Somewhere along the way - there became a very predictable career path for the mommy photographer-
Step 1- Get DSLR
Step 2- take pictures of kids
Step 3- have all of the friends you take pictures of for free tell you your amazing and should do this for money (these people never actually pay you)
Step 4- enter the rat race unprepared as a technical, artistic, or emotional photographer, leaving yourself susceptible to comparison.
Step 5- seek approval through trivial status certifications and online features (that did not pay you and do not give you clients that pay you)
Step 6- use superficial status symbol to FINALLY make a little bit of money through teaching
Step 7- get way over your head and realize your children you used to take pictures of are more-or-less props in your life that you've used to make a name for yourself and now it doesn't matter because the photography community has moved on to the next Mommy and Me pair who are actually a little bit more talented as a technical, artistic, or emotional photographers because they've learned from your mistakes.
And then said mommy-tog mysteriously disappears never to be seen again (or, let's be real, is now just in the hottest new MLM)
I know this because I, more or less, was trapped in this path.
I even played a small part in creating the mold.
But I am doing all I can to re-calibrate and fine tune the way in which I work. Not only to properly support my family, but to influence the other women in our community.
You are more than an "ABC Pro" or "contributor."
Your children are more than place holders in a "featured" image.
Your success can be defined by your ability to be what your family needs from you as a mom, wife and artist- NOT what a predictable career path has set before you.
Be on the lookout for more on
"Mother Loving Self-Care" on Unraveled Academy
and a special project with a few other women who have seen the results of this predictable path, that's going to feed your mama soul.