Why up-skilling & developing is so important

It's a costly adventure being a photographer with big dreams. Every month I make a conscious effort to up-skill, to continue developing and refining my craft. I believe I will forever be trying to become a better photographer - there is always something to learn. I don't just want to be good, I want to be the best...there I said it. I've never said that out loud before!

Workshops, courses, conferences and subscriptions. When you add up all the things I do to keep up-skilling and developing, it costs a small fortune. But is it really worth it?

Going full-time this year has made me have to really look closely at every single dollar that enters and exits my business. At first I did say to Matt that annual NZIPP Conference and the workshops I love attending would be the first things on the budget to go. Just until I got on my feet and had made it through my first year full-time. But the other part of me knows that these workshops, conferences and courses have pushed me outside of my comfort zone, helped me develop & made me the professional photographer that I am! And I didn't go full-time to suffer or dial things back. I went full-time to push more limits and dream bigger!

Up-skilling and developing is so important. For creatives, for everybody. If you don't just want to be good at what you do, if you want to be the best - you've got to work for it and prioritise it.