of Valentine's day and my 24th birthday. This code is good through the end of February in celebration of both those things and you, my readers. It is the month of Love, right?

♥ Until Next Time ♥