As ever I am late to get my end of year preview out there, but good things come to those who wait, right?
2020! Geez. What was that?! I was geared up to have my busiest year to date. It got off to such an incredible start by shooting my first wedding of the year in South Africa. I came home rejuvenated, excited, ready to push myself creatively and kick on with the rest of the year. We all know what happened next. In early spring over 50% of my bookings for the year were gone. Thankfully most were rescheduled for 2021 or beyond, but nonetheless they were gone for the year. I’m not going to lie, it was pretty scary, as it was for so many people. Not knowing when I was next going to work made me stop and appreciate how much I enjoy doing what I do. It was a huge relief to be able to pick up my cameras again in the late spring and early summer. The handful of weddings I shot were a tenth of the size they were supposed to be and held in the backyards of parents or friends. I wasn’t sure how a micro, masked, sanitized, socially distance wedding would feel, but it wasn’t all that bad. Yes, it was uncharted territory to start off with, but it emphasized the most important elements of a wedding; two people who are committed to each other, the promises you make to one another and the love and support of your family and friends, whether they be the select few with you at the time, or watching hundreds of miles away from a video link. Although the weddings were not what the couples had originally planned, there was still that buzz of excitement and those feelings of adulation.
Humans get a bad rep, especially when it comes to planning weddings! However, this year I feel like I’ve seen the best of humanity as there have been so many instances of people having to change their plans at such short notice, or relying on a neighbour to provide space for parking or a wedding ceremony, caterers and florists being on hand at a moment’s notice and wedding planners working over, over time alongside friends and family to get everything set up. There has been a collective spirit and understanding that we’re all trying our best coupled with a willingness to help one another.I want to end this sermon by extending a huge thank you to all the couples that I worked with this year. Thank you for sticking with me whether you got married in 2020 or moved to a later date. Thank you for being so flexible, whether you did your upmost to book a new date for when I was available, or stuck to your original date and completely reimagined your wedding day. Those small ‘yes!’ moments picked me up at a time full of uncertainty. I know that it is still tough for so many people and there is still uncertainty about what 2021 will look like, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. You don’t realize how much you enjoy something until it has been taken away from you, so I can’t wait to be back out there photographing and celebrating that funny little thing called love. Stay safe. Here’s to a happier year. Cheers! Jack x
