SNEAK

So.. New York was h'amazing..

JOANNA

Dearest Joanna,

I remember the first time I met you.  Both at the very start of our photography business',  chatting online.. fascinated and drawn to each other's work more than anyone else's.  I was acting in a play in Brighton and you came along to watch.  I remember sitting in my dressing room before the show and someone dropped in a little postcard.  It was from you.. before we'd even met in a real life.. a note to say good luck..

That was five years ago.. and the notes have kept on coming.. and so have the chats, the giggles, the support, the tears, the fun and all the adventures.  You are my bestie and along with Debs and Anna, our little From Our Hearts gang... we are family.  You girls mean the absolute world to me and over these past five years our little group has had it's fair share of knocks but we are holding on tight and we'll never let go of each other.

I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you.

The journey you and Glenn have been on to welcome Beau in to the world hasn't been an easy one.. both personally and professionally and although at times it might have felt impossible I was in total awe of both your strength and your ability to let yourself be vulnerable.  I want to write a million things right now but what I will say is.. getting that picture message when Beau was born has to be one of the best things I've ever seen.. and getting to hold and smell and kiss your baby boy.. he really is the most precious thing in the world.

So.. Mr Beau Fox Armitage.. just to let you know.. your Mum is kinda the bee's knees and she loves you so very much.. and so do we.. and I'm afraid you're just going to have to get used to a) getting kissed all up every time one of us visits and b) having a camera in your face until you're approx 18. K?

Here's some photos of your Mummy looking all awesome and so, so beautiful.. well.. you know.. you were there.. ;)

Welcome to the mad house little fox cub.

All images taken on a variety of cameras.. digital and film..

If you want to go take a look at the cutest little red head in town then go have a read of this beautiful post by Jo on her blog..

ALL CHANGE

Selling our house at the start of the year has made quite an impact on me.  Packing up all our belongings.. the bits and pieces we'd been collecting over the years.. hours at car boots.. wonderful discoveries in charity shops.. all wrapped in bubble wrap and put in boxes.  We did let go of a lot of stuff.  Not just house stuff but also a lot of clothes that I either had bought and not really worn.. or worn to death.  It really felt pretty good and less terrifying than I first thought.. I realised that all our 'stuff' was actually contributing to my anxiety and stress and the more we got rid of, the more the stress started to disappear too.







The other thing that was weighing me down was exactly that.. weight.  I've probably touched on this subject once before but working as wedding photographers.. constantly travelling and being fed at weddings every week, it's near impossible to not pile the pounds on.  Last year I was at my heaviest and it was really starting to effect my confidence.  Meeting people.. being in social situations.. shooting weddings.. I began to hide, mainly behind my camera.  Even Pete commented that our time in NZ, there were lots of photos of him but hardly any of me.  I just didn't feel nice.  I wasn't enjoying me at all.

But over the past few months I've slowly started to see some changes.  Don't get me wrong.. it's still a real struggle trying to consistently eat healthy and exercise but I'm doing it when I can and not beating myself up if I can't.  I don't think I've actually lost much weight as such but I feel more toned and I'm not too sure how to explain it.. but I feel more womanly?!?!  I have got boobs and a bum and I'm never going to be a size 10 and I also enjoy my food.. but I think somewhere over the past few months I've started to just enjoy what I've got.  And because of that I've started to see a change in what I'm wanting to wear.. like, a real change.  Urrrrmmm hello black.. hello simple.. hello natural… even my taste in homeware is shifting hugely.  It feels a little bit like a new me.. like I've grown up a bit.  And I think I've let myself enjoy whatever I'm drawn to.. so what if it's not floral.. or if it's not vintage.. it doesn't mean I can't like lots of different things.  I'm just really enjoying exploring and finding my style but most of all I'm enjoying who I am.. inside and out.. and that feels really good.

All images and links can be found on my Pinterest

AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR COUPLES

We know that you’re hiring us to take photographs on your wedding day.. and we know that because you’re drawn to our work that you’re after relaxed, unfussy, honest and emotional images that show all the fun and all the love..

But.. we’re gonna give you more than that.  We promise that we’ll arrive on your wedding day and it’ll feel like we’ve known you for ages.  We’ll tell you if you have lipstick on your teeth.. we’ll help you with your button hole.. we’ll give you our shoes if you need to get in that field.. Pete will give you his jacket if you need to sit down on that bench (or his shoelaces if you forget yours - true story).

We’ll drive you to the ceremony.. run and get you a jack daniels and coke before your speech.. set up all the hay bales for your guests.. we’ll make having your photo taken easy peasy and normal and kinda fun.. we’ll fall in love with your Nan.. we’ll pull some shapes on the dance floor..

We’ll take your bridal party and make you all stand how you normally stand and look like you normally look.. but, kinda better.. and not awkward and if you’re lucky Pete might even fart in front of you (depending on how comfortable he feels – true story).

We’ll get to know your friends and family.. we’ll watch their mannerisms and their little quirks.  We’ll understand what’s important to you.. and we’ll listen and watch and capture all those moments that will make your heart burst.  Not just because they are moments at your wedding.. but because we understand the moments that are important to you guys.

Basically we’ve got your back… and we want to kinda do what seems impossible and make your wedding day even better.  We know that having a camera in your face on your wedding day is kinda weird.. and we know that you just want to feel normal..

..normal.. but super special..

..so we promise to make you feel both.