Finding Purpose
As usual, the fall has been crazy busy with work and no time for much of anything but either preparing for it, or working. It's a fun but exhausting time of year for me, with the break from now until May greatly appreciated and anticipated.Along with the usual busyness of the season, I was asked to make a calendar of my photos for my community. Although I have all the tools and skills to design and layout my own calendar, I just didn't have time. My printer to the rescue. They had a template I could use with all the holidays marked and all I had to do was supply the photos. Yes!
I set up the parameters of the calendar page with a bleed and added my very large photo files and resized them within the bleed so the quality would be retained. When they sent me a proof, I uploaded it to the community page (it was protected so no one could download it), and asked for prepayment for the orders. I was blown away with the orders and had them all ready for my shows.
What I didn't expect was to have to print two more runs as many people either did not see the first one and I had numerous requests for more calendars. In fact, I'm still getting requests but have run out and will not be printing another run.
I'm thrilled with the success of the calendar and have been asked to print another one for next year, as well as do one for the resort area with funding from their tourism department. Yes! I can cope with that.
In fact, I have some ideas for some other things for next year, utilizing my photography. Never, in a million years, did I ever expect to be making money off something I enjoy so much. Due to the popularity of my calendar, I've also sold a number of prints of my photos to other provinces and even overseas. Gotta love that!
Now that my crazy schedule has slowed down, it's time to focus on getting my photos onto my own website, putting up a blog site that I've been wanting to do for some time, and figure out which logo to use as a watermark that I designed years ago.
For the first time in years, I also had time to make my own Christmas cards and was so happy to get into my art room to print them and use my calligraphy on the inside. I was in heaven! I haven't really used my art room since I moved and being in there was like being wrapped in a blanket of joy. Even better has been the pleasure the cards have brought to the recipients.
Onward with goals and plans for the new year, constantly improving my photography, enjoying the nature around me and giving other's an opportunity to see what I see. It's extremely satisfying when other's tell you that they've never noticed something you've taken a photo of, but because of you, they're more aware of their surroundings. Yes!
A rainy day today, and a good one to move furniture around between my office and art room to make room for the hide-a-bed. You never know, after a year and a half, I may even hang some of my paintings. Oh yeah, that reminds me, I have to get some photos together for my display in January at another photo finishing place.
I remember feeling like this when I was in university for graphic design - incredibly happy at being immersed in art, in many of it's forms. This is what I am meant to do.
Comments (6)
Keep up the good work, I think you are going a long ways on your creativity. Not many can say their passion supports them but I believe you are one that can.
Thank you so much! I'm constantly surprised by the number of people that request copies of my photos, but also exceedingly pleased. Of course, there's still lots to learn, but I'm enjoying every second of it and my time off from my other business!