On The Eve of the Test

This weekend and next are my first two big photography business tests: a vendor site at a local fall community event and a grand opening of a cafe that will display and sell my photographs!

Looking back over my blog, it is unclear how I got here. I have made deliberate steps, but it still seems like luck. Suddenly, a friend was opening a new cafe, and as I encouraged her to take the leap, my confidence for her rubbed off on me. I offered my art as display and now I am poring over images and searching the web for information that will help me create a package that her customers will enjoy. As I geared up for the reality of a potential pay-gig, I got a Facebook invite to a first-ever event in the town where I work. When my mom invited me, she probably meant for me to go as a visitor, but then an announcement came for free vendor spaces. What did I have to lose? I emailed for more information and then, amazingly, continued to follow up and am going to attend, no matter what!

I have set goals for myself for both events. At Harvest and Hops in Danielson, my main goal is to start a conversation about photography. I have visited many a photography display, and though it does not come naturally to me as an introvert, I don't remember ever feeling compelled by the display or the artist to really have a discussion. I learn when I ask questions about and discuss photography, so that is my goal. I am also hoping to bring together a decent-looking display - you know, photography being visual and all. I have borrowed a canopy (that took all of a six minute wait after posting a request on FB) and a generator to run lights and a slide show on my laptop. I have pumpkins on lend and am waiting to hear about mums. I know my photos are good, but I don't know how much they might be worth to strangers, so I will try it and find out.

At the cafe, it will be my goal to listen closely to what patrons say about the cafe, which is in the original grocery store building, and what they say about the town. Last week, when I was there taking photos of the cafe and the surrounding scenery, a man stopped in. While the owners, Jessica and Ross Dapsis, were lumbering a refrigerator down the stairs from the second-floor apartment, I got to hear wonderful stories of his childhood, Hebron, and what he remembers about the room we were standing in. What a treat! I'm hoping that my photos will help draw customers to my friends' cafe, and for that to happen, I need to learn as much as I can about them.

I am now going to cross my fingers: in about two weeks, I should have some idea as to whether my friends - and my mom - are just being nice!

Treat Me Right

What do I need to do in order to succeed with finally starting a new, small, photography business? I'm going to try this.

I'm going to coach myself like I would my adult education students. If I even thought to myself, at work, "You are such a loser for quitting school years ago - why are you bothering to show up today?" I would very quickly have no more students. They would be able to smell that a mile away and they would scatter. I am not going to do that to myself anymore. I am going to remind myself of all my students who somehow managed to graduate despite barriers that I probably will never have to encounter. My main barrier is simply a lack of confidence, not the homelessness, hunger, domestic violence, etc., that my students have to deal with every day.

I am going to begin writing something about photography as often as I can - every day if possible, but if I don't do it every day that's ok. Also, this afternoon I am attending a workshop where I will get a free Metrix license. Metrix is an online learning system with nearly 7000 courses related to business, IT, and even some photo stuff. Again, I have had a Metrix license at least twice before and never took advantage of it - maybe because I just needed to call and get one, because of where I work. Today I am attending the workshop like a regular person to pay my dues and today I am going to choose my first three courses, the first of which I am going to start tomorrow.

Also tomorrow, I am going to write about my Metrix workshop and the courses I will take. For now, it's off to chores, a Home Depot run, and then shopping for my daughter's graduation!