Inbox full.

Funny conversation with my parents last night:

ME: So, yeah, I'm excited about all those things coming up that I'm going to be offering to other photographers soon.
DAD: Before long, the photography world will be all Scarlett Perfume, you know, like Mike Cologne.
ME: Uh, dad, it's spelled like your colon, but yes, pronounced like cologne.
MOM: Ooooh, there's an idea, you could come out with your own perfume line, darling!
ME: Oh, mom.

I'll never forget when I first got into photography and I discovered the work of a particular photographer. (No, it wasn't Mike Colon, but someone just as amazing.) I didn't realize at the time just how huge they were. All enthusiastic about the new career ahead of me, this person inspired me and by reading their blog I felt like I knew them like a friend. I naively sent off an email to them telling them how much I admired their work and asked a few small questions about how they got their work so amazing.

One day went by, no response.

Two days went by, no response.

How hard can it be to answer a quick email?

Three days went by... you get the drift.

They update their blog everyday, why can't they just write me back too?

A month later, yes, a WHOLE month later, I finally got a short email back with the generic thank you and quick answer to my questions.

Hmph, it took them a month to write, I mean come on, that's just rude. Are they so important that they can't make time for the little people just trying to learn a thing or two and start off their own fabulous photo business?

Fast forward to today. This is the part where I confess, I've completely become THAT person. I feel so guilty. I swore I never would. I swore if I ever got to the point where people looked up to my work that I would answer emails within a few days. But then the emails became more and more. Then my business took off and the editing piled up more and more. Then I dated a few guys and suddenly I had to make time in my schedule for someone other than my Mac computer. Then wedding season picked up and I was shooting back to back weddings. Then I found out my dad has cancer and might not be here in 6 months.

So yes, there is always something, and I'm so sorry I've become THAT person.

I'm currently looking at my inbox with emails from March that you have graciously wrote that I still haven't responded to. At the Love Affair workshop, they gave us the great tip about creating an "Action Needed" folder of things we need to do, so I started putting emails from other photographers in there that needed answers to their questions. Unfortunately, once it disappeared from my direct Inbox, I started to forget about the actions needed considering I could barely keep up with more and more piling up in my Inbox again.

So. Point of the story. If I haven't responded back to you, please don't hate me. It's nothing personal. I do love to hear from and help other photographers, but clients and family come first. You are all so amazing to write such sweet words about my work, and I'm glad I could help inspire you.

With all that said, I do love to help the photography community, God knows I am so thankful for all those He sent along my journey to help me along the way, and I will soon be making a big announcement about a mentoring opportunity I am opening up for all of you! Stay tuned to the blog....... I'll be revealing more soon!