It’s Friday. There should be the Photographers’ Friday intro at the top of the page, leading into a blog post about photography tips or running a photography business. But there isn’t.

This summer, Danny and I have had some serious conversations about our photography business, what we want it to become as it continues evolving, and what we want to do with our lives as a whole. The long and short of it is this: Our business is not about teaching photography tips; it’s about taking care of our clients and taking care of our family. So blogging photography tips every single week doesn’t really fit into our plans for our business. Perhaps even more important, I reached the realization that blogging photography tips isn’t something I want to do every single week. Now and then, if there’s a topic numerous people have asked me about, I’ll be happy to turn it into a blog post. It took me a while to realize it, but I know now I’ve been dedicating too much of my life to tasks that, in the grand scheme of things, don’t have a serious impact on my life, or my family’s — or anyone’s really.

I want to live a purposed life, and I want to run a purposed business. So if something doesn’t align with my purposes — it needs to go. And so Photographers’ Friday, after a mostly-successful ten month experiment, has gone.

What’s staying? What’s coming? First and foremost — Danny and I both feel we need to spend more of our energy on the things that do matter very much: Growing in our faith, building relationships, and helping people.

Thanks, once again, to Caroline Frost Shea for this picture.Where does that mean our business is headed? Don’t worry — it isn’t going anywhere! We’re constantly working to make it better and better. We’re also working to streamline our business; to cultivate it so that it grows fruitfully for our clients and for us; to make sure it doesn’t grow in a way that is counterproductive to our lives; and to shape it into the most efficient and effective version possible.

We’re embracing the understanding that what we are now — as a business, as a couple, as a family — is not what we will be in another year, or five, or fifteen. We are open to the limitless possibilities of change. It’s our goal to tear out the weeds, and yes, even some growth that has blossomed beautifully. That’s what it always takes to clear the way for the richer, fuller growth that’s still to come.

~ Laura