I posted on my facebook wall that I would answer any question for this friday’s edition of fun.stuff.friday… needless to say I have some awesome friends and followers. I literally answered every question… (even the kind of rude one.)

Oh, and thanks to Sarah for that photo of my legs and camera. I’ve wanted that photo for a long time. (Yes, Mom, I know my head is cut off in it. Its supposed to be that way.)

Without further adieu… answers to all of your questions-o’-Valerie.

Yo, What’s up girl?
Just chillin’, chillin’, mindin’ my business… (I’ll give you five points if you can sing the rest of that.)

How do you get your couples (who are shy in front of the camera) to feel comfortable while shooting an engagement session?
I talk… a lot. We usually walk to the farthest place we’ll be going to first because it gives me a chance to talk a little bit to them… so its not taking photos straight out of the bat. Someday, I’d like to be able to meet everyone for coffee or drinks before my sessions start… but that requires an extra hour of paying a babysitter at the moment.
And I tend to make them feel awkward on purpose. 90% of people will burst out laughing if you make them feel awkward…
Also, I always loosely set up the shot… meter… take a few and then tell them I’m re-metering when people are looking extra stiff… they tend to relax if they think their photo isn’t really be taken. (NOTE TO CLIENTS… sometimes I really am just metering and adjusting… don’t worry you’re not going to get that shot of you retying your shoe and checking your teeth.)

If you could pick one part of running a photography business that is the hardest, what would it be?
Unfortunately, running a photography business has a lot of ups and downs… the part I constantly struggle with is the fact that its a subjective thing. Not everyone is going to like and appreciate what I do… and its easy to get stuck on the ones that don’t like it, versus all of my awesome, amazing clients and followers who do.

Why don’t you edit your photos?
Uhhhh… I do. If you’re referring to the fact that I generally don’t run crazy actions and presets on my photos… then its just a matter of preference. I want my photos to be modern but timeless. In ten years if turning your photos completely blue is the new trend… mine won’t look bad because they’re whatever the trend of right now is. I experimented with some different editing before and just found out that I really prefer clean, classic edits.

What is your favorite thing to shoot?
Weddings. Hands down. I love it. I get a lot of grief from my fine art photographer and photojournalist friends for being a wedding photographer… but I wouldn’t trade it for doing anything else in the world. My photos actually get hung on walls everyday. People love them. And cherish them. And I get to attend pretty awesome parties and actually be a part of someone’s life. And I LOVE taking photos of the entire wedding… I love the getting ready photos AND the ceremony AND the reception.

What is your favorite lens?
I seriously don’t have one. I can’t pick. I love all of the ones I own.

Whatcha gonna do with all that junk…all that junk inside your trunk?
If you’re referring to the actual junk inside of my trunk… probably give it to goodwill. Its leftover props from photoshoots that I’ll probably never use again.
If you’re referring to some sort of butt… I don’t have one. At all. I was not gifted with anything remotely known as junk in my trunk. So nothing… its impossible to do anything with something you don’t have.

How many sessions & weddings do you take per month?
Typically 2-3 weddings a month and 4-6 sessions depending on whether its 2 or 3 weddings… this year is a little different.

Is it easy for you to balance your profession and home life, or do you struggle?
Nope. Its my husband’s big complaint about me… because I work out of my house its hard to differentiate the two. Its hard to turn off the business-side if you sit down to do nothing but remember you have a never-ending list of things you could be doing for work. I have a goal of getting an office in 2013. I think that will help a lot.

How do you feel about the photography field in terms of competitiveness and helping out other photographers?
I think competition is stupid. I mean I guess technically we’re all competing against each other around here… but I want people to want me for what I do and what my photos are… not just because I’m another photographer.
And as far as helping out other photographers… I am 110% all for it. It’s my biggest gripe about our industry. I wish it were more of a community. I was and still have been treated really badly by other photographers. While I don’t personally feel I am at a point to be hosting workshops or legitimately teaching… just because I still feel like I have a long way to go myself… I am more than happy to help others out when I have the time… or answer questions if I have the time. Also, I love second shooting. LOVE it.

What does your wedding gear arsenal entail?
A Canon 5Dii and a backup (I’m saving for the new 5Diii I think… I wasn’t going to get it… but a few of the reviews by people I trust have me sold.), a 35 1.4L, 50 1.2L, 100 2.8L IS, 135 2L, 200 2.8L, a sigma 20 1.8, sigma 50 1.4 (for receptions/dark ceremonies… it focuses WAY faster and is AWESOME) and a sigma 85 1.4. Two 580exii and a 580ex with radiopoppers- the px system (only if I absolutely need them)… a video light… a grey card… and a giant white diffuser/reflector/sun swatter… and two kelly moore bags.

How many tattoos do you have and which ones are your favorite?
Depends how you count them… so we’ll just say a sleeve on my left arm, and a bunch are in pairs… two on my chest, two on my wrists, two on my calves… three on my back and two other random ones… and a ton more I want. For the most part, they all have meanings (the corset lacing on my back with brass knuckles at the bottom clearly doesn’t mean anything except for being awesome)… but my favorites are the one for my kids… with dice with their birthdays, the one for my grandparents that has playing cards, flowers and pennies (you’d get it if you knew them), and the love letter for my husbandman… I also have a mom heart for my mom and and an anchor for my dad, and a skull with a pomp and glasses for my brother… and a sugar skull gal for me… and (almost) everyone in chris’s family has a different version of the sailor jerry poison girl. I also have a paint brush… and a few band tattoos… and I’m going to stop now before I wind up listing them all… long story short… I can’t pick.

How does it feel being blonde?
It was fun while it lasted. Its gone already. ha ha.

How did you become so AWESOME?
Its because I say “awesome” so often… eventually it just happened. (Just kidding! Thanks for thinking I’m awesome.)

How would you describe your brand?
It’s me. Fun, quirky, a little bit of an edge… not traditional at all…I’m obsessed with anything vintage… so I gave it a slight throwback to vintage lables and signage… but modern overall.

Do you have lucky wedding outfits with a lot of mo jo?
Maybe starting this year. I’ll be branching out of all black. gasp.

Am I your favorite Asian photographer in Chicago?
Wouldn’t it be funny if I said no… all joking aside… of course. If you guys don’t know who Jiho is yet… he was the mastermind behind the watermarked photo that went quasi-viral on facebook… a pretty hilarious guy… and an awesome photographer who does a lot of fun things with flash that I actually enjoy. I’ll be heading out to Chicago/Iowa to help him with a wedding this summer… that couple doesn’t even know what they have in store. I feel a photographer reception dance-off in my future. I have to challenge him for this award…

What advice would you give to a new photographer?
I actually wrote a whole post on it a few months ago… here you go. If you love it… work at it.

Can you teach me how to Dougie?
I can teach you how to Carlton… or do the runningman… which are far superior dances.

Do you have a piece of equipment you couldn’t live without?
All of it… I can’t imagine not having any of it. I’m most thankful for showit right now (even though its not really equipment) because it enabled me to make a website that was completely me on my own… And good second shooters… (don’t worry guys I don’t think of you as equipment).

Are there wedding elements/rituals/decorations that just make you cringe?
I thought about this one for a long time… trying to come up with something specific… anything where the people are just doing it for the sake of doing it… I’m a HUGE, firm believer in making your wedding your own. It should feel like you.
And not that any of my brides have control of this… but I hate crazy carpeting in venues… I’m going to hold an intervention with venues and tell them to put in hardwood instead.

Are you still planning on doing your own wedding one day?
We’re hoping (finally) for next year… We have a six month window finally that we SHOULD be ok to go ahead and plan in.

What are you most excited about this year?
I have so many awesome weddings this year… at really amazing venues… I’m excited about my new website and branding finally being so me… and I am SO SO SO excited about the new things I just picked out for my 2013 weddings and beyond.

If you could change something about your business what would it be?
I’ve pretty much changed everything I wanted to… I threw all of what I thought I had to do business-wise out…(here’s to hoping it works!)… Artistically, I just have to figure out a way to start adding the shots I want to take with the shots my clients are expecting still because they booked me based on what they saw… and I want an office. And an assistant. Those are in the works for 2013 though…

Or what would you do different if you were going to start over again?
I wouldn’t have tried to compete with the area photographers… and would have just come out guns blazing the way I wanted to all along… its hard work backtracking and trying to change things once you’re already a little established…

How do you balance being a professional photographer, a mom, a friend, a family member and an all natural bada$$?
I’m not very good at it. I sort of just tackle things as they come along. I’m sure there is a way better system… but it happens. I don’t have very much time for friends these days. I wish I did… I do most of my chatting with them on facebook… and that’s far and few between. They’re awesome because they stick around and don’t hate me even though I don’t get to see them very often… Its easy with my kids though… they’re too cute to say no to… and they live with me. I get distracted by coloring books and legos a lot.

When did you feel like you “made it” as a photographer?
I still don’t feel like I “made it”… but I’m pretty happy with where I’m at and will be (hopefully) next year… I have a few goals I set for myself. I’m a hoping a few will happen this year. I’m currently in year three going on four of my 5 year plan. Get back to me at the end of 2013. I own the fact that I am a “professional photographer” now though… I’m proud of what I’m putting out. I have amazing clients… I can’t really ask for more.

Thank you to everyone who asked and sent questions… some of them were the same so I only posted them once… I think I did enough writing for now… so I will just leave you with this song… because I’ll be heading to Richmond to see them at the end of June and I’m pretty stoked.