Micah | Creative Marketer

Photography the Show Me Skate roller derby tournament in Springfiel today! #rollerderby #sidehustlelife #photography @SpringfieldRollerDerby

anything to get the shot right? #creativemarketing #brandphotographer #portraitphotography

I look forward to the few hours I spend after my day job working on my business because it brings me lights me up. #startingabusiness #sidehustle #motivationalquotes

One thing about me is that I WILL hype you up if you’re on the other side of my camera 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 #bts #behindthescenes #portraitphotography #portraits #photoshoot #portraiture #springfieldmo #springfieldmissouri #downtownspringfield #SmallBusiness #lovespringfield #417photographer #springfieldphotographer

I was able to do a PRIDE themed shoot on the first day of Pride Month 📸 It was so fun getting to snap some photos for @High Tide Theatrical’s Pride merch drop! Loving the vibrant pastels! Even more than that, I love the diversity that High Tide always ensures to highlight whenever they have shows, concerts and shoots. Truly a stage for every story. — #bts #behindthescenes #otsvsedits #portraitphotography #photography #photoshoot #canon #branding #pride #pridemonth #Igbtqia #lifestylephotographer #springfieldmo #local #springfieldmissouri #downtownspringfield #smallbusiness #sgfmo #lovespringfield #springfieldmobusiness #downtownsgf #417photographer #springfieldphotographer

Photographers can find inspiration wherever we go. These were snapped with my phone on a work trip recently. It’s so convenient to be able to snap a pic with my iPhone and still be able to edit in Lightroom on the fly. I can still be creative even when I don’t have all my “fancy gear”. #creativeinspiration #contentcreator #streetphotographer #startingabusiness #pov

Couple sessions are so fun because each couple is so unique. This is one I was really excited about. I had a couple drop out the day before due to an unexpected situation. Luckily, these two were free to take the studio slot that was already booked. They had a Pinterest board, coordinated their outfits and just knew what they wanted and I was just like “Hell yeah! Let’s get it!” And wheeewwww 😮‍💨🤌🏽🔥 I have ideas and suggestions, but at the end of the day, if you know what you want you know your relationship best, and I’m here to polish y’all up and make you two shine. (Now of course I’m here to help if you don’t know what to do… don’t worry I got you!) Best believe no matter what, you’ll get creative that connects. #couplesphotography #studiophotographer #springfieldmissouri #417photographer #missouriphotographer

Still in my 9-5 job-having era, but I finally stopped waiting for the “right time” to start my creative business. Gonna be figuring it out as I go. #startingabusiness #creativebusiness #buildyourdream

It’s easy to get caught up in your past mistakes. But all that matters is what’s here and now. What you do with it is your choice. You can try to push forward or keep looking behind… what are you gonna do? #motivationalquotes #smallbusinesstips #contentcreator

starting messy >> waiting forever to feel “ready.” wanted to remind everyone (myself included) that imposter syndrome is just fear in fancy clothes. do it scared. future you will thank you. #smallbusinesstips #juststart #growthmindset #impostersyndrome #betonyourself #trusttheprocess

Sometimes you just have to do things scared. And you gotta make a choice to show up, do your best, and learn from the situation. Starting a creative business is me doing it scared. I truly am trying and learning as I go. And as a perfectionist, it’s hard to do things before I feel like I can get it just right. But I know I have to just go for it. Because I know that I wouldn’t be where I am now if I ever let my fear keep me from doing things. So here’s to me committing to show up and learning and trying and failing and trying some more until I make it happen. #startingabusiness #motivationmonday #videographer #creativeinspiration

sunrises at the beach = self care 😊🫶🏽 towards the end of a busy work trip, all i wanted was one moment to myself. it took an early morning wake up and an uber ride at like 5am, but it was so so so worth it. don’t forget to schedule in some “me time” while you’re busy working on your goals. rest is just as important (if not more) #mentalhealth #selfcare #creativeinspiration #contentcreator

Honored to have been able to photograph my first ever maternity session for my dear friend (and the best stage manager) ☺️ also, shout out to the clouds deciding to go away that day just before the session started. the sunset was def a paid actor ☀️ #southwestmissouri #missouriphotographer #maternityphotography #behindthescenes #portraitphotographer

Some nights I wonder why I’m stacking more hours on top of a full-time job. But then I remember: this is mine… This little creative business is MINE. And that’s what keeps me sane and what makes every extra hour worth it for me. #startingabusiness #sidehustlelife #buildyourdream #passionproject #afterhours

Let’s be honest here… We’ve all seen that one dude’s morning routine video. You know the one. It’s so unrealistic that it’s become a meme. Morning routines are great. I try to keep one as best as I can. But my “routine” is messy and inconsistent as fuck. I don’t get it done every day. It changes based on my energy levels. And it sure as hell does not look good to record (as you have seen in this video). But that’s reality. That’s my life. And I do what I can when I can. I’m reading The Artist’s Way right now and the author has a task in there for daily morning pages. I try to journal in the morning because I love the brain dump before going into the day. Especially with my ADHD, I always have things running through my head. Sometimes journaling reveals things to me and helps me process. Sometimes it just helps me get it out of my system. And then sometimes, I just write about how stupid it is to have a routine that makes me get up early af to journal 😂

Oops! I splurged on a new toy!! 👀🫣 I’ve been making quite a bit of social media content with my phone lately (and will be making even more going forward) so I bought myself new phone gimbal today… finally got around to trying out out and wow 😱 This is going to be SUCH a game changer for me! #djiosmomobilese #contentcreator #marketingmanager

absolutely ate and left no crumbs 💁🏽‍♂️ #EventPhotographer #startingabusiness #contentcreator #dragshow

The coolest thing about starting a creative business is that I get to create work that excites me. I am constantly creating something new with every project I take on and with every client I work with. As I continue to create new work, the better I become. I get to find new ways to do things and I get to learn new skills to use for the next project. I truly love what I am getting to do with Tala Creative and I’m so excited to keep pushing forward and finding out what bigger and better things mights lie ahead. #startingabusiness #creativebusiness #buildyourdream #sidehustlelife

Playing the social media game for myself is tough. It’s easier to create for other people and brands because I’m not overthinking from being in the grind every day. I can see the bigger picture and I can just decide. #startingabusiness #founderstory #contentcreatorstruggles

When you’re starting a new business, it’s just YOU. You get to send all the emails. You get to do all the grunt work. You get to look for all the clients. You get to deal with the problems… But you also get to do the fun stuff. You get to feel the excitement from a successful project. You get to see the growth you’ve contributed to. It’s not always glamorous. It’s not always fun. But if you love it enough, it’s always worth the effort. #smallbusinesstips #contentcreator #startingabusiness #motivationalquotes

you’re over thinking this… just post your shit #contentcreator #startingabusiness #juststart

June has come and gone... and that means we are halfway through with the year! I’m grateful for everyone who has trusted me to capture images for them this month. Whether it was a headshot, couples shoot, or new brand imagery - thank you! It has been blast and I hope you love your photo galleries as much as I do! I’m ready to keep it going for the next 6 months! So if you have any ideas or just want to refresh your photos, message me and let’s get you booked! . . . . . #bts #behindthescenes #btsvsedits #portraitphotographer #portrait #portraitphotography #portraits #photography #photoshoot #portraitmood #canon #portraiture #familyphotographer #lifestylephotographer #springfieldmo #local #springfieldmissouri #downtownspringfield #smallbusiness #sgfmo #lovespringfield #springfieldmobusiness #downtownsgf #417photographer #springfieldphotographer

I know I’m not the only one… #startingabusiness #creativestudio #freelancer

I hate being sold to in this way… it’s always so impersonal and feels so slimy 🤢 #smallbusinesstips #startingabusiness #salestips #creativemarketing

working ON your business vs. working IN your business #smallbusinesstips #sidehustlelife #creativemarketing #buildyourdream #motivationalquotes

gatekeeping knowledge isn’t the move tbh #smallbusinesstips #creativecommunity #sidehustlelife

Hot take: DIY is overrated 🫣 I outsourced my brand visuals so I could stay in my zone and play to my strengths. And because my brand deserves more than just my leftover energy. #BrandStrategy #BusinessTip #startingabusiness #smallbusinesstips

“F*CK THAT CHAIR, DUDE!” Did notice the immediate shift in Bren’s vibe and energy once we got her up on her feet? My biggest priority as a photographer is to make sure everyone I work with feels comfortable so they can feel confident. My next biggest priority is to capture what happens after that (aka the magic 📸) If at any point I sense my client is uncomfortable or not in their element, I do what I can to try to alleviate the awkwardness (we all know how awkward taking photos can be). I also let them know that if they’re not feeling a prompt or pose or suggestion, they have every right to tell me so. It’s not just me making this happen, it’s a two way collaboration built on trust and communication. I may be the dude with the photographer, but at the end of the day, I’m here to bring out the best of what’s already inside of you and to document that for you and everyone else to see. . . . . . #bts #behindthescenes #studioshoot #portraitphotographer #portrait #portraitphotography #portraits #photography #photoshoot #portraitmood #canon #portraiture #headshots #lifestylephotographer #springfieldmo #local #springfieldmissouri #downtownspringfield #smallbusiness #sgfmo #lovespringfield #springfieldmobusiness #downtownsgf #417photographer #springfieldphotographer #capcut

how do you get away from the “competition” mindset in your space? #creativecommunity #startingabusiness #smallbusinesstips

I’ve been seeing a lot of BTS vs finals edits videos so I bought a hot shoe phone mount to use to film a few shoots coming up. How do y’all like seeing the before and afters? (Side note: TBD on how I’ll make that work when I need to use an actual flash mounted lol but I’ll figure that out when I need to 😂) . . . . . #bts #behindthescenes #portraitphotography #portraits #photoshoot #portraiture #springfieldmo #springfieldmissouri #downtownspringfield #smallbusiness #lovespringfield #417photographer #springfieldphotographer

just had to be honest here… 😮‍💨 #contentcreator #creativemarketing #startingasmallbusiness #founderstory

I’ve really been enjoying studio sessions lately. Today, I tried a new thing out and decided I’d try tethered capturing to my laptop. That was really cool because it allowed me and my clients to see what we were doing and allowed us to adjust direction when needed. I really liked the transparency and getting to see how hyped they were whenever they liked what they saw. So honestly I may continue to do this in the future… Also, BTS clip courtesy of @urbanstudiosgf team 🫶🏽 #studiophotography #sidehustlelife #creativeinspiration

psa: it’s not a competition! #creativecommunity #smallbusinesstips #contentcreator

my goal? stand out 😎 but never compete 🙅🏽‍♂️ #startingabusiness #creativemarketing #contentcreator

Who the hell is behind Tala Creative? What are they up to? 🤔 Here’s a short intro for ya, allow me to quickly introduce myself: Hey, my name is Micah Abalos 👋🏽 I’m a designer and photographer. I’ve been working as an in-house designer for over 10 years and I’m finally ready to make the jump to do more freelance work, so… here I am 😁 I’m planning to post a more formal introduction soon as well as share more thoughts as I take you along with me on this new journey! Stay tuned! 👀 . . . . . #visualdesigner #visualcreative #photographer #introduction #freelancer #smallbusinessbranding #brandingforcreatives #marketingnoinstagram #417photography #417business #springfieldmissouri #springfieldmo #lovespringfield #creativestudio

I know a lot of us visual creative types get caught up in trying to make everything pixel perfect… it doesn’t always have to be that way. that kept me from having a website up for so long or from sharing my work or even posting on here… but fuck it! post your shit. publish that site! do the thing!!! #startingabusiness #contentcreator #smallbusinesstips