2018 Year in Review

I love a good year-end wrap-up and couldn’t resist reflecting on 2018 before it slipped away. In a lot of ways, 2018 was the most successful year for me as a photographer yet, but it was also the most challenging. I found out I was pregnant right as wedding season started, and it was certainly hard balancing the long days with the hunger, exhaustion, and nausea. (Many of my wedding couples were the first to find out I was pregnant because I had to give them a heads-up that I’d be scarfing granola bars in any moments of down time.)

I also had the honor of attending a number of births, which will always be one of the most amazing things to photograph. I’m going to be taking a break from births in 2019, which is more than a little bittersweet. (Having my own little bambino at home will make it a little easier though, I hope.) Another thing that will probably be on hold for the next year is traveling sessions. I was lucky enough in 2018 to shoot a gorgeous couple in Kauai (right after the nuclear missile scare!) and my favorite family session to-date in Northern Ireland with a kindred spirit and her lovely family.

Looking back through a year’s worth of work, I am completely floored and humbled by the amount of love and vulnerability I encounter with my clients. The fact that people trust me with their memories is still something I am thankful for everyday. Ever since becoming a mom, I have this almost-frantic need to capture emotions and stories before anyone grows any bigger or things are forgotten. The fact that my clients also recognize this importance is what makes them my dream clients!

I also am a sucker for resolutions. (I know they get a bad wrap, but I think it’s always a good idea to be goal-setting!) In 2018, I wanted to read more (which I did!) and I wanted to do more personal photo projects for myself. It was definitely hard to always make time for them with a full case load and a toddler to keep track of, but I was able to pull off some really fun shoots that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time— like shooting inside a Blockbuster (which was lucky because now they are all closed!), doing a Santa Lucia session with an amazing candle-lit wreath, imagining what a Jane Austen-esque Bennett Sister wedding party would look like, and paying homage to the French film, “The Red Balloon”. One of my photography resolutions for 2019 is to get in the frame more often. (There. I’ve told you all about it, so in next year’s wrap up there’d better be some self-portraits!)

Here is just a quick glimpse of some of the highlights from 2018, in no particular order. (I originally had 367 photos to share, but knew this post would never load if I didn’t weed it out. I guess that means my other resolution to blog more in 2019 won’t be short on content!) Thanks for all of the continued support and I’m so excited for the things 2019 holds already.