Babies and Bats

So, Dad's been hinting, or rather, telling me, that he's bored of rereading the entry below this one. It's true, I have been truant from my blog. I apologize. It goes back to the whole got-nothin'-to-say issue.

Today was a busy day. I drove a half hour to The Newton Jewish Community Center to post a small card promoting my photography services there. I'm crossing my fingers that I may get some Bar/Bat Mitzvah clients. I also drove to a Prenatal Yoga Class another half hour away in hopes of them taking my informational postcards and posting them there. Not for Bat/Bar Mitzvahs, but for births. I have to admit, I showed to that a bit unprepared. I have never been a very good self-promoter. Usually, when I show-up somewhere to promote my work, the person I'm talking to just says, "Cool, I'll put your postcard on the wall!" and that's that. But, this time, the instructor asked me, "Well, How do you do it?"

I was a bit stumped by the question, but decided what she was asking would be answered with, "Well, I show up, shoot with available light and stay out of the way."
What do I charge? Well how does it work (when hospitals are involved)? She went on.

I was a bit thrown. After playing email tag with a potential wedding client (woot!) and setting-up my rates for the Bat/Bar Mitzvahs, I couldn't for the life of me remember how I charge for the birth coverage. I assured her that I would go straight home and email her my (very detailed) rate sheet for that service. I went on to tell her that the easiest clients are those giving birth at home, but should someone giving birth elsewhere be interested in having me take pictures, I would have them inquire about a photographer (because most hospitals don't allow them).

She then told me she takes pictures all the time at births because she's a doula, "Why don't you be a doula?" she asked me.
To my horror, I answered without thinking, very flatly, very matter-of-factly, "Because I'm a photographer". She told me she thought I would just be killing two birds with one stone (by being both). I guess. If I was into killing birds.