Best of 2021

Huddle up guys we have A LOT to catch up on! So the last time I put together one of these ‘Best of’ blogs was at the end of the 2019 season when I had just been announced as The Best Wedding Photographer in the West Midlands at The Wedding Industry Awards, so I was entering the 2020 wedding season on a real high… but we all know what happened then right?

I’m not one to focus on the negative and let’s be honest everyone had a rough time of it during that year didn’t they, so here’s some awesome stuff that has happened since my last round up.

I got to spend some quality time with my wife and our boy Arthur, my job takes me all around the country and abroad most of the year which often means I’m away from my family for quite some time. But that year I got to experience some incredible moments with my little family, we may have been confined to our house for the most part but I think we really made the best of it.

The reset button was well and truly pressed, I always want to stay at the top of my game and when you’ve been doing something for a long time there is a worry that you stop pushing yourself and get comfortable. Well with the work coming to a sudden halt it just enhanced even further my realisation of what a privilege it is to do the job I do and the hunger to get out there and shoot was stronger than ever.

I was awarded Best Wedding Photographer in the West Midlands again at The Wedding Industry Awards! Second year running I scooped up that prize, the award evening was slightly different to the previous year. Rather than a swanky venue with bottles of fizz, Jade and I watched it online in our PJs with a whiskey or three… if anything that made it that bit more special, jumping around the living room in celebration when my name was called out. I was also Highly Commended in the Videography category, the only Videographer in the Country to receive that distinction which was a massive honour. Toot-Toot goes the sound of me blowing my own trumpet!

Then at the beginning of 2021 our little boy Henry joined the Stain Train. I say little, he was 9.5lb of pure chunk, an incredible feat considering Jade only weighs about 10lbs herself.

And so at the start of the year there we were, a family of four with a newborn and because of all the wedding postponements, the prospect of having to fit two years worth of work into 8 months! I have to admit at that point I was absolutely terrified. Could I cope physically and mentally with the workload? Turns out HELL YEAH I CAN! And not only that I think 2021 goes down as one of my favourite years so far. The excitement at every wedding that it could finally go ahead brought a new dimension to the day, emotions and excitement all turned up to 11 and every single one was a pure joy to be a part of.

Another huge moment happened in November when I was asked to talk at the Ninedots Gathering, an incredible wedding photography conference featuring some of the best talents in our industry. I can’t even begin to describe what an honour that was!

So a massive thank you to all of my amazing 2021 couples, thank you for allowing me into your lives to capture the start of your next chapter together. A huge thank you to all my wedding industry buddies for their guidance and advice when it all started tumbling down and their support when it all started up again at a rate of knots. Special thanks to Jonathan Coates, Amy-Rose, Dan Yates, Patrick Taylor and all the members of NPWC, especially The Poker Club for bringing a bit a sanity each week during lockdown.

And finally the biggest thank you to my ledge wife Jade, for delivering our second boy into the world and just being the greatest mama in the world to them both.

So 2021, here is a little of what I saw:

And so there it is! All the craziness and beauty that was my 2021! 2022 is now fully booked and there is limited space for 2023, so if you are interested in me capturing your big day please don’t hesitate to get in touch.