{Looking back and stepping forward into 2015}
Like many of us do, at the beginning of each New Year, I like to spend some time looking back over the last 12 months and think about how I will move forward into 2015. Doing the parent and business juggle, as well as working as a Fine Art Teacher part-time, has had its challenges but it has also rewarded me with so much over the course of 2014.
Family life
We have just finished filling out school applications for Bailey, who will be starting primary school in September and later in the year Tristan will be turning three and getting ready for his next big step into the world of preschool. I feel like we are entering a new phase of parenthood and as a working Mum, I can’t lie about looking forward to a slightly better work/life balance by the end of 2015!
Business life
I feel very fortunate that, after a lot of hard work, my business has really swung into a successful momentum this year and at times business has been so positive I have had to (reluctantly) turn away clients as I seek to protect precious family time and take care of my role as a Fine Art Teacher too. This year I will be working towards being able to offer more session times each month.
To my lovely clients, both new and old. Thank you so much to those of you who chose me to photograph your family this year and a special thank you if you recommended me to your friends. Your support is very encouraging and I feel honoured and touched by every new family that has chosen me to photograph their newborn baby or extended family.
Having been in business for a few years now, one significant development in 2014 was seeing clients returning for a second (and in one case a third) session with me; as their families either grow up or begin to expand! I did a newborn session just a few weeks back for one of the families pictured below. You can see even within a year, both of these little boys have begun to grow up and change – all the more adorable year on year too!
I am very happy that I have been able to bring a family lifestyle and newborn photography service to families across London, Hertfordshire and even as far a field as Surrey in the last year!
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So here are just a few more of my favourite moments in 2014 and a brief insight into what you can expect to see 2015:
- I attended a professional newborn photographers workshop, learning about the safety aspects of newborn photography. Did you know that the newborn photography industry is unregulated and there are important safety issues that any responsible newborn photographer should always adhere to? You can read more about this on my blog here: bit.ly/1xBDBNc
- I am looking forward to further training in 2015. In May I am looking forward to a specialist Portraiture Workshop. And, in just a few weeks time I am heading to the SWPP (Society of Wedding and Portrait photographers) trade show and convention, which is one of the biggest professional conventions of its kind here in London. My main aim is to source beautiful new products which will be available to you later in the year!
- My new branding/logo was released over the summer thanks to the wonderful team at Karoshi in East London and I celebrated by posting a series of fun summer postcards, with quotes, on my Facebook page. If you haven’t yet found me on Facebook you can find me here: https://www.facebook.com/sarahangelfamilyphotography
- The first phase of my new website was released in the Autumn and I don’t think I have had much time to look back since then! However, I am aware that there is still more to be added. A product page is on the way this year and some new galleries to show off some of my best images from the ‘recent work’ page will also be added.
- With over 20 years experience teaching photography, as well as image making and exhibiting, I know I have so much more to offer clients as part of my business. Having trouble organising your digital and paper images? This year I will be sourcing some of the best industry tips and family friendly methods for caring for your treasured memories. You will most likely see this post pop up here on my blog at the end of each month and I will always include downloadable PDF action sheets, so you have all the key facts at your fingertips!
- As a professional family photographer its very easy to let my own family images gather dust on hard drives and in boxes. So my personal new years resolution for 2015 is to spend a bit of time each week editing my family images, posting some of these sessions here on my blog and getting more of our images up on the walls and into albums so our boys can enjoy them for years to come!
- Like last year, I am continuing to offer a small selection of free sessions (yes you read that correctly!) as I use these to try out new photographic skill and ideas before using them with my paying clients. I will also continue to offer a range of special offers and Mini sessions each season. So please like my Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/sarahangelfamilyphotography and request to join my email newsletter by going to the contact page at the top of this blog to get all the latest news about offers from me.
I hope you have a very happy and healthy new year with your family!
