If you are starting out in photography you will find yourself in uncharted territory on where to spend your hard (HARD) earned money. The list of things you need to start a photography business is overwhelming. You need a web domain, you need a website, you need the camera body, a few lenses, light equipment, bags to hold the gear, editing software, memory cards, flash drives, online galleries, business cards, etc etc. The list seems never ending.  I spent around $15,000 in gear alone in the first 2 years of my business. (*Note: this is not an unusual amount of money for professional photography gear. It is expensive all around.)

Even with the frustrations of equipment, I would still urge the starting photographer to invest in EDUCATION. You may feel like you cant afford to invest in yourself and your skills, but to be honest, you can’t afford NOT to! Any photographer will learn quickly that in order to grow, you need a stellar product.

Make it a goal to invest in your education. Find a photographer that you look up to, find a mentor and see if they offer workshops or mentoring sessions. Take time to learn the skills you need to run a business. I have taken workshops with some of my favorite photographers weather they have been in Utah or across the country. The right workshop is  worth EVERY PENNY!

This year as I was looking into what workshop I wanted to attend, I started to notice a group called the #akcrew. Abbey Kyhl, the face behind that AK Crew and Abbey Kyhl Photography, has spent years developing a successful wedding photography business in Utah. She has created a efficient work flow so she can deliver a superb and consistent wedding experience to 50 brides every year.  The goals that she had were the same goals that I wanted to incorporate into my own brand and give a better experience to my brides. Not only is Abbey a great photographer, but she is a great business woman.  Her knowledge and experience is something I wanted.

Abbey’s Evolving Workshop was a motivating, encouraging, and empowering 2 day workshop. There was no topic that went unturned. Abbey dove into the passion of photography, but making sure you treat it as a job. I love how Abbey is a huge proponent of maintaining a work/life balance. She has three little kids at home and those kids only stay little during a few short years! She doesn’t live to work, she works so she can spend time with her family and making meaningful memories with those she care about.  The systems she has in place that allow her to be efficient and maximize her time with her loved ones.

There was so a lot of learning, a lot of laughing, and even some crying (good crying over some sentimental stories). We shot a beautiful styled shoot with some of the best vendors in Utah. It was classic, beautiful and elegant.

You will see a lot of the Evolving workshop attendees writing blog posts today about our exciting weekend. We wanted to help Abbey build up a lot of attention towards her site for a very specific reason. Abbey has recently launched her new website and AK Crew website. She is using this new drive and attention to give back to a close bride to help raise some much needed funds that will go towards infertility treatment. Abbey has a huge heart and I admire her for her hard work and generosity. You can find and read more about it on her own blog HERE!

Abbey, I cannot thank you again. You are a motivation and an inspiration.

Credits:
Venue | Thanksgiving Point
Sationary | Jacki Miller Photo & Design 
Hair and Makeup | Alex Crabtree Hair and Makeup
Cakes | Sugar Patch Cakes 

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