In my roundup last year, I described 2014 as a transitional year, where photography was slowly but gradually starting to become a bigger, more important and more positive aspect of my life. Whereas 2014 was transitional, 2015 by comparison has been utterly transformative.
By far the biggest thing to happen this year; I quit my day job in August and became a full time photographer. Yeah, I’m still pinching myself.
Several months later, whether I’m out shooting, or sat in a coffee shop editing some images or answering emails; it just hits home that this is my actual job. I am absolutely privileged and honoured that I get todo what I truly love for a living. And surprisingly, I’ve found being self-employed fits me like a glove. As a person, I’m more comfortable, confident and happy than I’ve ever been. It’s awesome.
But I simply wouldn’t have been able todo this without the trust and great ideas from our wonderful couples, who have worked with us on this journey this year. And I certainly wouldn’t have achieved anything without the support and understanding from family and friends. (Weekend, what’s a weekend?). Juggling 35 weddings with a day job this year was tricky at times, but completely worth it. I’ve been a part of so many wonderful, emotional and inspiring stories. Even now, I’m humbled by it all.
This new found sense of freedom and positivity has also created huge shift in my own priorities and life goals, as well as the way I fundamentally see the world as a photographer. I’ve become intensely more focused on the experience, the feeling, rather than how things might look on the surface.
This shift also had the side effect of giving me a spell of almost insatiable wanderlust. After years of never really taking the opportunity to travel, 2015 was certainly the year of making plans and jumping on planes…
Starting with a few amazing bucket-list-ticking weeks in Japan in May, and then followed by a few days in Stockholm in October. This has been just the very start of a long, rewarding and inspiring journey of new adventures and experiences. I now pretty much spend all my free time (and pocket money) planning the trips; Iceland and Hong-Kong are on the radar for 2016. We are also so incredible lucky to have several destination weddings in Barcelona and Milan, next summer which I’m incredibly excited about. I absolutely cannot wait for what next year brings.
So before we get to all the lovely images from this year. What’s the plan for 2016? For me, it’s more focus on experiences and connection, telling genuine stories and emotionally investing in the people I meet, the stories I share and the work I do. My goal now is to simply to experience and explore; and to create the best, most emotive work I possibly can.
So thank you 2015. And 2016, I’m coming to get you.
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