2024 has been an unexpectedly busy year for me as an equine photographer. In large part this is due to the light schedule I had anticipated as I came back to work from a very part-time schedule. I anticipated it would take a lot more time to rebuild my schedule than it did.
Since 2022, I have been acting as a caregiver to my grandmother who suffers from late-stage dementia. Being a caregiver took away a lot of available time I had to schedule and build back my business which has been hurting since the Covid shutdowns and then the insane inflation. However, caring for my grandmother was the right thing to do given I had the ability and flexibility to do so.
This year things changed as her health and decline became so severe it was time to bring in specialized help or place her with professionals more able to provide the care I no longer could. In doing so that opened my schedule wide up and then something truly wonderful happened and a long-time favorite indoor arena re-opened with new owners.
Grizzle Ridge Arena re-opening was promising because as an indoor arena, I would no longer face cancellations from weather— unless roads to the arena become impassable that is. Its opening was a great sign and I loved that I was able to make their very first show of the season.
I never expected the number of shows they have managed to host this very first season and that I have been able to attend. I went from thinking it was going to be a slow process to building back to busier than I have been in years and privileged enough to photograph great horsemen and women who have been kind enough to support me through the years as well.
Because of all of this 2024 was unexpectedly fantastic and has allowed me to start planning newer, bigger goals for 2025. Some of these goals have been swirling around my head for a while I just didn’t have the time to bring them into reality or properly research how to make them happen.
Goal #1
After taking on a contract to create a stud ad and getting back to researching equine advertisement and design/ photography, I started to remember why I love what I do and have worked so hard to gain the skills I have. Skills that I have been approached about many, many times over to teach and pass on to those wanting to learn.
It’s such a common request that I have for years been trying to figure out how to make it happen. The stars are aligning now however as my website host offers a way to do this, there is tech that will easily enable me to create things like tutorials, and I have the website traffic to make the added expense worth taking on for a trial run.
So starting sometime in 2025, I plan to offer a members-only area on my website where I will have video tutorials on things like making a flyer, designing using Photoshop, photography tutorials, and whatever else clients are looking to learn.
Goal #2
My second major goal for 2025 is monetizing this blog. I love you dear readers and no I do not want to inundate you with ads or clickbait however I have been running this blog for a little over 8 years and I feel like it is time for it to give back and be a financially more helpful member of my business.
Now I do not know how or what this is going to look like and I have started the research. This change will not come until I upgrade the website and bring in the member areas. So it is not going to be a change you see come January 1st, it could be six months in or later or sooner.
So keep your fingers crossed and wish me luck as I try to take on these two connected goals for next year. Rumors say it will be a busier year photographically than this year, so I am hoping I have the time in my slow period to bring these goals to life.