Help. Help I think i have created a Monster.
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Hello magicunicorn,...

It is great news that you are doing so well and are in demand,....................but you are only one people !!!!!

I have seen this happen to a wedding studio I once worked for,....the owner almost lost the business and family due the the stress of too, too, too much successful business.

The solution that finally resolved ALL the stress and continued floods of customers seeking his services,.....
Was,.... to raise his prices and focus on the higher income class customers.
He totally revamped his price schedule and business model and now only middle to upper class bookings are his focused market.
Amazing but true,...He actually makes more $$$$ and works a liveable work and family time schedule.
He skimmed off ALL those who expected him to work CHEAP.


Customers will take advantage of your services,...not intentionally but because they can,..IT'S SIMPLE ECONOMICS,...SUPPLY AND DEMAND. Theres nothing stopping them from getting in line for your services along with everyone else,...Heck,...your givving your work away.

With success comes responsibility,....it starts with you.

How many customers have said,....I am going to pay you more $$$$ to cover your time, expenses and overworking and the stress your enduring?? NONE won't happen.



You want a customer that respects and values your time such that they are amply willing to pay you the $$$$ for your talent and the product you produce,..who VALUE your time and talent.
Yes there will be those who will think you are over charging,...BUT ,...these same people DO NOT care that you ARE OVERWORKING and should be paid adequately for your precious hours of work.

If they are upset,...It's because they are missing out on your generosity of cheap and readily available labor for their photographs.

Those who value your work and talent,...WILL find a way to acquire your services if they want it bad enough.
They will understand you are taking care of yourself.

The $$$$ can be the equalizer in this situation,..or else you will work and stress yourself right out of being healthy enough to be any value to anyone,..family business,...family,...magazine,...yourself.

Thats the REAL monster you will create

After you,.....everyone else comes first,....if you care for yourself,...make "you" the first priority.

This doesn't mean you will have changed as a person,...you are still the same talented and attentive photographer and person whom they have always loved,....You have just taken charge of your own life thats all.

I often do more work than I have to as well,...for the same reason,...I'd rather do it myself ,..than ,...have someone else do it,....I do not see others willing to produce the product to my expectations and am not willing to gamble on thier inabilities.
If mistakes are going to be made,...I would rather be responsible for them,...most paid help care little about the inner workings and long months and years that it took to establish a dedicated customer following.

Sounds like a selfish solution,....but if you DON'T care enough about "Magicunicorn",...WHO IS.

You have to bite the bullet,...you have to love yourself first.
Love yourself enough,..that you do not let others take advantage of you.
You will always be the same talented personality,...

Also everyone will respect you for taking care of yourself and assuring that you are not running yourself into the ground.
Those that don't,....Well they just don't plain care about ,..you taking care of "you"

Just my two cents for what it's worth.

Exceptional results call for exceptional changes.

You have a life too.
This photographic endeavor that you love and do so well at,....will soon become a hated burden that you will dread every day.

Take care of "YOU" first,....the rest will follow.

Just hang in there,...your horse images are absolutely great,....I have watched you grow into the very talented and caring photographer that you have become.

As far as registering your business,...that goes without saying.
Marty

Another good recommendation. I have the Wescot Apollo soft box and a light duty stand and it works great. But as stated by strikerazde, you will need to trigger the speedlite some how. You choices are another 600RT, and ETR3, or an off camera cord that's 33' long. The cord is the cheapest way and works well if you don't have to worry about people tripping over it. I would never use that for parties or weddings but for rooms in a house it would be fine and for studio photography it's fine.

with softboxes, the bigger the box, the softer the light. so get as big as you can afford and can carry around. I think Wescot Apollo has a nice one.

But it is a balancing act when you shoot on location. You have to balance what you carry around with the shot you are looking for. I always use an assistant (wife) works cheep helps carry more stuff etc.

Just curious, how are you planning on remotely triggering the off camera flash? that may also enter into the decision. Once you place a flash inside a softbox, and that softbox is off your camera axis- you may need a radio trigger. It isn't long at all before you realize you need a separation light. Oops now you need a second flash.

I love flash photography!

As you know, I have many of the same lenses you have. However, I really like the prime 85mm f/1.8. It's no surprise that the 70-200 f/2.8 is for many their most favorite lens, but for absolute sharpness, I think the 85mm is still a hair better. And for less than 400 bucks, this lens is even more attractive. Just my opinion.