Writing a blog has been a real evolution for me. Mainly I suppose because the blog is multpurpose:

1) It is a way for clients and prospective clients to get a glimpse of the type of person I am (as well as for past clients to keep in touch).
2) It's the main way in which I showcase my recent photographic work
3) It serves as a way for me to show family and friends back home what I'm up to in New Zealand.
4) It's become a bit of a diary for me - I quite like the fact that I can look back at my old work, and life!

To that extent, it's taken me a while to become comfortable with what I will share on the blog, and how honest I can be with my voice and opinions. When I started off I felt like I ought to sound like an "Fun, fresh professional photographer", whatever one of those is. It didn't sound like me. Some of the best blog advice I've received is to be YOURSELF. I love blogs where people share the nitty gritty of their existence.

Over the years I've slowly become more honest, but it's still a struggle to post certain things. When Elmer was born I worried that people might not want to book me if they thought I was too caught up in my new baby (silly hormones!). As he grew, I worried that if I blogged about Elmer hardly EVER sleeping well, they might think I was too tired to do my job properly.

I worry that my life isn't glamourous enough, that our living conditions are very basic, that photographs of me taken before midday are way too scary to post (that's probably never going to happen)..... Basically that I wouldn't match the idea people have in their heads of the type of photographer they'd like to book.

Recently I've received a few lovely emails from people about my blog, my work and my working mother status (!) Kind words and comments that have really put my mind at ease and make me feel good about sharing my work and life in all it's glory on the blog.

Here is Elmer, today... shortly after he had a major crisis moment over a box of cotton buds that wouldn't shut properly..