This is the second “behind the scenes” blog post I’ve put together and I’m jazzed to share it with you! The first was all about what I learned/how I prepared for my first bridal expo (you can read about it here). It’s not often that I get to share not only what I’m working on when I’m not shooting weddings, but where I’m doing that work. Today I’ll give you a tour of my home office + tell you what I enjoy most about it. You’ll get to see everything, from the photos hanging on the walls, to the succulents on my desk.
I don’t know about you, but I’m always excited to visit a friend or family member’s workspace. Up until the moment I see their desk I find myself imagining it. How they’ve decorated it, where they store their office supplies, and how far they are from their coworkers. Our workspace is where so much of our lives takes place, so it’s completely natural to be curious about where our loved ones do their work.
Because we spend so much time in a workspace, I firmly believe that it should be a space that inspires us and optimizes productivity. I’ve had the pleasure of having an office in several states (first Ohio, then Indiana, and now Kansas). In each one I’ve worked hard to make every office cozy and motivational.
My current office, the one I’ll be showing you today, is my favorite by far! It’s the space that I’ve used to step into my full-time job as a wedding photographer. It’s one where I’ve edited, watched video courses, and overhauled my website. Here I’ve created digital ads, written blog posts/email newsletters, and connected over the phone with couples. It’s where I’ve taken a deep dive, headfirst, into work I love and was made for. Needless to say, I loooove this space.
WHY I LOVE MY OFFICE
IT HAS BUCKETS OF NATURAL LIGHT
There are large windows on two of the four walls, and it keeps the office bright for the full workday. Even on cloudy days, the light gray walls and white trim keep the room bright (which is good, because I turn into Eyeore when the weather is gloomy).
IT MAKES FOCUSING EASY
From the lath and plaster walls that block 90% of background noise, to the list of 2020 goals adjacent to my desk, this is a space where I can easily dig in and GET WORK DONE. My desk also has lots of room to accommodate my various planners and daily checklists. The hope is to purchase a standing desk and small treadmill so that I can be active while I work. After all, us photographers have to find a way to offset all the time we spend sitting while editing!
IT INSPIRES ME
From the, “you got this” print on my shelf, to the succulent my husband propagated + planted on my desk, there are lots of sweet elements that personalize this workspace. I love having a variety of personal and professional reminders of how far God’s taken me. My college diploma is housed here, along with some of my favorite photos with family + close friends. Oh, and there are at least seven candles in here at any given time (someone has to ensure that Bath and Body Works stays in business ).
IT REMINDS ME OF MY JOURNEY
It’s really easy for me as a future-focused achiever to get caught up in where I want to go and fail to reflect on where I started. After all, it was only eight years ago that I first began dreaming about being a full-time photographer, and now I’m 25 and living it! There are lots of sweet reminders of this journey sprinkled throughout my office– from the newly rebranded, shiny, silver foil business cards on my desk to the 27” iMac. Establishing (and reestablishing) my brand didn’t happen overnight. Upgrading from my college laptop to a $3,500 computer took time. It’s been quite the journey, and I’m proud of it.
IT’S CLOSE TO MY FAMILY
It’s close to my family. I’m saving my favorite point for last because this is my all-time favorite aspect of working from home: I get to be close to my boys all day! In February my husband took a job that’s propelling his career in the direction we’ve hoped + prayed for. He’s now working for a great company as a Power BI Consultant. Outside of getting to see my husband be 800% more fulfilled by work, my favorite part of his new job is that we both get to work from home together while pouring our time and talents into work that we’re crazy passionate about. This also means that I get spontaneous snuggles from our golden doodle, Opie. ZERO COMPLAINTS HERE.
Needless to say, this office is a huge blessing! I love that I get to do work I’m passionate about in a space that I 100% enjoy. And the fact that I get to smooch my husband sporadically throughout the workday isn’t a bad deal either!
