April 20th, 2011 was the day that I officially registered Sarah Sims Photography as a licenced business in Ontario. I’d spent about two years moving towards that day since my realization that I wanted to build my next career in photography (more on that here ) At times the road has felt long and a steep uphill climb, and yet I can hardly believe it’s been ten years. I’ve learned a great deal along the way, constantly evolving and improving my technical skills, image creativity and client service experience. I am humbled by the number of loyal customers that come back to me time and time again, allowing me to fill the walls of their homes with the beautiful faces of their families. I am also brimming with excitement about all the new ideas I have for the continued evolution of Sarah Sims Photography in the years ahead.
Ten Years of Evolution
There are many aspects of how I conduct my business today that have come from the learning journey I’ve travelled in the last decade. In the early days, I was what is sometimes known as a “shoot and burn” photographer. I would photograph the session, edit an agreed number of images (usually way more than was really necessary), burn them to a CD and say thanks very much (and oh yeah, do you maybe want some prints?) Over time I realized two important things – many of my clients never did anything with the images on the disc (and today probably can’t even access those files since not many computers have CD drives anymore), and I was working WAY too hard for the paycheque I was getting (not even minimum wage!) Today, printed products (wall art, coffee table books and prints) are the focus of my work. Of course, the best part is the actual family photo session, but I love the ordering appointment when I can help clients realize their vision of displaying their photos in their homes. And now I only edit the images that are going to live on in print (this takes several hours off every session delivery).
As a rookie, I would photograph pretty much anything people were willing to pay me for – a few weddings, kids’ birthday parties, maternity, newborns wrapped up in baskets in the studio, headshots and of course families. Gradually, I came to the realization that what I most enjoyed were the family photo sessions, so I turned my energies there; enhancing the whole session experience, narrowing my print products and targeting my marketing more effectively. The headshots (and eventually small business branding photography) felt like a natural parallel offering, since everyone needs a great headshot, and I found that many of my family clients were also small business owners struggling with their online presence.
Introduction of This Is Me (Pre)Teen Photography
As I continued to work with families of all ages, it dawned on me that when it came to the pre-teens and teens, I wasn’t always getting the whole story. Who a teen is as part of a family is only part of their identity. These wonderful creatures on the brink of adulthood deserved to have their full story celebrated in photos, and so “This Is Me” sessions were born. I started to photograph swimmers, dancers, riders, skaters, musicians, fashion followers, bakers, sailors; all doing the things they loved most. Parents started booking these sessions for milestone birthdays, graduations, or just because. This Is Me sessions have also appealed to American ex-pats searching for “Senior” portraits, which are a right-of-passage in the US, but not really available in Canada. (For those unfamiliar with “Senior Photos” – In most of the US, kids graduating from high school will have not just the obligatory cap and gown / yearbook photo, but a full-blown portrait session, often lasting a couple of hours with multiple locations and/or wardrobe changes with a significant collection of images as the outcome.)
COVID
When life, as we knew it, turned upsidedown in March 2020, before I even had a chance to figure out how I would pivot my business, I stumbled across the concept of The Front Steps Project, started by two photographers in Needham, MA. I knew right away this was something I wanted to do. A way to maintain connections in our community and support the Oakville Fareshare Foodbank at a time of great need. Unfortunately, I was only able to run around town (with safety precautions) for two weeks before restrictions tightened and I had to shelve the project. It was however an intense two weeks! 133 families photographed and $8700 raised for the foodbank. (the full story here)
Today
Despite the pandemic continuing to yo-yo through our lives, repeatedly stopping and starting my ability to actually conduct photo sessions, I’ve continued to build my reputation delivering relaxed, authentic family photos, scrolling-stopping small business photography, and personality defining teen portraits. These are the three pillars that will carry me forward into my next decade.
Tomorrow
Never one to let the moss grow, I’ve got bucket fulls of ideas for continued enhancements for Sarah Sims Photography. I’m starting with the fresh look of my new logo and updated branding presence, rolling out on all my platforms this week. My new Operations Assistant will be on board soon. They’ll be helping me with “back office” operations, to allow me more time for direct client work. This means that occasionally you might get an email from someone other than me to prompt you to book your ordering appointment, to provide feedback on your book proof, or to tell you that your order is ready for pick up. It will still be me doing all the photography work though.
Thank You
Finally, a heartful note of appreciation to all the smiling faces that I have been honoured to photograph over the past ten years. I look forward to the opportunity to continue to celebrate and document your family and your business in the years to come.
