Photography :: Why Print Your Work?
“ Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life...”
Over the past 10 months since launching my business, nothing has brought me greater joy during the process than seeing my work in print. Taking a session that I have put all of my heart and love into and turning it into something physical, something tangible is what makes me feel like a true artist. In the digital world, it can be difficult to make a real mark as a photographer. Staring at a photograph on a screen can take away the raw beauty of an image, the colours are never the same, the photograph looses texture and depth. Only when you see an image in it's physical form can you see the artist's vision, the completed piece of artwork.
I have been intending on getting some of my personal work printed for some time, it is always at the bottom of my list, but this week I finally found the time to invest in of some of my favourite memories in the past few months. That is what photography is. An investment into your memories. My parent's have a bottom drawer in the bureau in their front porch stuffed full of photographs from their childhood and their life leading up to having us three children, baby photographs and photographs of us as toddlers. But that is where they stop. Looking at family photographs went from flicking through an album to crowding around a computer screen. I decided that I didn't want all of my memories to be stored like that. I wanted my walls to be filled with my memories and a bottom drawer jam-packed with images of my time spent with my husband, my family and my friends. True, having photographs stored digitally means less space being consumed and a lot more photographs, but as a photographer I need something more.
In the film world, you have an option to purchase proof prints on scanning your film, a selection of small prints of your scans to show you how they appear on paper. This is because film labs recognise the importance of showcasing authenticity when it comes to colour, exposure and depth. For this reason, I make it a goal to supply all of my clients a few small prints so that they can see my creative vision completed as something tangible. I always encourage my clients to order prints, not for my benefit, but for theirs. If you are a photographer yourself or you have recently had some photographs taken, I truly encourage you to print your work and enjoy it in the best possible way.
Wales Wedding Photographer :: Olivia & Lewis Engagement Shoot
“ I fell in love with you because of the million things you never knew you were doing.”
When Lewis and Olivia sat down in my living room and began to outline the plan for their perfect day, my heart began to flutter. Their plans for a quaint hotel wedding in the beautiful Welsh countryside makes me sad that weddings are booked so far in advance - I just cannot wait to be their wedding photographer. We headed out into my own local countryside to capture their engagement session, a location I've had saved for the right weather conditions for a while now, and this is what we captured together..
Midlands Wedding Photographer:: Amber and Luke Engagement Shoot
“...And you’ll always love me.. and the rain won’t make any difference...”
As much as I dream of every photoshoot taking place in dancing, golden light on Summer evenings, sometimes English summer gives you rain. Lots of it. Sometimes, the rain pours so heavy you start to wonder whether it is rain or a waterfall with a few gaps here and there. Sunday July 26th was one of those occasions...
Before we committed to anything, I gave Luke and Amber the option to reschedule, but these brave warriors decided that embracing the rain was the perfect option. So, I leant Amber a pair of wellies and we headed into the forrest due to both the option of a bit of shelter and Luke's love of trees (this came up more than you might expect, as well as both of their love of rain) and went on to capture some of the most beautiful portraits I have ever achieved. Rain and all.
Big Announcement:: A new member of the wedding photography team.
By now, you will all know my lovely husband Jamie. From the very beginning, he has fuelled and supported my dreams, even when they seemed almost too big or too crazy, and somewhere along the line he picked up a camera. I'm not sure the exact point that my love and obsession for photography started to wear off on him, but a few months back he asked how I felt about training him up to become my second shooter. Internally, I did a little dance. Having Jamie as my second was exactly what I wanted, but I had never wanted to push him into it. You can't force creativity or art, it would have to come from him, so when it did, I was delighted.
However, I wasn't exactly prepared for how great he would be. I didn't realise how easy it would be to teach him. I have a very specific vision for the look of my work, I know exactly how I have to set up my camera to get that look, and I thought it would take time for Jamie to come into sync with that. I was so wrong. He has all the things that I don't, sees all the moments that I cannot, yet his vision fits seamlessly with mine. Sometimes, he suggests something that doesn't sit well with my vision, he says 'why don't we try this?' and the perfectionist inside me wants to cry 'ARE YOU CRAZY?' and then he does it anyway and presents me with something so beautiful that I could never have imagined. On Wednesday, he shot his very first wedding with me and as I uploaded each of his photographs I was in awe of his work, almost jealous of some of the shots that I hadn't even thought of, I just know that they will take my bride and groom's breath away.
With that in mind, I am delighted to announce that all of my clients from now onwards will have both me and Jamie as photographers on their wedding day as a husband and wife team. I know that this will bring a whole new dynamic to my work, and that all of my brides will adore the work that he brings to the table. He is a real diamond, and I am very lucky to have him on my team.
The Friday Post:: Actually, You can.
“Don’t wait for the perfect moment, take the moment and make it perfect.”
In the past few weeks I have been focusing heavily on the future. I have been revising my brand, my workflow and really putting all of my time and energy into improving the experience I give to future clients. In the midst of this, I have come to a realisation. Having a business of my own, as invigorating and wonderful as it is, is hard. I have had to struggle and continue to struggle as I try and learn things that just are not a part of my nature. I am having to force myself to be organised, I am trying to manage my time better, I am having to learn to email, to correspond, to make records and to educate. At the same time, I am having to learn how to refine my art and find exactly what my art is supposed to be and how it is supposed to be perceived. I spend hours of my day reading and researching and learning at the same time as doing my dishes and cooking my husband's dinner. I watch the same videos over and over until my brain is filled with only that information. At this point, I find myself asking myself why. Why do I do this? I am so exhausted both mentally and physically. But the reason is this. Love.
A couple of weeks ago, I was second shooting a wedding with the amazing Nicola Gough and as I stood by the isle watching the bride float towards me in all her elegance and love and excitement, I began to tear up. I was overwhelmed with a combination of connection with the bride, remembering the way I felt at that very moment one year previously, and connection with my camera. It was in that moment that I heard that voice in my head saying 'This is my calling. This is my world. I absolutely love my job.'
The reason I am writing this today is because I hear so many people saying things like 'I wish I could have my own business' 'I wish I could be a photographer' 'I wish I could have a creative outlet'. The reason I am writing this today is because actually, you can. There is nothing stopping you but yourself. Whatever it is that is your passion, your world, grow it, nurture it and there is nothing stopping you from making your dreams a reality. Being British, we have this problem with not being 'too cheesy', or frankly, too optimistic. I feel quite nervous actually posting this because I know that there are going to be some people rolling their eyes because they think I am being melodramatic. But for anybody who is reading through this thinking 'I wish I could.' I am living evidence that you can. I want to encourage you to take that step and to find something you love and pursue it. Nothing is easy and nothing is all roses but believe me, I'd take a bunch of roses once a month over no roses at all.
Shropshire Newborn Photographer:: Henry & Jack
“His little hands stole my heart.. and his little feet ran away with it.”
When some of my dearest friends welcomed their second little boy into the world I was so overwhelmed with the concept of capturing a few precious moments from his first few days. There is something so indescribably wonderful and equally terrifying about being responsible for putting this new life into a photograph, knowing that one day Henry will be a full sized human with real ideas, plans and aspirations looking back at this tiny bundle without a blink of recognition or memory.
My goal during the shoot was to capture something utterly natural. I didn't want to disturb what was naturally so beautiful by trying to get him to pose. For me, there is nothing more stunning than seeing such a small bundle, so surrounded by love, sleeping or exploring his surroundings. I also had the bonus of an adorable 18 month old Jack, who is completely fascinated and besotted by his new baby brother and, equally, his new shoes.
One Year In.
“I do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens; only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses.”
Tomorrow, I will have been married to my best friend for one year. Its funny the way that time works, so that the wedding feels like yesterday and a million years ago all at once. I would not be understating myself, however, if I called it the best year of my life so far.
I found it hard to understand what people meant when they told me how difficult the first year of marriage would be. I am glad to look back and still find that statement difficult to understand. This year, although it has had it's trials, has been the easiest, most natural step I have taken. Living with my best friend day in and day out is the most exciting adventure yet. James is a person who makes those around him grow and this is especially true for me. This time last year I would never have contemplated the idea that I would be able to have my own business, I know that being with James is the reason I have been able to take the steps I have to have a business and, in turn, a job that I adore. It seemed only right, for that reason, to put a few words on here about how it feels to be one year in to forever.
This year has been a year of changes, a year of big decisions and a year of adventure. We have laughed until we cried and had a good balance of exploring and Netflix marathons. James taught me to snowboard, a feat I am incredibly proud of. If you know me, you know about my coordination (or the lack of). We went to Scotland and saw snow on the sand around the lochs and stared at mountains. We visited cities and discovered new places on our doorstep. We started to understand the challenges of owning a home, like setting a thermostat timer and trying to get a sieve clean (Who knew it was so hard?!). I discovered that James is an excellent cook and takes over even when I try to cook for him. We found the joys of days out to Ikea and Home Sense and the importance of not leaving our food shopping until the last minute. I found out that James not being a morning person is extremely contagious and snoozed my alarm for two whole hours. We learned the importance of masking off with masking tape and that double sided sticky tape is NOT a good alternative. We played Zelda, Mariokart and Smash Bros until the early hours of the morning. We ate freshly caught fish on the beaches of the Dominican Republic. We danced to Jimmy Eat World in the kitchen. I cried over badly made cakes and James didn't once laugh at me. I think that the main thing I discovered in the last year is that it really is the simple things that matter and that learning how to do life as an adult is so much more fun when you're with your best friend. It's the fresh roses whenever my old ones start to look a little rough around the edges. It's the cups of tea in bed and the slices of cake because 'It was so nice I had to buy you some as well!'. It's the hand that holds mine when I feel I can't keep going. It's the kiss on the forehead when I kept going anyway.
It's James.
I cannot wait for year two.