2024
So that is the year stumbling over the finish line. It has not been a bad year in regards of this - building the business up to a point that it is sustainable moving forward - but in other regards it has been a bit of a battle.
I am exhausted!
There is still a lot to do, the huts need to get moving, and fast which would be the biggest step towards everything finally falling into place. I would like a bit more work, and probably a bit more diversity of work, to come in. I am not yet at the point of looking seriously into the events and weddings market, but the thought is there. I want to build a little more on the property side of things first though and see if I can get that really cooking for 2025, with the odd side project to keep things interesting. The goal for 24/25 was to hit minimum wage after expenses, we still have 3 full months to go before then but I think that objective could well be met! It may not sound much, but from stepping into a new career as a Freelancer 3 years ago and making it my full time job I am quite happy with that. Next year… well that is going to be better (I hope!).
So why the exhaustion then? Well… I have been absolutely rubbish at looking after myself. Body and mind. And that is something that next year needs to focus on, and I think probably at least as much as making the business a success and getting the huts business off the ground - because you can’t enjoy it if you are too unwell or worse to do so. I also need to be in a better place for the family - so this is absolutely something to fix. More on all that later though. I have also been worrying about my Dad, especially over the last few weeks.
I was looking through all my photos from this year - personal work and commissioned work - and it struck me that I/we have actually done quite a bit over the last 12 months! It seems to have gone in a flash, but then looking at photos I kept thinking “was that just this last year?”. There were some good pieces amongst the work though, and the current (as of now) work on this site was all taken from 1st January 2024 as I wanted to refresh and celebrate where I have got to. I plan to build on the galleries moving forward, probably dividing and subdividing them further to give an overall impression of what I can do and what I am doing. Then there will be a “best of last month” page which will change monthly with a new selection of my favourite images of the last 4 weeks, my Photo a Day project which I will try and keep on top of here as well as elsewhere… and any success I have will find their way into a new gallery as I start to show off my wider achievements. Assuming I have any, of course (this year saw a Commended in Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year, I am not sure what I am going to put work in for in 2025 - but competitions and publications are going to be looked at more closely). Again - more on those thoughts shortly… but I am feeling inspired to show the world what I can do, and to also see more of the world. Even if it is just more of the Highlands!
