How Becoming A Minimalist Has Impacted My Business
Minimalism to me, is about living with the things that bring me joy, and getting rid of the excess. This year, we brought in the new year with the 30 day minimalism challenge. Basically, you start off getting rid of 1 thing that no longer brings you joy on day 1, and then 2 things on day 2, and then 3 day on day 3 and so forth. We felt this was important to do because we (Kevin and I) tend to accumulate things. And during this time, we have already discovered things we totally forgot we had. Some things we were pleasantly surprised with and plan on keeping them, whilst other things we may try to sell or donate.
Kevin and I have been interested in minimalism for some time. We started taking it seriously about 2-3 years ago. It is definitely a process and something that is ongoing. We are constantly having to ask, does this item bring me joy? And when it no longer serves a purpose for us or bring us joy, we try to find it a new home.
This idea of minimalism is something that I have tried to incorporate in all aspects of my life including my business. If you notice, my website is very minimal. Everything is simple. I don’t have anything on my website that does not serve a purpose. Even with my pictures, I don’t include dates/captions or anything more than what I think is necessary. If you look at my booking Information, it has my prices. Everything is simple, and straightforward.
This idea of minimalism also plays into my sessions. I have one camera and two lenses. I could definitely buy more lenses, and more cameras, but these get the job done. I felt that if I had 5 or 6 lenses, I wouldn’t use them all and it would not be worth it to me. I feel that at that point, the additional lenses would just be clutter and would collect dust. They would not bring me joy so why add on when what I already have works.
Another way that minimalism has played a role in my photography, has been with the idea of props. When I first started photography, it was exciting to think about fun props, lights and accessories that I could buy. And if I am being honest, I initially thought all these things were necessary in order for me to move forward with my photography. I remember buying flash and some random backdrops. But luckily for me and my bank account, I quickly realized that I did not need these things in order to achieve the vision that I had. And so I made the decision that I didn’t need any of these things. I just needed people and the outdoors, and that would be enough. And it has been. The number of places to photograph are endless, so I spend a ton of time just exploring and wandering the area. I also spend time with different people. You end up creating such beautiful memories, and even though I have been sticking with this simple and basic plan, I am so happy with how it has helped me in building my brand and vision. It is simple, natural, and shows the connection between people. I hope this brings you a greater understanding as to how minimalism has impacted my photography journey.
XO,
Esther Kabwe Photography
