It’s shocking to realize that this year is nearly over. November ended up being my second-least busy month out of the year. This was partially due to a long weekend vacation up north to Whistler, thus becoming a second annual holiday tradition. For the first time in a long time, I left all electronics at home except for my Moto Z cell phone. The fresh air and snowboarding activity were a welcome break away from laptops and cameras and gave me time to do some much-needed reflection about the purpose of Intrepid Freelancer. More on that below!

November 2016 Photography Business Stats

Monthly Highlights Series

11

Photo shoots completed

*6 less than October

55.3

Business miles driven

*78.8 less than October

100.46

Hours worked for the month

*39.61 less than October

75

Miles walked

*43.8 less than October

0

Miles ran

*21.7 less than October

Resources Used for Monthly Stats

MileIQ Driving Tracker

Toggl Time Keeper

FitBit

QuickBooks Accounting Software

What Went Well

Photography

Based on the stats alone, it looks like November was a total slacker month. In some ways, it was. But I also did my fair share of work in the first half of the month. I had the honor of working with Restoration Hardware to photograph the swankiest party I’ve attended in Seattle in a long time in celebration of their brand new store opening. I also worked with several local restaurants to photograph their grand openings. And honestly, that was about all of the photography excitement that went on in November.

Oh, I also took the plunge and invested in my most expensive lens for my Sony a6300 mirrorless camera: a 24-240mm zoom lens. I got a wicked deal on Craigslist for a heavily discounted, hardly used lens. Although I have yet to use this lens, I’m looking forward to having it in my travel photography gear kit.

Published Writing and Photography Tutorials on DPS

HoldFast Money Maker Leather Camera Strap Review

Photographers’ Dress Code: What to Wear to a Photo Shoot

4 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Kit Lens

Snapped one of my all-time favorite photos in November at the grand opening party of RH Seattle.

Intrepid Freelancer Refocusing

The most exciting thing that happened in November, has to do with this blog. You might have noticed some new details on the blog, such as a free download of “10 Ways to Make Money from Photography,” and other things hinting at monetizing photography. It’s all a part of a larger refocusing of content that I am planning for this blog.

This year was a rough one for Intrepid Freelancer, the blog. I took several months off from posting, and when I did publish a post, the topics were all over the place. Intrepid Freelancer has always had a bit of an identity crisis. Is it a personal blog? A business blog? A blog about travel? Or a photographer blog? These were the questions that were running through my head during my Thanksgiving ski vacation.

What I ultimately concluded is this: Intrepid Freelancer aims to help others learn how to make money from photography. It’s the marriage of business and photography, which are two subjects I’m very passionate about and am decently skilled at. In the next few months, I’ll be pumping out quite a bit of new content, all focusing on the theme of monetizing photography and building a photography business. Keep an eye out on the site, particularly the Start Here page, which is in progress to act as a directory for the whole site.

Speaking of new content, I would love your input. If you have a moment, please fill out my reader survey below and tell me what your biggest pain point is when it comes to photography.

A cell phone photo. DId I mention how much I love my Moto Z Force Droid?

Intrepid Freelancer Reader Survey

    Your Name

    Your Email

    Where are you based out of?

    Are you a full-time or part-time photographer?

    What kind of photography do you do? Check all that apply.
    Anything and everything!Corporate eventsHeadshotsPortraitsCommercial AdvertisingFoodLandscapesConcertsWeddingsFamilyBabies and KidsOther

    What topics are you most interested in learning about?
    Increasing SalesGetting More ClientsPhotography GearMarketingBuilding a PortfolioPricingPhotography WorkflowWork-Life BalanceOther

    What camera gear do you use?

    What is the biggest problem you are trying to solve in your photography business?

    How did you find me?

    Anything else you'd like to say?