Today is the first day of 2019, so it’s time to look back at the last 12 months. This year everything changed for me: my school life became harder, my home life became difficult, and my business life became my everything. DMVPortraits has taken me places I never thought I’d go, has given me people I now couldn’t live without, and has given me confidence I never knew I needed. Every minute of work I put into my business was actually put into myself, and looking back I am so proud.

This time last year I wrote A Year in Review & A Year in Promise. I talked about everything I had accomplished in 2017 all the goals I had for 2018. In 2017, I started my online photographer education, launched my website, and jumped into the wedding business with 3 weddings in my first season. My goals for 2018 were attainable and so hopefully laid out, but I only got to some of them. I’m ok with that.

My first goal was to never stop learning. I can say with confidence that I’ve done that. I continued my online education, but refined it into specific subjects that I wanted to improve on, instead of just learning what everyone else was learning. I hoped to attend a workshop this year, and I happily attended two that gave me experiences I will never forget.

I hoped to finish big projects this year, but in their progression I’ve realized I wanted to do so much more than them. I started my style guides, wedding guide, and blog posts, but upon their completion I knew I wasn’t done with them yet.

My last goal was to do more for myself. I wanted to be more active in the photographic community, but as life goes, I didn’t fully accomplish this goal as I had hoped. I met a few photographers in my area, but didn’t connect with as many as I wish. I also wanted to do more self portrait sessions, but I didn’t. I wanted to print my work, but I only manage to print some 11x14s for my print portfolio, which was put into my desk.

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This year, I thought about my goals carefully. I crafted them to what I really want out of my business, something I’ve been struggling with this year. In the wake of a lot of changes in my life, equally negative and positive, I’ve realized that I don’t want to just be a photographer. I want to be someone who creates an experience and makes memories as beautiful as they are remembered. I want my business to feel natural and I want it to be a full part of me. I want clients to feel like they are booking ME, not my camera. My goals aren’t easy. They aren’t a checklist that can be checked off in the first month. They will take time, work, heart and soul, and I am completely happy with that.

I hope I never stop learning. My life and future is education, and I hope that I finish all the learning I started. I hope I begin teaching and offering my help to those around me. I hope I actually write all the blog posts I want to, and I hope they are as helpful as I want them to be.

I hope my business becomes me. I hope my website reflects my experience, not my photos. I hope my client experience becomes an unforgettable one, and I hope it leaves them feeling happy and satisfied. I hope my social media reflects my life and my interactions with the people who I photograph, and I hope I can portray their happiness and their love. I hope I take pictures with all my clients.

I hope 2019 becomes the year that my business becomes me.