The Importance of Family

I think its part of being human. As soon as you have what you think you wanted, there will soon be something new to chase.

As our little photography business grows, we are always looking for the next innovation, the next new product, the next opportunity. All while managing an ever growing body of work and constant deadlines.

For the last two years we had been averaging 4-5 hours of sleep each night. Alex would always be working on our business from home, while I would work 8-5 at the office. When I came home, we’d play a little with the kids, have dinner, bath time and put the little ones to sleep before continuing to work on the business until 1 or 2 AM.

Everyday. For Months.

Things were getting a little crazy.

We were trying to get every single job, specialise in everything and please everyone.

The year before last we shot a wedding on the 30th of December and followed it up with a Corporate shoot on the 31st.

That’s right – New Years Eve.

To that shoot we brought along Kaya, who was half asleep and needed to go home at 9pm. Well before the new years eve fireworks that we were both expected to capture. Alex and Kaya went home and I stayed on to finish the job.

So we started 2011 apart.

That was probably the worst day of work we could have been involved in. We were chasing the dollar and not thinking about spending time with the people that meant the most.

Our Family.

We learned a valuable lesson that day. Even though the ultimate goal of what we do is to support our family financially, what is the point if you cannot be there to share the most significant moments with them.

We would much much MUCH rather grow old, with a strong sense of family and have enough to be happy, than to grow old, wealthy and lonely.

That night Alex and I decided to make some changes both in our family life and work life.

We decided that we would always have a family holiday in December; and

We decided that we would only shoot 30 weddings each year.

And that is exactly what we did.

Last year we shot 31 weddings (OK one sneaky wedding just snuck in!); and

In December, just gone, we packed our little family up and enjoyed 2 marvelous weeks down in Cabarita Beach, in northern New South Wales.

Those two weeks were probably the best 2 weeks of our lives.

Every day we planned short little outings and spent the afternoons walking and playing at the beach.

And Most importantly we enjoyed each others company.

It was important and it was real.

And it is something that we fully intend to keep on repeating for as long as we can.

Because we only get one chance at this.

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