Another year has flown by, and what a year it has been. Time for the annual review, even though there is still one more wedding to go on New Year’s eve, and no doubt a few more favourites to choose from, I love fireworks!

With over 100,000 photos taken in the year, it can be difficult to remember the best moments, but reflection is important, to review your work from the year, and look for ways to make things even better for next year. So many more creative ideas to try, and so many perfect documentary moments there is just no way of imagining in advance. Whilst my style is predominantly documentary, I do like to throw a little sprinkle of creativity in too, not to create false moments, but to ensure that a couple might just be in the right place, at the right time. This way there are never any poses, just pure joy and emotion.

Perhaps the biggest challenge this year has been the weather, we worked through Storm Ophelia, Storm Brian, and many other equally wet and windy days (which sadly didn’t warrant their own name), which make the life of the photographer more interesting. I am so pleased though that all the couples I worked with this year laughed in the face of the storm, and had an amazing time anyway. Accepting that you cannot change the weather, and embracing what it brings and still enjoying yourselves anyway is the key to a successful day. Only in windy weather do you get dramatic veils blowing in the wind, and I have never seen so many rainbows in one year. As Dolly Parton once said, ‘If you want the rainbow, you’ve gotta put up with the rain!’ And we have had some incredible sunsets too, that perfect light that I am always searching for. A big thank you to all the couples who hopped over fences and trusted my instinct for a magical moment, I think it was worth it!

There have been comedy moments too, climbing onto the top of the roof of a thatched cottage to retrieve a veil which had blown off (see above), the drunk who tried to gatecrash the service so I had to lock the church door, (all part of the service!) getting my feet wet in the sea ( it was going to happen one day..), the groom who sang his whole wedding speech, (very brave and refreshingly different!) and several best men thinking that lighting all the sparklers in one go would be a good idea. It really isn’t, don’t try it!

Thanks to all the couple I have worked with for having me along, and best wishes to you all for next year. I really can’t wait to start on the first wedding of 2018, but I don’t have to wait long, as I will be shooting as the bells strike midnight on New Year’s eve….

14 Comments

Angela Ward-brown on January 5, 2018 at 7:11 pm

Gorgeous work there Robin, fantastic framing & beautifully elegant black & whites.
Have an equally brilliant & creative 2018

Linus Moran on January 25, 2018 at 4:10 pm

Looks like you had a belting year Robin. Some amazing frames in there showing your polished skills and keen eye. Wishing you a similarly awesome 2018!

Robin Goodlad on February 7, 2018 at 8:47 am

Thanks Linus, I hope you have a belter too!
Reply

Hayley Moore on February 6, 2018 at 4:11 am

Being a photographer is pretty stressful but being a WEDDING photographer is 100 times more stressful (especially when it comes to the weather like you mentioned). But we learn to fight through it and end up with some awesome shots. I love this huge collection of 2017 you have. Your work is beautiful and creative, keep up the good work. Happy 2018! May it be full of more fun and beautiful photos!