November 26, 2008
Shameless bragging below. You’ve been warned.
I’m accidentally awake about an hour before I have to be. It’s not enough time to fall back asleep but not really enough time to start working on anything else before I have to start writing for the afternoon. So I thought I’d aprovechar and write a little blog post.
No, I haven’t fallen off the face of the planet. It’s just that I’ve had a TON of photography-related business to take care of in these past couple days. 1 wedding + 3 boudoir sessions + 2 family sessions next weekend = an insane amount of photo editing for Kyle to do before she leaves on her trip to the U.S. Every day these are things on my to-do list.
Edit ____ photo session
Meet with client
Write stories for: Holidash, Stylelist, I’m Not Obsessed, Green Daily and sometimes TONIC.
Do my online work for my dad’s company
Run almost every day as part of my training plan for the half-marathon I’m doing in April (I’m in week 5)
See husband
Have social life (try to leave the house every once in a while)
Walk Papito
Update JMCS
So that means something’s gotta give. In this case, social life and updating JMCS were the first things to fall by the wayside. Then “See husband,” went out the door. Seriously. We live together, yet two days have gone by in which he’s arrived home while I was at the gym and was asleep by the time I got back so we haven’t even exchanged a single word, except via telephone.
While I do feel bad that I haven’t been updating as regularly, in this case I don’t have much of a choice. There just aren’t enough hours in the day. Some people critiqued me on the survey saying, “Please don’t disappear for a week at a time, I hate when you do that!” To those people, I respond, “Haven’t you ever heard of real life?” It gets in the way of online every now and again.
Anything photography related will always be a priority to me. Making my clients happy comes first because this is MY business and nobody is responsible for the success or failures except me. Yes, S. is a key player and second shoots for me frequently, plus he was the one who taught me how to use a camera and all that jazz. But, ultimately since I am the one who deals with the client, I am the one responsible for their satisfaction.
Writing blogs and getting recognition as a writer is nice. I enjoy when my posts are featured on AOL’s welcome screen. I like when I see that what I write gets lots of comments. But, it’s not the same as running my own business.
With my photography business, because I’m so freaking competitive, every time someone books a session with me I feel like:
I WIN
While I know this isn’t necessarily true, each time a client chooses me, I think of it as a smackdown on every other photographer in Chile. 
I like to win.
Yesterday I handed over photos to a client for her boudoir session. I had been working round the clock to get them done. When she came over and saw them her reaction was, “OH MY GOD, I look like a model!!!!!!!!” She was SO excited. Then that in turn makes me so happy and proud and I WANT TO EXPLODE. I’m doing my job well. That’s like winning and scoring the tie-breaker goal.
If you’d have asked me a year ago whether or not I thought that a person could run a profitable wedding photography business in Chile I would have told you no. But, somehow, everything has been slowly falling into place. I’ve been working steadily since last May and right now during the busy season, summer here, I have more work than I can handle. I actually had to turn two dates for weddings down because I was already booked.
That’s why Kyle Hepp Photography goes at the top of the priority list. Because I’m proud of this thing I’ve built up from nothing to what could actually be considered a reasonable Chilean monthly salary. I’m proud that I am mostly self taught in photography and that through my own hard work and dedication to the craft over the past four years, I can continue to see improvement in my work even on a month to month basis. People hire me because of my own merit and the way I see behind the camera, not because of a degree.
More and more I am convinced that this is what I am going to do with my life. If I can make it work in Chile, I can make it work anywhere.
So if I don’t blog much for the next two weeks, that’s why. Check the photography blog to see what I’ve been doing (although I still can’t post the boudoir sessions because their men haven’t even seen the photos yet!).
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- If you don't try and keep up, you just sound like yourself, which should sound like the moment. ~Grace Jones.
- I have no competition and no rivals. Everybody's got their own pace, their own trip. I don't try to keep up. ~Grace Jones, cont'd.
- @inosherry, I can't say I am very wizzardy but I can certainly try!
- 4am and I'm not tired. But 7:30am is going to come quick. At least I got lots of editing done!
- @markdubya, it might be 2010 but we're definitely still in Michigan. Speaking of. I'm here. Let's hang!
- Planning a baby shower for my future sister in law. This is definitely NOT my forte.
I remember when I first found your blog and you were talking about how hard it was to find photography work and now a year and half later or however long it’s been, look at you! It’s amazing how successful your business has become. I showed my husband your work and he was impressed. I told him he should try to do the same thing here… he works freelance as a photographer but more for publicity type stuff which it is easy to get clients for since he works at a video production company. He used to say he hated wedding photography but I showed him your pics and now he is saying he wants to do wedding photography
Comment by kumichan83 — November 26, 2008 @ 8:08 am
Kyle, I am so proud of you! We miss your entries but you should devote all the time you need to your business. Like you said, it’s yours, and you deserve success because of all the hard work you do. You have natural talents, and you’re right, that’s all that matters, not an expensive degree. Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could eventually make your own studio and slowly phase out the blogging?
Anyway, congrats, I miss you but I’m so excited for you! If I don’t get to talk to you before you leave… have an amazing trip to the U.S. and great holidays!
Comment by Amanda — November 26, 2008 @ 10:20 am
I think everything about your photography is awesome: the fact that you’ve taught yourself how to take and edit a good picture, the fact that you’ve followed your passion and of course the fact that you’re making a name for yourself and making money! Even if it does mean not seeing your husband for a couple days – although I really hope you get to see him tonight, he’s a pretty cool guy, and I think he likes you a lot
Comment by Emily — November 26, 2008 @ 11:54 am
You’re doing a great job and you should be proud. I’m proud to point out your photography blog and brag about you to other people too.
Off topic, you’ve also been tagged, but it’s no sweat if you’re too busy or need a while to post.
Comment by Ordinary Girl — November 26, 2008 @ 12:06 pm
I think you deserve a few bragging rights! I sure wish I had your competitiveness in me because I think it can be a good driver for success. Alas, I am content to just do laps on an even playing field.
Comment by Ritamae — November 27, 2008 @ 8:59 am
YAY KYLE! If you can make me look like a model I will pay you lots and lots of money. Brag away!
Comment by nyGRINGAinCHILE — November 27, 2008 @ 9:41 am
Hey Kyle, I found your blog(s) from Katina (studied abroad in Chile with her and was a bridesmaid at her wedding), and your photography is stunning. Way to go making a business for yourself – keep it up girl!
And thanks for the add to your reader
Petunia
Comment by Petunia — November 28, 2008 @ 3:24 am
nice blog..
visit mine:
http://www.youknowster.com/jokes/view/386-you-know-youre-a-chilehead-if
Comment by priya — November 30, 2008 @ 10:30 am