I would like to begin with thanking you for being here. I would not be where I am today without any of your support. This time last year, when I was celebrating 11 years in business I took some time to reflect on how I got into photography, and how and why I started my own business. If you are interested in that, please do check out last years blog - 11 years of Samantha Prewett Photography. There was no point in repeating that all over again. This blog is mainly a personal review and reflection of the past year for me. I wrote it mainly for myself, but please do read on if you are interested. 2024 in review2024 was a tough year for me health wise and I have had to seriously slow down my work/pace of life. Thankfully, running my own business meant that I could do exactly that (hard as it was for me to learn how to though!) I am able to set my own hours and work around whatever else is going on. I honestly do not think that I would have lasted in an employed job this past year. Last year was the first time in 12 years that I have taken set work holiday time! Everyone who is employed gets 5-6 weeks of holiday a year, so why shouldn't I? The sad difference is that I don't get paid for mine haha. It was definitely worth the break though, and this year it was needed more than ever. Going ahead I will be doing that every year now. As a family we managed 2 mini holidays last year, one to the Isle of Wight (where we have been many times but never stayed overnight) that was my first and definitely wont be my last Air b n b experience too! We also went to Cornwall where we have been going most years since our first born was just 3 months old for our honeymoon (he is 16 this year eeekk!) Overall, it has been a great year business wise (just a little slower this year) and I have enjoyed photographing so many of you and your families through newborn, baby, cake smash and outdoor family photography sessions. For the second year running I also held my Christmas mini sessions which went down a blast again. I am already beginning to think about this years! 2024 achievementsI managed to get my silver "Plastic Free" award in 2024. I got my Plastic Free status back in 2020 during the height of lockdown, by replacing 3 single items of single plastic that I use in my business. It made me take a big long look at what I was using and what I could change it for. If you are interested more in this, you might like to read the blog that I wrote back in August 2020. I hosted 2 baby events last year, in the Dolphin Centre in Poole, and they were both hugely successful. To date these events have now raised over £1000 for Spring support who are a charity based in Poole hospital who support families who have sadly lost their baby. I got a gorgeous new sign for my studio last year too. I love it so much , it is exactly what I wanted. Not only does it look great, it also stops me from walking into the glass door when it is shut (which I may have done a few times, whoops!) 2025 plansLast year was the first year ever that I didn't set any big plans for the year. This time last year I was working on slowing down. However, this year I feel motivated to pick up the pace a little again and have already made lots of personal goals/plans for the year. One of these being to photograph a birth! (if you are due and would like to help me with that, please do shout) that has been on and off my list for years! I have also planned 2 baby events again this year which are going to be amazing as always. I plan to go for my gold Plastic Free award this year too. This will involve organising a group beach clean, so please do let me know if you are interested in helping out with that. Personally, I am re igniting my love for landscape photography, I have purchased myself a new zoom lens and tripod, and I have already been to one workshop this year (photo below) with an amazing local photographer who I have adored for many years , and I have another booked for later on this month too! 12th birthday offer!As usual, I am kicking off the new year with a special offer to celebrate my business birthday. If you are interested in me capturing some beautiful family memories for you this year, now is the time to book. If you book in a newborn, baby, cake smash or family session for 2025 before the end of January you will get one of my beautiful mini accordion albums for FREE! I hope you have enjoyed reading this, and if you are interested in helping me with any of my goals (birth photography and organising a beach clean) this year, please do comment below I would love to hear from you.
1 Comment
Linda Copson
13/1/2025 12:30:18 pm
Very interesting blog.
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