What a fantastic year! It was 5 years since I last picked up my camera and lost my confidence within my favourite field, but I got up, dusted my equipment off and I am more inspired than ever!
It was strange at first trying to navigate the manual settings on my camera after so long. It was challenging buying new equipment and getting to grips with how to set my lights up, why my triggers or my flashes aren't firing, what creatives I wanted to work with, and then the physical side of dragging equipment around that no one ever seems to talk about.
BUT here we are, the end of 2021. After another year of lockdowns and social distancing, we now have a vaccine and things are slowly turning back to normal. Like, really slowly. I'm so glad I was able to put so much into my work even through the highs and lows of the pandemic.
Thank you for everyone who has shared my journey this year, let's kick off with some highlights.
Publications
I am so proud of all the publications I have achieved this year. At this moment in time, I have 13 live publications, 1 editorial awaiting publication and also achieved some front covers!
- The Only One Magazine - Home Sweet Home - April 2021
- SELIN MAGAZINE - Showgirl - Issue 4 May 2021
- TYSM Magazine - Roller Girl - June 2021
- Beyondall Magazine - Every Rose has it's Thorn - Sensual Edition June 2021
- The HUNTER Magazine - Down at the Court - Fashion & Art Edition - June 2021
- Fienfh Magazine - Gypsy Soul - Printed Fashion & Beauty – August 2021
- Moevir Magazine - Spring Dreaming - Men & Lady & Model & Open theme – September 2021
- SELIN MAGAZINE - All I'm Dreaming Of – Issue 8 - September 2021
- Scorpio Jin Magazine - Na Zavode - Vol 52 - TROPIC THUNDER – October 2021
- MAGBLACK - Chelseay - Vol 14 - October 2021
- Edith Magazine - Why So Serious - Spooky Art (Halloween Special Edition) – October 2021
- SELIN MAGAZINE - Female Empowerment - Front Cover Feature - Female Empowerment – October 2021
- SELIN MAGAZINE - First comes love - ISSUE 11 - December 2021
- UPCOMING: Scorpio Jin Magazine - Eve's Garden - VOLUME 55 - LA VIDA LOCA (PRINT) – Jan 2022
Commercial
I got to work with some incredible brands, small businesses and clients this year. You can view some of this work below:
- Bettie Page
- What Katie Did
- Drop Clothing
- Drip Store Worldwide
- Zen Monkey
- Venari Clothing
- WXVE Clothing
- JN Art Apparel
- J12 Chanel
- Zavod Studio
- Quinlan Couture Bridal
Travel
I'm used to travelling up and down the country for shoots. While based in South Yorkshire, I spend most of my time in West Yorkshire or the West Midlands, but shoot all around the UK. However, it was a dream come true this year to shoot my best friend on a destination shoot in the Caribbean. We shot a set for Bettie Page swimwear on the beach and it was such a gorgeous experience. (I still have the tan lines from this day!)
Female Empowerment
One of my favourite shoots of the year is this set we shot for female empowerment. Featured in Selin magazine as a front cover, we wanted to bring attention to equality & diversity, self-love and positivity. Our aim was to inspire all women no matter the colour, shape, age or size. We are here to support each other and to become stronger as one. The messaging behind this shoot and the reaction to our images meant so much to me and hits close to my heart.
Cheeky behind the scenes:
In Summary
All the craziness this year...Wading into lakes in the middle of the day with a model on a mattress, setting off smoke bombs in the city centre, filling up baths with milk and flowers, climbing up moors and sand dunes with bags full of equipment, carrying snakes around in pillowcases and pushing away Jellyfish in the Caribbean.
All the driving, the laughter, the sleepless nights editing and the admin time spent on social or my website, I wouldn't change a thing. Thank you to all the creatives, my gorgeous model friends and everyone who has picked up a tripod or moved out the way for a quick snap for me, it means the world. 2022 - Let's have you!
