Back in 2002 when I was creating my studio space ready to open at the end of October, I had no idea that twenty years later I would still be here capturing memories and making a living as a photographer!
To be honest and I know you hear this all the time, but I really don’t know where that time has gone. It’s the longest I’ve ever been in one job and the industry has changed almost beyond recognition since I opened my doors.
Back in 2002, I was shooting on a fully-manual, medium format film camera, taking 12 shots on a standard portrait session. I had a dark room set up at home and because demand was for black and white photography, I did my own film processing and printing until I found I didn’t have enough time to take the photos and make the prints!
When I started I photographed weddings and portraits and any other work that came in but I did say very firmly that I wouldn’t photograph dogs. Secretly, I was a bit afraid of dogs, didn’t really know how to talk to them and hadn’t got any dog-whispering skills! Twenty years later I love photographing dogs and over the years I have honed my skills on how to work with them, know to ask owners about their pets and their personalities and I have had the most delightful pooches in the studio. I regularly go home to tell my family what a lovely dog I’ve photographed that day and how I wanted to bring it home!
One of the main things I love about photographing people is the people themselves. At weddings it was a huge privilege to be part of someone’s special day, be amongst their most loved people and be trusted to create beautiful image for them to treasure. In the studio people have portraits for so many different reasons and being able to capture that moment in their lives is very special. I particularly love it when clients come back for portrait updates and I always think I’m like the aunty who says ‘haven’t they grown!’!
I’ve learned a lot from running a business and there have been definite ups and downs; surviving recessions, tram works, covid, the transition from film to digital photography and many other changes over the years has helped me grow as a person. I have made lots of lovely friends who run small businesses, particularly in Beeston, and being part of a local community of small businesses is great.
I couldn’t let this milestone pass without a celebration so on Saturday 29th October from 2pm to 5pm we will be having a party at Chilwell Road Methodist church hall (next to Double Image) where there will be a bouncy castle, a fancy dress competition, face painting and glitter tattoos and a fun dog show. I’m really looking forward to seeing clients, friends and past staff members again.
Who knows what the next years will hold. Whatever that may be, one thing that won’t change is my love of photography and my gratitude that I’ve been able to do something I love doing as a job for so long.