My favourite photos I took in 2023
I was aiming for ten, but I just didn’t have the willpower to cut it down any further…
It’s interesting when you start to look back and reflect on a year. I got asked for a word to sum it up last night and I chose ‘bravery’. This year I’ve pushed myself far, far outside of my comfort zone, started hosting events, teaching Lightroom and I’m writing a course! But more on that in a future blog post. This one I wanted to dedicate purely to the photos that brought me the most joy throughout the year, why they are special to me and I’m going to try to not sob all the way through writing this.
Let’s go back in time and do this in chronological order.
Kitty, Snap Headshot Swap, Shoreditch
This was the beginning. Being part of these community headshot swaps with Snap gave me the fire for photographing people in relaxed lifetsyle environments. It also made me walk around London with new eyes. I started to see more, become a better location scout and learnt how to really coax the person in front of my camera to feel comfortable and show me their true personality. It also taught me how an outfit can make you feel invincible and how if you’re having branding shots done, grab that fabulous dress out the back of the wardrobe that you never wear and let’s have some fun.
Jacquie and Prerit, Kings Cross Microshoots
My first London microshoots. We had a beautifully sunny day, a really cool location in Kings Cross, I nailed the perfect route to get some great photos and I had this incredible experience. I saw what I had created in these galleries and I weeped as I delivered them. There is nothing quite like being proud of the work you have produced and this day was so special to me.
Grace, Lensfest, Norfolk
At Lensfest I went wild. It felt like such a safe space we got naked in fields, dressed up and did an editorial shoot on a bus, did a wedding shoot in a blizzard by the sea and climbed all over climbing frames wrapped in dust sheets from Wickes. It was freeing. There was no right or wrong just creativity, eccentricity good banter and great chat. This photo is one of many I could have included but the smile, the complaints of aching abs and a newfound respect for editorial models puts happiness back into my soul.
Laura, Lensfest, Norfolk
One of my very favourite branding headshots I have ever taken. We got to be creative and weird and capture this beautiful human that is so full of love and life and she inspires me every damn day. I still get a little jolt of happy joy every time she pops up on instagram with my photo on her profile.
ANZUK, Summer festival, London
I love event photography. Capturing smiles, chaos, drinks and fun. I love to be a fly on the wall with the odd raised eyebrow and banterous line and I love when my corporate clients get a bit weird. Yes this is a photo of someone taking a photo, but I can still remember lying belly down on the warm flagstones of the courtyard trying to fit in the whole moment and get their quick before it was over! The Shard is incredibly tall…
Sammy, Lisbon
It’s no secret that I love to travel and now I get to travel with my camera and capture it all. Sammy was one of my favourite branding shoots of the year. We ran around the city of Lisbon like school children, playing on staircases, posing in front of tiles, stopping for ice cream when we overheated and I got to capture the joy of it all. This wall will have my heart forever though. After a whole load of laughter her eyes sparkle in this pic and I love the undone intensity that gives full variety in a branding shoot. I would love to shoot more abroad business owners in 2024.
Beth & Rachel, Cambridge & Bath Branding Shoots
The second half of 2023 gave me the absolute pleasure of shooting so many incredible business people. Some found me online, some listen to my ridiculous chat at various events, they all showed up to shoot with so much energy and I am here for it. In 2024 I hope to continue my journey of chatting and capturing amazing business owners and creating wonderful, personality packed galleries of them to get visible to their customers.
Becky, Rebecca & Laura, Barbican
In the Autumn, the Barbican became my second home and my most recommended place to shoot. Partially because the British weather is completely unpredictable and a lot of the Barbican is sheltered, but also because the architecture gives angles, drama and a green oasis if you know where to look.
Rosie, Shoreditch
When someone feels truly comfortable, you can get weird and that weird place is where the magic happens. This is where you get the images that stand out, feel different and celebrate the real person in front of you. I’d shot Rosie a few times by this point and we were just messing around, getting weird and then this shot happened. I’m obsessed.
Amy, London Fields Branding Shoot
I haven’t shouted too much about this shoot yet. If you follow me on social media you’ll know Amy and I share a special kind of relationship and I call her my photography fairy Godmother. I't’s become so much of a thing now at her Wild Women Exhibition she presented me with a handmade notebook with ‘Ideas to tell my fairy godmother’ written by a typewriter on the front. It’s an incredibly special thing to have found a work wife as a self employed person and when she booked me to do her full branding shoot I cried. It was such an honour. I couldn’t pick just one from her shoot, I had to capture the smiles, the laughter and the photo I’m going to make her submit to Vogue when she’s built an empire. Because she’ll have one by next Christmas. She is also the inspiration for my newly revamped VIP branding content day which will be coming soon.
Me, My Greenhouse
Emily Joan’s self portrait challenge took my breath away at the end of this year. I was so resistant to it. I sent her excuse after excuse as to why I couldn’t do it and she basically told me to shut up and get on with it. But in a nice way, because she’s nice. Then this happened. I’ve submitted 4 weeks of self portraits I don’t intend to stop there. I will write a whole blog post about self portraits but for now I am including this because it forced me to let go of right or wrong and embrace the lack of control and perfection self portraits forces upon you. Also the fear of editing your own face. It’s just a face.
Walk this Way, London Southbank
This year I started collaborating with Lens Eleven to create events for female photographers that are excited to be sociable, learn new stuff and just have a go. It has been more fulfilling than I ever thought it would be, I’m working on writing a full blown course about editing and now I am hosting a monthly Walk this Way event for the community to join in with. This picture was taken at the first one, a Christmas event, and after biblical rain everyone was still shooting, still smiling and having a great time. Look here for the next events if you want to join in with us.
So that’s my year in pictures. I’ve met some incredible people, taken some awesome photos and become part of some precious communities and I can’t wait to see what 2024 brings me.
Are you looking for a photographer to help you feel confident in front of the camera and get exciting lifestyle branding photos in 2024?
I can help! I love working with business owners from all different types of industries to really capture their personalities in a beautiful and exciting way. My priority is making sure you have a good time and leave with a huge smile on your face before you then receive a beautiful set of images to promote your business.
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