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2017: A Year In Review

events | personal | photography | portraits | travel
Vancouver from Stanley Park

Happy New Year Everyone!

This time 12 months ago I had no idea what was about to come… 2017 has been a year of big changes – both in business and personally speaking. I really don’t know where to start so I suppose I should really start at the beginning!

The beginning of the year brought with it a lot of doubt on my part. My business was in a place I wasn’t happy with and yet I had no idea what direction I wanted to take it in. What was to begin was almost a whole year of thinking (and maybe a bit of procrastination too). I had to figure out what I wanted to do. There was a point where I did consider shutting it all down – thankfully that thought was fairly fleeting and I realised how much I love photography and couldn’t possibly give it up.

And so I set about capturing images in the way I felt I should…

The year started off with dabbling, for the first time, in a little studio photography. This Girl + Owl shoot was so much fun and I loved being able to get the chance to hold an owl!

woman in a pink dress holds a white owl

I loved meeting the gorgeous Victoria and capturing her in the woods

And working with Laura + Holly’s fab new business, Simply Hair

Front of Simply Hair salon as people walk past

Spring brought with it some fab couples shoots – Laura + Pete in Cromer, Kitty + Sam in amongst the bluebells in Hertfordshire and Nicola + Sean at Knole Park in Kent were all winners of my Love Shoot competition.

One of the biggest events of the year was visiting Vancouver in Canada. The trip came about as a result of Stuart and I deciding to seriously consider a move there and so this trip was one of exploration. Quite simply? We fell in love with the place…

Vancouver from Stanley Park

So much so we are now in the process of planning a move there! Stu is currently going through the process of applying for his British Columbia Paramedic license and I keep looking at houses and dreaming of cycling around Stanley Park at every opportunity!

On our return from Canada, we had a lovely catch up with an old friend, Francesca, and I was lucky enough to get her in front of my camera once again…

Summer brought with it two lovely couples engagement shoots and weddings – Tracey + Paul and Janet + Paul.

We also finally got our living room decorated and the hideous brickwork surrounding our fireplace covered up once and for all! Hurrah!

We headed off to Berlin for our wedding anniversary and, as always, loved visiting the city…

Man stands leaning between metal supports of former Berlin Wall Germany

And then, spurred on by thoughts of Canada and what I might like to do for work once we get there, something else quite extraordinary happened. On my return from Berlin, I whimsically decided to apply for an Open University degree, as you do. So I am now working my way through the first two modules of a BA (Hons) Arts & Humanities (Creative Writing). There’s nothing like leaping in feet first, I’m finding, but I’m loving the process so far!

October was full of fun – a trip to Nottingham to see The Tenderloins, TEDX Chelmsford the following week and exhibiting some of my work in a local art exhibition (and selling one of my prints!).

The year was rounded off nicely with Claire + Keith’s engagement shoot in Victoria Park

And capturing the lovely Sue at her first-ever wreath workshop…

All in all, it’s been a wonderful, exciting and varied year. And I finished the year by finally making some decisions and getting my new website up and running.

Which pretty much rounds up 2017! And I haven’t even touched on the days out, socialising with friends, visits from the family and the new day job and new friends. All in all, I would say it’s been a pretty good year, despite some of its hardships and I am left feeling positive and excited about what 2018 has to bring.

 

I hope you all have had a wonderful 2017 and that 2018 brings you even more fun-filled memories xxx