WEDDINGS
TRAVEL
TIPS & TRICKS
PROPOSALS
PRINTS
PERSONAL
NEWBORNS
MATERNITY
HEADSHOTS
GRADUATION
FAMILIES
ENGAGEMENTS
COUPLES
BROWSE ALL CATEGORIES
read the post
how to include dogs at photo shoots
read the post
how to prepare for engagement photos
read the post
why hire a wedding coordinator
read the post
A+B's gibson island club wedding
read the post
V+A's tranquility farm wedding
TOP POSTS
SEARCH THE BLOG
MORE ABOUT ME
Proud pup mom, type A creative, lover of the outdoors, Top Chef fan girl, and wedding and portrait photographer. Welcome to the blog!
HI, I'M RACHEL!
welcome!
micro WEDDINGS
elopements
You may be wondering what the heck I’m doing posting on a Friday. I never do that. Well I’ll tell you what the heck I’m doing! I’m starting something fresh – a new blog series! Woot woot! I’ve had this passion project swirling around my head and on my heart in one way or another for some time, and it finally manifested itself as a blog series (though I don’t know what I’m calling it yet…). I’m excited to give you a peek into a whole different side of my life, share some struggles, some fun, and hopefully offer a lot of inspiration along the way.
So what’s this ‘something fresh’ thing going to be about? And why am I choosing to use my photography business’s blog page to share it? To answer those questions in kind of a fun / scary (for me, not for you) way, I’m going to take a page out of my favorite podcaster, Jess Lively’s, book and share some things I’ve been afraid to tell you. (You guys, my heart just started beating faster as I’m writing this. My chest is tight and I have butterflies in my stomach.)
The creative world and the world of photography (at least my world of photography – people photography, not commercial or fashion photography) tends to be very religion forward. I’ll be specific: Christianity forward. And to be honest, I’ve felt a little lost amongst that community, not knowing how I fit in there. I love the uplifting messages people share in the name of their Christian faith on social media and in everyday conversations and at the same time it has me feeling a little left out. And on my worst days, like I’m not doing something right because I am not on the same page, both in regards to those specific beliefs and in the sharing openly about that kind of thing. I wonder if I’m missing out on clients who want to relate in that way. If to be a successful photographer and business owner I need to share the same kind of sentiments on social media or within my business.
This has zero to do with what other people are doing and has 100% to do with something I’m working through. Those people are doing what is right for them and I need to do what’s right for me. And I’ve finally decided that the best way to move through those feelings is to be honest and open about what I believe, have faith in, and what inspires me to take action and move throughout my day. What has propelled me on a journey that is still unfolding. And that’s what I want to start sharing about in this blog series.
I’m actually not trying to make this about religion – I swear! haha That’s just honestly where these feelings of unease and inauthenticity started, at least with regards to my business. I have felt a little inauthentic because I don’t share these awesome things I’ve lived and am learning because I thought that if it didn’t fit into the Christian or overall religious conversation, it wouldn’t be received well. To know me as a photographer should mean knowing my journey. I am an artist, after all, and part of the art is the artist’s personal evolution. You can’t separate the two.
My hope is that moving forward, this something fresh project can be an inclusive space. And I whole heartedly believe what I share here will resonate in some way with everyone.
Whew! OK that was a lot of sharing. I’m going to keep you on pins and needles for one more week to find out exactly what the heck I’m talking about! I will say that my intention for this something fresh series is to be inspiring, real, and FUN!! This post was a little heavy but moving forward the posts will be a lot more fun 🙂
So speaking of inspiration and fun, to end this post, I’m sharing some of my photos from my recent trip to Cali, where I was a privileged guest on a trip to the La Terranea Resort south of L.A., courtesy of Craftmark Homes. The owner generously treated his entire company to four days away and I was lucky enough to tag along, for which I am super appreciative. We went whale watching, on scenic walks, took a day trip to Catalina Island, and ate a LOT of food! haha And of course, I took photos of it all. I’ll share more in my post next week!
HELLO@RACHELEHPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
Get updates, tips and tricks, and specials to your inbox!
Subscribe here
Back to Top
Rachel is a wedding and portrait photographer
Serving brilliant, elegant couples in Washington D.C. + Beyond
Copyright 2022 Rachel E.H. Photography | Website by Alex Collier Design
she / her
[…] Friday! In my last Friday post (here) I explained how I’m going to be sharing something new, something fresh. I’ve been […]