It’s here!  That time of year, where a LOT of people get engaged (or not, but a new chapter of some kind is still ahead) and plans for the new year begin to unfold.  If you’re shopping for a photographer (or if you’re a photographer, hoping to attract new clients), you’re probably wondering why the heck core values matter and why they’re important when it comes to photography. 

Whether you’re recently engaged, looking for a photographer for your wedding, elopement or boudoir session; or if you’re an entrepreneur looking at the future of your photography business—being able to define your core values is critical to ensuring you get the most out of your experiences.

Earlier this year, I made a list of my top five core values (freedom, helping others, self-care, relationships, and growth) and I started checking in with myself to take note of whether my core values were being honored and how.  Defining my values has not only made it easier to focus on my goals and what’s important to me as an individual, but it’s also significantly improved the way I show up for people in my business. 

Why is this important?  I’ll tell you! 

When you know what your values are, everything becomes easier from choosing your photographer and other vendors to setting boundaries and taking space for yourself when you need to regroup.  For photographers like myself, it’s helped to ensure that I do what’s necessary to provide the best service possible to clients who understand and appreciate the experience they receive from me as their photographer.  (And sometimes people herder, haha!)

By narrowing down my top five core values, I’ve been able to be more intentional with everything I do and I want to help you do the same.  Whether you’re planning your wedding or working on growing your business, you deserve to have what you need to make the experience feel easier and more authentic to who you are.

For those of you who are looking to hire a photographer, I encourage you to think about the things that are important to you and compare them to what you see across photographer’s websites and social media accounts.  Ask yourself if you could imagine hanging out with them and feeling comfortable enough to be yourself.  If the answer is ‘no’ then move on and don’t let yourself get too hung up on how much you like their photos or if they’re “affordable.”  The reality is that if you don’t vibe with your photographer, chances are high that it will come through in your photos and you’ll end up wishing you had chosen someone who you connected with better instead.

The relationship between clients and photographers is an important one, because the moments being documented are often intimate milestones. Figuring out if you share similar or complementary values can be really helpful in determining if you should work together.  If certain things are important to you, but not to your photographer or vice versa, then that’s definitely something to pay attention to.  And it’s okay if you decide that someone isn’t your cup of tea.  Not everyone is going to vibe with one another.  In fact, I know that not everyone is into my vibes, and that’s okay.  When people choose not to work with me, it means that I’m clear enough on my values that the people I do get to work with will feel comfortable enough to be themselves and truly enjoy their experience; since they very likely know we have values that align or complement one another.  And THAT is what matters most, which is why defining your core values is so important.

Do you want to learn more about what it’s like to work with me and how combining our values help guide the photography experiences we create together? Send me a note and let’s chat!