Schedule your session HERE

Here is the link! babycenter.com

Back on track… I hired an assistant, purchased a custom made logo for fresh re-branding of my business and in the works of a small studio space in my home. Complete with a barn wood wall. I would say that blessed is an understatement.

In 2015 I have learned to say NO. It’s hard. I love my people and I hate to turn anyone away. BUT. In order to not burn myself and resent my job, I have finally learned to say no. So, in 2016 please don’t take it personally. I have set a number of sessions per month I will take on, including births. I am planning on taking on two sessions per month free of cost to those in need. I really do love to give my services as a gift to those I love, I wish I could make a living to provide for my family by just giving and helping. Unfortunately we all know that’s just not possible

Personally this year, I have learned that LOVE IS a choice. You choose to love those around you regardless of their imperfections. Life is amazing. And then it’s awful. and then its amazing again. and in between the amazing and the awful, it’s ordinary and mundane and routine. Breathe in the amazing, hold on through the awful, and relax and exhale during the ordinary. That’s just living heartbreaking, soul-healing, amazing, awful ordinary life. And it’s breathtakingly beautiful. -L.R. Knost.

Anyway, thank you for 2015! Happy New Year.

*Adoption will also be eligible for complimentary sessions.

  You can nominate you or someone you know by simply emailing me. Anyone can have a session. No one will be turned away, if I am full for the month, I will refer you to another photographer. There is no age limit.

Please include the following in your email:

Your name:

Name of person you would like to have a session:

Age:

Story/diagnosis:

Be Still.

Having hope will give you courage.

Must be…

• Trustworthy, responsible, outgoing, & organized. Interest in photography required. Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Technology savvy
• Detail oriented
• Punctual
• “quick learner”

• Must be able to commit to 5-8+  hours a week.
• $12.00 an hour.
• Responsibilities:  Managing social media account (Facebook and Instagram), blogging, watermarking images.
• Transferring galleries to USB drives, packaging and sending to client.
• Uploading galleries.
• Occasionally answer emails.

• This position will be required to work with me in my home office (Orient, Ohio just 5 minutes outside of Grove City) for the first few work days. When you and I both feel you completely understand tasks, you may work from your home. A computer (preferably an iMac or Macbook) of your own is required to work at home.

• This job will be under a 90 day trial period.

• To apply, please send a detailed paragraph about yourself to sarah@sarahshambaughphoto.com.

That’s just ONE scenario. Just one.

I really really do love my job. But lets talk about back up photographers for a second. It literally takes a village. You have GOT to have a good support system to do this. You have plans on a Friday night for a hockey game with your husband and some of your favorite friends. Thursday night, you get a call that a Momma is in labor. Yes, babies come on THEIR own time. You can’t predict it. When it’s time, it’s time. You wait around all day Thursday for Momma to have baby. and while you are frustrated for her and her 24+ labor. You realize that time is passing and you’re getting closer and closer to that 7pm hockey game. 4:00 rolls around and you’re still not home, still at the hospital, and baby is not here yet. You have to call your friends and your husband to let them know, sorry you can’t go. You can tell your husband is instantly upset about it. In your head you think “it’s just a hockey game”. but in  reality, you’re missing something that was important to him. And quite frankly, you were looking forward to a night out too.  So sadly, you have to miss out, again. And everyone else misses out too. The tickets go to waste.

Next… For example… The month of May is CRAZY. Legitimately, busy. My son turns 7 on May 11th. and you know what. I CANNOT miss his birthday, or his birthday party. OR his Mothers day lunch at school, etc. and I hate missing his baseball games. My heart breaks at the thought of it. This is where my second part of the village comes into play.  My back up photographers. I have chosen my backup photographers because I trust them and have complete confidence in them. and you know what? They will be there when I can’t. I absolutely REFUSE to miss out on my kids lives because of this job. I REFUSE to make them suffer. THEN, there is my husband, I don’t want to let him down either.  My mind spins. and THEN lastly, myself.  I cannot  miss out on every single thing in life because of this job. I would end up hating it. I would end up dreading it and resenting it. No, I can’t do that to myself. While, I do miss out on SO much. There are some things I have to put my foot down and say, this is important to me. I CANT miss it and I won’t.  I am literally on call ALL THE TIME. I’m basically like a Doctor. Without the pay or the title haha! Doctors and midwives have back up…. So  do I! There is such a fine line between work and play. I am my own boss. I make my own schedule. and while that sounds all peachy and pretty sweet, its hard! When is my designated work time? Should I be playing with my kids? or should I be working? Gosh, I have SO much to do. The house needs cleaned, the laundry needs put away. Oh ugh, it’s time to go to the grocery store  again. I know I am not alone in this. All small business owners struggle with this and wonder if they are doing enough or doing it the right way. First and foremost, I am a Mom. Nothing will come between that. Not even my job. I would hope that in this line of work, my clients would understand that. I just want to be clear that yes, I will still live my life while trying to photograph THE most important days of your lives. BUT I will not sacrifice everything in my life for this job. I don’t want to look back some day and say, man I wish I would have played with my kids more. I wish I wouldn’t have put my work first. No one will ever look back and say, “gosh I wish I would have worked more.” It’s just reality.

Emails. Can I vent about emails? I hate answering emails. Honest! It’s so time consuming. I am horrible at it, and I will admit it! If it’s not urgent it wont be answered right away. I refuse to answer emails from my phone. I already have my phone attached to my hip. I will not sit and reply to everyone on my phone. I will answer emails once or twice a week. Let’s get real, its probably even more than a week. I am human! Sometimes emails slip through my fingers. Sometimes, I accidentally delete them because my inbox marked them as spam. Sure it’s probably not 100% best for my business for me to be so slow at answering emails, but you know what, that’s ok! I am ok with that! I do my best. That’s all that matters. If I don’t respond to an email, feel free to email me again. Just try to understand as well I appreciate it more than you know! I am NOT superwoman. Crazy right??! haha just kidding.

So, yes this is my job. and boy do I LOVE IT! I really do. But this is SO HARD. On myself and my village.  Others are counting on you. To be there for the most important day of their lives. That is a lot to hold on your shoulders 24/7. I just wanted to write this to kind of get this off of my chest. Just like anything else in life, it’s not all butterflies and glitter. It is HARD. The waiting game is hard. With that being said… in the upcoming months (I still haven’t figured out exactly when) I will be making some changes to how I run things. I will not stay for 5+ hours after the birth of a baby anymore. UNLESS it is added on for an additional cost. I know this kind of stinks, and none of us have any say in how things are done after birth. It is up to the hospital. Which to me, hospital time is like football time. 4 minutes left in a quarter is really equivalent to 20 minutes In the last few months, I have waited and waited and waited. And after I have been there for 12+ hours already. I can’t keep doing that to myself. I KNOW this is an investment and you are probably thinking “well if I pay you all of that money to be at my birth, why can’t you  just stay?” Trust me, I would think that too if I were on the other end and didn’t know all that went into this! My contract states I will stay for 1-2 hours after birth. I am going to have to start sticking to it. What is forgotten about is all the time I put into this at home as well!

Thank you for reading all of that! Hopefully I could shed some light into this little job of mine. Thank you all for supporting me! <3

http://www.pinterest.com/sarahsham/adoption-and-surrogacy-ideas/

If you know someone, send them my way! I would love to hear their story!

Just a few inspirational ideas below! We can’t wait to show you what we have come up with!

Mini session location will be announced once you have scheduled  your time slot. I will only accept 7 sessions! Yes these will be held outdoors. They are only 10 minutes long. Bundle up in your cute boots, scarves and hats! See you there!

sarah@sarahshambaughphoto.com

My husband still lives with lots of questions and regrets on his heart. They weigh heavier than you could ever imagine. I think something that has helped in the last few months had been TALKING about it. Talking to others that understand, went through it, and can relate. and realize it’s OK to be hurt inside and admit to it. The hurt is silent. Something you don’t see on the outside. His next step is to build an Organization to help wounded warriors, both mentally and physically. My next goal is to help him.

Back tracking just a bit to right before we saw Mr. Luttrell speak, we ran into a guy as we were finishing up dinner at Planks. Listening to him talk, Paul and his Lt. put two and two together and realized they had met this guy before. Months and months ago. His name is Justin Kuhel. He was in another unit in the Marines and actually HELPED my husbands unit over in Iraq on THAT day.  Born and raised here in Columbus, once he was out of the Marines be began going to school to be a medic (small world!) as well. Recently graduated from Medic school, he is now taking some time to WALK across the country to raise money for veterans. My heart dropped. I instantly looked up his organization on Facebook as I listened to him talk, he gave me goosebumps. My husband wants to start his own organization. This just gave him that final push.

I knew inside my next step was going to be to help him. In some way.

PLEASE visit his page, “like it” and learn more about WHY he did  I hope this touches your heart like it did mine. Show him the support he deserves!

MARCH ACROSS AMERICA

Shew. That was A LOT. and if you took the time to read it, thank you. My next step… I want YOU, to help ME, help THEM.

With that being said, I will host a day of mini sessions. By donations ONLY. 100% of proceeds will go toward “The March Across America”

Each Session will be 15 minutes long. and have a vintage Red, White and Blue theme if you choose. You will have these back before July 4th. Each session MUST have a donation of AT LEAST 30.00. PLEASE pay it forward and  donate more if you are able. It’s the least you can do to give back. Please be kind and remember WHY we are holding these sessions. Typically we charge 100.00 for a simple 15 minute mini session.  All we ask is that you help us raise as much money as possible. Let’s see how much money we can raise! I am so passionate about this. I can only hope and pray each of you will be just as passionate with me.

My Goal: I have a goal to raise $2,000.00. Tasha Braniff of Tasha Braniff Photography will be co-hosting this with me in order to double the profit. If we schedule 20(ish) sessions each. and each person pays an estimated 50.00 each. (some more and some less) We will reach our goal.

Next I am going to seek local vendors who would like to “donate or sponsor” something. Below is a list of things we are looking for:

-Cookies

-Cake pops

-Vintage red white and blue fabric

-Props (if you are interested in donating some sort of prop, please feel free to ask if it may be needed. These will be borrowed and returned to you at a later time)

Please contact me if you are interested in donating!

Location of sessions will be announced.

There is no greater hero than those that serve.

Check out her Facebook page, and make sure you “like” it. You won’t be disappointed.

https://www.facebook.com/zassystreasuresanddesign

THIS phenomenal location is where we will hold our 2014 Spring Mini Sessions this year on April 26th compliments of Zassy’s Treasures and design!

Oh my gosh we are jumping with excitement.

She is letting us pick through what we want to use. This couldn’t be more perfect!

(The above photo isn’t the exact set-up we will have, we will be using a bed, lots of barn doors, chairs, a teepee, and anything you can imagine! This right here is a photographers dream!)

You can check out her Etsy shop here:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ZassysTreasures