The yearly behind the scenes and wrap up blog is usually one of my most popular blogs! Sadly, with everything that 2020 has thrown at us this year, this blog will be a little sparse this year. With weddings postponed, travel cancelled, virtual events, and more, there isn't a lot of fun stuff to show you this year. However, hopefully these photos will put a bit of a smile on your face and get you ready to see what's in store for 2021!
First, let's start with some bloopers! These are always fun!
When the veil flies off mid photo....
I LOVE when animals crash our photo session! I will take a moment to give them a quick pet before I continue on! I mean, the cutest!
Sometimes I get some tongues stuck out at me during a photo....
Other times, I get to capture some crazy action!
Weddings looked a bit different this year, with masks, social distancing, and capacity limits. Luckily, most of my couples were able to push forward with their weddings with a few protocols in place.
I love this photo captured of me photographing Molly and Joe feeding the flamingos!
Although the vast majority of our sister business, JNP Photo Booth, events were rescheduled, we still had a couple weddings and corporate events that moved forward with a socially distanced booth set up!
Travel wise, pretty much ALL of my travel this year was cancelled (see you some time Hawaii and Paris...). I did get to go to Vegas for WPPI in February before COVID hit the US.
WPPI is my favorite photography conference and I love learning new things and seeing everyone! I got to do a few shoots in Vegas as well an engagement session for Katie & Collin, an elopement, and....
I got to do a few photos with a rain set up! This is 100% not my style or expertise but it was fun trying out something new and learning from another photographer!
Also, in February, Victoria and I got to put on our In Focus Marketing Summit (which is a marketing workshop for photographers). This was also before all the craziness of COVID and we loved getting to stay at an adorable Airbnb with our attendees and teach them all things marketing and help them level up their business!
Connie of Sassy Sweets was our caterer and she always makes the most delicious food!!!!
It was a fun 2.5 days before all the lockdowns and isolations had to happen.
We had a blast!
I also got to travel to Cleveland, Ohio to speak at The Graceful Gathering! I stayed at an adorable Airbnb with some of the other speakers!
It was such a fun conference!
I did two talks. One about getting published as a wedding photographer and another all about blogging for photographers.
AND, I got a few fun headshots!
I had fun with the toilet paper hoarding and mask wearing! FYI: I didn't hoard toilet paper due to COVID (but thought a fun photo was necessary). My mom always taught me that you never want to run out of toilet paper and we always had a cabinet full growing up. I have always carried on that tradition and it ended up being the best advice this year! haha
Participated in a couple of those business owners spreading encouragement during the lockdown posts!
Got to take part in a lot of virtual summits and conferences this year. Although it was a bummer not being able to see people in person, it was great to still connect and learn virtually.
I took advantage of the lockdown and the unexpected slow time by knocking out some to-do list things for the house.
One of those tasks was scraping, glazing, priming, and painting all 45 of our 110 year old windows! It was a task but I ended up getting all of them done but 10 windows on the 2nd floor. Those will have to wait until the spring.
My friend Mike Butram got some amazing aerial photos for me!
The upstairs bathroom remodel also got done! We gutted the bathroom as soon as we moved in the house (almost 7 years ago) and it was left gutted all this time. I am SO EXCITED that it is finally done and I am in love with how it turned out!
Did some extra decoration for Halloween this year including attaching spiders to the boxwood bushes that line my home. I also removed the rust and re-painted those black handrails which made a world of difference to the front steps!
Was able to photograph a couple of the fun astronomy events that happened this year! I'm by no means an astrophotographer but it was fun! On the right is the pink moon! On the left is Jupiter and Saturn during the Star of Bethlehem phenomenon.
Last but not least, I was awarded two Stevie Awards in the International Business Awards this year! I got a Bronze Stevie for Entrepreneur of the Year Consumer Services and a Bronze Stevie for Energy Industry Innovation of the Year for my commitment to sustainability with my business. I was supposed to go to Paris for the award ceremony but that was sadly cancelled due to COVID. I decided to still put on my fancy dress and take a few photos in the office because, why not!
That's it for 2020. Here's to all the fun I know 2021 has in store!