Miranda Batchelder Photography

Okay, so I’m about to stand up on my soap box and try to politely say a few things…

I just read a status that was a direct jab at me {and another photographer friend of mine} AND our Christianity for not replying to a message asking if I could help them with their newly started photography business and settings on her camera.

First off, I just want to say, I understand that EVERY photographer had a start, EVERY photographer had help in some way or another, I completely get it.

I started 9 years ago, in high school, shooting sporting events for the local newspaper, borrowing the editors camera, and constantly learning from him {Thanks Rich!}. Then, 3 years later, my amazing husband bought me a camera, and it was time to take things a bit further. So I started shooting things for friends and family, slowly getting my name out there, and about a year later started charging {enough to basically pay for gas…lol} and scheduling “sessions”. I shot my first wedding with one of my amazing friends {Love you Liz!}, it was also her first wedding, we made $75, shot all day, had a TON of images to go through, enjoyed EVERY minute, and our awesome bride was thrilled:) At that time things were simple yet frustrating, figuring out my shooting style, figuring out my camera, figuring out photoshop, figuring out how to be an adult, figuring out how to be a wife, figuring out how make mashed potatoes…so much excitement:)

Well, it’s 9 years later, 5 ½ years after I had a camera that was actually mine, but I DO NOT forget my start! I promise I get it.

But I just want to put into words what things are like NOW…:) And maybe try to speak up for {or just slightly entertain} some of the other photographers out there who deal with the same things…and believe me, I know you do! And also try to explain why I don’t always get to my personal facebook messages {like ever}, or why I don’t email people back who aren’t booking a session, or why I sometimes fall off the face of the planet for a week at a time…

I still LOVE photography, in case you couldn’t tell, more so than I did then, because, well, I know now how it works…it’s really a love hate relationship…lol…sounds horrible, it isn’t {and it is}… It’s amazing to be able to create works of art that are OF people FOR people, and know {hope} it’s going to make it onto their wall!But it also comes with some stress…there is MUCH more to do once the session or wedding is done…backing up, sorting, processing, emails, messages, more emails, more messages.

May-October I have very little time to do much of anything…and when I do have time I just want to spend it with Matt and Mieneke, going to lunch or spending a couple of days camping.

If I’m doing something other than editing, the fact that I should be editing is always in my mind…and while I’m editing the fact that I should be spending time with Mieneke and Matt is there too…

I always have discs that should have gone out yesterday…

An example week with one wedding and 4 sessions means around 3500+ images to sort through around 500 to edit on top of the 20 hours or so you spent scheduling, prepping equipment, driving, and shooting.

I usually get to emails and messages once or twice a week and it usually takes me 3 or more hours to finish responding to clients wanting to schedule a session or getting session info…the rest are lucky if I get to them within a couple of months…my personal FB messages are almost NEVER answered…just ask my friends who try…

I have actual anxiety when I hear my email tone on my phone…or when I post a picture of Mieneke, actually feeling bad that I’m taking some time to go through our own images…

I broke down and bawled for about an hour a couple of weeks ago…why? I don’t know…my pizza rolls probably were in the oven for 10 minutes instead of the exact 9 it takes to cook them but NOT burst…well, they probably burst…I’m guessing…and my lack of sleep sends me into food fits like that…

I now wear glasses…last wedding season my eyes would start yelling at me when I would sit down at the computer…they still twitch on a regular basis…

I’ve gained 6 lbs since May and will probably not fit my jeans this fall.

I’m married to a Cop. {Wives, you get this.} Court. Nights. Non-existant holidays. Heavy weeks. Court. More Court. Annoying Court.

Our lives are planned around sessions and weddings.

My day is planned around when I can be at the computer and edit. When I need to leave for a session.

I hire a babysitter. While I’m at home.

It’s 1:55am right now.

I’m NOT trying to complain…I know I’m TRULY BLESSED, I LOVE what I do, and I understand other people’s lives are MUCH more hectic than mine….that other photographers take on WAY more sessions, WAY more weddings, have much more invloved workflows, have more than one child. I’m just trying to explain why I don’t take the time to answer every email, every message, from every person wanting help with their photography business or camera. I get AT LEAST one email or message a week, and while that might not seem like much to someone else, it is to me and my family. I’ve actually been trying to come up with a Mentoring Price List, but I have yet to even complete that or decide if that’s something that I’d like to take on.

The other part about this relating to me being a Christian…please oh please do not use that to make me, or anyone else for that matter, feel guilty about not helping everyone who needs help. It is already SO HARD to feel like an “adequate christian”, to feel like I have a steady walk with the Lord, to TRY to be in church on Sunday morning, to minister to those around me, to trust God with EVERY aspect of my life…to add to it the comments or judgments from someone else JUST as human as I am, over things that they think I should or should not be doing is mentally crushing.

Well, I’ve just let my fingers ramble on with typing, mostly to make myself feel better, but also to shed a little light on how ANYONE’s hectic life can sometimes be misunderstood. And also, if you’re new to photography, please don’t be offended by a more established photographer not jumping to answer all of your questions or simply not answering any. A lot of the knowledge they have has taken them years to acquire, creates their style, and consumes their time. They are running a business, being an artist, and TRYING to set themselves apart. At the same time, DON’T GIVE UP! Understand that you don’t become a professional overnight. A Canon Rebel is not a business in a box. BUT with time and drive you’ll get there! All of us started somewhere {and some of us with a Canon Rebel}!