"Hello jaw line envy!"
"Agh the models know i don't know what I'm doing, don't take too long taking photos, they'll see through me!" - my internal monologue before I'd even picked up my camera!
I made the silly mistake of checking out all the photographers pages the evening before the workshop, I don't know why, maybe to check was there anyone else that would be as inexperienced as me! Spoiler alert: I was not reassured.
I'd never shot a wedding before, I'd barely done my first paid shoot so I spiralled - what
the hell was I thinking?!
I know all about imposter syndrome, it's hit me a few times as a nurse, so I should've known better than to compare myself to everyone else. I kept reminding myself, everyone starts somewhere.
It was so lovely being there though, I was so nervous about posing couples, I'd watched loads of YouTube videos on posing people beforehand in preparation, storing them in the back of my mind and in one of the multiple notes in my phone.
The group I was with were brilliant, I learnt so much and the models made it so easy - and hello jaw line envy!
One of the more experienced/dominant photographers kept checking on me to make sure I had got my shots, as I think I was pretty quiet through some of the shooting (not a word to describe me often!), just occasionally piping up with a "can we get the dip shot in a mo?"
The whole day was incredibly over stimulating, I can tell in my photos towards the end of the day - settings I should've adjusted, shots that came out blurrier than I'd like. But that's a good lesson learnt.
It was a full on day, and that's saying something as I'm used to long nursing shifts!
I adore the photos I captured. One of my proudest moments too was featuring in Debbie Carlisle's blogs - an actual award winning designer! I know other photographers work also featured but omg I'm there too!
Even though these were models, and a lot of it was styled and guided, there were still little moments in between. The in-between laughs, the almost-missed glances, the slightly chaotic, not-perfect bits. Those are the ones I keep going back to—the ones that feel like tiny stories rather than just “nice photos.”
Some of them genuinely make me smile when I look at them, and that's what I want more of. So yes, I’ve still got loads to learn. And yes, I’ll probably still feel like I don’t know what I’m doing sometimes.
But if I can keep capturing moments like that—ones that feel natural, a bit fun, a bit imperfect, and full of personality—then I think I’m on the right track.
Now to find some real life clients...
