We’ve been married almost 8 years. We haven’t killed each other yet…so we thought we’d give it a go.

Yup. We’re the Buies and we’re going into business together. I’ve heard from multiple people that going into business with your spouse is a horrible idea. When someone tells me it can’t be done or better yet, it SHOULDN’T be done, it makes me want to do it even more. Call me stubborn but it’s just the way my brain works. The thing is, my husband works the same way.

When I picked up a camera and started this little hobby back in high school, I had no idea I was preparing for this! This little hobby quickly turned into an obsession. I remember (back in the days of film) taking my photos to one hour photo places to have them printed and sitting at the register just waiting on them to process. Fast forward a decade or so, I’ve upgraded to digital and I’m telling my parents that I’m quitting my full time job to pursue a career in photography. Thankfully they were nothing but supportive, although I’m not sure it would have persuaded me otherwise if they weren’t.

Cara Beth Studio started 5 years ago almost to the day. My husband was totally supportive while he brought home the bacon and I waded through this whole new world I’d just dove in to. Having absolutely zero business background and being 100% right brained, I was lost on the business side of things but I sure was having fun meeting new people and photographing their pretty families. I stuck to families mainly, they were happy and easy!

I told myself I would never be a wedding photographer. Never. My first wedding I did for a friend and didn’t charge them a dime. I was a nervous wreck. I had a shot list typed out on a clipboard and I brought my mom to come as my assistant. This basically just meant she followed me around with the clipboard and yelled out things for me to take pictures of. It wasn’t a wonderful experience, although my friends seemed pleased with their pictures. I said I’d never do it again. Ever.

That same year I shot 3 year weddings. It helped to second shoot a few weddings with a dear friend of mine who was a lot more calm and collected than I was. Over the next 5 years, each year I shot more and more weddings. My family client list also grew exponentially especially after the hubs and I moved from Arkansas back to my home state of Louisiana. More people knew me, therefore more people booked me. My little Excel spreadsheet with all of my clients wasn’t going to cut it any more. I needed reinforcements.

In comes my knight in shining armor. My husband was not so pleased in the job area and looking to do something different. Graduate school looked right for him. Whenever I felt overwhelmed or was on the verge of having a melt-down, he would always tell me everything is going to be okay. And I knew it would be because he was helping me. After letting him second shoot with me several times, I realized how much talent this guy had! I remember one particular wedding that I was editing and I realized about 50% of the shots were mine and 50% were taken by B. I was so proud and amazed and maybe a little mad he was hiding his talent away from me for so long! I was so pumped I found a second shooter and how convenient that we live together! 😉

But the day came when we had to decide if we were going to move on from this dream of mine or if we were all in.

I am so happy to say that my dear husband is my best friend and also my business partner now! We are, of course, ALL IN! B is pursuing THIS business as his full-time job.