I’m a Wild Woman.
This is a reflection on one part of the community and experiences that made me into the photographer and business woman I am today and a celebration of a human that inspires us all.
The original wild woman.
One day I met a woman called Amy Haynes and it changed my life.
It was cold and wet. We sat at opposite ends of the table at a photography workshop and we didn’t talk to each other. In fact she hung out with another Becky. Rude.
I can’t quite remember what happened next but we ended up on a photography conference, did 9am yoga, cried a lot at some talks, ran off to fly a drone, drank truly awful wine and now she’s my fairy photography Godmother and I couldn’t exist in the self-employment space without her.
With a mutual love of watching women succeed and a passion to conquer the world, our friendship grew and we were about 6 voice notes deep when I asked if I could ask her a work question. Her reply “of course you can, we’re colleagues”.
At this point I was in an intense hole of loneliness and self doubt that tipped me over the edge and opened the floodgates. I’ll never forget it. I wake up every day knowing I have a dear friend and colleague that holds me accountable, opens my mind, broadens my horizons, makes me actually write blogs and pushes me to be a better human, professional and creative.
What she built.
Community is so important. I truly believe I wouldn’t be a photographer without it and Wild Women is a special place. It’s a place to get weird, lick martini glasses provocatively, take your clothes off, jump in a wardrobe, experiment and find out what makes your heart cry out in happiness.
But it’s not just for the participants and the photographers. For me Wild Women gave me my first public speaking opportunity. My first time to bring my graphic design experience to women and help them to boost their businesses. It was a safe space to practice, learn, reflect and be led by Amy’s wealth of teaching knowledge. Since that event I have been drop kicked straight into the events stratosphere and I’m running workshops and events for photographers in London and Herts. None of this would have been possible without Wild Women and Amy’s support.
Flore House also became the set for my first proper film. It gave me space to learn and create and capture a beautiful moment in time. (It also has made my equipment wishlist a very expensive place after discovering drone footage).
Film from Wild Women 3 - Flore House
Future hopes and dreams.
I can’t wait for a future Wild Women event. But possibly not for the reason you expect. For most shoots and creativity days I have walked in with an agenda or a desired outcome. But now I want to truly challenge myself. I want to walk in with no expectation. I want to let the tasks and challenges morph the right side of my brain and swamp me with inspiration. I want to experiment with angles, light, models, fabric and all the good stuff that Wild Women lets you play with. And I want to finish with a glass of wine in a cosy pub and chat about all the stuff that makes us women and photographers, from pricing to waxing via smear tests.
Wild Women is a special place. A place to learn, grow, cry, be celebrated and to find an identity. If you’re looking for a safe space to try things then you’ve found us and we’ll welcome you in with open arms.
Come join the revolution. We’re women. And we’re wild.
Want to join in? See the latest events here.
Emily Joan - captured by me. I love the JOY in these photos. We’d done the serious model stuff. We had frowns and angelic light and moody stuff in a bathtub. Then we reverted back to being a toddler and swishing around in a fun dress and the childlike joy in these facial expressions light me up. This is where I discovered capturing women at their soul and in their core is what makes my world go round. Since this I have boosted my branding business and shifted my focus to shooting predominantly female business owners, creating a safe space for them to be seen and celebrated whilst helping them become more visible online. I see women through my camera so they can succeed in their businesses.
Want to experience a shoot with me?
I love to see and hold space for people. If you would like me to do the same for you then drop me a DM on social media or use the button below to get in touch.
