Have you ever been so focused on your artform that once you are done with it…..you realize you are all alone?

One of my favorite photographers I go to for inspiration is Zack Arias. He is a commercial and music photographer and has really resonated with me when I was let go of my job. While watching one of his lectures on Creative Live about photography and family – it hit me.

As photographers, we are constantly chasing the photo. Our job is to make sure that we have amazing images no matter what; which can mean taking photos until midnight or editing on photoshop with 2 hours of sleep. But we don’t care because at the end of the day we get the job done…until we realize the other imporant things that we are falling behind on. Our friends and family!

In the land of the creative and wanting to make a career in photography, when is finding the photo too much? Do we lose ourselves in our craft? Are we selfish that we want to postone having children or starting a family because we need to focus on our photography?

This is the one task that all creatives struggle with: the balance. How to balance art, family, friends, personal time. Some photographers I know are full time mothers that not only have deadlines for clients, but they have children to take care of. It can be super tough. And there millions of blog posts about “here is the right way to balance” when in reality…there really isn’t a right way because we’re all different.

For me, the one thing that helps put things in perspective is knowing that my family understands what I’m doing. That I’m an artist and this is how I make my income. Once they understand, things become a little easier…but it doesn’t stop there. We human being spend time and money on the things that we VALUE. I value my family so I try to find ways in managing my time, make sure that I have things organized and that I’m able to plan out the day which I will admit takes a while for me to do because I am one of those messing creatives haha!

But once I realize that my camera is getting in the way of what is important to me, my family, I take some time off and re-evaluate everything.

So if you are stressing out about how can you find your own balance, the real secret figuring out what you VALUE. Once you figure out what is most important to you it will be easier to try and manage your time and find your own balance. It’s all about trial and error. There are days where I don’t have it right but I know that at the end of the day I am still trying. And so should you!

Til next time,