Home Office Women | Work at Home Mom | Earn Money From Home | Work from Home | Home Office Business

MyBlogLog is a fantastic social networking tool for me. Through this great tool, I have met and connected with so many home office women around the world. Today, I would like you to meet Valeria Wallace-Camp, a talented photographer and mommie of two. Please don’t forget to check out her beautiful and artistic portfolio at the end of this feature…

How did this home office begin?

I was working for a photography studio as a graphic designer. He was a great photographer and I felt like I did a good job working for
him. He was just so different than I was. I am tedious with my work and take pride in getting the details just perfect. He was opposite
of that and his wish was that I worked twice as quickly and did just as good of a job. Some people just do not work like that. I did
not. I eventually realized that it was no longer a good fit for me. He said a few things that were hurtful . . . that I could not just forgive and forget. So I walked out. One of the biggest, boldest things I think I have ever done in my life. I knew it was the right decision because I was following my heart. And on the drive home that day I told myself that I could do the same thing but even better.

I realized soon after this when I became pregnant with my first child, that I had made the best decision of my life. I had the chance to keep working in what was my passion – photography and graphic design – AND stay at home with my baby. Something I was incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to do.

What are the perks and challenges?

The best perk, as I mentioned, is the opportunity to stay at home with my babies. I now have two children, ages 3-1/2 and 17 months, and it’s the best gift in the world. Not only to be a mother, but a mother who can stay at home with her children. Who could possibly ask for more? It is truly the best gift.

I also have the flexibility to work on my photography things when I have time to — whether that be during naps, during the kids’ meals, or once my husband gets home from work. It’s nice because working on my stuff sporatically throughout the day means I am not working hours on end without breaks. I can break when I want, make a fresh pot of coffee when i want, run to the store when I want, take the kids for a walk when I want . . . it’s just sometimes seems too perfect to be true.

On the flip side, there are definitely challenges, too. I don’t have much time to hang out with friends or family, so adult conversation is few and far. I long for times where I can talk to my girlfriends about motherhood, clothes, husbands, all the things girls talk about! My adult conversations consist of phone calls to and from clients and the lady checking me out at Target. Sometimes I forget how to say complete sentences without having to say “what’s wrong?”, “oops, time to change a stinky diaper!”, “yes, baby, what do you need?”. There are days when I wish I could get away from it all for 8 hours. That’s the hardest thing . . . juggling family and work and finding the perfect medium point with both.

Describe your biz.

I am a professional photographer. I have been for almost 5 years now. I do a large amount of weddings. I also love shooting newborns, families, maternity and children in their home environment settings. My passion lies in photography . . . in creating a photograph that
just makes you warm and fuzzy inside. I love hearing clients, brides and groom especially say “I can’t believe you got that on camera!”
or, “I don’t remember that!”. I love to see their priceless expressions of pure joy and happiness. It really is the best thing.

I love capturing moments as they happen, not in a rehearsed way. I try to be as inconspicious as possible, whether it be at one of my weddings or at one of my clients’ homes. I don’t like being the center of attention. Never should attention be taken away from my
clients. I want them to feel like they are in the limelight, as they should be. I love getting to know my clients as though they are my best friends. So often I do go on to keeping in touch with my clients. I feel like this is part of the reason why I am in what I am — to learn more about others . . . .to learn and witness more of life itself. . . and to give others a small fraction of their own lives to cherish and hold on to forever.

My advice for anyone who works from home would be . . .

Not to get too frustrated when you have a difficult time juggling family life and work and trying to keep them separated from each other. It’s hard, but sometimes you have to sacrifice a little. In the end it’s always worth it. Your eyes open up once you talk to a friend who has no choice but to work out of the home and she talks about how desperately she wishes she could be at home with her kids.

It’s when you see how sad that makes her, that you stop complaining, buck up and sacrifice. It’s more than worth it. It really is.

My greatest inspiration is my children. They force me to never stop picking up the camera. I think I will have to be buried with a camera. To be able to capture glimpses of life . . . so many peoples’ lives . . . is just such an inspiration in itself.

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3. perfect love casts out fear
4. H.O.W. feature – Cool Mom Picks
5. What About the Stay At Home Dads