INSIDER SECRETS with Heather at HM Photography and Design

Are you interested in being a photographer? How about hiring a top recommended photographer. In this episode we'll be spending some time with Heather at HM Photography and Designing. You'll learn about what it takes to be a photographer, how and when to hire a photographer, and get to know Heather a little bit more.

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Transcript

Cathy: 0:01

Welcome to insider secrets. In today's episode, we'll be talking with Heather at hm photography and design coming up next. Hey, Heather, we're so excited to have you on rent and resolve insider secrets. How are you doing today?

Heather: 0:32

I'm good. Thank you, buddy.

Cathy: 0:35

The reason why I'm so excited to have you Heather is a lot of people in the industry that have been watching this know that I DJ before. I'm a quote, retired DJ, and I had the pleasure of working a couple weddings with you, man, I have seen you in action girl, I don't even know when you took the picture. I don't know what happened is like one minute she's there. And I'm like, Did you get that on camera. And then later, I go and look at the photos and they're freaking awesome. So I'm probably one of your number one fans like ooh, so anyway, so that's how I know Heather and Heather. Also, the one thing that I really like about you and this is why I wanted to have you on as well is that you're also a designer, so when you have the design mind in with photography, and it just makes a phenomenal, phenomenal combination. I really believe that what I want to do is I want to get to know you a little bit better. So I want to know what made you want to start your business.

Heather: 1:37

So this is gonna be kind of long, so bear with me. So I always loved photography. It started out like from my grandpa he had like a 35 film Minolta camera so you know it wasn't like the digital days now where you can see how your lighting looks and what the photo looks like and hope to god it's not blurry and he would shoot so many things and it was so cool just to see that when passed to me that when he passed away it was given to me and so I started shooting film which was cool but it's very tedious it's it's hard like it I don't know how to explain it like you just you kind of like you have to like shooting prey but you know i i still have two roles to get to either I have to develop them or find a place I don't even know if they do that anymore. So I'm obviously in the digital world about eight years ago I just started you know shooting with a Canon point and shoot camera so like this big and it was all about like nature photography, since I'm not from Texas because you can clearly hear this accent guys don't make me say like, beg or anything that you can hear. It's bad. But this is what I'm from Wisconsin, you know, we would always go up north go camping and stuff and that's where I get a lot of my nature photography and scenery and stuff like that. Just trees, the legs, stuff like that. I want a few contests up there. So that was pretty cool. Even though I was just like a beginner is that how everyone starts is nature is that like, you know nature and people know keep going. Yeah, I want to say how some start? Yeah, no, some just jump right into it. And after that I got my very first like DSLR camera and I thought it was so cool was like a Canon Rebel. T three iron is something I thought it was just like the best in the world. And when I use it today, I gave it to my dad, it's like, slow as heck. So I'm like, oh, what I was thinking about, but you know, I still continue to shoot photography and stuff like that. As I grew, I grew up. I learned more about on camera. I went to workshops, I looked on online tutorials I use google it is your best friend I promise you you can find free stuff on there. I took photography classes because I had to for my graphic design degree then you know after college and after all this I was like you know what, I kind of want to start maybe photography and you know families and stuff. But when you start out You can't just start charging people because your work is probably crap. I mean, it's like your your work is not going to be amazing. I mean unless I don't know, I don't know. And, and one word of advice that I will say to everybody, it does not matter what kind of camera you have, you can have a $5,000 camera, you can have $1,000 camera on it, it does not matter, it's, it's, it's the eye, it's the person behind the camera, and how they know how to work the camera and know the settings, know the scenery, know what they're working with to get that perfect picture. So don't go out and buy that $5,000 new mirrorless camera because everybody's using it, it, it might not help you or be beneficial. But anyways, now I'm just not I'm just rambling. But um, so when I started photographing people, I knew I wanted to start a business. Because I started getting so many compliments and stuff, which was really cool. You know, I had to do a lot of shoots for free, because I had to see I had to figure out my style, I had to figure out lighting situations, I pretty much know all these places to go in Texas. So if you don't know what part to go to pretty much tell you, you know, this didn't start overnight. Like I said, it was a process this, this at least took a couple years to do. One night in August, about five years ago, I think so I think I've been married for six, don't tell my husband that I was talking to my husband about my passion for photography. And like I said, it's funny, because I went to school for graphic design, I have a bachelor's degree in graphic design and information technology. So I'm a huge computer nerd gaming, anything like that. So it's just kind of weird that I have this passion for photography. But you know, I have the eyes for it. And I and I absolutely love with I never want to put my camera down, it's, it's kind of like, it's soothing to me, you know, I can be having a really bad day. And then I have to go and do a shoot. And I feel better. You know, the next day, if that's not the next day, I feel better in the next hour or the next couple hours or something, even if it's a really stressful wedding, I will keep on the whole time. But you know, I was talking to my husband about it. And I was like, You know what, I think I want to start my own website and a lot of websites, obviously, these days charge a lot. And my husband and at the time, it was really expensive. We were on a really tight budget, we were planning a wedding, and we just build a house. So that was a real good idea. Um, you know, I kind of threw this Adam out of nowhere, kind of like when I said, Hey, you want to get married. He had a credit card that he almost pretty much maxed out. And he had $150 left on it. And I didn't know where he handed me his credit card. And he said, he said, Go run with your dream. And he said, go build that website that you want. I mean, I'm almost tearing up because, yeah, baby hormones still from nine months ago, you know, it was, it was really cool that he he was really passionate and showed how much I want to I wanted to do this app. From there, you know, I began to grow. So I built the website, you have to build social media, so you can use that marketing out. So I have a Facebook page, I built the Instagram page. And then after, you know, I was comfortable getting into my style of shooting and I was confident that, you know, people liked my work, I knew it was time to actually start on business, register my business and be legal. We like to collect money, you know, to be a legal professional photographer, you have to have a license. So remember that you can't just get away with it because there's consequences, you know, you have to start paying taxes and all that. So that's real fun. Um, so that's that's how I started my business is really long.

Cathy: 9:25

No, that was good, though. So you It's pretty cool. Because as a photographer, I can see that kind of like, you know, I remember when I started building websites, I did a couple for free and then I did one for a friend and then she started getting leads and she's like, you need to do this forever for everybody. And then it was like so I relate to that a lot. Let's go with a website. Who was your first legit customer the one that you said, Oh my god, I just got paid. Was it a referral? Was it a friend? Was it

Heather: 9:55

on your website? Um, actually, it wasn't it was from this Other sites that I use that I'm not gonna use them anymore because they just money. But at the time, it really helped me grow. And it gave me a lot of clients. And this was a family that came in from California who reached out to me and was like, I really liked your work, but we have a certain thing we want to do. And I was really afraid, because I was like, Oh my gosh, I don't think I can nail this shoot at all. They're paying me I was really nervous. You know, because I only practice on, you know, families, my husband, my dog. Like that anything that could be cool. And then all of a sudden, they liked my work so much that they left me a great review on just about everything. So on Google business, on Facebook,on wedding sites on other weddings, besides all of that, you know, and then that's when I started, like I said, I really found my style of photography. And when I look back on my old hard drives, and let me tell you, I have about seven. Yeah, but that's insane. And it's still growing, I have to go buy another hard drive in like a week. And all I can say is wow, I've really changed now. I've changed over the years since now. But I mean, I was charging dirt cheap. And I was overshooting you know, because I thought that's what people wanted. But, you know, I was kind of digging myself more into the ground. And but you know, you live and you learn and grow. from a marketing perspective, we know that technology. And I know that graphic design all that changes, you know, daily, I'm in a lot of Facebook groups that post workshops and stuff. But you know, there's a lot of different photographers that come up with these cool new ideas and stuff like that. So I can bounce off of that. I don't copy people, I don't like to use Pinterest, I like to come up with my new, like, my new ideas and stuff like that. So um, I usually get the most from Facebook, I get a lot of referrals from Facebook, and then I get a lot of referrals from word of mouth. And of course, you know, Everywhere I go, that I can put my business cards because I like 2000 then i have i put those everywhere, you know, awesome. You never know. I mean, I say I'm a I'm a wedding photographer mainly, but you know, I do. newborns I family. Just just about everything. It's just my main focus is wedding photography, because I've always had a passion for the wedding industry, which is really weird. And I don't know why. But

Cathy: 12:52

yeah, kind of addicting. I mean, I know I'm missing it a little bit, but not much. Because I get to hang out with people like you now. Yeah, so I do have a question. So what makes people want to do business with you.

Heather: 13:06

So I hear that I'm very personable, and I have a great personality. And that's just because I learn, you know, I just show my true colors, I show who I am, I can make them laugh. But I also you know, I just show my work, show what I can do, you know, show them why they shouldn't go with the $500 photographer that they wanted to go with and why they should, you know, go with me and, you know, I just I work with them. And I'm a very unique designer, I'm a very unique photographer. I mean, I've been told I've been, you know, like out of the box, you can say my, my graphic design is totally out of the box. I mean, if people saw my portfolio, they're like, Whoa, but you know, I have a different vision. And I have different creativity than people. Like I said, I'm always, I mean, my cameras in my hand, almost like 24. Seven, even at work. So I'm always coming up with ideas. Yeah, and

Cathy: 14:12

you know, just to interject here for on your behalf is that just a couple of weddings that I know of, and the photos and the brides and the couples, and you're really good at taking really good pictures of people who don't really want to be photographed, but want to get it done. And you can just get in and get it done and keep that wedding timeline going. And so I have to attest to that. That's awesome, because I've worked some weddings where photographers An hour later and you're like, Are we going to eat because they're still taking pictures, you know, and it's just a skill. I think that I don't know, I don't know how you develop that but it's it's a good one. And then you got the people that are like want to be center of attention and be like, take a picture of me and then you do like 50 million sets but somehow you get them on the timeline and you still keep it going. Is there a secret to that?

Heather: 15:00

Is there. So I tell my brides in advance, I tell them to give me a you know, if they're working with a coordinator that they should give me, you know, the timeline or something, show me a timeline, you know, show me how much time I have for things. So I can plan that out if I need, like, this past weekend I had, this family was huge, and they needed all of these photos. You know, so I had to, you know, try and find the times you know, I in it, sadly, I had to like, push back some stuff, but they were cool about it. But if I get a timeline, usually I can ahead of time, I can tell them, okay, this will work. But, you know, maybe this won't work. So the secret is, try and get a timeline as soon as you can, and then talk with your bride. If you think it'll be a problem. If you think that, you know, maybe the couple's session should be changed to maybe like 4pm instead of 2pm. Because you don't want their faces blasted out or something like that. So that is one of my biggest secrets is get a timeline because that's how I stay on schedule. Otherwise, I'm just, it's kind of like in that. I've just done so many weddings that I just know how it goes. It's usually bride getting ready and getting ready to do the details ceremony. I mean, I could do this in your sleep. Yeah, it's like a hamster on the wheel. Pretty much. You know,

Cathy: 16:32

if you're gonna say something to and that was a little off is a good thing to ask you. to other wedding pros that work weddings with you? Do you feel like they work with you on the timeline? Do you feel like it's important if it's a planner, or if it's a DJ, I know like every wedding is different. Like sometimes the DJ is running the show. Sometimes the planners running the show, sometimes the venue's running the show, if you feel like these professionals are working with you, so that way you can capture those shots.

Heather: 17:01

Typically, because I like to speak to the vendors before, you know, I'll get to the I'll get to the venue maybe like 15 minutes before because I know those those vendors could be on, they could be scheduled differently than I am, you know, they could be on a different day, it could be contracted for like eight hours. And I'm only contracted for five. So, you know, I like to get together. And I like to talk to everybody and make sure that we're all on the same page. Because when you think about it, or they're, we're all there for one thing we're taking pictures of so not taking pictures I am. But you know, we're all doing something for somebody big day. And these these women have been dreaming about this day, you know, maybe like three years old trying on their mom's wedding dress, you know, this is their big day. And we all have to work together, we can't email one person do this one person do that. It gets it gets complicated, not so much with like DJs. And the coordinators, because they're pretty easy to work with, especially the DJs, you can just bounce off of them. But it gets pretty hard with videographers because they kind of have their own thing. You have to watch out where they're placing their stuff. So I always try to get with them first and be like, Hey, this is where I'm going to be this is where I usually am and I try to work with them. So we don't have

Cathy: 18:29

bad news and stuff like that. If I'm a bride or I'm thinking about getting married on what's the most common question? Oh, I see it. What is it? The most frequent question I get is how much? How much do I how much do I cost? And can I see the wedding package? And when I'm away on Facebook, I have my way message you know, like AOL Instant Messenger rest and basically, um, you know, it goes straight to my investment page, and people just start aren't reading that. So that is the main question that I always get asked. And then I always get asked, do you charge an arm and a leg? Oh, I do not. Because By the way, Heather is sponsoring our arm and a leg session.

Heather: 19:22

Yes. The arm. Yeah. So you know, I looked it up and I broke it down, you know, and one arm and one leg $250,000 so if I was charging you an arm and a leg, I think I would have to work. Like I'd have to in many weddings. Maybe I have to be free and I could be like a billionaire. Yeah. So that's, you know, the common question I get and then you know if they are in they're not they think they're not in budget. You know, I can kind of work with them. I can I can give them wiggle room. You know, sometimes, I think Throw, you know, a discount at them because they really like my work, you know, and I'll get compliments like that. And they're just like, wow, we really need to go with you and stuff. But um, one thing I will say to potential brides is, you know, when you're asking, oh, I, you know, I'm looking for a photographer, that's great. But you need to put your budget down, you need to tell how many hours you want, because you can get 200 300 replies on Facebook. And these people can be way over your budget, and you're finding somebody like myself who's like, in the middle of the ballpark of kind of expensive, because I know what I'm worth, and you can follow me

Cathy: 20:45

you got to buy another hard drive. If you're a professional, you have to invest in this.No, no, it makes sense.

Heather: 20:52

Yeah. Yeah, it does. And you know, they can fall in love of my work. And then, you know, they say, Oh, I'm on$1,000 budget, but I want like 10 hours. That's, I'm sorry, I can't do that. But But I do know, a lot of no other photographers in the industry who can work with more of the budget brides and stuff, so I refer them to them. And I have a referral list and everything. So that's how I can kind of solve that.

Cathy: 21:22

So if you are giving advice to a bride or a couple, or somebody that was calling you, maybe they're going to get their senior photos, whatever it is, what kind of information would you recommend that they have? Before they call you? I mean, obviously, you just said they need to know their budget, right? And then that would be asking you and then you can consult them from their billing information, which you tell them to do before they call you research?

Heather: 21:49

Oh, yeah. I mean, so um, I would say that they should be asking, Well, first of all, they should have looked at your website, your face. To see if your stuff is your pictures, if it's consistent, because I've seen a lot of a lot of photographers, you know, they, whatever they're photographing, they say and show one thing on their Facebook and their website, and then when the people get the final product, it's not at all what it looks like. So you need to ask them about their style. And you know, the photographer's style, you know, what their budget is, how many photos they're going to get? Are they going to get outfit changes with weddings, you know, weddings are very, very different. I mean, that's obviously the budget thing is, you got to ask that right away. But then then you have to ask, okay, you know, how long have you been in this industry? That that's what I would ask, you know, how do you know, how many weddings have you done? And I see galleries, you know, anytime I talk to a bride, and I'm starting to really get together with them, I'm like, here, why don't you take a look at my galleries? And we can talk from there to make sure that, you know, we like that style, because I have a debt. I'm very candid and photojournalistic. So, I'm not opposed to the type, I get anything that I can give, because I want you to see what I see on your big day. Because be drunk or not, you know, something, something like that. You're just having the time of your life and you might not remember it. That's, you know, that's, that's the best advice I would get. But,

Cathy: 23:43

yeah, I love that you go to your website, because I mean, I can't imagine being in typography or film or any, you know, design work and not saying, Go to your websites, I'm gonna make sure to have your website here we go check out your awesome stuff. What advice would you give somebody that may say, you know what, Heather, I want to do what you do I want to be a wedding photographer. What advice would you give to somebody who might want to, you know, work towards that goal and maybe be a competitor of yours one day.

Heather: 24:15

Okay.

Cathy: 24:17

Or when I grow up,

Heather: 24:18

okay. So the first thing you need to do is if you are in the creative industry, no matter what you do, you have to have thick skin. You know, you have to learn how to take constructive criticism from anybody. Nobody's perfect. Not everybody's gonna like your work, you're gonna get a client that might not want something didn't like something, and you got to use those customer service skills. So, you know, you're, you're selling yourself, you're selling your brand, you want to keep your reputation up and keep your business up. You know, if you're, if you're gonna shoot weddings, like me, I mean, it took me it took me a while. took a lot of practice, I had to second shoot, I love the shadow. And when you're shadowing people, you're not getting paid. Every second shooting and you you've only done like two weddings, you're gonna get, you know, maybe $20 an hour. It's not. Like I said, it doesn't happen overnight. There's, there's a lot you have to, to do and, and you have to have money. When I go to a wedding, I have probably 15 SD cards, just in case I have about six batteries. I have to have two cameras. You know, I have multiple lenses. You gotta think of how much you're going to invest into this business and make sure that this is the right business for you. Because I mean, all of a sudden, like six months down the road. I don't want to do photography anymore. Okay, well, you just spent like, seven grand in. No. Photography supplies, cameras and lenses. You kind of just screw yourself.

Cathy: 26:02

Yeah. So what do you think of Polaroid?

Heather: 26:07

I think it's actually pretty cool. The last wedding I actually did

Cathy: 26:13

They are starting to bring those back.

Heather: 26:15

I think i think i think it's cool. I've seen a lot of guests use it for like, our brides use it for their guests book, like what happened? So they take a picture, you know, of the couple, and then the couples signs it and like, oh, best wishes or whatever. I mean, I just did it this past weekend with with a videographer, you know, I was like, hey, smile, and I was like love. So I think they're cool.

Cathy: 26:45

It's definitely not a professional photography experience. But

Heather: 26:49

But it but it's really cool. And it's candid stuff. I don't mind stuff like that. And I will tell you that an iPhone is not a professional camera, even though mode, but I'm sorry, it is not it is a professional cameras. So not go and shoot weddings with an iPhone. I have seen it happen. Okay, I have seen the results and it is bad.

Cathy: 27:18

You know And that's another thing. I didn't put this on here. But I think you could probably address this issue. Being a photographer and I have seen this going around the internet, I have seen posts about the person that's right in the middle of the ceremony that decides to pick up their camera and either record the ceremony from the audience or take a photo.

Heather: 27:45

Yes, yes, yes. So it's very important.

Cathy: 27:52

Why why this is important. Like what?

Heather: 27:55

So it's very important because this bride and groom spent 1000s on HDMI, or on the end the videographer to capture your big day. If you have your like $600 iPhone that's going to give a really grainy, crappy picture. And that's that's not what the bride and groom won. And for instance, I, I had this happen to me a couple months ago, and I will say that this was awful. And I was stuck. You know, I was in the front. My second was in the back so she could get the bride coming down the aisle with her father's so we could get the train. And I was in the front so I could capture the bride and the officiant said hey, this is an unplugged ceremony. We have a wonderful photographer here. Please put your cell phones away. Bride starts coming down the aisle all of a sudden this lady's takes out her phone and puts it right in my in my way and I couldn't move because the Brian May the bridesmaids are right here and the family was right here. I literally stopped I would have had to like do an army roll to maybe have shorter shot. And it sucks because I got maybe two photos and I couldn't even crop this lady out. It. It's just it's very I think it's very rude. And I think that's why a lot of brides are saying having they want an unplugged ceremony because you shouldn't have your phones on you shouldn't be texting, you shouldn't be doing any of that. You're here to see the bride and groom. Get married, you know your best friend, your sister, you know just just let the photographer do it. And I know that some brides get very angry when their photo gets posted online before they can eat before the photographer can share the sneak peeks you know that

Cathy: 29:53

Yeah, I got you I got you.

Heather: 29:55

I'm against that.

Cathy: 29:56

What I like I have to do this because Heathers, Insider Secrets.

Heather: 30:03

Yes.

Cathy: 30:04

What do you feel is your insider secret that you're willing to share with all of us? Okay, secret formula.

Heather: 30:14

Never give up. I know that sounds really hard, because I will tell you that last year, I did 38 weddings, which was insane. I was pregnant, high risk pregnancy, right? You know, it was it was very scary. But I kept chugging along. And I never gave up, I kept giving quality work, but I burned my self out. You know, look at yourself, take a look at your photos, make sure you like you're worth something, your work shows what you are worth. So figure that out and make sure that you're doing your cost of business, you know, your overhead price, and make sure that you're getting enough money, because when you break it down, by the end of the day, sometimes you're making like $2 an hour, I mean, you're better off work now, McDonald's or something. Another thing is never give up on your dreams, I have never given up on my dreams, I started from the bottom with my graphic design, and I'm up here now, with my graduates, you know, I'm a creative director, that's, you know, like the highest you can go. Our VP, I'm sure that's the highest goal. But you know, I've never given up, I had a professor in college come up to me and tell me that I should never ever be a graphic designer. And instead of me getting, you know, wanting to cry and walk out and kind of punch me in the face, I still stayed in class, he asked the class with a good grade. And, you know, a couple years later, she goes and finds me on LinkedIn, and all of a sudden sees, oh, wow, she works at a corporate office, a very known corporate office, and she's been a creative director, and oh, wow, look at her work. So it was kind of like a punch in the face there. You know, and then, and then, you know, work with your client. And just, if you're trying to secure your client, if you're trying to secure anybody, just just work with them. And like I said, just be you show your personality, because you don't want to be fake with them, when you meet them. And then on the wedding day, you're like a complete, I don't want to say the word, you're just like a complete psycho, you don't want to do that, you know, you want to, you want to show who you are, you know, if you if you want to offer a discount every so often, if you're not getting, if you're not getting enough leads, what I do is I offer a discount just a little bit, because when you offer a discount, I just go crazy over that, even if it's like 10%. And I know I'm talking quietly, but even if it's very little grinds will go crazy over that, because you're knocking off money off or whatever. So, for instance, let's say you book my six hour package, that's 20 $200. And I'll take $200 off that, and I'll add on a, you know, a, let's say 12 by 16 by 20 acrylic photo of you guys, you know, they'll go crazy over that you love that and chances are they'll probably book you. So, you know,

Cathy: 33:42

Your giving value too. So you're even if you're discounting or you're adding something else, you're providing a lot of value.

Heather: 33:49

Yeah. And show your value. And like I said, Show, show what you are worth because you are worth you, you're worth a lot. And I've seen a lot of great people and I've worked with a lot of great other photographers and stuff who don't even do wedding photography, and I can still see that they're under charging and stuff and I'm just like no charge more your work is so good. Right? Right.

Cathy: 34:17

What is my last question for you is what's the best time and we get this a lot I hear this a lot in the wedding industry. When is the best time to book the photographer? Or is it just you is when is it the best time to book me Heather Is there a certain time like we just got through the fall so now it's you know we got a bunch of people that and got engaged. A lot of times people say you know book out booked booked your venue first wins. This is a two part question. So when should they book you? And then how far in advance a type of notice do you need? Because you know, I'm sure you booking so many people have called you four or five months later and said hey, I need you for this one. I, you gave me a quote six months ago,and now I'm not available.

Heather: 35:03

So don't do that. As a formal bride. I booked my I did my venue, I picked my date, I found my while I was venue shopping, I secured my photographer, at least a year in advance, because we broke up very fast the photographers and the videographers. You know, we're already booking for 2021. And then that same and, you know, some photographers will even say, Oh, I'm booking for 2022, that gives me nearly a heart attack. Okay, I'm trying to just work on 2020. But, um, my best advice for Brides, you know, book book a year in advance, because, you know, any thing can happen. Just

Cathy: 35:49

well, and when you're good, like you and people want to book Yeah, you kind of go quick. So yeah.

Heather: 35:57

You know, there. I mean, there may be times that I can get in a quick elopement. But I mean, I had to do an elopement at seven in the morning. And then I had to do a wedding from five to 11. That night, and that don't. So book gear, while your vendor shopping and stuff, and you have your date, and it said, start shopping for your photographers, then your DJs you know, and because those are like your top three, I believe, you know, and then you get or and then you know, coordinator if you want a coordinator, and then you know, your linens and all that other crap, really doesn't matter.

Cathy: 36:42

Now. A little extra stuff. Yeah. Finding with a lot of professionals it is it's averaging about a year out or two years depends on the date. You know, if everyone really depends on the day, there is no month that's 2020. But I know 10 1010 was a popular day. So what's the best way for people to get in touch with you,

Heather: 37:03

I would say go to my Facebook page. Because as much as I do on my website, I don't upload. I mean, I do upload it, like upload photos of weddings, but it's just maybe like three photos because I don't get a lot of storage on it. So my Facebook, you see more sneak peeks. You see, oh, wow, she just did a wedding last night. And she posted the photos like holy cow, like, wow, this girl is amazing, you know. So I recommended a message, you quit messaging me on my Facebook, and through my business page, because I don't want you bothering me on my personal page. Unless I know you that's fine. But on the business page, so I know what's what's going on. And then yeah, and if I'm not there, you know, like I said, I have the away message. And it does lead you to my website, which leads you right to the investment page. And if you have questions, you're more than welcome to email me. And I even have my phone number on there. We have that nice.

Cathy: 38:11

Well, I Heather, I want to thank you so much for taking the time. I'm so honored that you are talking to us. And I just want everybody to know how awesome you are. And I saw a thing that you said you will travel Are you going to be doing some traveling destination weddings soon?

Heather: 38:28

Yes, I actually added destination weddings this year. And I have two books. So I'm learning Illinois. So kind of like my, my hometown. And then another one was, I believe in Ohio. So we're getting there. And that's pretty cool. You know, my biggest goal for next year. And now and now I'm just going off topic, but my biggest goal is to become full time. But yeah, you know, the wedding wedding industry. It's not like stable income where you get a paycheck every week.

Cathy: 39:11

I know that from the DJ world. It's

Heather: 39:13

exactly exactly I think every vendor knows. And you know, my husband works very hard at a full time job and does the job. And he has insurance, but I can't just be like, hey, guess what, I'm quitting my job. And I'm going to do photography full time now. Idon't know. Yeah.

Cathy: 39:31

You know. That's, that's cool. Well, I hope you get it. I mean, I'm excited. And I know what you're doing senior pictures, you can do party pictures, corporate events, I mean, all kinds of cool stuff. So you're getting there and you you got it down. You got it down. I'm just excited that you're with us. Any last words that you want to leave our audience with any? Anything maybe I didn't mention

Heather: 40:00

No, no, no, not that I can think of. I think we hit just about everything that you know that

Cathy: 40:11

we can cover

Heather: 40:12

over that that you've asked me and I kind of put me on the spot.

Cathy: 40:18

That's all right. I think he told us all the secrets. So I did. And Heather Thank you Heather with hm photography and design, you can reach her at www.hmphotography and design.com thank you again so much for being with us. We'll see you guys on the next episode.

Guest: 40:38

Five Guys, thank you so much for watching.