2021 Personal Favourites
I mean, at least it was 2020, right?!
I feel like every year I sit down to write these posts I am always a little jaded. I guess thats the reality of the end of a year / lead up to Christmas with 4 kids and a business! I know so many others are feeling the same, too. I am one of those really annoying people that is a firm lover of a new year. I LOVE the start of January. Full of good intentions and ideas, I am also aware it doesn’t last long but I take those highs where I can. I haven’t written down any goals or ambitions for 2022 yet, I have been thinking about it a lot though. Being present, letting things be and also not to have such high expectations of life are definitely at forefront of my mind currently.
I’ll be honest, I did go through these photos last night and feel a little sad that 90% of my photos are just Wren, our youngest. As beautiful and wonderful as he is, I just don’t have many photos of the big 3. He is with us 24/7 whilst the bigger ones are growing up and at school, and actually just not wanting to be in photos very much (unless I give them the look of death). As much as I love my job, the downside to wedding photography is I don’t see the kids at the weekend so the majority of my photos are taken on the weekdays and they just aren’t around much! The cons to a blended family mean that my day off on a Sunday is just with Wren (and Will!). But anyway… I am very grateful of the time I have with them all and that my job allows me the flexibility to say no if I need/want to. 2022 will hopefully see more of a balance, watch this space.
In terms of creativity, I did promise myself to not put so much pressure on myself for getting ‘that one epic shot’ when it came to our personal photos. It was 98% documentary and just taken as it happened, with no fussiness. There were a few where I took my time but I felt great relief in the freedom I gave myself to just take a picture and move on. It made me more present and more relaxed and the memories are still there. So my one piece of advice from 2021 is to just take the picture and then put your phone/camera down. Enjoy the moment and move on. It’s very liberating.
I can’t wait to see what 2022 brings in terms of how my children grow. Wren turns 3 in February and he is changing every single day, constantly making us laugh and we are all convinced he will be on stage one day. Elsie will be turning double digits and heading into her final year at primary school, Oliver is trying so many more new things at secondary school and is maturing by the second and Harvey has his options and heading into Year 10! It has also just dawned on me we will have to apply for primary school for Wren… crikey.
On that note… Here are my favourite photos and memories of 2021. There are quite a few so high five if you make it to the end!
Thank you for your continued support in my little business, and your endless advice and replies to my constant IG story cries for help.
Love you longtime!
Charlotte x
P.S. Any photos with me in are taken by Will 🖤
