it's been real, 2013. - Emma Loo Photography

oh, 2013…it’s been real, and it’s been fun.

real fun.

I still can’t get over that 2013 is already over! Is it just me, or did 2013 just fly by?! I’m not lying y’all!! It seems like only yesterday we were ringin’ in the New Year {2013, of course} and I was getting ready to start my greatest adventure yet! I can’t believe it…

& now here we are. Another year-flown by.

Ok, so it’s the Friday night right after New Year’s Eve, and I’m sitting here on my couch in my empty living room {I say empty because I just took down the Christmas decor…and everything seems SO bare now. #christmasdecorprobs} I’m wanting to reflect back on 2013, both from a business {Emma Loo Photography} and a personal stand point

…but I just don’t know where to start!?

I did a lot of things this year. no, wait…let me take that back: I did a TON. {too much almost…} How do I wrap everything up in one simple little blog post? {{ which honestly you’re probably going to just skip through and go straight to the pictures {which isn’t a bad thing, it is why I have a blog in the first place, isn’t it?}}

Ok, so let’s start somewhere, shall we?

Personally, for yours truly, I can say that this past year led me to learn a lot of lessons & a ton about myself! it’s completely crazy how much one person can learn, change, and grow within 365 days! This year I have been so blessed to do the following:

Move into my own place and finally have a home to call my own! {It’s such a big achievement for me! Especially since I have always wanted the independence, I have just been too afraid to step out of my comfort zone.} It’s totally my own little world when I’m here and when I’m home. I’m completely smitten with my little house.
I’ve learned that no matter how hard things may get or how hard things seem…there will always be a way. I don’t want to sound too cliche’ but “if there is a will, there is a way” defiantly applies here. Paying bills and all that grown-up stuff, taking on new responsibilities as a home-renter-owner-whatever-you-wanna-call-me, and staying on track with financial things is tough! {They don’t tell you how tough it is in high school, that’s for sure!} I’ve learned though, that no matter what the circumstances, God will give me that grace and provide for me. {Even though, lots of the time, I don’t give Him the credit He deserves.} Sure, I work hard and I spend lots of my time at work, running to different photo sessions, or just simply running around like a chicken with my head cut off…simply put-I work hard. But in the end, after I’ve worked my 40 hours plus and I STILL find it hard to make ends meet sometimes…there’s always a way, God always provides. I’m so excited to see what’s in store for me in the years to come, especially now that I’m on my own financially. {Sorry Mom…you don’t get me as a tax break this year! hehe!}
I’ve started to get a wee-bit healthier…finally. {I know, it’s not much…but hey, it’s a start 2013! All I can say is…”Bring it on, 2014!” } Yes, that is right lovelies…I’ve been a little bit more focused on my health & it’s true…after seeing the beneficial results, all that hard work really does pay off. I made a New Year 2013 Resolution to myself {which I only kept for…uh…about 15 days!} that I would start to run more while training for 5Ks to do monthly. {Like I said, it only lasted 15 days…tops.} However, I decided to get off my bum in May and I started running and training more and more, and soon it became addictive. So far, since May I’ve lost about 23 pounds! I’m only 30 more pounds from my goal weight {which will be WAY less than I was in high school!!!!} So…again…Bring it on, 2014!
Be with family. This year has been a family-centered year for me, that’s certain. We did lots & lots together! Like go to Hawaii on vacation together {yes, Aloha Ohana! (which means ‘family’ for those of you who don’t speak Hawaiian)} I learned to value lots of picture taking moments with family members. It all started when I needed to take photos to fill frames in my house…but now I’ve realized how important those pictures we’re taking together really are. {I will always treasure the pictures I’ve had taken of my mom and I this past year…really, don’t let a Kodak moment with your family pass you by!} We also spent a whole week up in the mountains for Thanksgiving, always do our traditional Christmas, and so on. Family is my number one. I’m blessed y’all. More than I should be. My family is my biggest example of why I’m so blessed. {To everyone who had helped me with all the furniture moving, borrowing of trucks/trailers, and helping me with this big adventure I’m on…THANK YOU & I LOVE YOU!}
I’ve realized that being alone is a gift. It’s nice to be by yourself once and a while…in fact, it’s real nice. I’ve learned to embrace it, not be scared by it.

Now, for a more business recap of 2013…Here’s some amazing moments that I simply couldn’t wait to relive with y’all! 2013 has been a great year for Emma Loo Photography. Of course, I’m always going to critique my business and want to change things around a bit, learn and grow more, and become even more successful the next year than in the last…and believe me y’all…that WILL happen this next upcoming year. {Have faith my friends! There will be some new & exciting changes and add-on’s this next year!} Emma Loo Photography has been honored to do all this in 2013:

We shot a total of 12 weddings, booked 14 weddings already for 2014, shot 10 engagement sessions throughout 2013, did countless numbers of family sessions during the year! (especially during the holiday season…goodness gracious, we were BUSY!}
We took a little dip into High School Senior photography…which turned out to be quite amazing and oh-SO much fun! It’s a totally awesome concept that we’re falling in love with…and we’re falling FAST y’all. Seniors really know how to rock their session, and it’s so much fun to create images that seniors love to post all over!{lots of thanks to Instagram and #hashtags (#emmaloophotography) that’s for sure!} and it’s a honor to give images to parents who cry when they see the images of their baby all grown up!
We bought all new equipment! New camera bodies, lenses, even a new camera bag for it all! How exciting, right?! {Sure, our wallets were a little tight afterwards…but it was all worth it!}
We’re in a new office & studio space!! We’ve established our home studio in the Downtown Monroe Historic District and couldn’t be more happier with our space! It’s simple, inspirational, cozy, and a great spot to work on everything related to Emma Loo! So far this year, we’ve only used the space for newborn sessions, but we’re hoping to expand the studio more and more by next year! Plus, being in the heart of downtown Monroe offers Emma Loo clients a perfect location for pictures in the historic and urban setting! {Y’all should come by and visit for a little while!}
We rebranded, changed our blog-site around quite a bit, rearranged our packaging, and developed our own style a little bit more seriously. There’s still SO much work to be done, but we’re getting there! (Who knew that changing a blog and web address would be so much work?!)
This year we started our new annual tradition of sending our clients from the past year gifts for Christmas. Since it was our first year, we decided to start small and go for a homemade ornament with our client’s picture in each. The return was tremendous! Our lovely clients absolutely loved receiving their Christmas ornament and that made it all worth it! We promise to keep that tradition going on!

Goals for Emma Loo Photography in 2014…

Clean up blog & website and maintain a simple, clean, natural look & feel to all of our online sites
Begin Boudoir photography sessions and kickstart a new division of Emma Loo Photography {be on the lookout for this in late February!}
Blog, blog, blog more! {always a goal for me…always hardest to do!}
Be featured in a wedding website or magazine!
Hire an assistant/second shooter for our busy spring/summer/fall months! {This is a MUST}
Book a destination wedding outside of the Carolinas!
Attend a workshop! {There are SO many…I need to focus and choose the right one for me!}
Attend WPPI in Las Vegas or at least some kind of workshop/trade show within the next few months.
Do at least two bridal shows!
Go full-time with photography. {I need to stop giving this 50%/50% and just take a chance and go for it! I know it will all pay off in the end!