2011

I am more than a little late in posting this, as everyone else with a blog did this kind of post sensibly at the end of December/January, but here goes...

2011 was a very exciting year for me, and I managed to achieve some really big dreams, even if some of them came about in unusual ways!

Firstly I had an image published in We are Disposable YEAH, a book celebrating analogue photography.  This was incredibly exciting as it remains one of my goals to have my own art books published in the future and it felt like the first step.  Also, books to me are much less transient than magazines.  I love the idea of the permanency and individuality of a book.

In July I achieved a goal i set myself just after my graduate exhibition.  I was asked to photograph bands on the third stage of Sonisphere Festival.  I have been a dedicated festival goer for more than 5 years and to be part of the best rock festival in the country was literally a dream come true!  Below are some of the photos I shot...

Bat Sabbath

                                 Gojira

Ginger Wildhearts

InMe

                                      Me Vs The Hero

Periphery

Pulled Apart by Horses

Sister of Mercy

Steve-O

In Autumn one of my photos was selected to be part of Rankin and Tuuli's 'Dig the New Breed' exhibition showing the work of upcoming fashion photographers.  This was the biggest honour I have ever achieved with regard to my work and over the moon doesnt even come close to describing how the whole experience felt, I will also now always love Pantera's 'Walk' more than I did before as I was listening to Jason Momoa (star of the surprisingly awesome remake of Conan the Barbarian - one of my favourite films) sing it when the email come through, it really was a moment of triple stacked awesome!

The exhibition opened on the first day of Fashion Week in September and all the contributors were invited to the private view and to stay for the Dazed and Confused party being held in the gallery afterwards.  It was an incredible night, and such a pleasure to meet all of the other photographers.  I found out later Grant Thomas was one of them, which made being part of the exhibition even more special as he is one of my favourite photographers, and to have my work along side his was unbelievable.  My mum was my guest, and can even be seen in the Dazed TV featurette from the party looking insanely stunning in her orange dress.

Stunning Aimee Taylor in my photo from the Lamenting Liliput series (bottom left)

My lovely mum

Just after fashion week I turned 25.  Even though I know its not that old, I left university at 22 and time has past by so fast I can hardly believe its been three years.  So much has happened in this time, I feel so incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported me through this time, I would not be where I am without my truly amazing mum, best girl friends, and wonderful boyfriend.  Just before my birthday an old photo, that i had never even consider on of my favourites made it on to Vogue Italia's PhotoVogue section of vogue.it I probably cherish this watermark more than any other!

Toward the end of the year I had two really great shoots.  The first was a concept I had been planning for months and it felt great to have it finally happen. I also felt it was the fist step to steering my photographic style in the direction I feel it needs to go.

Jellyfish 

Model: Julia G @ Oxygen

MUA and Hair: Laura @ Lady Hera

The second shoot was with Emma Christine, a truly wonderful model and simple lovely model I shot for one of my biggest shoots date (not long after I left uni).  It was really great working with her again and seeing just how great of a ballerina she is.  The team was completed by the very talented MUA Manezea, who was great fun to work with.

Ballerina

Model: Emma Christine

MUA: Manezea

I feel so so lucky I get to do what I do, and this past year has been so exciting and fulfilling.  I am now working on making 2012 as good as 2011 (and Im also going to try an update this blog more!!)

x