Why I’ll never spend another October feeling burnt out and you shouldn’t either.
Happy Friday!
This week I turned 33 years old! <— Thanks Mariah for the fresh pic <—-
For 27 years October was my favorite month.
Then I became a photographer…
and October became my most dreaded time of year.
Filled with too much work, late-night editing, skipping the gym and a steady diet of junk food and wine, Octobers in the past few years have left me with a pinched nerve, a few breakdowns and inevitably wanting to “quit photography.” So much for celebrating my birthday!
Every year I would set better boundaries for myself, but no matter what I tried, I still ended up feeling over-worked and under-appreciated straight through the Holiday Season.
What happened to the Octobers that I loved my whole life?
I’m watching all of my photographer friends update their statuses this week and I know how you feel. You’re beyond tired. You have mountains of work. You have folder after folder of editing to do when your kids go to bed. You can’t see straight from all of the hours in front of the computer. You just want it to be January so you can have a little bit of time for yourself and your family again.
This year, I can finally say, I loved every minute of October!
I don’t want it to end. I’m enjoying chilly fall nights roasting marshmallows with my kids. I’m leaving work by 5pm each day. I’m enjoying my wine AWAY from the computer screen. I’m planning a Pinterest worthy Halloween Party to enjoy with my girlfriends. For the past 5 years I’ve cursed anyone who had time to attend a party, never-mind throw one! With decorations! Shaun is even taking me out for TWO kid-free date nights for my birthday.
I don’t mean to brag, I just have to tell you that it is actually possible! I want to shake everyone feeling burnt out right now and say, “It DOESN’T have to be that way!”
So how did I reclaim my Octobers?
It’s a simple answer to the most frequently asked question I get and it is the topic of this week’s FAQ Friday! Learn how I was able to move out of portfolio building and raise my prices so that I could build a sustainable business.
What’s even better?
This week is your chance to enter to win a fully-paid scholarship to our Photographer Rising Online Workshop!
Worth $1800, you don’t want to miss this opportunity to see inside every detail of my studio and build a photography business that you love.
Watch the episode below, reclaim your October and enter to win the scholarship by sharing your thoughts in the comment section!
Ready to enter for your chance to win a fully paid scholarship to our January Online Workshop?
We’ll be selecting 1 scholarship recipient via the Rafflecopter App below and 2 additional entries (that were especially moving) from our comment section below this post. Be sure to tell us exactly what winning this scholarship would mean to you!
For more Online Workshop information visit www.PhotographerRising.com
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About Post Author
I would love to win the Photographer Rising Workshop because I’m ready to be a FEARLESS PHOTOGRAPHER and build my business while it’s still in it’s beginning stages into something that will not only bless my family, but also the lives of others. I want to have my cake (smash) and eat it too. I want to this scholarship, because this first year of running a business has taught me that it’s not as easy as it looks. I’ve already experienced being broke, editing late nights, and feeling frazzled so, I want to make sure that I learn from the best instead of spinning my wheels trying to figure it out on my own this next year. If I can learn to manage a business plan successfully, then I know I also will be able to have a balanced, happy family life. I know this workshop will teach me how to establish healthy boundaries between work and personal time so that I can spend less time worrying and more time serving both my clients and family with love.
I want to attend the workshop because I’m hungry for the knowledge that HHP will be serving up! There is a silent knowing deep within me that speaks to me and says, “You have what it takes, you just need the right tools and the right teacher.” I believe Heidi is that teacher; I admire her very much! I see Heidi’s personality in the Youtube videos on FAQ Friday and I’ve read her blog posts enough to believe that we are very similar in spirit. We share the same open heart and hopeful attitude about life. Despite the fear and doubt that I may experience at times, I can visualize my life in the next couple of years. I see photography in my future and the start of my family happening together simultaneously. This December I will be getting married to my best friend and the love of my life (woohoo!! hooray for LOVE!) This means that January will be the perfect time for me to dedicate all my energy to this workshop. My desire is to use every piece of information from the workshop to develop a plan for my photography business that will allow it to thrive while I also watch my family bloom. 2015 is MY Year! It will be the year that my dreams will take flight and I will rise to my full potential in all aspects of my life!
There is so much I want to take with me from this experience and I can’t wait to receive the tools I need to succeed from this workshop! I want to learn how to not feel intimidated by raising my prices. I want the keys to a successful portrait sale; while confidently offer digital images too. I want to learn about backlighting. I want to perfect outdoor photography exposure so that my subjects are well lit and their skin tones do not look over or under exposed AND while also capturing the deep blues in the sky. Lastly, I want to learn how to gradually increase my pricing and establish a solid brand that my customers trust and have pride in.
Thank you for the opportunity to win a scholarship to this workshop. I know it’s going to be filled with all that and then some and it will be a HUGE success for HHP and all the photographers who attend. I can feel it and see it! 🙂 I can’t wait to learn from you guys at HHP. Good Luck to everyone! 🙂
Oh! And Happy Birthday Heidi! I’m 33 as well, this is the best year yet! Enjoy every second of it! 🙂
I would LOVE to win this scholarship because I am now in my second year of doing business and have found that like you and many others I have fallen into the pit of overworked and unappreciated. My husband has also jumped in full time with me to run our business together as well as attending a ministry program at our local church (that is his passion) I am tired of offering digital only sessions to my clients and would love to come up with a sustainable and profitable business plan to make this passion a success! I have two young boys and I want to show them that following your dreams truly can become a way of life with the right tools and strong work ethic. I love HHP and all that you stand for, your passion for helping others in your shoes inspires me. Thank you for offering this opportunity to win a spot at your online workshop! Happy Birthday!
Respectfully,
Lily
Happiest Birthday Blessings to you Heidi! I would be thrilled to win your scholarship for many reasons. You’re one of my favorite photographers and admire your work and creativity. I would love to have my October’s back and learn more business strategies to run my business effectively and enjoy every moment I photograph and edit. Have a blessed day. 🙂
This was a wonderful FAQ Friday! Thank you so much for sharing! I would love and very much appreciate winning an on-line scholarship! I am a single mom of two teenagers and 2 1/2 year ago I left my full time job at a local hospital to pursue a Photography career. I was also a nanny too, so I had that steady income while starting my business. I have had no training what so ever (besides these awesome FAQ Fridays) So, two years ago I decided to try to open a Best Buy Credit card and if I wasn’t approved I would have just taken it as a “sign” that it wasn’t meant to be. Luckily they approved me for $700 and I was able to get a Canon Rebel T3 (probably the cheapest Canon out there now-LOL) I was just super excited I finally has a DSLR and no more point and shoot. It was a kit so came with two lenses, however not very good lenses so eventually I went and purchased the nifty fifty for only $100 but really is a great lens and I still use it today. I also use my 85mm which was only a $400 purchase. These are my only two lenses and I have been told my work is very good and some can’t believe I can produce such nice work with this camera body. That’s a huge compliment to me. Unfortunately I’ve had 5 very slow months until October (LOL) and now I am super busy every single weekend until December. I still work a nanny job 4 days a week, so I am basically working every day between nannying and photo sessions. I would LOVE a brand new camera but again, not in the budget just like this awesome on line workshop isn’t. I really need to learn more about the business side and becoming a profitable business and I truly feel the on line workshop would help me tons! I feel your FAQ Fridays help me with all the good tips you give. I’ve tried to raise my prices a couple of times, only to bring them back down due to losing clients. I also offer digitals with every session. Customer want the digitals and that is a fact. I do offer prints and canvases also, so if a client wants to purchase their prints from me, they have this option, and this I feel sets me apart from a lot of the other local photographers because they only offer digitals. Anyway, I never win anything but would LOVE to win this. Words can’t even express how happy I would be if I won. Thank you so much for offering this to other photographers. You are truly an inspiration. Happy Birthday!
Liza
I was always taught to do what you want, but do it right. This past summer I was able to have a mentoring session with one of my all time favorite photographers and your online workshop would be just the knowledge that I need to blow my photography out of the water.
In the past 4 years I have scoured the internet following photographers and their work. I’ve watched a million you tube videos from how to work my camera and how to use photoshop. I love the art of photography and I actually feel that in this day and age, that the art has been lost. There are too many people who have a camera, they snap photos, and then totally demolish them in photoshop. The love of the craft does not show through their work, and that makes me sad. Sad that they have no desire to keep on learning and improving, and sad that there are consumers who settle for snapshots vs art.
I want to produce art. From the beginning, to the end of the client’s experience with me. I want them to love what I give them and take pride in the images that I create and I want them to hang that art on their wall – in their homes and not just on their Facebook wall. I want to create something so beautiful that they INSIST on hanging it in their home.
As a photographer, I am determined to continue learning and growing every day. Photography is my passion and I strive to be my personal best. I greatly admire the work you do and would relish the critique and suggestions you could give to me that will assist in the growth of my future in photography.
Thank you for your generosity, Heidi. I would LOVE a scholarship to your online workshop.
Deb Williams
You sound just like I do right now!! I even told my husband that after my last handful of sessions I am taking a week of and I don’t want to talk about photography. I love photography! However, I can feel that burnout right around the corning. This was my first year with my LLC and I was also charging prices to portfolio build (which were to low). I can not keep going charging this price but I don’t have the confidence to jump into the next step. My kids deserve to have their mom back during the fall. I want them to fall in love with fall just as I did as a child. I fear they will know it as the time mom is working and they are watching movies and going to bed early so I can get my editing done. Thank you so much for the opportunity to win this. The befit I would gain from this is priceless for me and my family.
Happy Birthday, Heidi!
I really don’t have a thousand reasons full of fluff as to why I should win. Anyone who is gifted with a scholarship will benefit tremendously. HHP is a sound resource for advice. In comparison to other business courses aimed at photographers, the “struggle” and the transition from portfolio to pricing are two topics never addressed which make it difficult to relate.
Thank you for the reminder that everyone starts somewhere! I am at “THAT” point. No one talks about “What’s next and how they got there.” The best advice ever – “You may not have a business.” It’s the cold, harsh reality that needs to be said. I’ve followed your FAQ Fridays for a while now and continue to come back because the information is priceless. My Friday schedule works around FAQ Fridays as much as possible and I try to convince the toddler to nap around that time so I can listen. If I miss it, I make sure to catch the replay. After the first one, I knew I couldn’t miss it! The topics are real and answer questions I didn’t even know I had. (Please keep them coming!) Your best quote: The Will Smith episode. I share that image regularly with friends because it’s beyond relevant and inspiring.
It would be a humbling honor to be granted a scholarship because It’s not just “October”. I’m actually happy with the progress I am making from a product stand point, but it’s the “What’s next?”, “How do I stop wasting my family’s time and start making money?”, “How do I show my kids it’s possible to be successful being self employed?” questions that need answers. I chose to be in business first, with photography as the specialty. Photography was something I’ve never grown tired of and quickly realized I will always have to push yourself. I didn’t start out as a hobby photographer who thought it would be neat to have a business. I have the time to plan accordingly and the drive to act methodically. A few weeks ago I had my “WHAT AM I DOING?” moment and have pretty much been living in that moment since. Thoughts on the treadmill are only taking me so far. It’s time to find the rest of the answers.
I was the responsible, “parent pleaser” in my family. I was the one that got good grades, that did their chores and that stayed out of trouble (as much as any child/teen could :)) and I did all these things for the most part because it pleased my parents. I was the youngest of three but the first one to go to college (and I went because it again pleased my parents). I got all the way up to the end of my sophmore year of college and was essentially told that I had to declare a major. I could not begin to make this decision because I had not found anything in the engineering courses, the math courses, the science courses (all areas that I found myself in, you guessed it, to please my parents) that I was passionate about. So, I did the responsible thing and chose a major based on what seemed to give me a lot of career options. So here I was, having spent a small fortune on an education and still without a clue as to what I wanted to do with my life. So I started working for my local credit union, met my husband and had my first child. I did a lot of researching before I choose a photographer to photograph my son, can you guess who I chose? That’s right, the best, Heidi Hope Photography (and I am only slightly trying to score some brownie points here :)). I came away from my session with Heidi with many things but the most profound was a feeling of ‘Wow, what an amazing job she has! I wish I could do something like that!” It wasn’t until a friend of mine was having a baby more than a year later that I mustered up the courage to attempt a shoot of my own. For the first time in my life I found myself with an insatiable desire for learning. I read every article I could find, watched every video filmed not just on newborns but on photography as a whole. I had found something that if successful I would take pleasure in. The success part is where I need help. I know that I am not going about it the right way I just don’t know where I need to make the changes. I would love to learn that from the person that started me on this path to finding what pleases and fulfills me.
Happy Birthday!! I live in Australia and have admired you from afar for the last 5 years. That’s when I started my business. Sadly, I’m not doing over 1 Million dollars in business tho! Hence, I am here to learn, learn. learn! You have inspired me for my cakes mashes and family sessions since day dot. I would love more than anything to travel to the studio to be in one of your workshops in person but that will have to wait just a little longer…. until then, an on-line version will have to suffice! xx
Winning this scholarship would mean keeping my business. I’ve grown myself and my brand to a point where I could go full-time, but sadly I can not afford to. My business model just isn’t working. Every scenario ends in a road block and I’m feeling defeated. I’ve decided to take the year off to help care for an ailing family member and reassess/rebuild my business. I could never afford this class on my own, so winning this scholarship would mean a lot.
Simply put Heidi is amazing, she has it together on all fronts and I want to learn front the best!
Her sense of style is Fabulous and even though I am 10 years older than her ( ha!) – I want to be like her when I grow up!
Whats amazing about a career in photography is our life’s work is capturing the most precious & fleeting moments that make life worth living
and every day I am thankful to have the privilege to do this for my clients
What a feeling to see a parents face light up when they see their child’s portraits for the 1st time
Winning the scholarship would be so amazing, it would help me streamline my add brain & get focused
so that I could spend more time with my family- my hubby who is drowning in estrogen with his crazy add wife
and his 2 hormonal teenage daughters :o)
They mean the world to me and they are the reason I work like crazy!
xo Karen :o)
I’m a new photographer. I would love to attend a workshop of yours in person to learn about photography and the business!! Happy Birthday…
Winning this scholarship would be life changing – not only for myself – but, for my family. We are a military family and have moved from installation to installation. As you can imagine, the constant moving has been difficult for my business. I have had to completely start over in each state. It’s always both heartbreaking leaving what I had established behind and exhilarating knowing what could lie ahead. I’m proud to be a military spouse. I’m so proud of my husband and if supporting him in his Army career means my passion taking a backseat then that’s what I do.
This last year and half has been chaos. We made our big move to TX and when we arrived my husband immediately deployed to Afghanistan. With him gone it was so difficult to allow myself to pour myself into my business. My daughter needed me more than ever while her daddy was away. A deployment and 4 in state moves later, here we are – nearly 8 months pregnant with our second little girl, new homeowners, and finally nearing the end of my husband’s career (which just so happens to mean we won’t be moving out of state again -eeeppppp)!
THIS. IS. IT. Now is the time for me to give my all to my passion, photography. To help my family financially. To express myself through my art. To follow my dream, my heart. The trouble is I feel like I need some guidance and don’t know where to turn. We don’t have much of a disposable income (military budget), so taking a workshop or paying a mentor has always been out of the question. As much as I hate to admit this, I feel that I’m at the point where I either need make my business work or I need to close the book. My family needs my help financially – especially since my husband will be in transition from Army to a civilian career and he may not have an income during the in-between. I haven’t been able to pickup much traction in this market on my own – but, can’t help but think the opportunity is now!
So, Heidi and the Heidi Hope Team, please help me make photography my career. If I got this opportunity, I would be forever grateful and promise to pay it forward every chance I get! This next year is the true test – make it or break it. I’m so not ready to leave it all behind and I would love to have your workshop as part of my success story.
XO
Ahhh …why I would love to win…such a loaded question for so many reasons. First of all, YOU are my inspiration, YOU are the one who made me want to get into photography, and YOU are the one I wish I could afford to have photography my family all the time. I never even thought twice about photography before my daughter was born. While pregnant for Avery I saw pictures a friend posted that you had taken and I was in awe of the way you captured such beautiful pictures of him and I knew I would have nobody else take Avery’s pictures. During my session, I felt so comfortable and you handled Avery as your own and I could feel the good in you. I knew you had that special touch and love for children as do I. I work with special needs children and love my job but I never stop thinking about photography since our session, I thought, wow this job would be amazing! Sooooo I had another child and couldn’t afford to use you and after the fact, I regretted it so badly! But I couldn’t change what was already done. So I have continued to be one of your biggest fans and I took classes at the Worcester Art Museum. They were affordable for me and they helped me get on my feet and I have been taking pictures since. I’m getting good feedback, I LOVE making families happy but I know I need to be better and I WOULD LOVE LOVE LOVE (Probably kiss you LOVE) if I could have a chance to learn from the one and only! XO…ERICA
I am a dreamer,
a business person not so much.
For the longest time I kept thinking if my work was good enough, if I worked hard enough the rest would fall into place. My business felt out of control and I had no idea what was missing. I would look to others & feel envious that success seemed easy for them – they must be good enough & I wasn’t. Three months ago on the way home from a travel shoot I came across Heidi’s FAQ friday. I listened to one episode after the next. Soon after I invested in Heidi’s business plan for photographers. Heidi’s advice has changed my life. Hard work is the main ingredient but I was missing the rest of the recipe. I needed a plan and more importantly, I needed to know my dream is possible. Heidi, you have inspired me and given me the courage to open my own studio in coastal, NC. This is all such a dream come true, but I’m scared. I have so much to learn. In the last three months I completely shifted directions. I’m waiting for my sign to be installed today which makes this feel so real. Making the switch from offering only digital packages to prints and products feels overwhelming. I am so excited to continue my business plan and feel this class would be such an incredible way to keep moving forward. Opening a new studio has been more challenging than I ever imagined. I’m excited to learn everything I can and would LOVE to win!!
XoOXo
Megan Leigh
Happy Birthday Heidi! I just turned 35 on the 15th and there was something about turning 33 that was magic to me. I had my 4th child at 33 and really, and while I had been shooting for a year. It was at 33 that I decided this is what I want to do and I’m going to do whatever it takes to figure out how. I can say 34 and my first week of 35 has been better (even in the middle of October while I am burning the candle at both ends and the middle) so you do have that to look forward to 🙂 Your FAQ Fridays and all of your amazing generous support has helped me more than you will ever know. My personal dream for myself would be to attend you workshop in person, but with 4 kids under 7 it just isn’t going to happen fast enough. Your online workshop is going to be vital, life changing for me, and I am so excited for it to start I can hardly wait. If there was anyway I could be chosen to win a session that would be an incredible blessing, but I am not missing this opportunity to better my business and myself.
Dear Heidi, Happy bday! you have no idea how much i would love to have this Workshop. For the very first time I have decided to follow my heart and let go all my inner fears away and become a newborn/Smashing cake photographer. Finally I decided to BELIEVE in ME and started my studio. I never realized how hard would be to overcome among so many talented and established photographers. The only thing i can tell about myself is that im unique and most of all passionate when comes to my work and photography but that doesnt mean Im not having a very hard time with marketing my studio and getting new clients. I truly believe that word of mouth is one of our best supporters in order to grow our business but in the meantime bills keep coming and i need to figure out how to keep my business afloat competing with colleagues charging low prices and giving everything. I need answers Heidi. I need answers to some of my technical,finance & marketing issues regarding my photography. Have you ever wanted, so bad, to learn from the best of the best? Thats me Heidi. I would love to learn from an entrepreneur & successful mom as you who understands how hard it is for us to manage a profitable business and still keep family as a priority. This is not just about all the great knowledge that you can provide me and how successful i can become following your steps Heidi, its also about me becoming a stronger woman doing something that i really enjoy every day. Its about me becoming a roll model for my baby Victoria and set an example to my family and friends that we can accomplish everything, anything that we dream about. Hope 2 meet u soon! hugsss, Gaby
I am assisting my 23 year old daughter in launching her photography business. She has always had a passion for art, and after graduation from college she made decision to pursue a photography business. Not a easy task for someone so young. She is very dedicated to this, and you are definitely her favorite photographer she follows, and a style that she closely connects with. This would be a wonderful gift to a young person just starting out. Thank you for all you share.
This would be beyond amazing to win!! Every week you inspire me to recharge my business batteries and upgrade my customer’s experience! Even if I don’t win (and I’m keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I do!), I just wanted to thank you for putting yourself out there each week and sharing so much knowledge with all of us. I appreciate this opportunity to learn from you & I also appreciate you taking the time each week to make your FAQ videos. Thanks Heidi and belated Happy Birthday! I’m turned 33 a few months ago so I definitely agree that it will be the best year yet! 🙂
Hi Heidi, I first want to start off by telling you how amazing you are and how great it is to see a photographer so willing to help other people when most photographers and are just selfish and bitchy :-X You’re so absolutely inspiring and hearing your blog really hit home for me because it sounds like exactly what I am going through right now. About three years ago I quit my job teaching preschool to stay at home with the youngest of my three sons (now 4, 8 and 13) because doing photography on the side was making about the same amount of money. Slowly but surely the photography on the side got a lot more demand and I still have the same amount of time on the side so it started eating into my family time that I so desperately wanted after all these years of raising three boys. I think it’s really hit me hard last week when my 13-year-old walked in to my room excited to tell me something and I shushed him and he said oh you’re “working” he even used his fingers to make quotation marks in the snarkest way possible. It broke my heart to think here it is almost bedtime and I haven’t even touched base with my children and I honestly did not have time. It kills me how consumed I am with my photography. I just want everything to be perfect every photograph in every session and I want everybody to be happy with what I present them with and that just takes time. I also have a really hard time telling people no and so that’s how I took over 30 sessions in one week shooting them all myself and attempting to edit them all myself with absolutely no help and a family who craves my attention and doesn’t understand why I’m so distracted by my computer. My husband also owns his own company and spends a ridiculous amount of hours working and so I feel like my poor kids are raising themselves and I really just want to do something different but I keep thinking it’s only till January or February. So I would love to when your scholarship so I could learn how to best get out of this vicious cycle that I’ve gotten myself into before it’s too late and my kids go off to college. I so desperately want to soak up every second with them but I have a hard time even finding time to do their photos even when I set up super cute mini session sets I still forget to schedule my own kids in because I’ve taken on too many appointments. I want to learn how I can transition my business from the middle priced 15 to 20 images on CD with rights to print type business to the type of business that sells prints and products and that I know would be more profitable but the problem is I know I’m not a sales person because I’m a people pleaser and I just want to give people a good deal. I still want to be able to offer that for some people for example I do senior portraits discounted for low income families so for about $40 these low income families get the exact same session that full priced customers get for about $150 because every kid deserves to have amazing senior portraits. And every year I intend to put a cap on how many I will take but they’ve become so popular and I have an impossible time turning people away. I need help Heidi please pick me! I need to learn how I can be more awesome like you!!! Thank you so much for running this giveaway and giving people like me a chance at winning such a life-changing prize that we otherwise could not afford because of a ridiculously low prices. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
P.S. my website is really out dated 🙁 If buy chance you wanted to see newer work check out my face book https://www.facebook.com/HeatherBeePhotography
I would love to be the recipient of the scholarship, not only because my studio is Heidi crazed…..but also because after 7 years of successful business, I would like a new, fresh and manageable approach to my business! You are amazing, and I love that you give back, and I love to do the same…..I think it is what makes me feel so connected to HHP! My studio has recently become my sole source of income to support my kids and myself, and I know it can be all that……and I think your wisdom may be the way to achieve the business, family life, and style I am seeking! Best of Luck in your decision making, the one thing I am not envious of!
I would be beyond thrilled to receive the online scholarship! I was so excited when I discovered Heidi Hope Photography. It really gave me a hope that I can hardly explain. I have been an avid fan every since the discovery and so eager for Friday every week. I hang onto every word and then run and tell my husband, “this is what Heidi said”. Lol! I appreciate the time you’ve taken to share and teach all of us so many wonderful, pertinent things!
Some background on me is that I am 34 years old. I was an elementary teacher and taught 1st grade for 5 years. I had my son 3 years ago and have been staying home with him. (He is the MOST wonderful and adorable little man!) I started my business during this time. I must admit, I am completely clueless on most all business related things. I really do not like focusing on it at all! With that said, I realize to be successful I MUST learn how to run a business. I am willing to put in the necessary work and time, but I just felt so completely overwhelmed and directionless. I need a blueprint and a path to follow.
More nights that I want to count, I have stayed up working and editing. The time that I have been away from my family and the neglect to me physically saddens me. I have wondered why am I doing this to myself? The only answer I can come up with is that I really truly love photography and I have a deep need and desire to be successful.
Some additional info is that I offer on location and studio photography. I just bought my first full frame camera which I am so excited about! There are so many more things that I would like to say and I am sure this should be revised, but I am going to stop here. My fingers are crossed and a prayer is on my lips that I am one of the ones chosen to receive this great blessing! Thank you so much, Heidi (and crew), for what you have done for me and so many other photographers!!!!
Hi Heidi and Happy Birthday!
I would be so honored for the opportunity to win the online workshop giveaway. It would be one of the best things that could ever happen to me. If given this wonderful opportunity I would put my heart and soul into learning as much as I can from you. I am very dedicated to learning as much as I can about photography and running a studio and this would be such an amazing opportunity to do so. I have always loved looking at portrait photography, but I was not inspired to get into photography myself until one day about 3 years ago when I was looking for a photographer for my family’s photos. When I came across your website and saw your work I was in complete awe! Your work is so beautiful and whimsical and not like anything I have ever seen before. It really spoke volumes to me at just how beautiful portrait photography could really be. Since that day I have viewed photography in a whole new light and I have been such a huge fan of your work. Your work has sparked a huge interest in me to the world of photography. I just recently went out and purchased my first DSLR in the hopes that I could learn to take such beautiful photographs and one day eventually set up a successful portrait studio of my own. I am reading a lot of literature and practicing on my own to learn the basics of photography, but I feel like this workshop would give be a stepping stone to give me the confidence and knowledge that I need to move forward in pursuing this passion. It would mean the world to me to start off learning about photography and running a successful photography business from the best there is which is Heidi Hope Photography!
Thank you!
It would be a dream come true to win this scholarship! I love listening to Heidi’s FAQ Friday videos. I have come to photography later in life (I’m 61) so I feel a certain pressure to get my act together soon. This online workshop would be perfect for me. I feel it would help me see the workings of a successful photography business/studio and a photographer that I love. I have read so many blogs, tutorials and books that have helped me but I feel that having a more personal connection would be the boost I need. Thanks for the chance to win.
Hello my name is Eleni, I am Greek from the Island of Cyprus. (Yes you are famous all the way to here 😉 )
I have to tell you that i admire you and your work! Following you since the start of my business!
In Cyprus people are not too enthusiastic about having their pictures taken! Baby and family photography is something new here. It has to do with our culture! But i want to change that! I want to offer them high quality of service and product! That is something that you do and i want to learn from you!
Thank you for the chance to enter
eleni xox
Hello Heidi,
I would absolutely love to win a scholarship to your new online workshop!! I am a single mother of three boys and live in CT. I had my oldest son when I was 18 years old. Although it was a struggle, I waitressed my way through school for business administration so I would be able to take care of my son. He was diagnosed with a learning disability at age six. Since this was still the 90s, before many of the new laws and educational provisions for learning disabilities, his school years were heartbreaking. With teacher after teacher complaining about him, calling, and emailing me. Doctors insisting he needed to be medicated. In the meantime I contacted Lyme Disease in 1998. I was not properly diagnosed until 2002. During these years I had my younger boys in 2000 and 2001. I was constantly misdiagnosed with other illnesses and on and off antibiotics during these pregnancies. The three of us have been left with many illnesses causing us to see many specialists and also be on a restricted diets and health plans.
I continued working many years at a local Casino using my education and experience, convincing myself that due to my circumstances, and recent divorce, I would have to remain in a job I hated in order to maintain the good pay, medical leave, time off, and benefits needed to raise three children with such health problems and learning disabilities. Two years ago I finally left the Casino and went back to waitressing. Nine months after that I was informed by my doctor I had to completely change careers. I could no longer work in Hospitality or Food and Beverage.
With ongoing recommendations and support from family and friends the consensus was that I should turn my hobby as a photographer into my career. I was hired as a Freelancer with a local magazine and then as a Photographic Editor with a local school and dance photography company. I continued to do side jobs on my own and build a name for myself even booking my first wedding. Since then the three of us have been diagnosed with more health problems and diet restrictions. This has caused me to return to homeschooling the boys since they were missing many many days of school due to their health. We tried homeschooling in 2010 and it was the happiest time in our lives! Because I was able to take care for all of their health needs at home they barely had to see their Doctor. I took this past Summer off from EVERYTHING to organize their homeschooling and medical routines. The boys are soo happy! We have even formed a boys homeschool group with ten of their friends. We have homeschool picture day and photography and art class!!
The past twenty years of my life has been devoted to these three boys. They are my biggest fans, always encouraging me, critiquing my work, and acting as my models!! During my Summer break I found your website and Photographer’s page. I have gone back and watched every video, read every blog, and looked at every photo! I love your work and am one of your biggest fans!! I have been recently asked by several people to teach them some photographic strategies. I tell them to come on over but also refer them to your page. I have to tell you this funny story, It may not be funny to you, but a couple weeks ago my youngest son, now twelve, comes in my room and looks over my shoulder on the computer. I was looking at your page. So I said to him, “Look at this photographer, she is amazing, look at these pictures.” Completely unimpressed, remember he’s my #1 fan, he says “Mom, that’s totally photoshopped, nobody’s eyes are that blue!” I explained to him that we all do editing and use photoshop and really great photographers can capture a person’s eyes without even having to edit them. So I continue to scroll through your page. Still unimpressed he says about the next picture “Mom, that’s just a baby eating cake, what’s the big deal.” I found this completely hysterical considering you have made a global market with the inspiring art you have created with your “Cake Smash” sessions. So what is the point? Even though my twelve year old is my #1 fan, I am a huge fan of yours and find your work amazing!! Not just of your work but also of your positive attitude and inspirational ideas about not keeping your secrets, judging others, and always supporting other photographers, artists, and business owners (Don’t worry I’m encouraging my son to do the same, LOL…)
Where am I going with all of this? Well considering my boys and I have overcome such obstacles, I do have people ask about my work without even advertising. However since my Summer Vaca, whenever it comes time to send the contract, or name a price, they choose someone else. My current market in CT is streaming with photographers. Even in my local towns there are at least ten other photographers my friends and family are using. I seem to have ben forgotten! I would love to learn how to make a comeback from my “Personal Leave” and develop a real business I can run while homeschooling the boys and hopefully in a few years a family business where we can all work together.
As for my oldest son, I worked through my tears, ignored all the advice and complaints, and remained confident in my decision to treat his disorder naturally and encourage him to participate in activities he loved and had a passion for. Today he is twenty years old and traveling the world on scholarships and internships. Literally, he has been to Germany, Netherlands, Czeck Republic, France, is now in England (UK), and has already been approved to go to Norway and Philippines, working and studying in Marine Biology and Environmental Science. Now that he has found success, I would like to work on the same for his younger brothers and myself.
I have taken photography classes back in school, I may only be five years older than you but it was during the days of film and dark rooms. So
I could apply for scholarships, grants, or loans for single mothers to go back to school, however they would direct me to my local Community or State College. Which is great and I may do so. However, I feel at this time in my life that I would benefit greatly from starting with your workshop and instruction!!
I know this is a very long entry but our entire lives make us the person we are today! All of our experiences cause us to develop our talents, interests, passions, and dreams. So, this is my story and I’m sticking to it…
Karrie Knowles.
This would be a life changer for me! This would guide me in showing my boys (8&11) that they can be ALL the set out to be! Winning this would show them that good people do come out winners!!! This is my first year putting my work out there and this scholarship would be the blessing of a life time to get my dream off the ground. This opportunity is mighty generous of your part and super exciting to be able to learn from someone who has paved the way for all of us Mom’s wanting the best of both worlds! #TeamDreamsDoComeTrue
Hi Heidi!!
Omigoodness, to with this scholarship… I don’t want to sound too dramatic, but it would change my life! And happy birthday! I turned 27 on October 4th 🙂
My name’s Joanna, and I grew up in Connecticut (born in Westerly, RI), and I now live on the western slope of Colorado. My town is not wealthy, but it is pretty large, so people from the many smaller (more affluent) towns make a monthly or biweekly trip to Montrose for shopping, groceries, etc (such as Telluride- a famous ski town). My husband and I got married about 7 months ago, and we have a photography and videography business together- our “ideal session” actually looks a lot like your video portraits. There are a lot of great photographers around, but none who are as passionate as we are about telling the WHOLE story by adding video to sessions. Our quality is not as fabulous as your videos, but we desire to get there!
My husband just opened his own mechanic shop last month, and it came with a HUGE “office” that we are now using as our studio… but I am in WAY over my head! I was essentially just thrown into it without any time to plan. I’m doing our ordering appointments in the waiting room because I’m so embarrassed of how the studio looks. We do on-location sessions now, but as the winter rolls in, we are planning to have sessions in our studio- but it soooo far from being even 25% as amazing as your studio.
I am also an optometrist with more than $230k in student loans- it pains me to even write that number- but my hope is to have our studio bring in extra income to pay off our student loans. We want to start a family soon, but with that much debt, we can’t afford maternity leave or childcare while we work off these debts. We barely have time for each other, much less adding a child in the mix. For example, this week I’m working 6 days as an optometrist, have 2 ordering appointments, and 4 sessions. And since my husband JUST ventured into self-employment, he isn’t able to take a paycheck yet. It’s just so stressful. I don’t want you to feel BAD for us, because I do love my life and wouldn’t trade it for anything, but (as you encouraged) I am painting the picture of how much this $1,800 scholarship would mean to us.
This scholarship would help my husband and I gain the tools to make our studio an amazing place to work with clients and each other. With a beautiful studio, we would be able to draw from the surrounding towns and provide a pleasant and memorable experience to our clients. We would gain confidence and peace about our business- that we are not just making things up as we go along. And when we do things right the FIRST time, we don’t have to go back and waste time doing it again. Time is our enemy these days.
If we won this scholarship, we would be so eternally grateful to learn from you. It is something that we aren’t able to afford at this point of our lives, but it is something that would help us build towards our “dream studio” faster than we could imagine.
Thank-you Heidi for such a great video and for everything that you are willing to share with others through your workshops and FAQ Fridays. I have just recently “discovered” you and I really appreciate the insight you give on the business side of photography! I have been a hobbyist since high school and officially started my business about 2 years ago. Last year I made the decision to leave my full-time corporate world job to pursue my passion as a photographer and spend more time with my two daughters. I am looking to move my business to being primarily studio based in 2015 and I know that winning a scholarship for your online workshop would help me tremendously. It would help me to better prepare, plan and implement strategies that would ensure a successful studio business from the start. I also would like to wish you a Happy Birthday! 33 was a special year for me.. it’s when I started my business – and that is why it is also part of my business name!
Hi Heidi and Happy Birthday!
I am in my second year of business and things are going well, but I really want to push it to the next level. I’ve been out photographing anyone that will let me up until now, but I’ve recently decided that I would like to narrow my focus to mostly newborns and young children. I’m at a cross roads where I really need to make some big decisions about pricing, etc (your video post today really felt like you were talking directly to me and where I’m at right now). I have always loved your work and think I could learn so much from you and your team. Thanks so much!
Ahhhh, October. I’m sure we all feel very blessed to be this busy and in demand, but we must keep some of our sanity! I am currently a full time business teacher so shoots take place on nights and weekends. I had TEN sessions last weekend and SIXTEEN this weekend… craziness over here! Luckily many of those are shot with my sister/business partner, so that will save some post production time. I envision someday being able to book 2-4 sessions per weekend and making more time for sleep, running, snuggling my little man (20 months old)… oh yeah, and the hubby!
I can only DREAM of taking Heidi’s workshop. Not only am I an aspiring photographer (first DSLR on Black Friday, 2011 and such a long way to go), but I also teach high school students the very important subject of BUSINESS. I would love to lead by example and be a successful entrepreneur running a successful business. I want to be able to learn from those who have laid the path (enter Heidi) and pass the wisdom onto our future business leaders and entrepreneurs. I want to learn how to work smarter. I want to regain my Octobers someday!
My husband is also a teacher and very supportive of me pursuing my passion for photography. I can only dream of being half as successful as Heidi and someday being able to not only teach business classes to teenagers, but business and photography workshops to newbies like me.
I’ve watched and shown the workshop trailer to my students, family and anyone who will watch it… about 25 times. I choke up each time. My passion is brimming. I want to be better, reach higher, learn more, share my talents, inspire others… I could go on forever 🙂 Basically, I’d love to take any of Heidi’s workshops. It would be an absolute, make-my-heart-happy gift from above!
Happy Birthday! Hope to hear from you 🙂
Teresa
I was about 7 years old when my mom got me my first camera. Never has any child burned through so many rolls of film taking pictures of their cat. Her tail, her whiskers, her eyeball, her paws… Snuggles was the most well documented pet in RI. Ever since then, when I’ve had a camera in my hands, things have just felt right. It wasn’t until recently that I’ve started to look at it as more than a way to make a little extra money on the side or doing a favor for a friend, and viewing it as the possibility of taking something I love and turning it into a career. A friend directed me to your blog, and it has been an amazing resource for me. Your ability to field questions and how generous you are with your stories, experience and advice is amazing. I purchased the business plan and it brought so much clarity and perspective. I’d love to be able to participate in the online seminar, because I feel like that is the next step in the clarification process, bringing me closer to a more defined concept of how I’d like to shape my business. I am currently in portfolio mode, and I want to move beyond that! This scholarship would allow me to move closer to a life where I believe I belong!
It is time for me to stand out from the competition in my area. I have been wanting to make the switch to IPS for over a year but my area is heavily saturated in photographers who include digital files. I have the talent, motivation, and drive to make the switch but not the business knowledge. I want to build a sustainable business to help support my goals and my family’s goals, whether it be financial or lifestyle. The Heidi Hope workshop has been on my list for over a year now and I’m still saving. Even though I’m more of a hands on learner, this online workshop sounds like a better option with my crazy busy life. Not only can I learn in my pajamas while my kids are in school but I desperately need a business crash course. It is time for me to make this happen or jump ship. This is what I need, right now, at this moment in time. And it couldn’t have come at a better time in my career. Thanks you for making this happen.
Why do I want to win a spot in the workshop….where to start? I haven’t been in business very long and I actually formed our business along with 2 of my 6 kids because the three of us share such a love for photography and the arts in general. I’m at a bit of a disadvantage because I’m starting this so late in my life. I mean, my kids are grown and I’m a grandma! I feel like I’m too old, too inexperienced, too insecure to start such an endeavour at this stage in my life. I also think that in addition to portfolio building in the beginning of our business journey, it’s also important to confidence build as well. I feel like your workshop will do a lot towards giving me the knowledge and confidence to go from my portfolio building stage to running a profitable business. I have been an admirer of your’s for a while and am in awe of not only your talent as a photographer, but as a successful business woman as well. I am rudderless in my journey to become a successful business owner and think that this workshop will give me the direction I so desperately need. I was a stay at home mom my whole married, adult life. While I was always in love with pictures and capturing the everyday moments of my kids’ lives, I didn’t find my passion until I got my first DSLR a few years ago. As my passion grew, so did my desire to make it into something that would give fulfillment and meaning to my suddenly somewhat emptier life. Not only do I want to make this business a success for the reasons everyone else does i.e.: money, personal fulfillment, etc. I want to prove to myself and the world that age shouldn’t be a factor when we find our passion in life. I want to be a roll model for my kids and my community. I feel like I can be all that I envision myself to be and this workshop will give me the knowledge to make my dreams a reality. Thank you for that!
I would love the scholarship !!!! I love your work, your office and your staff … not to mention Sweet Indulgence is next door !!
I truly love your style, and could only wish to learn from “the best”.
Dear Heidi and staff. First, Happy Birthday! My birthday is in April (tax season) and my job never allowed me to take a day for my birthday and I had to work a ton of overtime so I get the pain you had during October. Thankfully you don’t go through that now that you have a business plan in place. I’ll keep this as short as possible since you’ll have plenty to read.
I have been watching your Friday FAQ’s and reading your blogs for a couple months now and am so inspired and motivated by your teaching, tips, and tricks! I have watched CreativeLive classes and other photography training sites and trainers and by far your “business style” and way you have with putting clients first and what I imagine your personally is seems to closely matches my own. I am a mother to a 12, 14, 24 and 26 year old and happily married to a very supportive husband – my true blessings.
To get this scholarship and be able to do this in depth training with you would enable me to take my business to the next level. I started full time with photography by default because I had a heart attack in June of 2013 at the age of 45. It didn’t require surgery and is medically stable now but the time I was away from a corporate 9-5 job (I was a corporate recruiter for 15 years) forced me to resign. It was a blessing and a stress. I have enough business to get by but I need to “formalize” my business with a business plan, marketing plan, and structure, so that I can create a revenue that enables me to not live paycheck to paycheck or job to job.
Why should you choose me? I’m a very hard worker and would commit wholly to this course and your teachings to be not only successful but a shining star for other future students to see as an example of what the Heidi Hope’s Learning for Photographers can do for them. Your course is fairly prices but far outside of my non existent budget right now. I hope you consider me for this scholarship program. I promise it would be a good decision! XXXOOO
Hi Heidi,
I would love to win this workshop because I know in my gut that it would be a key to opening more doors. I am the same age as you, 33, and Mom to five kiddos (10,8,6,2 & 12 weeks). I opened a studio in another city almost a year ago and specialize in newborns and children. I am priced for profit and today’s FAQ hit home because I did take the massive price increase…it was terrifying, and business DID dry up. But because I was listening to others who kept hammering, ‘Price for Profit’ the 1-2 sessions I had a month have paid the bills for my business with a little profit left over. Listening to you talk about you running your business hits home because I want that…to ‘run’ my business and not it running me. With five small kids, I have some extra challenges when it comes to time and balance. I know I am talented, I know my work is good and now I need to figure out how to tell more people about me. My studio must stand out, my business must to geared towards the big picture and goal. I have five little ones counting on me. My focus and goals are simple, to earn and maintain a consistent profit so that if I ever needed to support my family on my own.
I don’t even know where to start. I want this so badly that I could write an entire book on the reasons why. Long story super short, I started my photography business a couple years ago. My daughter was born, and my career in teaching was no longer something I could do, because I wanted to stay home and take care of her (and because we couldn’t afford full time child care). I decided I wanted to help my husband the best way I could financially so I turned my second passion in life into a business, and I did it by diving in head first, “building my wings on my way down.” Those wings are a work in progress 🙂 Some days I feel like I’m ready to fly, other days I feel like I’m still falling. It’s been a wonderful, empowering, frustrating, exciting, maddening ride. I’ve made plenty of mistakes, I’ve learned how to accept, acknowledge, and adjust, but I am so thirsty for knowledge on how to bring myself on a path to guaranteed success. I have so many dreams and aspirations and the blueprints are in my mind…I could just really, truly use some help with the construction of it all!! Until then, I’ll keep working on those wings.
Winning this scholarship to your online course would be more than beneficial to me and my business! I have gained so much from your F&Q Fridays ..not just knowledge, but the encouragement I need to keep on keeping on. Heidi, you are awesome and it is evident that teaching is your passion! You have such a heart for it that it shines every time your on camera! I started my photography journey 6 years ago when my youngest was born. It has been a hobby until recent for me. I am in the process of finally making this a REAL business ..the one where I can deliver not only great photos, but ones that reflect my own personal style. The most important part of this journey to me is that I still love what I’m doing on down the road. A good photograph can move me to tears ..make my baby jump.. get me excited beyond words! When one of those photos are MINE, it’s the best feeling in the world! When your clients appreciate your work and devotion to their memories just as much as you .. it’s beyond fulfilling! I know this workshop will be just what I need ..because, Hey! ..I’ll be learning from the BEST! 🙂 ..and not only do you need to LOVE what you do and be fulfilled within yourself , but you also need to make a paycheck. Thanks so much for this opportunity, Heidi!! ..and also for your devotion to F&Q Fridays. It has become part of my weekends for weeks now ..I so look forward to it! Thanks so much for your willingness to share your knowledge and heart with us! <3
I’ll be direct and honest – I am that kind of person when it gets down to it. Burned out was this year. I seriously told myself if this business cant hold me I’m out. And then I started making the changes and it has been getting better and better but I am not quite there yet . I would love to win the scholorship! My photostudio is in Germany and man its rough here but if I can make it here I can make it anywhere. I feel if I could just get “there” I can do this, I can make it. And not only that – show other photographers that this is a completely possible thing in Germany. Photography in Germany is really just shoot and burn – rarely does anybody run a studio with real service. Because of my American background Service and keepsake items really appeal to me and its what I want to provide. I would love to really have a solid groundwork business model to follow because all bets are off in Germany. There is no ppa no organization of photographers that really help you or offer you support. I dont want to guess any more. I want to provide the service and product my customers deserve and I want that customer base that is willing to come to my rural area for what I have to offer. I have tried so many things and much has failed and sometimes the most interesting tidbit has brought me further. I am ready to implement all I will learn. Please give me this chance I would be so thankful and gratefull!
Warmest Regards,
Kae
(33 years old too)
PS Happy Birthday!
Heidi I would absolutely love the opportunity to win your online workshop for so many reasons. First off you have been a huge inspiration to me since the day I began my business in 2010. There was always something so unique about your business that drove me to become a HHP follower. I always wanted to know more about you and your business. I have always said that I wanted to create a boutique photography business like Heidi Hope Photography. Of course with my own style and my own unique brand. Second your personality is so compassionate and you are truly genuine. As one of my huge inspirations, I know that you are your authentic self and have such a passion to teach and help other photographers succeed growing a sustainable photography business. I have watched every episode of FAQ Fridays and I read every single email that hits my inbox. I just recently watched your Chic Critique “Set Yourself Apart”. I absolutely LOVED IT!!!!! It gave me a unique perspective of what I need to do to stand out from the crowd and I have already implemented strategies to ensure that I am different from the rest of my competitors. I think your online workshop would help me to take my business to the next level. I want to live my dream and have several goals set out for 2015. I want to be effiecient and effective with my business so that I can spend time with my family. I have three beautiful boys that keep me on my toes. With just having a baby 8 weeks ago, 2015 is a year that I will not be able to travel for in person workshops. I was hoping to someday meet you in person and attend one your in person workshops. I would love to learn from the very best and this year online is the best option for me!! Thank you so much for this opportunity!!!!
Dear Heidi, happy birthday to you and best blessing!
Thank you for this opportunity to win your workshop. I definitely need it so that to change my business model and even my life in a way.
I live in Russia and I can’t come to your live workshop, so online format is the only one for me.
I am in photography for the second year, I love it a lot for the possibility to be creative, to enjoy what I do and to leave in my dream, to give happiness for my clients and have their smiles and sometimes happy tears as the best gift I can get.
But the far I go the more I understand that the art, the quailty of images are not enough, you are completely right. You should be a business person at the first place. So far I can’t train myself to be a business person and I understand that I need help with all the steps – planning, time organizing, selling…
I am afraid to raise my prices that are around 500 dollars average per session though I often spend the whole week for one client – planning with him, helping to choose clothes, making Pinterest boards, then shooting for 2-5 hours, and then 2-3 days of images processing (culling, basic editing, artistic neverending editing…) – I know it sounds crazy to work sometimes for a week for 500 dollars but I can’t understand how to break this circle and how to convince myself that I have the right and possibility to earn more.
So this class is for me for all the reasons:
-to be better business person,
– to be brave to raise my prices,
– to have more clients and more time at the same time,
– to study how to shoot quickly and not for 2-5 hours. And to have images that are close to your fantastic quality of your art
– how quickly post-process them
And after all have more time for my family – my dear husband and my lovely son that has to spend a lot of time without me even though I do not have so many sessions so that to have enough money for living.
Thank you again and happy birthday!
Oh boy, where do I begin? I don’t think I can summarize here exactly what it would mean to win a few days learning from you all but I will try. It’s Saturday, it’s October. I am 32. I have a husband, a dog, a home, a profitable photography business. I feel successful. I really love life, I do. But, why after working all week is my husband out with friends at a new, local brewery (that I’ve been dying to get to) and I am here, at my studio shooting, editing, (and stalking your page!) Why can’t I be out in real life socializing with friends and playing in the leaves? Heidi, Shawn, I need some help finding the balance. Separating play time and work time. You have inspired me to keep boundaries. Why is it so hard? I want my life back! I would love to work with you at an upcoming workshop so I too can learn to be at the brewery on a sunny Saturday in October with my family and friends. Thank you for the opportunity, guys.
Happy belated Birthday!! Thank you for such an awesome opportunity, you are amazing!
I went into business about 7 years ago to be with my little one and make some extra cash on the side, like you! My business got busy and I think I hadn’t properly planned or dared to dream big enough to make this career a sustainable part of my life. When I had my second baby, I sort of fell into a burnout stage and decided to take a break. I tried a few other things professionally, but ultimately keep coming back to my passion! I love the photography world and would love to pick your brain to see how you have been so very successful and keep that beautiful work-life balance! You are an inspiration, my dear!
Happy birthday Heidi! I would LOVE to win your workshop, how generous of you to offer some spots!! This workshop would mean so much to me! I am ready for a business revamp! I started my business 8 years ago out of desperation to leave a software engineering career I hated and was no good at. I loved the art classes I had taken in the past and always loved babies and children (total baby hog here!) So this was perfect for me! I was the first in my area to do anything like this, so my business took off quickly and I was so lucky! Over these years though, I’ve worked crazy hours, neglecting myself and my family to keep it going, so I am DYING for some help to curb my time and still make enough to support my family. I’m also starting to really see the interest slow with others doing the same thing here for so much less, that I desperately need to get some marketing in gear to show why I am worth it! I admire you and your business savvy and your talent soo much Heidi!! Thanks so much!! Jennifer
hi heidi!
Firstly id like to start out by saying you are absolutely incredible! I think its outstanding by how much you give back to other photographers! I greatly admire you for that!
I would love the opportunity to win a spot in one of your upcoming workshops first off because you are the best of the best and you are honestly one of the main reasons I got into photography. I feel as though I could really learn so much from you. I did a lot of portfolio building for the past two years and than just took a leap to start as a legal business this past january, I’m still very shaky at the business aspect hence the reason I know your workshop would greatly benefit me! I would love to one day be able to have a successful photography business which I can help in providing for my family with. I am originally from the New Bedford, MA area born and raised here. I than left for the Navy and met my husband and we had our son. Once we had our son is when I really started following your work and it really made me appreciate what exactly you do as an artist! Since I started I always said that one day I would save enough money to attend one of your workshops. But being a military spouse with two small children and a husband who gets deployed quite often it just has yet to be in my cards. However if I do not win I am determined to one day be able to attend one of your workshops even if it takes saving my penny’s for the next few years hehe! 🙂 Thanks again for the opportunity Heidi! 🙂
Happy Birthday Heidi! I sincerely hope you have a wonderful Birthday weekend with your beautiful Family!
Reading the above comments, every body here is so deserving. They all deserve a chance to use the best building blocks for their business. I am not sure I am any more deserving than any body else here. With that said, I do truly believe in using Photography to Pay it Forward. Let me explain.
For as long as I can remember I have loved Photography. I have had a PASSION for it. And like so many others, when I became a Mother I quickly learned how important it is to capture those fleeting moments of our lives, so that we can hold on to them forever. I started my Photography business after my daughter was born and have loved it. It hasn’t been easy, but I have met so many amazing families along the way it has made it worth it. And I truly want to do that for the rest of my life.
But last year my life shifted. My third child was born with two severe heart defects. Months in the NICU, my family and I were quickly surrounded with the harsh realities life can bring. Though some days it was hard, I was dedicated to grasping my camera, and using it to sustain any moments we could with our new son. What I didn’t expect was meeting so many other stunning and unbelievable families. Through the long hours I spent at the hospital, I was blessed with the opportunity to take some snap shots of other children that were there as well. This ignited something in me that wasn’t there before. And now more than ever I have been committed to using my Photography and my Business to Pay it Forward and help other families as much as I can!
Three months ago, myself, my husband, and our three young children moved across the country. We packed up everything and moved from Texas to the West Coast, in order to get better medical care for our youngest child. We are depending on my business for income. And while I do ok at my Business, I have recently decided “Ok” is not good enough. I want and NEED my Business to THRIVE! For family yes. But I really have such dreams to pay it forward to other families. And to be able to do that, a business needs to be thriving. I know the Heidi Hope team understands this, and I know with out a doubt the team at Heidi Hope believes in helping others. Or else you wouldn’t be doing this.
For some time I have been saving my pennies to come to Heidi Hope Workshop. But some how the money keeps going to pay off medical bills. This online workshop truly would be an opportunity of a life time for myself and my family. To be able to have the correct building blocks for my business. For my business to take off and fly, and to finally be able to use it to bless the lives of other deserving families. Thank you so much for this opportunity. Regardless of the outcome, I have been so blessed to learn from Heidi on FAQ Fridays.
Thank you for your time!
Katie
What a dream to be able to learn from you! You are such an inspiration to so many!
I like many others have been a photographer for a little bit now, but I need to take some steps back and restructure my business. Way before I had children I planned to stay home with my kids until they were in school. I now have two beautiful little girls, 2 1/2 and 1 1/2. I am beyond blessed that I am able to stay home full time with them. I would not have it any other way. Even once the girls are in school, I don’t want to have a full time job where I can not attend their school activities and help out in the classroom. My business needs to take off and I want it to succeed.
Photography is something I have always enjoyed, only recently did I start sharing my joy with other families and I absolutely LOVE it!
My husband is a Marine, so we move around a lot. This online workshop would be a complete blessing to help me get my business to where I want and need it to be! Moving every couple years is going to be tough when I have to start from the bottom up in each new location. With a move coming in the next few months, this honestly couldn’t have came at a better time! I need to learn some great ways to market to new clients, I need a plan. Tips to juggle it all and have my prices fit my business and life schedule? UMM.. YES PLEASE! This is how I plan to contribute to my family and help us live the lifestyle that we want to continue living. I need to know how to make this not only work but thrive for my family and future clients. I have already learned so much from you and your generosity and am so grateful for it! I can not wait until I have more experience and can help other photographers that are just starting out. Maybe one day I will be an inspiration to other photographers as well! <3
Thank you so much Heidi and I hope you had a wonderful birthday with the sweetest little blessings in your life!
This is so exciting! I know so many photographers are going to be blessed by your time and talents. I am not going to spill my guts and share all the reasons why I think I should be the winner. There are so many who are deserving. I wish all the best and I’m so excited to watch the response to the big launch. Congrats Heidi. 😉
Hello Heidi!
First Thank you for making this even an option for photographers. I am retired teacher of 17 years and a stay at home momma of 9yrs to the most amazing little boy Roman aka “Superman”. I have now found myself a newly single mom with a special needs child to care for alone ( Warrior mom!!!) He is my heart and drive. Creating this business Heidi,… means I leave a legacy for my son and pride and self worth for me.
So, I decided to throw caution to the wind and finally start my Photography business TraceyRoman Photography. Everyone thinks I’m crazy!! Maybe I am. I am scared to death, but absolutely, positively have faith that I can succeed. I’m self taught and I’m always looking ways to strengthen my business so that I can provide a stable environment,…. especially financially for my son and I. I have recognized my weakness is the business side wise ( yuck!!). I need direction with creating a business plan that is now suited for a single mom and her Superhero.To give my clients the best quality service and make a living doing what I love.
I will succeed there is no other option. Being alone with a special needs child is absolutely terrifying, but not t teaching my child to never give up, never miss a day of prayer and work hard for what God has given you is worst. No matter the outcome I am truly thankful that you have taken the time to share what you have learned to others. I thoroughly your videos on youtube and look forward to more.
Thanks so much for your time
Best
Tracey
Happy Happy Birthday!!
This workshop would mean so much to me. I spent the last two years (well three)…working so hard during the fall…missing trips to the pumpkin patch with my kids, or going thru the motions so fast if we did go that we couldn’t even enjoy it. I have spent them like so many others so tired, exhausted, no inspiration or creativity. Two of my kids have birthdays in the fall…and I feel like I throw them together last minute…I started buying cakes when I used to make them. I say no to my friends at all times, I never go out with my husband.
Well this year is very different…and its time to change. I found out in the spring that I have Cancer. SCREECHING hault…that is what my world and my business too. I had to take a full 6 weeks (ok 4) off after surgery to remove the mass. Before i went in I scrambled to get in all the clients I could before I went in. Then after I spent two weeks squeezing in all the clients I could in before I started Chemo. I have been so mad at myself…I should have been spending that time with family…my friends…not throwing myself into work. Not that I don’t love my clients I do. But it was stress I didn’t need.
Now…I have been thru 8 (starting 9 tomorrow) rounds of Chemo, one every other week. I can’t work during my treatment weeks because I feel so bad…but I have worked every “off” week this whole time. I have definitely slowed down…I am “only” shooting newborns except for the dozen or so other sessions I have said yes to. I haven’t taken a full “good week” off since I started these nasty treatments. I am done early December with my treatments and I want 2015 and beyond to be different.
I would love to get to see “inside” your studio. I love the business aspect of “business” but feel so sucked in by all the work that needs to be done at all times. Newborns are my passion and what I want to continue to shoot, and maybe babies first year. But I am seriously considering bringing on additional shooters to do families and other shoots. An editor maybe. Something to free me up a bit more to LIVE!
I am determined not to tell my friends no…to visit my nieces and nephews more…to not be stuck in my office all night…to have dates with my hubby…and my kids!
You are so kind to share so much of your story! Thanks for listening to my long story! I would appreciate a VOTE…he he he!! 🙂
Melissa
I’ve started this post too many times since Friday. I’ve written and re-written what I want to say in my head and then delete once I start typing. Like you, I celebrated my birthday last week (happy birthday!). It was a wonderful day filled with joy and reflection. I turned 39 and let me tell you, knocking on 40 makes you think! I have plenty to celebrate. A wonderful husband, 2 healthy and active daughters, and a wonderful community to raise them in. A pretty decent life if you ask anyone.
But I want more.
My youngest is in half day kindergarten this year. Come September when she is in first grade and full day, I have major life decisions to make. I could go back to my current part time job in the medical field full time if they have the funding for it and keep schlepping through this career or I can follow my dreams. Can you guess where my preference lies? This past year I have been putting my name out there more as a photographer. I am doing some business but not a ton. I have shoots here and there and always get a great response but I am just not ramping up like I want to. When you talk about seeing all these posts about being so busy this month, I get disappointment. That should be me! What am I doing wrong? How do I get past being the mom on the playground who “has a camera that takes really nice pictures?”
This scholarship could be it. My game changer. The knowledge and motivation and confidence to be the photographer I see in my mind. With a mentor like you on my side, I know I can make it there! Thank you-Karina
Hi Heidi!! I would love to win the Photographer Rising Workshop because i want to build the best photography business in Portugal, i want to be the best and for so i should learn with the best! 🙂 Since i descober Heidi Hope photography i want to push myself over, i love be inspired by heidi i know that i could be better.
This workshop would mean so much to me, you´ve no idea!
I always have to work very hard for everything, this is something i want so much!! <3
I would love to win this workshop! Learning from Heidi would be an unforgettable experience.
I would love to win the scholarship for your workshop because I know how much I can learn from fellow photographers, especially established ones. I came into the business as a hobby, doing what I love. Creating a substantial income source out of this passion would make me the happiest I could be.
I really would just love to hang out with you because your’e supper cool!!!!
However, I could use some help.
I’ve never been very business savvy and Iv’e felt like I’ve been on a steady decline for a while.Until I came across you.
You have literally given me HOPE. 🙂
Iv’e been INSPIRED! I seriously don’t know how you do it but would love to learn.
2014 was my first year in business. Being a stay-at-home mom of two little ones I limited myself to 12 sessions this year. It was great. Stepping out and booking paying clients other than friends and family did wonders for my confidence. I learned so much especially from those sessions that were particularly challenging. I started approaching my sessions more like a business and less like a hobby. Dealing with ‘the public’ has been quite a learning experience in itself! I cannot wait to see what 2015 brings! I’m excited and really want to take it to the next level, though I still have so much to learn. I really need some education and some chat with aspiring peers who are in the same boat as me. THANKS!!!!!
PICK ME PICK ME!!!!! haha. I don’t have much time to write because in between slacking off at work (not really) scheduling sessions, making sure my husband (stay at home Dad) has possession of my 2 children still, I don’t have much time! 🙂 I am a 33 year old who works full time with a 3.5 yr and old and a 7 month old. I found my love for Photography when my son was born. I carried my camera everywhere (still do) because I was always afraid of missing “that moment” Within the last 2 years I started my own business and it has really started to take off. I love that I am creating memories for so many families and friends. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t read an article on lighting, poses etc. I am ALWAYS trying to learn new things. I have a lot to learn and have found a passion in life I never knew I had. (sounds completely corny but is how I feel) I actually tell my customers I feel bad taking money from them because I don’t consider what I do “work”. Photography for me is my “happy time”. I get to interact with families, friends from High School and help freeze memories for them. I love your work and would love to learn from the best. Hopefully in that short paragraph you can see I am passionate and a very hard working woman. Short and sweet. 🙂
Online workshop! WHAT? I am still in shock!
Would love to win and give my new career a spin!
Learning new ways, in which photographer’s approach things these days…
creativity is always running wild…
since I was a little child…
It sure would be great, to get in and create…
magical moments to be shared…
by family, friends and all who cared,
I would love to win this WOW experience…
with Heidi Hope – Photographer Rising –
How it would be so SURPRISING!
I Would love to win!!!!!!
Why would I love to win this scholarship for Heidi Hope Workshops! I am 22 years old, recently I have opened my own business all on my own. Yes you are right, I am stressed! I would love someone to look up to and really hear advice from someone like Heidi who knows what it takes to make it. One thing Heidi said that really spoke to me was you have to make yourself stand out. I have to find out what makes me stand out, what makes my work apples and oranges, not just comparing my work to apples and apples. I am a hard worker, I am determined to not be better than anyone else but to better than who I was yesterday when it comes to my love of photography. I am a graphic designer, I know what it takes to make a logo, an advertisement, I use critiques from clients as a strength to push my business forward. I want to become a photographer that I am proud of every day. Every day, every shoot I can see a difference in my work, in my progress I am getting better, but I could use some help. My style in one word, simplicity. I am in love with black and white, the simplicity of a child’s laugh or the eyes of a mother holding her child. I am in love with a simple glance in the camera, knowing I caught a moment of a person at ease, and who they are. I am young, but I am challenging myself everyday. I really want to learn from Heidi, I want to take note on everything, and make it my own. Please consider me and applicant for this scholarship! http://www.bmedeiros-beyou.com XOX B
I would love to win! What an awesome opportunity! I’ve bee self teaching myself and This would just add more knowledge to myself and to my business,I’ve grown so much over the years starting out as a Model and then practicing on my children and family, I think its very important to keeping growing and learning as a artist and becoming your own person. I just have so much motivation and strive! and this would be so awesome to have the chance to learn from only the best! Thanks again!
I loved your in person workshop and would love to learn even more in a more in depth look into what makes Heidi Hope Photography so successful! You all are amazing and would love to learn more from you!
I’ve been watching and admiring your work for years. And I would LOVE to win a scholarship! I’m a photographer from Brighton, England and trying to build a strong business in the midst of a country still learning to love having their photographs taken! (Not anything like the wonderful USA!) I’m constantly trying to sharpen my skills and learn new ways to build a strong thriving business. I find your love for photography so exciting & inspiring, Thank you! I would love to learn everything around creating the best atmosphere & experiences for new parents & getting the most out of those little newborns including different pose techniques. I would also love to Learn all I can on building a strong business that financially sustains itself.
Thank you for this opportunity to enter and win!
Rebekah
Happy Birthday Heidi! I have been a loyal follower for a long time. Your images always catch my eye and are so clean and crisp. That is where I want my photography to be. Next year is a new beginning for me. My husband passed away seven years ago and I have been focused on raising my son and dealing with life without his father. Photography and my faith have seen me through all of the tough days. I am now ready to take the leap and do what I love so much. I would love the opportunity to join your workshop and get that extra encouragement and learn more about not only your style of photography but the business side also. I have learned so much already by just reading your blog and your FAQ Fridays. You are an amazing woman full of grace and talent. I would be honored if you chose me to participate in your workshop.
Thank you for this amazing opportunity.
Donna
Hey Heidi, Shaun & Team!
I am so excited about your new online workshops! I loved the in person workshop and think this will be just what I need. I think it is the next step for me and my journey as a full time photographer. You have inspired me in so many ways, and your team has always been so helpful to me. Your online workshop is the next KEY to my business and to becoming a more profitable studio. I can’t imagine the ways that it would help and answer many of my questions that I still have. I can’t wait!
Heidi, thank you for the potential opportunity to learn from you. I hope that you would consider me for the generous scholarship so that I could expand my eye into something more. I have been interested in and playing with photography since I was a kid. It was always an interest that bonded me and my father. He is a great teacher, but it was always something we learned on our own. I would love to formally learn what your biggest do’s and don’ts are and use that to expand my hobby into a business.
HI Heidi! Happy belated! I just turned 32 on the 13th… Libra’s UNITE! I was SO excited when I saw your post about the scholarships. What a wonderful opportunity you are giving. Getting this scholarship would mean that I actually get to learn from you! Let me explain. I signed up for your March 2015 workshop. I took the leap of faith and put down the $500 deposit. I never thought paying off the rest would be an issue when the time came; after all it was almost a year away.
I had just opened my own photography business, surely I would make enough money to pay off the rest when the time came. Well, business never picked up…ever. I never even got one paying client. I took pictures of friends, family, created a Facebook page, but nothing ever happened. I was distraught, so distraught that I put my camera down for a couple of months. Honestly, my husband thought I would never pick it up again, and he is my BIGGEST cheerleader! He would say, hey why don’t you take a picture of Rayn (our 7 year old daughter). My camera has been in her little face since she was born; my muse. My daughter is the reason I picked up a camera in the first place, where my love of photography blossomed. But I couldn’t do it. Instead of grabbing for my nikon and taking a creative picture, I would grab my cell phone instead. I had just lost my confidence. I figured if I wasn’t getting business than I must not be that great.
But I LOVE photography and I have worked so hard to get to the place I am. I taught myself everything I know and I am still learning every day. I also stayed up nights until 3am, scouring every blog and you tube channel I could, soaking up as much information as possible. Having been through a chronic illness for the last 8 years, photography is what gave me the motivation to dream again…to hope again. When I saw this post, a spark of hope lit up in me from deep within. Maybe I will get to learn from you after all. Maybe my dream of having a photography business will happen after all! I am so ready to learn everything I can to have a successful business, and of course, I would LOVE to learn it all from you! You are one of the people who have inspired me. Thank you for you consideration. 🙂
I AM that photographer that quit! For 5 years I ran a successful photography business. But I got burnt out just like you. So for the last year I have stopped taking clients. Stopped updating Facebook. And every day I yearn to be apart of creating magic again. I just can’t go back to the way it used to be. And that is why I would love to win! Not working photographer=broke and unhappy. lol I want to create magic again. I want to feel happy again!
This would be the PERFECT win for ME….I am just starting my photography business and have been to two workshops to upgrade my skill level and I am ready to hit the ground running…i have my portfolio set and need the mentoring to have a successful start and grow my business.. After watching you in action on the blog and in the videos…this would be the perfect NEXT STEP for me…so I am crossing my fingers and hope to win
Dinah
First I’d like to thank you for this opportunity. It’s great to see that there are plenty of ways to learn more about photography without overspending. Second, I came across your Facebook page one day and your photos immediately captured my attention. I thought, well, this is someone that I could learn a few tricks from. I immediately subscribed to your page.
I have been interested in photography since 2004. This summer, I took up the courage to start my own freelance business. Not knowing exactly how everything should have been put together, I learned bit by bit and added things on with the professional service and the mechanics of photography. I am still fairly new, I believe that there are plenty of things I need to learn. I am always interested in learning new things because I thoroughly enjoy doing so. If I win this scholarship for the online workshop, it would be a memorable experience that also involves me doing something that I enjoy doing.
Thanks again for having this contest and best of luck to all other entries.
Best,
Kelly
Heidi your work is incredible! I’d love to be able to attend one of your work shops because I too want to be able to take breath-taking photos. I love your pictures in natural light, and the fact that you seem to capture the perfect moments in your portraits. Who wouldn’t want to learn from one of the best!
0 new messages. That’s number of responses I’ve received to the few inquiries I’ve had this year. I knew raising my prices would cost me clients. I knew it would take time to rebuild a new client base. I didn’t know 10 months into my new pricing, I would still be doing something wrong, something that is literally turning prospective clients away. I’m struggling to attract and convert people who can and want to pay for my work, including people who took the first step and contacted me to say they love my photos and would like to know more about my pricing/products. I’ve spent more on running and trying to grow the business than I’ve earned this year, so far, and I can’t imagine continuing on this path in 2015. I have friends and family encouraging me to keep at it. I love photography and I can’t imagine working in any other field, but I need to find better ways to make this business work for me. I believe Photographer Rising has the potential to help me turn things around. Thank you for the consideration.
Hi Heidi,
My name is Susan and it would mean the world to me to win your online course! I live in Ontario Canada although I grew up Tennessee, and I stumbled across your website while searching photography on YouTube and have been mesmerized by you and your amazing photos ever since. I recently upgraded my DSLR camera and am currently taking an online photography course but your style and ideas are one of a kind!! I am 47, have been married for 27 years and have 3 kids. I am hoping to take my photography to the next level.
I love photography and view the world as a photograph!!!
Thanks for your time,
Susan G Photography…hopefully one day:)
Heidi,
I would LOVE to win a scholarship with you!!! It would mean the WORLD to me and my lil family 🙂 I’m a single Mom of a one year-old, a full-time high school teacher, and I’ve recently started my photography “business”. I can’t afford to travel to workshops right now, or any professional courses, as I live in Northern Alberta, and there aren’t any local workshops and travel is expensive!! Right now I’m just concentrating on some mini sessions, I’m doing a Hot Cocoa one this weekend 🙂 It’ll be my first full day shooting!!!! I’m nervous as hell!!!! Any help I can get right now would be a blessing!
Thank you for this opportunity!!! P.S. Happy Birthday!!
Jillian
Little Red Wagon Photography
First of all Happy Birthday. Second I would love to when this because I’ve been following your work since 2011 and your the reason I got interested in photography, so it would be amazing to learn from you.
Hi Heidi and team,
Oh my word, I am so excited to hear that you are offering an online workshop now! I’ve been following your blogs and Facebook posts for years now. Your style is so unique and mirrors some of the same traits I work to capture and showcase in my own work. Three and a half years ago I found myself looking for something more – an outlet. An elementary teacher also with an art degree, I was in my fifth year of staying at home, raising my three (now four) beautiful children. It was JUST where I wanted to be, my time fully occupied with the workings of my busy family. Except…I needed more. I was drowning. I needed an outlet, professionally AND creatively. After long convos with the hubby, I took out a “loan” from our personal account and purchased my first “big girl” DSLR and 85 prime lens. I went to work…photographing anyone who would get in front of my lens. And of course a few things happened. First, I fell completely in love and felt alive behind my camera. My creative bucket was overflowing and I loved the professional interaction with clients. I had a deeper identity in our small community not only as my kids’ mom, my husbands’ wife, but as a small (teeny tiny) business operator. Secondly, I burned out fast. Word spread quickly, I booked a bazillion sessions, I practically worked for free, my family felt all the pressures I was feeling and none of us were happy. Thirdly, I realized, nearly instantly, just how MUCH I didn’t know and more importantly, how much more I WANTED to know about photography and about how to run a business. I’d fallen in love with a profession that I wasn’t (and still am not) sure I can keep up with. The pendulum started swinging from booking too many sessions, to saying “no” to sessions in an attempt stop the “crazy” lifestyle. And sure enough, the pendulum has swung back and fourth over the last three years, never truly finding a balance that works.
Not only have your blogs been an artistic inspiration, but they have given me the personal motivation to stick with my little seed of a dream, no matter how small it may be and regardless of the setbacks and frustrations. I look back over my own Facebook posts and see how my photography has evolved and can’t help but think that it IS possible for it to keep evolving into what I want it to be. I now dream about how I can take better control of my editing to create the images I compose in my head, how I can work with clients to create a unique experience for them (rather than to just shoot and then turn over a disk), and how to grow my business into something that works WITH my family and their lifestyles rather than sacrificing them.
Next month we move into a new home, one with a separate south facing room that is dedicated to be my studio space. One more step towards the photography boutique I envision. No more moving couches and furniture to set up a shooting area in my living room. Although I am so, SO very excited for this, I am also scared. to. pieces. I neeeeed to bring my photography and editing skill up a notch, and I needed to review my business practices and my plan. But of course, knowing what I need is just half the battle. My professional “wish list” is as long as I can see.
Your workshops are obviously the perfect fit for what I’m looking for to help me grow. However, at this transition point of moving and with my business still being so small, the cost for both the on-location and online version is too extravagant for my budget. A scholarship would be a perfect solution. Thanks for throwing out this opportunity for other photographers. I can attest on all of our behalves that is is SO very appreciated! You rock!
Many thanks, as always, for the ongoing support and inspiration.
Jeanne Hansen
Jeanne Hansen Photography
Wow, this workshop sounds awesome! I started out professionally as a photographer last May (2013) and had a great first year. I too had a history of photography (started out shooting film in HS and college so I’ve been shooting for about 15 years now off and on.) I had my first daughter Carmen when I was younger, and I was halfway through college. She was a surprise baby and completely changed my life for the better! I changed my major to something more practical (or so I thought!) and became a single mother. I finished college but lost track of any passions like photography and graphic design that I had trying to work, go to school, and be a mommy! Fast forward to 2011 I met my now husband, and we got married in 2012, and by the end of the year we welcomed a 2nd baby girl, Lucy! My biggest concern becoming a mom to 2 girls was the amount of time I would get to spend with them. I feel like I missed out on Carmen’s early years. So, we budgeted it, and I stayed at home. We BARELY made it by, but around the time she was 6 months….our savings were gone, bills were starting to pile up, and we were just plain tired of struggling. I am a go getter, so I decided I needed to do something to make our lives a little bit easier. I picked the camera back up (it had been awhile at this point) and had friends start asking for shoots. Yes I knew how to take and edit photos, but the business side of it was terrifying. I’ve never been as happy as I am being my own boss, figuring out the business world (think I finally am getting the hang of it!) and the best part – creating art and memories for families to keep forever! Here I am almost a year and a half into business, with my prices competing with the larger photographers in the area – but I lost almost all my clients I gained in the first year. I’ve had a few months that I had half of what I used to get, and I’m at the point in my business where I fear the future of it! We are pregnant and due in March with our 3rd baby (YAY!), and in the back of my head, I have the thought that..what if my portion of our income all goes away and I go out of business? I need to figure out what it is that I have that stands out from other local photographers and what makes me unique! I absolutely love my career, I am exactly where I am meant to be, but I am hoping I can maintain it and continue to stay at home with my (soon to be 3) kids and continue to make my first priority my family! Thanks so much for doing what you do – you’re one of my favs and I love following your gorgeous work!
My husband calls it “Life ADD” but I call being passionately curious. I graduated college with a double degree in Public Relations and Business Management (which is sort of coming in handy now), worked in PR for three years before realizing I was only making the rich more rich while working 15 hours a day and slaving to constant travel and living out of my suitcase. In search of doing something more meaningful I went back to school and got my teaching degree. I taught first and second grade for 6 years and loved EVERY SINGLE MOMENT. I love kids, I connect with them, it’s something about their innocence that gives me hope. After 6 years of teaching I had my own little ray of sunshine- my son, Maddox Monroe, was born 15 months ago. Well boy did he throw a curve ball into what I thought really mattered in life- I felt torn between being able to raise my son or return to teaching my wonderful students. I took emotion out of it and financially (since we would need full time daycare) it made no sense to go back to work. So there I was, a new mom with a new perspective on the world. I have done photography for friends and family as a hobby and on the side for the past three years but with the birth of my son found myself turning to it even more, wanting to learn more, taking on stranger clients, and finding a whole new resource to connect with kids. This time there was no math, or reading, or science in the way- just me, the child, and the camera. It was way more natural then I ever expected it to be. And I have my son to thank because he showed me the world as if it were brand new, and he gave me the strength and guts to show the world how I see it through my lens. I opened my LLC and have been growing since, however, I am now at the point where I need help. I recently took a workshop where I learned a lot about posing- but I need more than that, I need the full scoop which I know and believe you would provide Heidi. If I showed you a picture I took a year ago to a picture I took today you would see the determination, the want, the passion. But I am at the point I need something/someone to teach and push me from good to great. You are great Heidi, you are positive, you exude hope (no pun intended). I would love the opportunity to learn from you and help me reach the place I know I could be, I just can’t get there alone. Since I did have to resign, money is tight but the passion is there. Thank you for your consideration. https://www.facebook.com/CassandraBarbaraPhotography?ref=hl
When i was little i love the idea of documenting detalls. I started doing portraits as an extra income because our economy wasn´t great and me and my husband where trying to start a new business together. (the problem is when both partners depend on the same type of income so I decides to have something else)
My father gave me the superpower of photography, 6 years ago he died on his birthday and i was on a trip. So I end up depress and thats when I understood the value of a PICTURE.
3 years ago after 14 years of being together with my husband we decided to have a child and boom the value of TIME. Milestones, laughs, you name it I a had it. but an studio was missing. Thats was my next step of this hobby. And my sister allow me to Have it in her house because mine is small.
I wanted to be there for Noa my daughter, my muse, so I learn the value of WORK :D. Then i found this opportunity.
Wow!!! I’ll pick your brain and squeeze it like theres no tomorrow. Bless you! I Hope as your name 🙂 I find in you something incredible thw value of …. who knows.
Nice to meet you by the way my name is Susanah Zomer from Costa Rica 😀
Hello Heidi,
I sit here in front of my computer, not knowing exactly how to put into words, how much this scholarship would mean to me and my little girls. I’m not the best writer, But what I’m expressing here is straight from the heart.
I didn’t always dream of being a photographer. I think Photography found me. 7 years ago, as new mom of twin girls, I was overwhelmed with the daily duties of being a stay at home mom, like any new mom would be of course. I also longed for a sense of purpose. Photography gave me that! There had to be more to life than just changing diapers, nursing, and sleep less nites! At one point, I thought I was losing my MIND!! To calm myself.. I picked up my little point and shoot camera and I LOVED taking pictures of my little baby girls. Since then.. My love for photography has taken a life of its own. I became very passionate about photography. I have photographed just about every type of event, also families, children, and maternity. What I know about photography is completely through trial and error. I’m literally a self taught photographer. One afternoon, I decided stop by your studio with my little sister. I just stood there in AWE, staring at your impeccable work, consumed with so many beautiful emotions and the dream that maybe I can accomplish this for me and my little girls one day. You see, All I do, is to show my little girls, who are now going to be 8 years old, to know that when a dream is planted in you, to not give up! I want to one day full fill our dream of being a home owner and I know that through (God) and my passion for photography, I can accomplish that dream for us! Ultimately, have my little girls feel proud of their momma and believe that through hard work, passion and love anything is possible. (I’m in tears while typing this)
I need help. I need guidance. I am so hungry to learn more! I can only imagine how many will inquire for this scholarship! I would be HONORED and privileged to be taken under wing and absorb everything you can teach me to help me fulfill, not just my dream, but little girls’ dream as well.
This shows alot of you, Heidi and your team. I don’t know you but I think you’re a great human being with a big heart by just offering this amazing opportunity. I feel blessed just coming across your beautiful images that are always inspiring and never fail to leave me smiling. God Bless you and your family always!
With Lots of Love,
Elizabeth Succart
http://www.facebook.com/madilaciephotography.com
http://www.madilaciephotography.com
I have been doing photography on my own for a little over a year now. I bought myself a basic DSLR camera two years ago and realized how much I loved the art. I have been teaching myself by watching videos on YouTube, researching in books, Pinterest and online articles on how to shoot portrait photography. I started my own little business, and I have done about 30 shoots so far. I am sometimes satisfied and sometimes not. I receive wonderful words of encouragement from many of my “followers” on Facebook but I feel like there is SO much more I need to learn to feel fully confident with myself and my work. I have been following HHP for a while now and it never fails at how much each image can take my breath away. I can only hope that one day I can produce such wonderful work. While I am not looking for this to be my full time profession (I am a preschool teacher and full time college student) I hope to have this is a part time, summer and weekend fun thing for me to do. I do not shoot anything indoors for I do not have adequate space, and I just love outdoor sessions. Nature is so beautiful! I still struggle with lighting and specific settings. I enjoy editing so I feel that with some help in learning which settings I should use to make everything as perfect as possible. I would love nothing more than to be in the hands of a professional so that I can learn the ins and outs of this wonderful art world and figure out exactly what I am doing. I would be so lucky and so thankful!
My boyfriend and I met three years ago. That friendship turned into a love that is better than I dreamed of! We are both 25 and work the normal 9-5 jobs. While this does pay the bills, our true passion is our photography business. We absolutely love capturing precious moments of our clients and their families. We love experimenting with the editing process and taking in as much knowledge as we can. In the last six months our business has grown tremendously. We have several clients each weekend and spend our weeks editing and preparing for the weekend ahead. Our ultimate goal is for this to be both of our full time jobs! We know that this will take a great deal of time and sacrifice but we are more than willing to give it everything we have. All of the long nights and sleep deprived days are more than worth it when we see the excitement on the faces of our clients as they see their pictures for the first time! We love that we share a common dream and get to go after it together. Now is the perfect time for us to go after this full force. We would absolutely love to win this scholarship because we know we desperately need the guidance and wisdom of someone who has accomplished the same dream we are working towards. Please help us make our dream possible! Thank you so much for considering us!
Heidi, it is a true inspiration to see all that you have accomplished in 5 years. I have been on a roller coaster ride with photography for the last several years. Two cross country moves made it hard to completely devote myself to my business. My family is now finally settled in one place and I am ready to dive in, but I must admit it is with some hesitation. I have experienced how hard it is to dive in without being properly prepared. Since it is now really THE TIME, I want to do it right. I want to be ready. That you had to struggle through much of the start-up process without a guide, but are now sharing all you have learned is a gift. Your energy and enthusiasm are contagious. I would love the opportunity to learn from you.
Heidi, you’re the reason I got into photography. I stumbled upon your Facebook when a friend of mine showed me her session you did of her newborn twins back in 2010. Your growth since the day you started inspired me to not throw my dream out the window, but to pursue it anyway and throw caution to the wind and do my best and invest into something that makes me happy. I was hired by a local photographer after I dove head first into my hobby. She is so dedicated and in love with her job that she inspires me every day as well to be better and do better. As much as I would love to be a part of this workshop, I can’t help but nominate my coworker for it. She deserves it. She’s put her all into the business and she put her all into me. She believed in me when everyone thought I was silly for spending money I didn’t have on an idea. I was a single mom at the time. I didn’t have that kind of money to put into a camera in hopes to go somewhere with it. The uncertainty scared everyone…but not as much as me. She keeps me motivated and provides me with tools I wouldn’t have ever been able to acquire as quickly as I was able to with her support. She made my dreams a reality and I’ll never be able to thank her enough for that. She’s now one of my best friends. How beautiful is that? My best friend made my dreams come true.
You know the way you meet someone, who completely unexpectedly turns your world upside down by telling you the right things at the right time, making you believe you can achieve what you wish for? I did once, listened to some life changing advice, learned English within a year to get a well-paid job abroad, to travel the world and teach English a few years later while volunteering for a foundation. There is much more to it, but I will spare you the details.
You are That Person to me too, found by accident while searching the Web for inspiring photos. I already moved on after watching Your FAQ Friday! Winning the scholarship would feel like winning a lottery but hey, you inspire me enough to get where I want to be and afford your online workshop next year. Wish me well
Winning means surpassing my own business milestones and breaking my own records. The primary competition is with myself- to challenge myself, to better myself every time. I struggle with a severe disorder that has put me on medication since the age of twelve,as well as in and out of hospitals. Ive been told “no or I can’t ” a lot in my life. I have NEVER had a job since my condition affects my sleep and ability to maintain a “normal” schedule. I found myself feeling worthless and of no value to others. I was introduced to photography from my councilor who thought it would bring a positive stress relief and creative outlet for me…it gave me SO MUCH more! I finally found something that worked with me not against me. I’m able to work around my condition by being my own boss and loving the joy it gives me to feel “normal”. I have loved watching you Heidi over the years and the amazing talent you have brought into the world! I love surpassing expectations and over coming “you can’t”. I was told to not expect someone to want to marry me and take on the “burden” of my condition…I have been married 5 years to my best friend! I was told I can’t have children as my hormone levels were so low…I have two and one on the way! I love challenging my self and giving others hope in over coming the “no and you can’t” of this world. I would be honored to learn from you and grow that much further in my photography or as I like to call it my saving grace.
I would love to win a scholarship to your workshop. Photography became a passionate hobby for me when my now 2 1/2 year old was born. Before he was born my husband and I had looked at getting a video recorder to capture meaningful memories. Every time we walked into Best Buy to look, we also looked at cameras. I never understood what all the hype was about with the DSLR cameras because every time I picked one up in the store, the snaps didn’t look any better than snaps with a $100 point-and-shoot. The birth of my son wasn’t easy on me. Many hours of labor with 2 full hours of pushing turned into an extended emergency C-section. I stayed as long as I was allowed in the hospital and left knowing my body wasn’t anywhere near ready to leave medical care.
At 7 days old, I passed out carrying my infant (in his car seat) down our front steps to the car from being anemic, thankful I took the battle wounds from the fall and not him, but that day ranks up there to one of the worst days of my life. We took him to the mall photography studio at 8 days for his newborn photos. As a new mom, I loved all 200 images, even the ones with me in them (I honestly look like a train just hit me in them). At 10 days, I checked myself into the ER with severe pain that popping double my prescription oxycodone didn’t help. The irony to this, this was the day I felt I could walk around the house and this was the day I even tried to eat something solid. I was admitted into the hospital after the on call physician tried morphine and that didn’t faze me. I was then given dilaudid through IV and finally got relief. This drug is short term relief and I yearned for the burn of the IV with each new dose because that meant relief. I didn’t get any sleep while in the hospital; every time I closed my eyes I was waken up and yelled at to breathe. With test after test coming back normal, I was about to be sent home with a prescription for dilaudid in pill form. As a last reach to find a cause of pain, I was given a contrasted scan to look for a blood clot in my lungs. They found I had hemorrhaged in my adrenal glands, worse on the right. I was then transferred to a larger hospital where they cut me off on the pain medication and didn’t know what to do with me. Couldn’t explain why I hemorrhaged and didn’t know how to deal with it. I spent the next 6 weeks in pain. Very dark days for me. Thankful my then 15 year old sister was able to stay with me and care for my infant. I returned to my first full-time job after 7 weeks of maternity leave (graduated college with my BA in Economics in December, started full-time in February, and my first child was born in May) to be let go as my co-workers had 7 weeks to become best friends, and I wasn’t there to be part of the comradery. I’ve been a stay-at-home mom since. Yes I did look for other employment with no avail and the one other position I did start didn’t pay the expense of going to job (daycare).
At 5 weeks, I took him back to the mall studio to get pictures with his eyes open. I decided that I didn’t want to pay the mall studio $200 every time I wanted a photo to display on my wall, capture a milestone, or to send out in a holiday card. And what the photographers at the mall were doing looked like fun, so my husband and I went to look at the fancy cameras. I honestly thought it was the camera that produced the higher quality images; oh I had a lot to learn. When we walked in to Best Buy that day, I had no intention of buying, but researching. It must have been fate that the sales person who helped me was very informative and able to show me how to use the camera and explain everything there is to know about basic DSLR photography. I even learned why ‘’auto’’ snaps were not any better than economy cameras and had new vocabulary (ISO, aperture, and shutter) to obsess over in order to learn how to use my new child correctly. From day one of ownership, my camera has never seen auto function. I brought home my DSLR kit and extra 55-200 basic zoom lens to find that photographing your own child is not an easy task. The mall studio got more of my business with 6 month/Christmas, 15 month shoot for a late 1 year mark, and newborn photos of my second son born January 2014. All the while I was self-learning everything there is to know about photography and even adding a 50mm to my gear and using lightroom. Each new shoot at the mall left me leaving less and less happy with the images produced. I went from loving all 200 shot to ‘’well I guess this one is good enough for our family picture.’’
The time spent with my camera and creating images of my child brought the life back to me. My passion for photography and turning moments of time into art is probably one of the only things that have truly kept me going. I figured out how to produce a display worthy image of my own child while developing a style and finding inspiration to use my creativity with. This summer my mom asked me to do some extra senior pictures of my sister, we rented a lens, and I had the time of my life and the images produced were beyond what I could ever imagine. Something clicked that said this is where I need to be. In August I decided to open myself up and let people see everything I pour my heart into and offer my art as a photography business. I don’t have a large network of support and getting myself out there isn’t as easy as I thought it would be. Building my new business has been a challenge (getting paid clients) and I have a degree in Economics. Every day I stumble across a social media page of another photographer in my area and think, “I wish I would have known about them when I got newborn photos of child number one done.” I need to be a photographer that has a solid business start to let people know I’m here and stand out above the rest. I have lit the artistic fire inside me and I am ready to learn and grow every minute of the day in my art and business as I have a passion. My passion for photography and my journey into the art sets me apart from other photographers and I am taking every chance I get to expand in knowledge and creativity.
Hi,
I would love to win the online scholarship. I am a stay at home mom of two small children. I just started doing photography about a year and half ago. Being a stay at home mom, I am unable to travel to your in person workshops. I have taken all the photography training I can find around here! Our local vo-tech offered some classes which did teach me how to take pictures but nothing about how to run my own business. It’s very competitive here in my small town with there being about 10 photographers doing the same kind of portrait, natural light photography as me, with no studio to speak of other than our homes and the great outdoors who all charge dirt cheap prices with CD and copyright release. I just need help in standing out and how to make a go of this. I don’t want it to be “just a hobby”. I want to help my husband support our family too.
Seriously?! This is exactly how I feel right now.. burnt out! I have always had my camera around taking pictures and just a year and a half ago decided to make a business out of it. It has been going great and I have learned so much in such a short amount of time and meeting lots new people- it has been a dream come true! So why not all of a sudden I feel like I want to stop? I have never been this busy before and it is hard for me to say no to new clients that want pictures. So I have taken on way too much and am feeling there is no end in sight. I want to enjoy taking pictures again. I want to enjoy my three children. I want to feel like I can have both. I put the kids to bed and stay up until about 2 in the morning editing to then get up at 7am to do it all over again. I feel like a walking zombie lol. I absolutely love what I do and do NOT want to give it up!! THIS would be a fantastic opportunity to be able to learn what I need to stay on the right path. Thanks!
Wow you are going to have a lot of reading to do Heidi! Happy Birthday it was mine this weekend too – we celebrated with a big family meal, catching up with friends at the hot pools and then some friends at the beach and had my first dip in the sea this spring. I hope you enjoyed your autumnal birthday as much, I did use to love having an autumn birthday. This was my second ‘spring’ birthday in New Zealand we immigrated to be near my husbands parents 2 years ago today with my sons then 3 year and 6 months old (Joel and Zach). We arrived telling everyone that I was going to set up a photography business as our second income, my husband is a teacher. Since then we now have a little girl ‘Gabrielle’ to add to the mix, who is now 10 months the time has flown by it has being a little challenging we Zach having Autism and neither of them sleeping more than 30 minutes at a time I haven’t done anything with my dream of a photographer business other than gifting birthday and baby shower presents and a fundraiser raffles for kindergarten. So people know me as a photographer, just one not in business yet. I love your inspirational stories and all your sharing, so far my best take home from FAQ Fridays and motivation Mondays has being the ‘Green Smoothy!’ Thank you so much, I had never heard of them before but I really was needing that energy and vitamin boost. But it is time to put all your other learning into action, Gabrielle and Zach are a few weeks into having some in home childcare two doors down and we have to start saving for a trip to Ireland for my brothers wedding in April 2016, we will need $1000 extra a month just to afford for all 5 of us to take that trip so having your amazing advice and guidance for starting a photographer business will give me the confidence and the planning needed to dive straight in and get our much needed second income.
Oh but if it is material goods that will sway your scholarship decision, Gisborne has only something like 4 shops to buy kids clothes but right now – because I bought one last week for Baby G. One has the worlds softest turquoise tutu, its so you and soooooooooooooo soft, like unbelievably soft – any baby or toddler you put it in will be so happy, you won’t even be able to take a non smiley photo even if you wanted to. All yours in exchange for a life changing scholarship! You wont even have to wait until January.
Love ya cos your awesome saucesome xx
Dear Heidi Hope,
I am entering this contest myself in hopes of winning a spot in the workshop for my dear wife. Besides the fact she has an incredible talent with her camera, and a gift with everyone she comes in contact with, she really, very much deserves this workshop. It is something I could only dream of giving her. She started her business three years ago and has done quite well. But I know she could do even more with your knowledge and help. She is absolutely, with out a doubt, the most deserving person you would ever meet. And by a landslide, the hardest worker of anybody. She is up before the sun working on her talent and business, and selflessly cares for our children through the day. One of which has special needs. Any break she gets, she never rests, always working. As soon as the kids are in bed, back to work she goes until late at night. You see Heidi, she will put your workshop to better use than anybody here. And before long you will be hearing about her and amazing business. Please, please pick us for the chance of a life time, to win this workshop scholarship. She will will make you very proud!
Hello Heidi,
I want to win this scholarship because I am madly in love with your Faq friday and all the knowledge you share.
I am from India and here the kids lifestyle photography is at a very nascent stage and there are not many photographers who specialize in kids photography. But I always dream to be the one who can bring the awareness to parents for preserving the precious moments of their life through my pictures.
You have always inspired me to do more. I was most excited to know about your Online workshop as no one has provided such workshops and who can guide about the kids natural light photography. Your workshop looks like encyclopedia of with Technicality, Creativity, Marketing Skills and much more.
Honestly after converting the $1800 fee to INR 1lac is something I can’t afford this point of time. But at the same time I just don’t want to lose this golden opportunity of not being in your online workshop due to lack of money.
This workshop is going to change my life for something best.
The work I have done in past one year is here: http://www.facebook.com/ClicktoCherish
Having taken an in person workshop this past year with Heidi I know what a invaluable opportunity this is. Even though I was only there for 2 full days I have taken away so much info but I know there is way more to learn from her. She is so thoughtful and gives everything to what she does. I know that this course will be just as wonderful as her in person workshops. Can’t wait to learn more!!
Ummm, love ya, Heidi! You are such an inspiration and so doggone REAL! I have been in business since 2008 and opened my studio in January of this year. After Chic Critique Retreat in Seattle this May, I finally looked at my numbers. Like realllllly looked. And then got depressed. My gross revenue is fantastic for my goals and after inching my prices up for the last 6 years, I have steadily been in six-figures for the last four years (yippee!). But. My net revenue?? Uhhhhh, yeah. That’s where it gets depressing. I’m bringing in lots of money, but not “making” very much compared to where I think I should be. HELP! I love listening to your stories and I think you’re an incredible teacher (and obviously a kick-booty photographer). I would love-love-love to win a seat in your online workshop!!! Thank you, Heidi!
Hi Heidi! I am 38 years old (going on 39 soon) and a couple years back I took stock of my dreams and my career and decided that I wanted a more creative inspiring life. My 2 year old daughter at the time got me picking up the camera, and I fell in love with photography through her, and found my answer to the creative career I had been craving. The past four years I have been soaking up everything I could on my own in between being a mom, wife, and working a benefits paying job. This past June I made a decision to quite my benefits paying job and dive into my dream job. And while I feel I have a grasp on heading towards a successful career, there is SOOO much I need to learn and would love a chance to learn from such an inspiring, successful photographer. You are AMAZING! I want a little fraction of what you got and I what to absorb anything you can throw at me.
Thank you!
I am a Love photographer. I take pictures of newborns at a maternity shelter and give each mother $25 worth of photos of their newborn and always encourage a photo of themselves with their newborn. I provide props and outfits and shoot natural light. I also do the same for single moms who are not able to or have never had photos of their children due to budget constraints or social situations. God sends me a few people each year that pay me to take their photos and this helps me subsidize my costs. I would love to be able to take your online course to further my abilities to be able to continue to grow this Love project for these special moms and children.
I am mostly a self-taught photographer, with the exception of one college class many years ago in the days of film. For the past few years I have been trying to soak up any bit of information that I can – in regards to photography, posing, props, composition, business, lighting, etc. I love learning and know that there’s always more to learn! I really hope to start mentoring relationships with photographers that I appreciate – and you are one! It would be such a joy to learn from you!
Hello, Heidi!
It is over one and a half years since I fell in love (got addicted) with your work, Heidi! I’ve spend hours and nights trying to figure out how you make it so magical, trying to do something close enough by myself. I’m happy with my effort, however I’d like to know more, especially about business things. I need to know how your pictures is always so warm and glowing, how do you make a sets with a lot of details and things compliment each other, and each on a right spot in a final image. And that perfect skin! (Do you have a magic wand, don’t you, Heidy? )) ) Often people look greyish or to yellowish on my images, not very noticeable, but I can see the difference.
I like many wonderful photographers, I’m learning from they work as well, however I love your work, Heidi! How do families you shoot always so well connected with you? When I look at those portraits I feel they smile sincerely to me and I smile back.
I love photography. I love to catch that beauty in person’s eyes and face. It is a wonderful feeling
I’ve learnt so much from you, I’m really appreciated. Actually English is my second language, and it is soooo hard for me to write something. Even for my FB page, because it is so embarrassing to find a bunch of mistakes in a couple of days after I post (I’m pushing myself to write blog, it usually ends up with only photos) I’d like to use this opportunity to say a big thank you, Heidi. I admire and respect your hard work, creativity and talent.
Yes, I’d like to win this scholarship, because I’d like to find out how to earn money with all my knowledge and passion for photography. People like my work, but I have just a few clients this year. And I really want to know you and how you work. I hope to win and still try to earn extra money thru holiday mini sessions. Fingers cross ))
HI Heidi!
My story has a lot in common with yours – my husband and I just recently moved back to Mass from California, and since we moved and I was quitting my job anyway, I decided it was the perfect time to finally start up my photography business. But, my main motivation was that this will allow me to be home full time with my just one year old. And while I’m loving be a full time mommy, and I am loving jumping into the photography world, I want to make sure that I don’t hit the hurdles you did. I am happy to learn from others mistakes! It is a big concern of mine that I will overwork myself, be too exhausted to enjoy my little guy, and then not be able to spend quality time with him due to inefficiencies. I know that I have a lot to learn, but given that we’ve been living on a shoestring budget while my husband has been in school and interships, there is no money for me to do something fabulous like your workshop. A scholarship and the ability to attend your workshop could easily be the difference between a successful business-family balance and the alternative. Thanks for your consideration! And I love your work!!
I may be a little late in entering, and hope that I haven’t missed the deadline – I just got out of the hospital with my sweet little girl and there is nothing that will make the entire world fall away like curling up next to your sick child in a hospital bed and trying to convince her that “it’ll all be okay.”
I would absolutely love to be able to overhaul my business with skills and knowledge gained from a workshop. Like many others, I have a story and I have a passion. I want to not only capture timeless images, but also help clients print them so that they’re not lost in a digital wasteland.
I started my photography career shortly after Katrina and knew from the get-go that helping families create memories that would last would be my goal. Although natural disasters can’t be stopped, portraits are something that can be cherished and saved and I worked hard to create that. I coasted along in a part-time weekend warrior endeavor like that for a few years until I decided that I needed something more.
Fresh off the heels of my first photography workshop, my business boomed. I had inquiries and clients and was able to raise my prices slightly and hire an assistant. I was published in local magazines and featured in area bridal shows and had the help that I needed to make it work. Then I got some unexpected news from my assistant.
She had made some choices that she regretted and became pregnant with a little girl. She had no family nearby, the father did not want to be involved, and she could not find reliable and affordable childcare so that she could finish school. She was now falling into the same steps that her mother had and feared that she would end up flitting from boyfriend to boyfriend and rehab center to rehab center, leaving her little girl by the way side. She would no longer be able to work for me and it looked like she wouldn’t finish school, either.
I believed in her and her daughter and did not want that life for them so I told her that I would take care of her daughter so that she could finish college and succeed as a young, single mother. I went from having assistance to offering assistance. Now eight hours a day, five days a week my house is filled with the laughter and screeches of a little girl who’s mom has a second chance.
And, although I am happy to help and thrilled that these two girls will have a better chance in life, I must admit that my business hasn’t flourished at the same level. I necessarily backed off on a lot of working time, but I don’t want to give up completely. I’m sure with some creativity and smart time management that I could build up my business again – not just for myself, but for my own children who have also had their lives turned upside down and have opened their hearts, rooms, and toys for another.
It may be a small and insignificant reason, but I know that a workshop would definitely benefit my business, my family, and me personally. It’s time for an overhaul so that when my former assistant isn’t in college any more I’ll have the skills and fresh creative mindset needed to keep trucking and not have to start over again.
Hello Heidi & crew!! I about peed my pants when I saw you were offering an online workshop & even better a scholarship!! I have wanted to come to your workshop for so long but as a military wife & mother of 3 boys (11 & 7yr old twins) and running my own small hometown studio I’ve just never been able to get away much less afford the travel & workshop expense. I need your help. I love your enthusiasm & creativity and I want to feed off of that energy so badly! I have followed your work for many years and I am just in absolute love with how you run your business. I have all these ideas in my head but I just do not know how to see them through and find the ideal client that is willing to pay for that type of creativity. I have been in business for myself for about 6 years now and I really want to make the transition from general photographer to focusing mainly on newborns, children & families. Our family is on a very tight budget and every time one of your workshop times comes & goes I just get so sad because like all moms any extra money we have goes to our boys. I left a Fortune 500 company 2 years ago to care for my boys while my husband was deployed overseas and when he returned I invested a good portion of my retirement into my studio. It’s my baby, I love what I do and I need help learning how to keep it afloat. I work tirelessly around the clock with my family, sessions, editing and there is very little time left for me. My website needs work, I need major business management help, studio workflow, the list goes on & on. I feel like I could learn so much from your online workshop and would be so grateful for a scholarship opportunity!
Desperately Seeking Heidi,
Kelley
Heidi,
I would absolutely love to win this scholarship to your online workshop! It would totally change my business and put me so much closer to the professional side that I want to establish right from the beginning.
I am currently just starting out. I’ve had the dream to go into photography for the past 10 years. The opportunity presented itself and I’ve finally made the leap. For the past 3 years, I’ve been running a successful handmade business. I enjoy and love it, but it was never my dream. It was something that started out as a hobby, and I decided to sell my creations to make a little extra money. This little business is currently supporting our family. A year ago, when I had my son, I quit my full time job. 6 months ago, my husband was laid off. The job search was non existent, so he decided to go back to school. I am currently supporting my family of 3 on making hair bows. While I do love it, I feel a little limited in what my hands can create.
The timing of getting into photography seems completely crazy to me. I have so many other things going on, but want to create a business that I am passionate about. And has the potential to support my family while my husband is in school, as well as gives us an income to save for the future and provide for my children.
I’ve done so much research before I officially launched my business. I know I won’t start out at the level I want to be at, but the only way to learn is by doing. I had no idea about this when I started my other business, but over the last 3 years, have been able to see how far I’ve come. I’m hoping with my photography business, I can start out as strong as possible and not waste time in the beginning stages.
I’m very serious about this new business and truly want to pursue my dream. I loved watching your video and can’t wait to watch more! I know the burnout feeling. I want to start off right, so that doesn’t happen. I learned so much already from your video and would love to be a part of your wonderful workshop.
Hi Heidi. I would love to win the scholarship to your online workshop. Why ? I love to learn. I love photography and I am hoping when my girls get a bit bigger I can start a very successful photography business. I am a mom to a seven year old Evicka and five months old twins Julia and Veronica. My husband is serving his country in the Army and we are currently stationed in Fort Hood, Texas. Even when my husband is not deployed , his schedule is very unpredictable and he works all crazy hours making it impossible for me to attend in person workshops. Online, all comprehensive workshop like the one you are offering would be a dream come true. I am smart, dedicated and hardworking and I know with information you provide I can make my future business a great success. Thanks !
I am holding my babies and crying as I just watched your video. It says everyone has a gift, “What’s yours?” and that is something I am still trying to figure out! I have a vision of what photos (beyond family/children) that I would LOVE to do, but I am not organized, planned, or courageous enough to go for it.
(It involves moms and helping them look/feel as beautiful and amazing as they ARE!)
Why I would love to win this scholarship?….
I do in-home-childcare from 7:30am-6:00pm Monday-Friday. After I left my “day” job this was the option that made the most sense for me to help provide income for our family, AND most importantly for me, to be home with my babies and see them in their day to day.
But I also love photography and have been doing it Very Part Time for the past few years with the hopes that at some point it will be my main source of income. That is, IF I can figure out how to structure it to bring in an adequate income to help support our family, and structure the hours so that it doesn’t take away from my family! These Late nights, no family time, stressed and wasting the precious time I have with my kiddos is NOT where I want to be. And the little money I make from photography sessions barely covers the gear I need to DO photography, and is not making any profit.
Your video was Inspiring! I was sitting there and had this “Aha!” moment where I thought, “I just realized that the name of her business is Heidi HOPE for a reason! Because you give HOPE to those that have big dreams. You encourage us not just to be dreamers, but to BE visionaries – people that don’t just get big ideas that settle as the morning rises, but to help us build plans and work toward goals, getting through obstacles with clarity. Not giving up based on our feelings.”
And I have had those feelings!
In the last year my Only camera had focusing issues so it was sent to be repaired. During that time I felt strongly that I needed to step away from photography to focus on my family, so reluctantly I chose to “let go” of what I wanted and put my family first. With tears and thanksgiving I got back into photography last spring when I felt I was able to do so – I had learned to be able to give up what I think I want for something that I need to focus on (my family!).
Well, I got back and started doing a few sessions here and there when my external hard drive that had the last FIVE years worth of work & family pictures fell and broke. I lost MY wedding photos, photos of my children’s births, all family photos, as well as ALL clients photos. I was now starting from scratch.
Then, last month, just before a photo shoot, I realized my camera was back-focusing again. So, I sent it in despite having sessions coming up.
To top it off, in the end of September, in the middle of editing a session, my laptop crashed and burned.
Technical and emotional difficulties abounded and needless to say these things left me Feeling beyond discouraged!
BUT, because of help/inspiration from you, other photographers, and the love and help shown by my husband, I was able to push through!
I sent my camera in to be repaired and a “new to this area” photographer whom I had met in a FB forum let me borrow her camera for two sets of mini-sessions I could not cancel! (Crazy generosity, right?!? = Amazing!)
My husband encouraged me and helped me find a Mac (I converted 😉 ) and I realized that despite losing ALL those photos, I still had my family and friends, even if I don’t have pictures of them.
This was HUGE for me as in the past I would have just had a meltdown based on my circumstances and feelings. It has been so cool to see how God is growing me and teaching me through all these things!
But I still have no business plan, no consistent workflow, no consistent hours, no pricing structure that has been calculated to sustain an adequate income to help me grow, and no marketing. So, how am I going to sustain this?!
I just schedule sessions mostly from word of mouth, edit whenever I can, and try to push through with no plan….
No wonder it FEELS overwhelming as I try to piece things together as I go!!
Your video inspired me that I CAN get a business plan in place, I CAN learn the numbers and calculate them and price my work accordingly. You gave me HOPE that I CAN find my niche, my gift, and actually Succeed! Even Thrive at making something of beauty!
When it comes down to it, I want to make art. To bring a little peace and joy into this crazy that is our lives. To remind a mom of the sweet in her baby when they hit 2, or worse, 4. To see the beauty that is there when it is taking all she has to get through the dirty diapers, poured out milk, boogers, and raisins in the carpet. Not even starting to think about the laundry, dishes, and dirty bathrooms.
For a mom to see the beauty in herself that she doesn’t usually see. And to see the knight in her rambunctious little guy, the beauty that she KNOWS is somewhere in her little lady. To give a mom some Hope 🙂
But I know I can’t DO that if I don’t have a Plan and a pricing and marketing Structure in place that will allow me to pursue photography as a source of income to help support our family. And I KNOW that Your Workshop will help me!
From your workshop I would want to learn the structure, workflow, time management, and planning that it will take to succeed.
I would also LOVE to learn some of the technical aspects – such as what lens and settings to use in each situation, as well as where to position our subject in regards to the light, how you set up your studio and why. How you make time and structure your price to allow for your creativity to come into play (for example your custom backdrops!).
In short, I want to learn how to run a successful photography business that allows for me to actually BE creative, and not just shooting a lot to bring in money. I don’t want it to just be about the money. I want it to be about doing what I love AND making money to support my family. But I need more than a dream and sandy foundation that I have been standing on!
I wish I could talk to you in person and ask that you please choose me to take part in your workshop. Doing it in person would be AMAZING, but I know this is for an online seat, and either one will be a beyond amazing opportunity that I know I will learn from and have not only the confidence, but the resources, to get out there and succeed in a way that will Be a Blessing and Bless my family!
And to bring myself some peace as I step away from my crazy everyday and make something beautiful with the artistic eye that God gave me 🙂
That would be truly Amazing! Thank you, Heidi, for offering this amazing opportunity!
Oh man! I’m totally feeling overwhelmed with sessions to edit, I’m humbled & stressed at the same time. This is my first year having a busy holiday season so I’m embracing all the new business & getting to build my portfolio even more and gain experience each and every session, that being said I would love to win a chance at workshop!!!!
Heidi Hope Team,
You guys are amazing! Heidi, I’ve watched every video you are such an inspiration not only in my photography world but my personal world. I’m a really positive person but deep inside I struggle with myself, my weight, I’m scared of failing as I’ve done so many times with other aspects of my life. Yet when I’m in my photography world it makes me forget, when I hear positive comments from clients it’s so rewarding and make me strive to be one step better. Something as silly as a weekly video from a photographer who you really don’t know changes me every week! It give me hope, new ideas, motivation both in my photography world but my personal life.
I’ve bought you pricing guide when you say things about what does your day look like, what do you want it to look like.. it strikes a cord every time! I’ve been a fan of pictures my entire life, loving family captures. Wishing one day, my family could have pictures like that specific one I saw. Well once I got married and we decided to have a family we couldn’t get pregnant. It took us 3 years and some medical help but we have a beautiful 2 year old daughter. My journey in photography started when I was pregnant, I knew that it was a struggle to conceive, I knew we were high risk, so I knew I had to cherish every moment! My husband bought me a D7000 as a gift and I knew I needed to capture every moment because who knows when it was going to end or if it would happen again. I studied…read books, articles, websites, blogs anything that made me better. I welcomed my daughter into the world after an emergency C-section but she was here, healthy and happy. (Side note: 8 days after that I broke my arm) New baby and cast was not how I envisioned but we managed. I quite my job of 8 years to stay home with her, financial it’s been a struggle but every day is worth it. This time has flown by which I’m sure you know with two little ones yourself.
With taking pictures of Britton; family and friends have asked for me to do pictures and it’s now growing into a business. Yet I would love more help! I have so many questions and I’m started to feel like I’m spinning my wheels. I get a ton of contacts regarding pricing and when I share they turn and run; even though I don’t focus or pay attention to others work in our area (besides for counting all the photographers last year #92 that’s what I found and we don’t live in a big city). I need help with growing and sealing the deal.
Who ever wins this opportunity is going to get a gift! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for truly having a passion and being so grateful to share that with the world.
Bridgett
I would love a spot in the online workshop for multiple reasons. A few of them are because I am inspired by your amazing work, I REALLY need to nail my business side of photography, but most importantly because I don’t want to miss out on any more of my kids’ lives than I already have. When I started my business I had NO idea what went into it and just how much work is involved in it. I am a stay at home mom and made that decision because I wanted to witness my kids growing up and learning and to make a million memories with them before they got to the point where they didn’t need or want me around. I don’t have any relationship with my mother, and was passed on to be raised by my grandparents. It hurts knowing that the very person who gave you life didn’t even want you, for very selfish reasons. I swore I would never ever make my children feel that way. Unfortunately, I am having a tough time finding the balance I need to give my kids the best life possible AND having a successful photography business. I know it can be done, I see loads of other photographers with children making it happen, but I don’t know how to do it. After spending countless hours working and reworking my pricing, business strategies and plans and many late nights editing, I can’t help but think that I must be doing it wrong. As I sit here and type this it brings tears to my eyes thinking about how many times my three year old son has asked me to do something and I have said, “Maybe in a little bit buddy, Mommy is trying to finish a few things on the computer.” or, “Just a few more minutes.” I wonder what he must think of me or how that must make him feel? I feel like a horrible mother because I want so, so badly to make this work so that I can give my kids more but is it really worth missing out on their childhood? Is it worth breaking my three year olds heart because I didn’t color with him, or play a game, or just sit and hug him for awhile? How soon is it going to be before he stops asking for me because I never come? How many more times will he put up with me asking him to hang on until he realizes he doesn’t need me? Although I’m not abandoning him like my mother did to me, I feel like he’s going to resent me for not spending enough time with him and essentially making him feel the same way. So many times I want to throw the towel in and be done and just be present in their lives but then I tell myself, “Just a few more months. I’ll find a plan and stick to it and I’ll stop selling myself short and offering discounts before people even ask because I’m too scared of them turning me down because of my prices.” But a few months goes by and I have nothing to show for it. My daughter is one and I feel like it flew by because I was too busy on the computer instead of sitting on the floor and enjoying my time with her. I hate myself for it, but I want to stop living paycheck to paycheck and I want to give them more. I rarely admit when I need help and I never ask for it but I’m putting myself out there and making myself vulnerable not just for me, but for my kids. I want them to have a mom, a real mom, that spends time with them and holds them and makes them feel loved when they need it. I want them to have their mom back. I don’t want to tell them , “Just a few more minutes.” anymore. I just need help.
I want to be proud of my work, and have my friends, family, and clients be proud of my work. I aspire to be the best that I can be as a photographer, business-woman, wife, and mother. As a long-standing admirer of your work, an opportunity like this would be a blessing beyond what I could imagine. As a mother of three young children trying to successfully run a small business and offer a service/product beyond my client’s expectations, it would be an opportunity not taken lightly, and a doorway to meet and exceed my dreams and hopes for my business, my family, and for myself. Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity!
Hey Heidi and crew! Winning this scholarship for the workshop would be the most amazing opportunity! All throughout school, for as long as I can remember, when we had to chose a career for “career day”, I always chose to be the photographer. But graduating high school, I never followed my dreams like I wish I had. It wasn’t until I became pregnant with my first son that I realized how could I ever tell him to chase his dreams if I hadn’t done the same? I set out to be able to capture all the moments I wanted to remember, the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly. But being a stay at home, I have to be completely self taught as it leaves it very difficult to afford the workshops that are actually worth investing in. I haven’t quite mastered the charging what I need to be to help bring in income instead of constantly pouring out money. (Thank goodness my husband is supportive every way he can be!) The hubs travels a lot for work and quite a bit of the time it is last minute when jobs come up. This makes it near impossible to be able to put down a hefty non-refundable deposit without knowing if I’ll actually be able to attend when the time comes. So for now, my best option is online. At least until my boys are older, which they are 3 and 9 months right now so it;ll be awhile but completely worth the sacrifice! Then last month, September 6th, we were hit with the tragic loss of our 6 year old nephew. As I was going through photos from the 5 years my husband and I have been together for Lincoln’s memorial services, I realized something that I had been blind to. I failed miserably and the one thing I started out to do. Capture all the important moments and well. I had been spending so much of my time trying to teach myself, scouring the internet and everywhere else snatching up all the learning I could, I missed out on countless hours with those most important. As a result, I have been trying to refocus. Find what I feel is to be the perfect class for me and save for it. I squealed with excitement when I found out you were going to be offering an online workshop! But, unfortunately, with how soon enrollment is there is no way possible for me to save in time. Either way I hope to take the course later down the road if you offer it again. I’ve already started saving!! I admire your work, especially the customization, as that is what I am striving to offer all my wonderful clients. Thank you so much for even the tiniest chance to win! It means more to all of us entering than I’m sure we could ever begin to put into words. Good luck to all those that have entered and I am sure they all truly deserve the opportunity!♥ Thank you and hope to learn from you sooner than later, Staci 🙂
Hiya I first want to say that I not only think your photography is amazing but you are too! I could go on but you catch my drift 🙂
I recently was asked what my crazy ridiculous dreams where if I could have anything( chic bonjour boot camp fabulous).
And one of my ridiculous crazy things was to mentor with you. Yep not to win the lottery or move to a bigger house on the beach because When I sat down I realized I really loved my life but what I didn’t love was how I ran my business. I’m not a new kid on the block I once had a fantastic business that fuelled my passion and paid the bills and then I had a couple of the most amazing fantastic kids and happily slowed my business to a crawl to spend as much time as I could.
But now they are both in school I feel I can finally put my all into my business again because no matter how many times I feel like I should quit the bottom line is this is my passion and this fuels my soul and without it I would be less. So I’m not gonna say pick me I’ve read the other blogs cried a little from the sad stories but here is what I will say I am gonna move heaven and earth to try to get into this course because after 7 yrs of being mom first I want this sooooo much.
I want to hold my head up and be proud of the photographer I am, the business I run and one day maybe I will get to pay it forward to the next generation.
Keep being amazing it inspires so many and is appreciated more than you will ever know! Nicole
Hi, I would love to win this. Looking at work is just amazing. You are so talented. I watch most, if not all videos. I try doing my own work, but with husband being military you get started on something and then it’s time to move somewhere else. I always loved taking pictures of everyone or anything. Something just catches my eye. But to capture a beautiful moment to make a memory last life time is speechless and I love it.
Winning a scholarship to your online workshop would be an incredible opportunity for many reasons. For me, personally, I am hopeful that having the opportunity to learn from you would reawaken my passion for photography and teach me how to be a better businesswoman. I believe your course would help me to let go of my fear of success and embrace the creative process. I would be thrilled to have the chance to be a part of this experience! 🙂
Hi Heidi!
Your work and success story is such an inspiration to me! You are so creative and your knowledge of the business end of photography is incredible! I just love watching your video posts and reading your blog. An opportunity to have one of the seats in your online workshop would be a dream come true. This past year I made the transition to full-time photographer after the birth of my daughter in July 2013. There are so many areas that I would love to grow in and I want to learn it all from you. Thank you for this opportunity Heidi!
Jamie
I would love to win this workshop, because I am in my second year of business and still have not taken a full workshop! I have done little courses here and there, but I really try to only invest what I make and my first year of business ended with a negative cash-flow and this year, I will be profitable, but not by much! This being year number two in business, I am also experiencing my busiest fall yet and am a little overwhelmed. I am sure it is just to get busier and busier as my business grows, so I want to be prepared on how to deal with that. I am expecting baby #2 and am terrified of how I’m going to juggle two under three and a growing business!! Thank you for the opoprtunity!
After 5 years in business (and my 5th crazy October) I’m determined to make a change! I don’t want to feel burnt-out or like I have to leave my family, friends and other interests behind to create a successful business. With your guidance during my slower season I would like to build a stronger brand, a better product line, a better client experience and create to my fullest potential. Every year come January 1st I’m determined to make these changes but have become so burnt out that I push it to the side just wanting to take a break! By the time I’m ready to get going and put pencil to paper, sessions are starting again and I just get too busy to work on the business side of things. Being in business just isn’t easy!
2015 is my year to make a change or to reevaluate what is most important. I LOVE photography, especially sweet little babies and their families, and can’t imagine my life without it.
Thank you for sharing so freely on your blog and FAQ Fridays! I can’t wait for for the opportunity to learn from you in January 🙂
I have opened a business, closed a business, swore off ever starting a business again … and now considering opening one once more. Are you confused? That makes two of us.
I started a photography business in the summer of 2010. I literally did my first shoot on my 40th birthday. And not 4 months later, I learned that my husband would be accepting a new job and our family would move out of state. So that covers the first two elements of my story: opening and business and closing one.
As you know, the decision to open a business is a major one and comes with a great deal of work even before you actually do your first shoot. And looking back now, I realize even then I did not do a quarter of what I probably should have done. But yet it was enough that having to close so soon after opening soured me to opening again right after we moved.
After the move, a deadly thing called doubt began to settle in my nerves. Facebook was now becoming such a force, and it hit me in both a good way and a bad way. I really dug into article after article that was now available to me through following pages. I joined a few forums. And I began to see how much more there was to running a business than the 4 months of running my own had originally provided me with.
Along with reading articles about running a business, I also began to immerse myself more into the art of photography itself. I checked out books from the library and read more articles and although I was not shooting sessions, I still shot my daughters and our lives together almost every day. I worked through developing a stronger eye, honing my editing skills and bringing a deeper element into my work.
And now I find myself hitting a crossroad. I believe my work to be strong enough to bring in clients. I have two daughters and a husband that shake their heads asking why I am not working with others. But I still have doubt when it comes to actually running a successful business. I do not want to jump back in without a solid business plan. I am looking for that last piece in the puzzle.
I would love to win this scholarship! I started my business 2 years ago in order to be a stay at home mom with my daughter (just like you!). Recently, I had to put my business on hold as I have 5 month old twins at home. I would like to be able to return to work and increase my business without losing time with my babies. This is my first time running a business and I feel like there is so much I can/need to learn to make my business successful. Also, I want to be able to spend more time with my family and not spending hours editing like I was before in my business. The online course is my only option because they are only 5 months old and I wouldn’t be able to be away from them for very long. Otherwise, I would have loved to be able to attend your in-person workshops.
Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity!
Hi Heidi and team! Oh what an honor it would be to win a scholarship to your online workshop! I have loved learning from you all that I can! This business has taken so much time from my family and my life that I need to start stepping back and putting ‘family’ first! I think your online workshop will be just what is needed to help do that. Every word you speak seems to make total sense and seems so logical! I love learning from you and can’t wait to take another workshop!!
Thanks for the FAQ friday’s! I love them!!
I would really love to win a scholarship for the online workshop.
I bought the business plan which I was working on putting into place when tragedy hit a few months ago and my husband became ill and suddenly passed away. Photography has been my passion always, but I have always worked a full time job and put photography on the back burner. When I met my husband he really encouraged me to start photography as a business rather then a hobby and I did. I want to have a business that will support me fully and that I love. I put photography on the back burner while I have been mourning, but I think that this will help me build what my husband and I wanted for our future.
I actually wanted to attend a live workshop in 2015, but with everything that happened, I don’t think I will be doing it and the online workshop would be great!
Hi Heidi, thank you for giving us an opportunity to learn, grow and gain confidence. My name is Atsuko, and here is my little story.
I’m from Japan and came to U.S. 22 years ago as a student. My original plan was to stay one year to study English and go back home.
For the summer term right before I was leaving for home, I wanted to take a class that I would enjoy instead of English or Chemistry…., so I took a photography class.
The photography class changed my plan – I ended up staying here another two years exploring photography classes. In addition to that, I got married and have been here since then.
Since my husband was DJ, we have started a Wedding DJ & Photography business right after the college …. And I hated it.
Being a foreigner with a poor English skill on top of a start-up photographer, I was very much intimidated directing a couple, leading groups… and it showed to my pictures.
Our business did not go well. We hit the bottom, lost everything – our business, belongings, home, and my love of photography.
After going through a bankruptcy and being homeless, we finally got back to our feet a few years ago.
We started working in a totally different industry though my passion to photography was still somewhere in my wounded heart.
Then the big earthquake and tsunami hit Japan three years ago and I felt hopelessness being here and not helping out my country’s disaster. This incident made me think what’s important in my life and what I can do to help people in my own way. So I finally picked up my camera and started photo sessions two years ago while I still work full time in an office. It’s been rewarding, yet difficult balancing my time – working full time during weekdays, photo shoot over weekend (and of course editing at weeknights). It’s almost like I don’t want to advertise myself because it’s going to be so busy as I’m available only weekends… I would like to be a full time photographer, but I’m afraid that I will go back to where I was and cannot support my family.
It would be wonderful if I could have your scholarship to learn strong skills, how to run business and much more to be confident enough to go to the next level – to be a full time photographer.
Thank you!
Thank you so much for this opportunity! Why would I love to win this workshop? So many reason flood my mind but the most prevalent would be that I have a heart for people and I was raised that whatever your hand finds to do…you do it with all your might and you dream big. I haven’t been in business year after year BUT I know this fell into my lap and I want it so serve other and bless them from the initial contact email to the final transaction.
I feel like my service needs help because I am just shooting and burning…I am making a profit but I want my clients to have artwork. I also, would love to have a smooth workflow so that I am not stressed but have a complete game plan. Basically, I would love to learn how to be a successful photographer…not in the sense of being famous but in the sense when I go to bed I know my customer was well served! Being more confident and fearless would make my photography story complete!
Again thank you!
I have been in business full-time for 5 years now and I am a mama to two wonderful kiddos. This scholarship would be amazing to me so that I can learn the skills needed to push my business to the next level and keep my precious family as number one! I would love the chance to win this scholarship to better myself and business. Thank you for the opportunity for allowing us to enter!
family comes first and letting business run this life is not ok. Thank you for what you are doing!!
As a single mom with a newly opened retail studio, one of the biggest reasons I work so much is fear. I’ve been in business almost 6 years, and have seen steady growth, but I’m ready to stop feeling the fear, and move forward with the knowledge that I’m running a productive, successful studio that can pay the bills and then some! I appreciate all the sharing you do within our community!
Happy Birthday Heidi! I would love love love to learn from you. I struggle with balancing the work/personal life no matter how much I try. I set my schedules and say I will not work pass school run etc. Well that lasts maybe a month and then back to working way more than I should. I feel that I need revise my pricing to balance it all. I have tried all different pricing structured that are “standard” for the industry but I find it so hard to implement it here while living overseas and serving the military community. It always feels like the recommended pricing doesn’t work for my community. I would love your help so I can make my business more successful. Thank you so much for the opportunity for allowing me to enter your giveaway!
I absolutely love everything about Heidi Hope and what she captures. Her art is unique and timeless. I feel that I still have so much room to grow and would absolutely love to learn from someone I admire so much. I never imagined that I would be where I am today, so I can only imagine how awesome life will be in the next 5 years. Winning this opportunity would be life changing and something I would be forever grateful for. Thank you so much for all that you do. XOXO Norma Mitchell
I want my business to grow and thrive! Okay, who doesn’t? I have become caregiver for my father who has a terminal illness. It’s a full-time job for not only me, but my little family as well. My husband and two little girls have supported me in caring for my father at home, AND they still support me as a business owner as well. My goal since quitting my full-time corporate job and staying home to care for the family is to build my business from point zero, all the way to thriving! I want to give back to my family by supporting them through photography – a spot in this workshop will give me the confidence to make the dream happen. If I can learn tips from Heidi to help streamline things, even a little bit, I will jump leaps and bounds forward and free up time and resources to give my family a little bit of a break by giving them more of me! I really appreciate the opportunity to have a chance at learning and growing in this forum – thank you!
I would love to learn more about time management, running a business, and would love the opportunity to win a seat to this workshop!
I’d love to learn how to love my photography business. I love capturing the unique beauty in each child and senior; I love spending time creating beautiful art images. But I am not pricing myself to make it worth my while; taking time away from my family. I got way too busy very early so I scaled back. But I know I am devoting way too much time in post processing.
I love your story, your focus, and your imagery.
I would love to learn from you.
What would an opportunity like this mean to me? Where do I begin?! This year, I opened up a retail studio in my small town. Business has been great. I can’t really complain. But, I’ve been pulling 60+ hours each week. And I am tired. I miss my kids, and my husband. But, I have to work this hard I order to bring home what I need to. Already, less than a year in and I am getting burnt out. It is hard work! I desperately need to change something and quick. I need to create a balance of work and family, and most importantly, I really need to make the same amount of money (or more). And what’s more, I need help implementing my new prices and marketing myself with my new prices. It would be like starting all over again. I have a lot to lose if I don’t do this correctly. I have a retail lease and bills and mouths to feed. I’m really praying I get this one so I can start working to live. Not the other way around! Thanks for the opportunity 🙂
I have made some major changes to my business over the past 2 years, but still have more to make for sure! I love learning and soaking up info from the leaders in the industry and then taking that advice and applying it to my business. It is always nice to know that I am not alone in feeling totally overwhelmed at this time of year with all of the sessions and editing piling up! But it would be even better to know that at this time next year my business can still be thriving while being able to enjoy my favorite time of year! Thank you for sharing your secrets to success with others, Heidi, and happy birthday!
Wow! There are so many wonderful entries…I am almost hesitant to even try – maybe Rafflecoptor will choose me.
I want to jump up and down shouting “ooooo…oooohhh….pick me, pick me” — envision a 2nd grader who can barely stay in her seat because she actually knows the answer and just knows that if she can get her hand higher and wiggly-er than everyone else the teacher is sure to pick her. (and I would do it too if it would help)
I have a huge business crush on you…ever since I was in school…your business and now your new studio space is exactly what I envisioned for my photography. 15 years and 4 kids later, I don’t feel any closer to my dreams. There are many things I learned in school and since school…but practical business sense was not among it. I feel stuck and kind of like you mentioned in the video, I have hesitated because I don’t want to start off and kinds of get into a muddle-y mess…With 4 young kids, I can’t afford to make poor choices. Unfortunately, that has left me paralyzed.
I originally started following you because of the eye candy…I love looking at pretty things. I have gotten so much more from you. I am encouraged. Excited. Hopeful.
I could only dream of participating in one of your workshops (though one of my best friends and I do daydream about meeting each other there – we live not only thousands of miles apart from each other, but also from you — Minnesota and Ohio). It would mean the world to me to win the scholarship, though I have no good reason why I am any more deserving than all the other entrants.
I want to thank you…in an industry that has always been so secretive and every one out for themselves…it is so refreshing to find you – so eager and willing to share with all the rest of us. Thank you!
I love taking pictures of people, but I have barely any training when it comes to the business side. I’ve worked with lots of commercial photographers over the years and most don’t want to share their expertise. I am beyond thrilled about your online class. Currently, I am a stay at home mom to twin boys that I adore and keep me incredibly busy. I would love to be inspired, encouraged and gain the knowledge I need to move forward into a new direction. Thank you for sharing all that you already have and for the chance to win a scholarship into your class.
I would really love to win this scholarship! I have been in business for 6 years now, and admittedly overbook myself every holiday season. Part of my issue is that i feel bad saying no AND I really need the income plus I 100% love my photography business.. I am a single mom who works 37 hours as a medical admin, then I do my sessions every other weekend, and I am finally finishing my business degree taking classes online. I have booked 11 sessions this month, and have done 9 last month. Each year I say the same-I won’t do as many, but then I get all these referrals from past clients, so it is hard to say no! I am working hard to get as many clients as I can so when my daughter leaves for college in 4 years, I can do this full time. This workshop, without a single doubt, would benefit my business and my sanity! Workshops are a god send but a huge expense for me with only one income. This would be the greatest gift I would ever receive 🙂
There are about a bazillion thoughts running through my head and why learning from you would immensely help my business. My backstory: I’ve always loved photography starting waaay back when I learned in the darkroom. Flash ahead several years, a BFA, MA, and eventually as an out of work art teacher, I started my photography business. (Much like you, I had dreams of teaching photography full time. However, once I realized that couldn’t happen, being able to run my business AND be at home with my family seemed perfect). It’s been a struggle learning how to properly run a business since my background was in teaching art, but I am getting there. Slowly but surely, it’s starting to happen. I’ve been in business 5 years and recently moved my studio into a downtown location and I would love to get that extra “oomph” to take it to the next level. Plus, being able to get my Octobers back would be a-ma-zing! I don’t want a “crazy busy season” and a “quasi-busy” the rest of the year. I want things to be even and level year-round, for my own sanity and my family’s. I want to work typical hours year-round, not crazy hours for a few months to help offset the rest of the year.
I’ve run my numbers so I know where I need to be. Each year I step towards getting them there and each time, it’s that fear in the back of my mind “what if my client base goes away” that keeps me from doing it all at once (and naturally, some clients do go away each time). However I know you’ve also been there and done that. I’d LOVE to learn how to set myself apart and how to market myself the way you did. AND to make it easy for my potential clients to see and understand that difference between me and the competition. I know this is something you do extremely well (because you’ve been in the same boat as me) and I would love to learn your tips and how-to’s. Looking at the workshop timeline I feel each day would be of benefit for me to help create my dream business.
I see so much of my story in yours and I would simply be honored to learn how you did it and are currently doing it. I think you’re the kick in my pants that I need to help my really take off! Thanks so much.
Hi Heidi,
I don’t have a heartbreaking story (luckily) like the other deserving people that entered but since you are giving away your time and talent to 3 people, I feel you should get something back. If you continue your path as a teacher (you should, you’re amazing) what better testament to your methods than a unique successful studio that has followed the blueprint you laid with amazing results?
I want to be the Heidi Hope poster child, the one who followed your plan and succeeded. The ultimate tribute to your vision and your brand.
What better way to inspire confidence in your students and show that it can be done, they too can have success? Thank you for all that you do and for being so generous with your talent 🙂
To win this scholarship means I would get a chance to learn. I want to learn from the best, who not only is amazing at photography but knows what it takes to run a business. This scholarship is an opportunity that could be handed to any photographer, who will learn and grow even more successful than they already are. For anyone you choose I know they will be grateful, I would be too. I want a chance to improve, I want to put the time a side, and really comprehend what it takes to continue to do what I love. I always say photography is a love more than a passion, because photography can not break your heart. Art can’t break your heart. Unlike things or people that may hurt us, with our photography we only grow and gain more strength in the field, which means our love is growing as well. I want this scholarship, I need this chance to grow. I know I already submitted a comment, but I figured another one will show you that I am very persistent person when it comes to opportunity and chances that could come my way. I don’t give up easily, so the more you see how much I want this scholarship the better. Like I said I am 22 years old, I am a beginner. I am learning. I am growing. I own my studio located in Smithfield, RI its small, but its my baby, its a start, and a start means that at least have begun. I am a designer, I see this visually and I am good at it. I am a photographer, and I need some help. I am asking you to consider me for this scholarship, but if not I know who ever receives it will be very thankful. It’s an amazing opportunity you are giving others, sharing your words and experience. Please check out my website at http://www.bmedeiros-beyou.com 🙂
Happy birthday, Heidi! I’m also an October baby and can completely understand this whole exhaustion and overwhelming feeling of busyness. In my head I keep telling myself to prioritize – I’m a wife, mother to 1, work outside the home 4 days/week, plus trying to grow my photography business. I’ve struggled developing pricing that would be attractive to my clients, yet covered my time and equipment & talent. I’d love to grow my business (and my husband would love that too) so I could quit my “secure” job and concentrate on my photography business. I’ve been praying about that, that God would show me exactly when the best time would be for that to happen. I know it’s a leap of faith, but it’s also a matter of common sense as to timing. I’d love to win a seat to hear your “story” – what you’ve learned – the good, the bad, and the ugly – and learn from YOU. Your work has been an inspiration to me and I appreciate your heart to help others, while continuing to grow your own business. THanks for a great giveaway!
I know its a little too late, but I send you a private message on facebook and didn’t get a response. So I’m just going to give it a shot anyways. I just came back from overseas 3 hours ago, and while i was waiting for my flight i started reading the comments here , and looks like everyone would be honored to win. I’m not better then anyones else here, and each one of us has a reason for why we think we deserve this opportunity. As for me I think it would be destiny or just meant to be. I think you will play a huge role in my photography journey, let me explain.
First time I saw your work was when i was looking for a newborn photographer when i was pregnant with my son. I started following you page and blog ever since and that was back in 2010. Unfortunately I never got to take newborn photos of my son, and thats when i decided I want to do it myself instead of hiring someone.
I remember when you wrote that blog post about how its important to take family photos because time flies , and you and your family did that amazing photoshoot with the video to document as well. I dont know if you remember, but I commented on your blog post , that i understand what you’re trying to say , and at that time I had lost my son in a car accident and never got a chance to take any professional family photos. I’m sure you remember me by now 🙂 after giving up on photography when my son died, your blog post opened my eyes. I didnt want to do the same mistake again, I wanted to start again and this time with my baby girl. After a while fate made us cross paths, I was your assistant for your chic critique workshop, and I was so happy to have talked to you and helped you with that class. fast forward a little more and my family and I were going to be your models for the cake smash session with chic retreat. that didn’t work out , but I know that one day our paths will cross again, and i will get my chance to meet you and the opportunity to learn from you. maybe this scholarship is mt chance, but if its not i’m sure one day it would be.
Hi Heidi!
I’m not sure if I am out of the running already or not- but I just got the email and it said to head over here for a Scholarship opportunity 🙂
I would feel so honored to win! I know everyone here feels that way, but I should tell you why I would feel that honored as well.
I am a mother of three children- in three years!! Yes- I know that is a bit crazy! 😉 But I love the quote that says “If you think my hands are full- you should see my heart” That is absolutely how I feel about my three gorgeous and loving children. I also have an incredibly loving husband who has gotten up with me at every night feeding to change and burp them! WOW. Husband Lottery! Our life is no-where near perfect- but I do believe in being grateful for the things I have been given.
You are the one photographer I admire the most! I do not say that lightly- I really mean that you are the one I am always drawn to- the pictures I am always clicking on, and then scrolling through the entire session. I would love to get to that point- that others are drawn to me and can’t help but go through the entire session- even when it isn’t their loved ones they are looking at!
I would love to win- because my children deserve a mother that loves them and spends quality time with them, but also, because my husband deserves a happy and fulfilled wife who is able to pursue her passion. Photography is my passion! He has been so gracious through all of my “trial and errors” of finding my passion. All the expenses, and then the giving them up because it wasn’t feeding my soul. Until a few years ago- when I worked a side job to afford a DSLR and all of a sudden- everything clicked (no pun intended) 😉 Seriously though- all of a sudden I was thriving, I was excited and loving what I did! I now know this is my passion. There is nothing else I would rather do. I love this- and I would be able to accomplish everything we had hoped for by winning this scholarship! I am in desperate need for a business makeover- with no idea where to start! I am also SO excited to see you in action- I will be able to learn SO much, and move to the next level in terms of my photography skills! This workshop is really everything I need right now!
Thank you so much for listening- and thank you so much for the opportunity to try for such a wonderful gift!
Cherise
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