Reflecting on a rollercoaster of a year

There is no doubt that 2021 has been a truly unique year for many people. At the beginning of the year, we were all in a post-Christmas Covid-19 lockdown, after what was already a very difficult year for many. From a business perspective it was certainly a challenging time. The colder winter months usually means less work for clients and this is something that I have factored into my yearly plan for quite some time.

I tend to spend these quieter periods reflecting on the work of the previous year and taking time to assess how I could have done things differently. During the busier months from early spring to the end of the summer, despite the many extra hours of sunlight, there just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day. It is easy to get consumed by all of the work opportunities that present themselves but as each year passes I am finding that it is becoming more and more important to find a balance between building the business and maintaining a happy home life. I think, like many people, living with the omnipresent threat of Covid-19 over the last few years has forced many people to re-evaluate this balance in some way. Working so closely with many construction firms, the anecdotal evidence is there to support it. People are selling up from the larger cities to move to more rural settings.

A family that I worked with recently on a photoshoot were doing that exact thing themselves. High flying and self proclaimed 'City people', they had decided that they wanted a different kind of life for their family. They had seen the Northstowe development through one of the videos that I had created at the beginning of the year and were immediately sold on the idea of living in a new community in the countryside but importantly still within commuting distance of their jobs in London.

This time of year also lends itself well to learning. Photography and film is always a learning experience irrespective of how long you've been doing it. I use some of this downtime to try to learn new skills and keep abreast of the direction the industry is taking. Technology is evolving so fast that it can be very easy to rest on your laurels and be left behind. The emergence of FPV (first person view) drone filming is something that has really taken off this year. You may recall the fantastic video of the bowling alley in the US with the tiny indoor FPV drone weaving its way around the venue. This type of filming is something that has really impacted advertising this year as the latest 'must have' and is something that I have considered adding to our list of services.

2021 has also been a year of investment. With a number of projects requiring more ground based filming, I have been steadily adding to our inventory of equipment. A number of different lenses (prime and zoom) to cover every filming scenario; a new camera body (allowing us to film in up to 120 frames per second even at night); the new DJI Mavic 3 CINE drone giving us a more flexible filming option with stunning low light capability with its 4/3 sensor and proRes recording; and an array of accessories to compliment all of this equipment. This investment will ensure that I am able to meet any project that presents itself in the coming years.

As I write this, having tested postive for Covid-19 (along with the rest of my family) a few days ago, I hope that 2022 is going to be a good one for all of us. It seems that we are all due some better fortune after the last few years. I will be trying my best to make sure that more of the quality time is enjoyed with my family.