In 2024, I was 19 years into my photography career, and it felt like a good time to reflect on what I enjoy about it! I think we all slip into routines in life, including in our professional lives and every now and again it’s good to question these things.
The first thing that springs to mind is the access I gain to new places and industries. That’s always really interesting. One day I might be on an organic farm, the next, The House of Commons, perhaps a biomass energy site, sometimes the Camel Estuary and once Abbey Road Studios!
It’s a real privilege to learn about all these different industries and fascinating to see these locations too! One of my original aims when I chose this career pathway was to see new places, so that box has definitely been ticked!
The next great thing is people, as you can imagine I meet thousands of people. Some everyday folk, some high up people and some celebrities from time to time! I’ve already written a separate blog on the celebs I’ve encountered, the most recent being Ellie Simmonds!
One of my main roles when taking people’s portraits is putting them at ease, in a very short space of time people need to quickly reveal what they are unsure about in their appearance so we can work together to get a great picture. It’s also a privilege to connect with people so personally in such a short time.
Having a job where I can be creative, technical and organised was one of the original goals and photography certainly ticks all three boxes. The bit I didn’t anticipate when I started out 19 years ago was all the extra skills I’d have to learn (web design, graphic design, marketing, accountancy and, later on, social media). It would be lovely to outsource all of this, but as many sole traders know, it all adds to cost, so it was easier to learn the basics myself. If I were to look at that positively, I have been fortunate to learn so many new skills.
Lastly, I do enjoy seeing my work used online or in print, it’s always fun to spot my imagery dotted around on my clients’ social media feed, brochures, banners and websites, LinkedIn profiles etc. If you look closely in Gloucestershire you’ll also see my photos on the side of the bin lorries lol!
What do YOU enjoy about your career?
