Given that last Sunday marked one year since I started this blog, I thought it was about time I updated the “About Me” category.

What a year it has been! In 12 months on this blog there have been 168 posts, 83 comments, with over 12,000 visits. There were 59 weddings, 26 albums, 3 babies, 2 cows, a snake, and too many Pina Colada’s at Christmas time.

59 weddings. Man, I need to get out more!!! It has been a great year and I have experienced siginifcant growth both as a photographer, and a business. A few things that happened…

My Dad came on board and began second shooting with me. At first, it was just a chance to hang out and shoot together, something my Dad first taught me to do at a very early age. But before too long I realised the value of having another shooter present, and now will always endeavour to work as a two photographer team. 

I got a new website. It was badly needed. I love my new website (now its not so new), but wonder if anyone actually looks at it anymore, as they always seem to be here! This is where all the good stuff happens!

I made Photoshop my friend. Previously, I did very little in Photoshop, but made it my mission last year to work on my post-production to bring my work to a new level. The difference in my work now, from say 12-18 months ago, to me, is just overwhelming. (The amount of time I spend in front of a computer now, is just as overwhelming!!).

I moved! It was a big step, moving out here to the boonies. I’m on the road a lot more now, and the local courier driver is getting to know me - but I’m very happy. I have a modest little office to work out of, and we have a great maid’s service (I love you Mum!).

Equipment. Over the last year I invested over $15K in new equipment. That alone doesn’t make me a better photographer, it just makes me better equipped to be able to perform my job. Its knowing HOW to use that equipment, and apply it to my craft that makes me a better photographer.

I continue to be blessed with the coolest couples on the face of the earth. Week in, week out, I just get so lucky with the awesome couples I get to photograph and spend time with. Without them, I wouldn’t get to do what I do. 

Being busy does come with its drawbacks, and that comes at the cost of my social life. But you know what, I really don’t think I’d be doing anything else. Sure, there aren’t enough hours in a day, the phone doesn’t stop ringing, and sometimes I don’t get to reply to emails in a timely manner , but I love doing what I do, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.   

What does the next year have in store? An overseas trip that I cannot WAIT for, watching little baby Milly grow, Courtney & Richard’s big day, a couple of interstate weddings, and of course all the fabulous weddings as they happen every week! Don’t touch that dial!!

Professionally

My love of photography began at a very young age when my father taught me to use my first SLR camera (an old Pentax P30). Dad started his own wedding photography and video business, and once I was about 14, I began assisting him at weddings. It was quite the apprenticeship for a teenager! While my friends were out enjoying themselves on the weekend, especially on a Saturday night, I was covering a wedding. Looking back now, I probably had more fun!

As I got older, my dreams grew. I longed to one day have my own business, where I got to take pictures for myself. I would look at the work of photographers I admired, and wish that I could produce work just like them. The art of wedding photography was changing, and the old fashioned boring photographs that our parents had were no longer good enough. People wanted contempory, dynamic, and imaginative photography, and I wanted to master it!

I remember the day that I took the camera off my father and told him that I would be shooting the wedding for a change. I don’t think I ever looked back. When Dad and I were filming wedding videos, we were also very fortunate to work regularly with a photographer who knew us quite well, and would often give me the camera to take some shots for him. That kind of experience was truly invaluable, and I don’t think I’d be where I am now without it.

Before too long I was all grown up, and itching to make it on my own. I was so excited by the prospect, and scared half to death at the same time! I still had big dreams, but also a lot of frustration at not being where I wanted to be. When you’re young you want everything yesterday, and don’t realise you need to work hard to reap the rewards.

I went out and invested in a Canon digital SLR camera. Compared to the equipment I have now its so amateur, but everyone has to start somewhere. I still have it, while it doesn’t get much use anymore, it still has sentimental value.

I had that camera for a good 12 months before I kicked off the business. It was still my goal, but working full time shift work made it difficult for me to find the time to devote to getting it off the ground. It was a good job, very safe and secure, but it stopped me from stepping out of my comfort zone and just going for it. So I took a chance, threw it in, and I will never be the same again.

From that point on everything is very much a blur. I was working a regular full time day job, but had the time on evenings and weekends to apply to my business. I got the tonisnell.com.au website, and made myself a very average, but effective site to peddle my photo’s. I had a portfolio of about two weddings that I’d shot alongside another head photographer, but it was enough. And then I signed on to advertise with yellowpages.com.au. This was November 2004.

Between then and Christmas, I had one enquiry which resulted in a booking. Things were pretty quiet, but as soon as January rolled around, the phone was running hot. All these brides emerged and were enquiring about wedding photography, and wanted me to meet with them. By March/April I pretty much had most of the year booked up. I’ll always be greatful to those brides who took a chance on the new kid on the block and gave me my start.

2005 was an amazing year. I was beginning to live my dream. I ended up shooting about 30-35 weddings, still working full time, and still trying to have a life. And the bookings for 2006 kept coming. By the end of the year, I had upgraded to a new camera, and had an effective workflow in place.

2006 has been a great year. I was able to stop working full time, and now am working a more manageable part-time job - and yet still don’t have a life!! I’m shooting weddings most every weekend, and now my Dad is off-siding me! How times have changed.

Its amazing to look at how much I have grown both personally, and in my photography. I look back now at some of the first weddings I ever did, and I cringe. I’ve changed, my style has changed, and my knowledge and equipment has changed. Maybe changed is the wrong word, evolved is how I would describe it. I’m always trying to evolve the way I work, the photo’s I take, and the post production involved with my photo’s and albums. And there’s still so much further to go…….