My review of the year always sparks goals for me. Looking back over my achievements always helps me to focus on what I'd like to achieve the following year.
Magazine Article
In fact, the inspiration for my first goal came whilst checking when my snippet was published in Click Magazine last year. When I found the right edition, I ended up reading the whole magazine (of course) and thought about how I'd love to have a full article in there. I've been featured 3 times in the past, as a finalist in The Voice Collection, with my tip about facing fear and a brand image and also with a couple of images and a passage in a collective article about photographing twins.
I had an idea about what I could write a whole article about - easy! Why I love brand photography so much! In true procrastinating style, avoiding what I was supposed to be writing, I went in search of the submission form, quickly typed out a pitch and sent it off. Well, I heard back already, the very same day that they love my idea and my deadline is 3rd Feb!! So I just made my January busier, lol.
"Absolutely love this idea! Let's do it!"
"I'm excited -- so glad you pitched the idea!"
"We're honored your doing this article for the mag, Bex"
Creativity
After spending the last year really focussing on my business, I'd like to do some more creative projects again this year. One project that I semi-started was my colourful artists' clothing, palettes & floors series. I have a few images already from old projects and hope to find more artists who'd like to participate this year so I can add to the collection. I've just been back to re-edit the old ones and added a couple of newer ones into my gallery, you can see a small sample below featuring Sarah Stewart, Antonia Thomson, Sophie Abbott and Simon March.
I can't wait to expand on this again, please do let me know of any local artists you think might be a good fit, the more colourful the better! You can find out more info and see the gallery here.
Publications & PR
As I was writing this very blog post, my lovely client Jane messaged me with this link to the BBC News website! My first national news feature with this photo I took of Jane for her brand, Positive Story PR Ltd. It's great that she's getting good use out of her images in the press as well as in all her marketing online and in print! :D
I'm hoping to do some PR myself this year and see if I can be featured in the press some more, telling my story.
Awards
I took a break from entering many awards last year (with the exception of Voice which always gets me thinking and going back through my images with a new eye). I was focussing more energy on my business which worked but I do enjoy the challenge of entering competitions. It's always a boost to receive any kind of award and you have to be in it to win it as they say! I'm going to try to be organised enough to enter a few more this year, it does take a lot of time and some have entry fees too so I think about them carefully before I dive in.
I find it's definitely a good way to get you thinking more critically about your work too.
Rainbow Trust Fundraiser
I'm starting a new fundraising project for 2023! I did a Hello Yellow project to raise funds for Young Minds charity in 2019, raising over £500.
This is the project that really kick-started my love for branding, I offered free headshots (they had to include something yellow to represent the charity colours) in return for a donation. In 2023, I'm doing it all again but this time you can choose any colour of the rainbow to feature in your portrait.
I'd like to beat my previous total with my new portrait project for Rainbow Trust, supporting families with a seriously ill child. The new fundraising page can be found here so get in quick if you want to take part this time! You can find out more info here.
All participants are encouraged to share their image with the charity hashtag #ShareYourRainbow and #BexphotoHeadshots and I'll be writing a press release towards the end of the year so you could also be featured in the media if you join in and help me smash my target! Minimum donation = £25.
You can sign up by donating here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bexphoto-rainbow
More Travel
We loved being able to travel again last year and this year we have big plans. We're really hoping to visit some of Nik's family in Kenya and while we're there will take the twins on safari! I've been on safari once before, on our honeymoon in 2011 and it was epic! We saw the big 5 in Tanzania and absolutely loved it!
Here's hoping I've improved somewhat over the last 12 years. I'm planning on buying a new lens for wildlife before our trip so watch this space!
Top Tips
I'll be sharing more tips this year and reinvigorating my mailing list! I've already created an amazing new free download designed to help you prepare for your brand shoot, packed with tips to help your personality shine through in your photos.
You can download it here and I'll soon be sending out regular emails again packed with tips and info and of course, lots of colour and inspiration, to my Iridescent Insiders. Get yourself on the list here!
Sunday Shout Outs
I'm continuing with Sunday Shout Outs in 2023. I love doing them, it's such a fun way to give something back and connect with my local community. You can find out more and apply for a freebie here.
Switching Up Instagram
I’m moving back to @bex.photo!
I started my @bexphoto_brandphotography account to separate out my brand work when I started focussing on branding more in spring 2021.
I fancied a fresh profile to show purely my branding work and experiment with colours and graphics as well as following only local businesses I wanted to connect and engage with. (I follow a LOT of other photographers, for inspiration and friendship on my @bex.photo account and things can get easily lost in the algorithm!)
I’ve come to realise I was sharing less and less at @bex.photo and sharing more of my personal family work on my brand account anyway, often “collaborating” with myself to show the same post on both pages. As I transitioned solely to brand photography work in 2022, I have been pondering changing back to my main account (not least because it’s quicker to type than @bexphoto_brandphotography!) where I have a larger following.
I’m also doing more teaching and mentoring, both with photographers and businesses so it made sense to combine my efforts into one account as it all seems relevant to my services and demonstrating myself as an expert in what I do. Plus, it’s just much simpler to have one account to maintain!
I’ve been updating @bex.photo with new relevant highlights (don’t worry, I’m still sharing fun stuff and travel there too) and adding more branding work to my feed.
I won’t be deleting the other account (it shares too many posts with @bex.photo and has lots of lovely memories in my stories archive!) but I won’t be active there anymore so please come and find me at @bex.photo instead.
Summary
So I think that's it for now, I'm sure I'll be thinking up more ideas as the year goes on, my brain's always ticking. Some I might manage to squeeze in, others may fester for another year ;)
Let me know if you'd like to collaborate on anything this year, be it my fundraiser, paint project, a marketing collaboration or something else. I'm always up for trying new things! It keeps life interesting.
Comments