Today I have a few tips for working when you’re away from home.
Now some people may not call what I do “work” but that’s how I view it. More and more I find myself referring to what I do as work, as in “I have work to do”.
Just because I love it, and it’s my passion, and I’m not earning a living from it, does not make it any less important (to me.) Or any less work for that matter. I get up every day knowing I either have to style photos, take photos, edit photos, write blog posts, or all of the above.
And more and more I’m doing sponsored posts. Not huge sponsored posts, but important sponsored posts, and when I accept a collaboration from a company, I want to do my best.
Hard work pays off. I recently was paid for an image I took a few years ago … paid quite a bit actually, and to say I was dumbfounded would be an understatement.
My point is: show up, do the work, let it go, and you just never know what wonderful things may happen.
I could not have known when I took the photo of the trees on the lake that morning, just how much it would match this one I took whilst in Arizona ;) too fun!
We travel a lot (it seems) and if I used that as an excuse I would have had to quit “my job” a long time ago. So how do I manage it?
Tips For Working When Away From Home
- Prepare as much as possible before you leave home. One weekend I went into overdrive, doing all my house and yard work. I made a list of everything I wanted to finish up before we left and methodically crossed off tasks as I finished them. But that’s not the best part. The best part is that it left the following Monday and Tuesday wide open for me to get a few still life images under my belt. Images that carried me through the first week we were away. It’s all I did from the moment I got up, until around 5:00pm when the light was fading, and so was I.
- I work strictly on a laptop. My lifestyle has dictated that. Edit photos while on the road. In airports, on planes. Know your camera, your editing programs, and how to work with Lightroom Mobile. You see? it’s work, it’s preparation. (ps … I have a large screen at home and one here in Arizona.)
- We have a condo here in Arizona so I’ve been able to collect a few props and backgrounds. Nothing too large, spectacular, or expensive. I’ve gathered props from local craft shows, thrift stores and garage sales. That makes it easy to give them away when I’m done with them. I simply donate them back.
- Make it a priority. If making and taking still life images is important to you, make sure your significant others know it and respect it. Set a time that you know works best for you, and claim that time. Make no apologies.
- OK. So set a time, but also set a time limit. I can’t be doing this all day. It would be unfair, and I don’t want to.
- When I travel by car, I often carry this wood photography background, it’s been a lifesaver. I actually have three! One stays at our home on the lake, one is my travelling background, and I have one here in Arizona!
Alrighty then, my time is up. We’re heading out for the day … the beautiful desert awaits.
Love these tips. It’s all about organizing yourself properly and keeping track of how much you can actually accomplish. It’s one thing to be able to work away from home, but a totally different thing to overstress yourself and just end up exhausted. That being said, I must say I love your photos!
Thank you so much!
Barb, I may just adopt you
as my new guru : ) Seriously,
I so appreciate your wisdom.
My “job” used to be writing
3-4 posts a week on my blog,
including my own photos, both
of which required massive
amounts of editing. Like you,
this was not a paying gig, but
a time consuming passion!
Although I have done a few
sponsored posts (if they tied
into a non-profit that would
benefit) I made the decision
to stop those a few years ago.
And, I now only blog about
one to two times a month.
I want to re-craft a bunch of
my older posts into some sort
of book project…..Plus, I have
several children’s books waiting
for me to finish. Your ideas on
taking “my work” on the road
are really invaluable.
Your photos, writing and ENERGY
are an inspiration — thank you!
xo Suzanne
Hi Suzanne, thank you! I’m always thrilled when you stop by and leave your lovely comments! Yes, it’s a lot of hard work blogging (coming up with content, taking photos, and writing.) I really can’t explain what drives me, but it must be that I’m passionate about it. And I just know if you redrafted some of your older posts into a book it would be ah.ma.zing!! You should do it ;)