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I was at my cousin’s bridal shower yesterday and another cousin’s daughter who is 14 asked me what it’s like to be a photographer.

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It’s hard to explain.

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A lot of the time I feel like a business owner more than a photographer. Most days I feel like a professional fire-putter-outer or an email-answerer. A lot of the time my head hurts from trying to figure out social media or the best way to market and when it comes to taxes/insurance/business-stuff I want to run from the room screaming.

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But when my sweet cousin asks me that question the first thing that comes to my mind and out of my mouth is how amazing it is to be able to capture and show others exactly how I see the world.

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To be able to capture the sweet innocence of a new baby or the joy of a family or the spunkiness of a two year old.

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It’s even amazing to capture a tiny 1lb baby in the NICU fighting for her life. Or all the ones I’ve captured over the years that lost that fight.

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I told her, my cousin, that my job is incredible because I get paid to document life. I mean seriously. What a huge freaking honor that is. To capture my own life and yours.

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There are a lot of times I hate being a business owner but that simple fact is never lost on me.

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Forever, this family will have these images to remember what their brand new son looked like just a week after he entered the world.

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It’s incredible.

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No matter what you do for a living – find that. The part that’s incredible.

Happy Monday friends.