At the end of every year, I always do a ‘best of the year’ blog post - a collection of my highlights from the year. It would have been easy to just ignore doing a 2020 ‘highlights’ as let's face it, 2020 hasn’t been the year we all thought it was going to be. A year that was meant to be my busiest yet with a record number of weddings to photograph actually turned out to be fewer weddings than in my first full year! But rather than dwell on 2020 being pretty much a write-off, I realised it’s actually important to look back and see how far I’ve come. I should be proud of all that I HAVE managed to do this year and all the obstacles I’ve overcome.
I’m not going to lie, there was a time when I thought my ‘2020 highlights’ might look a little bit like this...
However, I was pleasantly surprised to see just how much I have to share and include in this blog post! I have photographed some amazing micro weddings, couples, bumps and even a newborn! Here is my 2020...
Weddings
Weddings might look a little bit different right now... but love is not cancelled! Proved by the couples that got married despite 2020 throwing everything in its power to stop them! I feel so honoured to have been a part of these couples wedding days. Every small wedding ceremony I have done this year has felt like a big moment in history captured. One day these strange times will all just be a memory... something we sit down and tell the grandkids. I like to think the photos I’ve taken will be pulled out and families will sit around looking through them, talking all about their 2020 wedding. That time when not even a global pandemic stopped them from getting married.
I want to send love to all the couples that should have been getting married this year. I know so many of you have had to postpone, some more than once! This won't be forever and you will marry your love soon! And to my wonderful friends Hannah & John and Rachael & Tom - I have everything crossed for you that you won’t both have to postpone your weddings again next year. I can’t wait to celebrate with you whenever the time comes. I'll be keeping the cameras at home and partying hard with you!
This year has been so hard on the wedding industry, but I know we will get through it and will one day be having wedding celebrations like we once knew them. Thank you to all the couples who have been so kind to their suppliers during this crazy year! Your support means the world.
Here is what weddings looked like in 2020...
Couples, Bumps & Newborns
I have had the opportunity to photograph some lovely families and couples this year. Definitely not as many as I would have liked to but lockdown and restrictions have made it tricky.
Who’d have thought a ‘would-be wedding day photoshoot’ would be such a thing?! But I’m so grateful to the couples that booked one because it gave me the chance to have a camera in my hand doing what I love most - photographing love. It was great to catch up with these couples and I can’t wait to photograph their wedding days when the time comes.
I photographed a few ‘doorstep portraits’ (thank you to the past clients who asked me to do them for you and for donating to the food bank) I photographed a couple of baby bumps and even a beautiful new baby boy (my friend Laura booked in a newborn shoot with me as soon as she found out she was pregnant!) I’m hoping to have the opportunity to photograph more families and babies in 2021 (once tier restrictions are eased!)
The Bennett's
We had my husband's 30th birthday in lockdown 1.0 and our little boy's 3rd birthday in lockdown 2.0. We had mini breaks cancelled, days out cancelled, music gigs and comedy shows postponed, two friends' weddings postponed... the list goes on. But what wasn't cancelled was family time. We are so lucky to have beautiful countryside right on our doorstep and are grateful more than ever for it this year. We had lots of walks and adventures - this is definitely something we will continue to do more of in the new year.
‘A year for learning, not earning’
My best friend said something to me back at the start of the first lockdown that really stuck with me “2020 is a year for learning, not earning.” 2020 has been financially difficult, but I’ve tried to use the time to learn and work on me and my business. I invested in myself and on my learning and development. I’ve done lots of online courses and mentoring sessions, including joining the photography farm barn and taking part in the Thrive live's, I've done Natalie J’s mentoring course and the Kick-Ass Photographers course. I even had my photo taken and it is not very often I get in front of the camera! Thank you to my best friend Hannah Wright for taking them!
I love podcasts! I have for a while, but I’ve listened to them more than ever this year. There are so many amazing business podcasts aimed at photographers and the wedding industry. Some of my favourites include The Business Proposal, Shoot Edit Chat Repeat, The Wedding Business Podcast and Wedding CEO.
I also love listening to other podcasts and some of my favourites this year have been - The Daily Pep!, Open Mind, SMA, Lockdown Parenting Hell and Teenage Mixtape!
Vintage Dream
2020 was also the year I decided to reopen my Vintage Dream order book! For those that don’t know Vintage Dream is my other business. I sell handmade personalised gifts and photo keepsakes. I took the difficult decision to close Vintage Dream back at the end of 2018. One of the main reasons I had to close Vintage Dream was because I didn’t have much time and I was focusing on my photography business (and I still very much will be - that will always be my main career and passion!) However, I really missed making lots of lovely handmade keepsakes! I find painting and crafting really relaxing and good for my mind - which is so important, especially at the moment. With more time on my hands, I took the plunge and reopened Vintage Dream. I have been blown away by the number of orders I have received, especially in the run up to Christmas. Opening again was a good decision and I hope to continue running both businesses. You can find Vintage Dream on Esty here. Shop on the website www.vintagedream.co.uk and follow on Instagram and Facebook.
There has been a real shift in people buying handmade and the ‘shop small, support small businesses’ movement has been incredible this year. I just really hope it continues and people stick to buying from small businesses! Shopping small all year round is really important. Lots of people did for Christmas this year, but we need to support small businesses all year round! Here are a few of the small businesses I brought from this year.
Jim Jam, Hello Lovely, Sweet Retreat, For Goodness Cake, Skull & Potion, Sugar Plum Fairies, The Kitsch Hen, Holly's Lollies, Little Pixie Publishing and Fred & Noah.
Check them out and shop small when you can!
And so there we have it - my 2020. Let's hope 2021 is kinder to us all! Wishing you a happy and safe new year.
Amy x
