FIND OUT MORE
I lost sight of this over the past couple of years. The ever flowing insta profiles of others and comparison can cloud your own vision. But at the start of 2018, maybe even the end of 2017 I made the decision to just do me. I realized that clients love my style of work and I felt like I found me again! I have gained a lot more confidence than the girl who started out. I’ve learnt many things along the way. Sometimes they have been hard lessons but all lessons nonetheless.
So 2018 started with a bang with my first wedding in Donegal and ended on a high note with wedding number 29 on 29th December. I jumped back into family location shooting. Giving families those natural images to cherish as kids grow older and no longer want to sit on your lap or smuggle in close. The natural moments sometimes need a little helping hand to happen and I have the ability to achieve this more so now than all those years ago.
I attended photography workshops throughout the year too. Photography is an ever changing profession but the main thing I took from all the workshops that I had the pleasure of attending was to be YOURSELF. The only thing unique about you in a sea of photographers is the ability to just be yourself and this can not be replicated or copied.
On a personal note 2018 was also such an awesome year. My girls are growing up so fast and we now have a very happy home life. They have an incredible new parent (a-dad as they call him, they don’t like the word step dad) and we have went on many adventures. Two years on it feels like he has always been here for us. From family days out to an amazing holiday in Portugal. Of course, family life isn’t always a bed of roses but I’m finding a lot more contentment at home now which we hadn’t had for many years. We are just a normal family with the bedtime and dinner time struggles, the homework issues and the rest lol
So looking forward to 2019
Well, the biggest change for us all will be the arrival of our little man at the end of March. This is one very excited household with only 11 weeks to go at the time of writing this post. We can not wait to meet this little guy who already is so so loved. I will be honest, before the midwife said we were having a boy, I was sure I wanted another girl. It’s what I’m used to. However, when she said that without any doubt a little boy was growing inside me, my eyes welled up with happy tears and a swell of love for my little prince was so so strong! The girls are so excited to get a little brother and I know he will be smothered with love.
Now as you know most mums will take at least 9 months off work when they have a baby but not me! I will be straight back to work and back to shooting on 20th April. I’m so lucky that my partner has decided to take shared parental leave, due to government changes fathers have the right to split the mothers maternity leave. As a family this is the best option for us and we are both looking forward to the time. Me building my business further and Richard being an amazing stay at home Daddy.
I want to continue to grow my business even further. I love every aspect of my career, from wedding days to family sessions, they all are so special to me. The trust my clients show in me mean more to me than they will ever know. I want to collaborate with more amazing local vendors on styled shoots which are great way to showcase the talent our little country has to offer. I want to travel to new venues for wedding days. I want more family days out with my own little family and I’m looking forward to our first family holiday as a family of five!
My word for 2019 is Believeth. I believe in myself, I believe in my business and I believe whatever you put your mind to you can achieve. So here’s to 2019 and let’s make it even better together, who knows what adventures are right around that corner. Check out my 2018 adventures in the slideshow below…
Love Melissa x