This year...

As the year comes to a close I always find my self reflecting on everything accomplished this year. I also put some focus on the items that just did not come to fruition, and try to evaluate them to see what can be done to ensure there successful completion in the upcoming year.

So with that topic in mind for today's blog entry.

2010...

Crazy busy!

That is the best way I can describe, it was year two of full time Melissa McClain Photography, we more then dubbed our bookings from the previous year!!!

MMP was a blast this year, we got to work with so many wonderful clients, we also got to meet and work with and build relationships with some truly gifted and outstanding vendors in the central PA area. Its hard to believe that three years have gone by since my loving wife and I sat down after the holidays and decided to start a photography studio based on a set of guiding principles that are not reflected in the corporate world much today.

The Team...

Who would have thought that in year two, we would be looking at associates. All of our apprentices, training associates and associates have been wonderful, and we would not have been able to get where we are with out you.

I feel that a special thank you must go out to Scott Bostjancic. Shortly after Scott started shooting with us I had a feeling that we had something special happening. His relationship with MMP grew very quickly and extremely organically. I still recall a conversation between Scott and Melissa where he announced that he was not sure if he wanted to shoot weddings. After two years, wow, can Scott shoot weddings!

Early this year Scott graciously accepted the official title of "Lead Training Associate", or I think we called it something like that, but the title dose not truly tell all that he dose for us. Scott is as an intricate part of MMP as Melissa and I are, and with out his involvement, enthusiasm, energy, and technical adaptation we would not be where we are today. He is the craft beer of MMP, the slightly off-center component that keeps us all centered. Scott also took on the "other duties to be assigned" role training the associates and apprentices. He is a sounding board and brain storming partner for all the seeming technical and business challenges we encounter together, all the while he is consistently a producer of some of the finest images I have seen.

Scott also plays the every important job of running the occasional interference between Melissa and myself. Working with my wife is nothing short of a dream come true, and I feel truly blessed I get to share every day with her. There are those very rare times when I just want to.................... and then there is Scott. For that, I personally thank you, with out you we would not be on the path that we are. I speak for both Melissa and myself when I say that we look forward to our joint futures together.

I believe a special thank you must also be made to all of our family's and loved ones. With the busy lives that we all lead, family time is a precious and valuable thing, allowing us to steal away that time to peruse our dreams is a truly amazing thing.. (Even when you beg us to get them out of the house for a Saturday)

Our Clients...

I can't say enough about our clients, aside from the fact that we think of you all more as friends. Getting to spend these precious times with you and your family's this year has been truly magical. I find it strangely un-nerving how emotionally attached I can sometimes get to my work, this year I have laughed and cried with my clients. From rings being dropped, the jokes told, bridesmaids passing out, first and last dances with grandfathers, to bride and groom gitters a like I have truly enjoyed them all. Working with all of you has made this year a truly wonderful experience.

The should ofs and could ofs...

There we a few of them this year, we learned so much, developed our photographic styles so much this year that it still amazes me to look back and see the development. Of course there were mistakes made this year, shots that we took time in setting up that never really turned out. Now that I sit back and think about them, I am very glad that they all happened. They were so intricate in our learning process, each mistake and brick wall that we floundered into caused an explosion of ideas and growth. While hind site is 2020, I would not give up those experiences with the gift of foreknowledge.

Personally...

During all of this, on a personal level we got out from under a very nice but WAY to expensive townhouse, and into our own home, and added an addition to our little clan in the form of a fourth pet, and sort0f well behaved, very funny, and sometimes supper lovie Beagle/Jack Russel Terrie named Kooper.

A conversation...

A photographer just starting out contracted me via social media and asked what I thought was the most important thing they needed to know in order to start a successful photography studio. My reply was "Forget sleep".

While my reply was to be witty, I don't think I can answer that question for anyone except us. I know what we needed to do in order to start a studio, but I think that is different for each person, for each creative and shooting style. What works for us, would fail if turned in a Starbucks franchise format.

On the horizon...

We have so many things planned for next year I sometimes have a hard time keeping it all straight. There is everything from new gear, to new techniques, a new web page design that has to happen. We are expanding our market share again next year, as well as bringing on some new vendors for products and services. We are also looking to launch this blog into its full learning and development potential for photography education. Its is going to be an extremely exciting and busy year.

Closing...

I would like to wrap today with a simple and heartfelt thank you to Melissa. I could wax and wane lyricaly about how much I love and appreciate you and all the things you do. But I feel that nothing better explains it all better then.

Thank you and I love you.

As this years wedding season draws to a close, and preparations begin for next year, I can only think of one thing.

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more
Let your shutters fly, and flashes sparkle
F-stop set and exposures calculated
Master, slaves dialed in and ready
Batteries charged, channels checked
Brides and Grooms, flower girls and fathers await for us,
They wait for us, anticipation on their minds of our creative eye
Trust and faith has been placed in us to capture the moment in their minds eye
Create the images, dazzle the mind
Show them the light of your trained eye,
Tell the story, tell the emotion, capture the detail
Let them dace, and let them smile
For one chance we have dear friends,
One chance, one chance alone to capture it all
2011 wedding season is coming, and she will be here soon!