Seven
This has been a strange time: lockdowns, minimal shooting and a return to working part time in a non photography job albeit fully remotely from my home office. However I can't let today (4 July/Independence Day) go by without marking 7 years of running my business (7 YEARS!)
However I have managed to shoot with some people last summer and increasingly this year as lockdowns ease this year with the diary filling up rapidly.
I've really enjoyed the sessions and have found it interesting, particularly early into release of lockdowns, how there is a different approach to the camera for little ones, who are enjoying being out with someone new!
So what have I done whilst not shooting? I joined the awesome West Chesterton Mutual aid coordinating team which kept me busy whilst I couldn't work including being part of a beautiful film made about us by Together TV:
Below: Coordination team, filming with Together TV and Arnie the cat who joined in the filming!
Working with the wonderful team gave me community as well as a sense of purpose in those days I couldn't do what I loved. We also organised an animal and easter trail for the community to interact with when social mixing wasn't possible.
Below: Selection of images from animal and easter trail
I managed to get into the garden a few times with the camera. It's been a funny relationship with the cameras since the pandemic started, as when I couldn't work it was very hard to get the cameras out and use them for personal projects as it was a stark reminder of how I was unable to do what I love professionally. That said I am always so grateful for remaining healthy and having family around me safe and vaccinated.
Below: L to R top to bottom: Rosemary beetle, Crocuses, bee on Alium, Nigella flower
Finally I have been kept really really happy and busy with my nieces - my second niece arrived in November last year and as we are lucky enough to live very close by this meant a whole lot of support bubble park trips, nap runs and big toddler/baby cuddles for me! It's been amazing watching my older niece grow into being a brilliant older sister and being able to chat more with her as her language skills increase even if that brings some aunty challenges/tantrums at times! There is nothing like the tonic of small people when the world feels a bit upside down!
Below: Park niece, pram niece, animal trail niece
I'm hoping to make my 8th year in twelve months, and stopping for this long has been a lovely consolidation and confirmation that I love what I do and will continue! For now I am celebrating the shoots I can do, and anticipating some great occasions in the next 12 months as we settle into a post lockdown, post mass vaccination covid world.
