And just like that, I have a blog once again. I’m actually still surprised that I’m sitting here and blogging my first post since May. And not by choice, unfortunately. As most of you know, this blog used to be everything – my blog, my website, my portfolio, my contact system, my resources for pretty much everything that was at the heart of my business. But some time on or around the first week of June (as my kids were sick and I was heading into my busiest month of the year) I went to visit my own site and got the much unwanted 404 File Not Found message. I sat back in disbelief for a few moments thinking … not found? What do you mean not found? But I have a thriving blogsite. I have a lot of traffic and self-confessed blog stalkers. I have 3+ years of multiple per week blog posts. What do you mean not found? And after countless hours on the phone with my web server, much sweat and plenty of tears it was true. It was gone. And the consensus was that it was park of a wide-spread WordPress hack and that mine had also been hacked into and my files basically deleted.
Then panic mode set in. Holy crap. I had no website at all. If any of my potential clients, vendors or followers went to my website, they were immediately redirected to Buying Houses in North Carolina. Mishelle Lamarand Photography (in my own mind) basically didn’t exist. If I had a brick and mortar studio, it was the equivalent of it being burnt to the ground. I had no “storefront” for clients to come see my work or learn a little bit about the person they were about to hire to capture one of the biggest days of their lives so far. Sounds a bit dramatic, I know. But I lost 3 wedding clients that week. And I was crushed. So somewhere around day 3, and probably somewhere in the middle of the night I realized that the wind was not blowing my way ….
So I decided to adjust my sails.
I took a deep breath, pulled myself off the ground and continued moving forward. And now looking back, I learned that this whole debacle was actually a blessing in disguise. I took the month of July off and away from my computer so that I could inhale as much time with my own family and friends as possible. I spent my time connecting with other local photographers in new and interesting ways, and I was able to spend some much needed time with my hubby, Jeff. It was exactly what my heart needed.
And out of this storm came some new, and beautiful things for Mishelle Lamarand Photography. I spun my initial branding done by Aviary Creative by pulling the blue out and using it as my main color. I love the way it breathed new life into my website, and and hope you do, too.
Along with a new and fresh website came my Wedding Client Sites. My amazing wedding clients now have their very own, custom website with their own url to share with family and friends. I’ve gotten some really great feedback from those that have received their Client Sites already and I’m thrilled with the way they’ve turned out.
Most of my blog was eventually able to be recovered, but all of my media files ares still missing. So one by one, I will be going through old posts and plugging in their respective images. But all in all, I have to say I’m happy to be back to blogging! I’ve got some new and exciting things up my sleeve and I’m excited to share them here with you along with bits and pieces of my little life. So happy you’re here.
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