Hi everyone!
Some of you may know that while I am, in fact, a superhero by night, I am a full-time professional photographer by day. (I’ve been stringing you along… my name is actually Peter Parker.)
My business is called – rather creatively – Israel Smith Photographers, and this week it turns 9 years young! Yep, I’ve been shooting weddings, family portraits, events, christenings, birthdays, funerals (yes, really), headshots and lots of other people-y stuff for NINE YEARS.
The website for all those professional photography shenanigans is over at israelsmith.com – go check it out, but AFTER you finish reading through this post. It has some important gems in it. ;)
My wife Belinda and I thought that reaching 9 years of successful business-ness is worth throwing a bit of a celebration, so that’s exactly what we’re doing. Every day for nine days, we’re putting together a special offer / giveaway / prize / etc for our friends and subscribers, and publishing them via the photography business blog.
I’d love to offer these things to you, all my IQ friends, so here’s what I recommend you do:
- Read my starting message about the 9-Day Ninth Birthday Celebration by clicking here.
- Then, read my wife’s far more eloquent and detailed “the story so far”-type message here.
- Next, check out the giveaway for DAY 1 here, and leave a comment to have the chance to win.
- Finally, make sure you sign up to the email newsletter for the photography blog, so you receive every one of the 9-Day specials straight to your inbox. (Don’t worry, after this 9-Day extravaganza, we’ll go back to monthly newsletters.)
As always, feel very free to share, like, tag, click, or enjoy these IQ’s, and all of our birthday messages. It’s about the love, people. (Seriously!)
I also really hope you’re still enjoying the Daily IQ journey. Please drop me a line by leaving a comment to let me know how you’re travelling, and what you’ve been enjoying about the IQ’s lately. I’d genuinely love to hear from you.
As a little aside, I’ve realised over the past few days that while I create these to be universal in their value, lately they’ve been more like letters to myself as I’ve worked through some challenging situations. Work has been tough (I’ve been in business for 9 years – but I didn’t say it was all rainbows and unicorns!) and I’ve been doing my best to manage my own depression through the tough work scenario. It hasn’t been easy, but these Daily IQ’s give me the chance to tap into my “best self” – you know, the honourable, principled part of us that is us at our most awesome – and write a message for my “not so best self” to read in the morning. It’s working. I’m enjoying the journey myself. I just wanted to share that.
Thanks for being here, and please do connect with me. I really enjoy it and I always respond – even if it takes me a little while!
With love,
Israel. xo