When I shot my first ever wedding, I had a hunch I might do this for a while. So, from day 1, I kept a spreadsheet of all the details. Names, dates, locations, annual numbers, primary shooting vs second shooting, what have you. And for a while now, I'd noticed that I was coming up on wedding #500. This career has been my entire life for the last 13 years, and hitting that 500 mark felt like a milestone worth celebrating. The feeling I had was one of gratitude. Every couple along the way is equally responsible for getting me towards this occasion, and I wanted to thank them. Once I came up with the idea of giving away free sessions in a studio setting, I was hooked. I scouted locations, planned the timings and the dates, and set up a website for people to book their own spot. I was still genuinely unsure if anyone would even want to come.
It turned out those fears were unfounded, as I booked in 64 sessions over one weekend, as many as I could literally handle. I had clients all the way back from 2011, through to some I'd seen quite recently. The joy I felt in seeing everyone was frankly overwhelming. Keeping the pace of quick 15-minute sessions, winning over kids in such a short time, and trying to keep the creativity flowing along the way was a serious challenge. Adrenaline goes a long way though, and thankfully I made it to the end of the weekend in one piece, with everything working out perfectly.
To each of my couples / families I am a tiny little segment of their lives, but to me this is everything. I can't thank everyone enough for getting me to 500, and making the effort to support me on this studio weekend. It's a privilege I don't take lightly and I am so glad to be able to share some of the resulting images below.
It turned out those fears were unfounded, as I booked in 64 sessions over one weekend, as many as I could literally handle. I had clients all the way back from 2011, through to some I'd seen quite recently. The joy I felt in seeing everyone was frankly overwhelming. Keeping the pace of quick 15-minute sessions, winning over kids in such a short time, and trying to keep the creativity flowing along the way was a serious challenge. Adrenaline goes a long way though, and thankfully I made it to the end of the weekend in one piece, with everything working out perfectly.
To each of my couples / families I am a tiny little segment of their lives, but to me this is everything. I can't thank everyone enough for getting me to 500, and making the effort to support me on this studio weekend. It's a privilege I don't take lightly and I am so glad to be able to share some of the resulting images below.
