So today marks 10 years in business for me and Royal Touch and what a journey it has been.
When I started the photography journey all those years ago I never dreamed 10 years down the line I would still be going strong. Not because I didn't have faith in my business or drive and ambition but because I started my business as a way to make a living then and there and never really factored in any long term plans.
I had always loved photography from an early age and have many fond memories of taking photos on days outs, nights out and to be honest capturing photos of anything and everything, I always had a camera to hand. Back when I made a plan to start my business I was a single parent with a young son struggling to find work to fit around family commitments. Starting my own business had initially felt like a gamble and not a stable work option, it was only after a great deal of thought that turning my passion into a business and being my own boss seemed like the only feasible option to fit around my circumstances at that time.
I started out with some basic training courses, invested in some kit and then launched my business. From day one I was fortunate to have ongoing interest for the family shoots I offered and things grew from strength to strength, largely through word of mouth and the help of Facebook. As the years passed I gained more experience, did more training and invested in more kit and into my business as a whole. In turn this allowed me to continue to grow my business more. I added additional services including Event Photography, Cake Smashes and what has now become an annual tradition, my mini Christmas Shoots. I was fortunate I had a loyal returning customer basis as well as continued new customers choosing me and trusting me to capture their special moments.
In 2019 when my son started college I decided to run my business part time, and took on a part time job alongside to ease some of the daily pressure of running my business. Later that year an unexpected house move meant I lost my home studio space meaning I had to re-think the way I ran my business as a whole. As it was so close to Christmas I decided to take a couple of months off to make new plans and settle into my new home. Then not long into the new year BAM a world pandemic hit just as I was about to re-launch my new services and new way of working.
The unknowing of what the future held for my business and life in general, alongside the every changing rules and grey areas for working meant I had to put the photography as a business on hold again until things were more 'normal'. I knew I didn't want to give up on the photography though so I used the time to learn new skills, retrain in some areas and also embrace remote shoots. I worked with new up and coming models and small businesses to keep my portfolio fresh, even if it was a new direction to what my photography had previously been I wanted to keep my photography active as much as I could.
Then as things began to open up again and we could get out and about I decided to add another new area to my portfolio and dipped my toe into the world of Automotive Photography. I have always had a passion for cars, back from the Max Power Era growing up so thought it would be fun to combine the two passions. Just like the family side had when I first started the Automotive side started to grow.
Fast forward to December 2021 when life was gaining a sense of normality again, it was then that I decided that I wanted to go back to my photography full time again and fully embrace it, so I handed my notice in at my day job and the start of 2022 I went back to it full time with a new focus and new vision. To make any business successful you need to be able to constantly assess the situation and be prepared to adapt and change as and when you need to, it's all part of learning and growing and often sends you in a new direction.
The main areas I want to pursue going forward with my business are now the Automotive Photography, Business Photography and Event Photography as I feel I can now fit these into my life and give them the time and dedication I probably couldn't have when I first started out. I will still offer family shoots and of course Christmas Minis for now, as these seem to fit in well around my other work at the moment so I would be mad not to. Plus it is always nice to catch up with the returning customers who stuck by me and helped me get to where I am today.
Who knows what the future holds, but I am excited to see where 2023 takes me and where I will be with the business 10 years down the line. I am forever grateful to those who has been by my side on this journey offering support and encouragement and trusting me to capture those precious memories.
If you are looking for a photographer, I would love to hear from you so drop me a message for an informal chat.
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