This post has slowly been putting itself together in my head for quite a while now. It sort of sums up my experiences, views and opinions formed throughout my journey in photography and the world of weddings. First and foremost - I am very excited about 2011! Excited about the people I'm going to meet, weddings I'm going to photograph, collaborations I'm working on. I can see Exhibit Emotions Photography taking shape and getting solidly up on it's feet. It's one of the best feelings when you put so much time and effort into something - to see it all coming together into one piece and your effort paying off! The 11 days since the new year has come have already been amazing (just realized that today is 11.01.11!). More of the same, please! I made a wish on a New Year's night, something I do for many years now, so I'll be looking forward to seeing whether it comes true.
P.S. Photo taken by my wonderful husband )) x
In the light of the above, I've been thinking a lot about who I am and what my business is and what direction I want it to go in 2011. I must say, it's one of the hardest things on earth to really understand yourself and stay true to yourself, without been affected by trends, fashion or other people. Any of us is not an island, we all exist in society, we interact, we are on the move, we are online, always connected. It's very easy to loose yourself and your 'voice' in the crowd. When I just started getting into photography, almost every article or blog I read screamed at me - get your own style. I was terrified. I was thinking " How on earth can I get my own style and be different from EVERYTHING that already exists?!" I was overwhelmed by the talent I found on the web. I thought "I can never shoot like that" and I was getting myself down desperately trying to figure out how I could be 'unique'. It took me two years to realise (call me slow or whatever, but that's how long it took me) that I just need to do my own thing. At the beginning I was influenced by trends and I was comparing myself to other people and other photographers. Oh, it was so wrong! I know now what I want my photography to be. I want to produce natural, emotive and elegant images for my couples. I want my photographs to look natural and real. 'Vintage' inspired look is very popular in wedding photography these days. But I can tell you, when I look at the photographs of my grandparents, or even my husband's great grandparents - they don't look 'vintage' to me. I see my family and I see emotions - that's what's important. I want my couples to open their wedding album in 40 or 50 years time after their wedding and see happiness and love, without saying "Look at these, mad that it was a trend at the time, in'it?!". That's the kind of work I want to produce. As much as I like shabby chic, old books, history, interiors and clothes of the end of 19th/beginning of the 20th century, I believe photographs should be timeless. There are, obviously, lots of couples who are after the 'modern vintage' look. If that's who you really are, if that's what you really like despite trends and fashion - then it's totally fine, go for it! It's just not me, I've figured it out. STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF. In 2011 I will listen to my own inner voice more and hope we all do that, then there'll be less fake and more beautiful and real!
Yours truly,
x
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