Picture this! Our first year as creAAtive photography
Wow. One year in business. It’s certainly been a challenge, and we wouldn’t change a thing (okay, maybe just one or two things, but we’ll get to that).
Starting CREAATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY was a leap into the unknown, but looking back, we can proudly say we’ve made it through year one with our passion intact, our creativity flowing, and our cameras still in one piece (mostly).
The Good Stuff: Why We Love What We Do
This past year has been filled with incredible opportunities, and some of the highlights include:
The Variety of Clients & Industries, one of the best things about being in this business is the sheer range of people and industries we’ve worked with. From artwork to food shoots, product photography to live events, no two days are the same, and that keeps things exciting.
Flexibility & Work-Life Balance, Sure, some days we’re editing until 2 AM, but on others, we can take an afternoon off just because we feel like it. Having the power to set our own schedule has been life-changing.
Being Our Own Boss, No one to answer to, no office politics, and no awkward small talk. Just us, our creativity, and a to-do list that somehow keeps growing.
Creative Freedom, we started this business because we love photography. The ability to shoot what we love, experiment with new ideas, and bring our creative vision to life is why we do this.
Meeting Amazing People, from fellow creatives to inspiring business owners, this job has introduced us to so many incredible people. We’ve learned, laughed, and built connections that make all the hard work worth it.
The Pub Business Meetings, let’s be honest: some of our best business decisions (and probably our worst) have been made over a pint. Nothing says “serious strategy session” like a notepad covered in cider rings...
The Tough Bits: Keeping the Dream Alive
Of course, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. The biggest challenge? Keeping things financially stable while growing the business. We’ve taken on side jobs here and there to make sure the dream stays alive, while it’s not ideal, we know it’s just part of the process.
Also, our name. Oh, our name. “CREAATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY” has caused more confusion than we ever expected. The double ‘A’ was meant to be memorable, but it turns out it’s also very easy to misspell. We’ve literally lost work because people couldn’t find us online. After many months of brainstorming sessions and advice from friends and family, we’ve made a decison. The AA lives on! We are Arch and Ash and together we are what makes creative, CreAAtive. It’s more than just a name, it’s a reflection of who we are, our partnership, and the passion we bring to evey project. Safe to say, we’re making a bigger push this year to make sure everyone knows it’s CreAAtive with TWO A’s.
Lessons We’ve Learned
Running a business is a crash course in… well, everything. Here are some key takeaways from year one:
We’re learning as we go, from accounting to marketing, we’ve had to figure out the business side of things on the fly. Turns out, being great at photography isn’t the only thing you need to run a successful photography business. Who knew?
Tech moves fast, and we have to keep up! New cameras, editing software, social media trends, staying ahead of the game is a full-time job in itself.
Enjoy the quiet times, when work slows down, it’s easy to panic. But we’ve learned to embrace these moments, use them for creative projects, and trust that the next wave of work is just around the corner.
Looking Ahead: Goals for Year Two
Push the CREAATIVE brand more, we’ll be making sure people know about the double ‘A’ and why it matters!
Network & meet more people, building relationships is key, and we want to keep growing our connections in the creative industry.
Work with more like-minded creatives, we love collaborating with people who are passionate about what they do, and we want to continue surrounding ourselves with that energy.
Keep enjoying the ride, whether we’re swamped with work or waiting for the next big gig, we want to keep appreciating every part of the journey.
Living the Dream
This is our dream, and we are really enjoying the process. The ups, the downs, the unexpected challenges, and the small victories, it all makes this journey worth it. We’ve come so far in a year, and we know this is just the beginning.
To everyone who has supported us, worked with us, or simply cheered us on, thank you. We can’t wait to see where year two takes us.
And if you ever need some CREAATIVE photography, you know where to find us (just remember the extra ‘A’).
