A Day In The Life Of A Photographer

I can’t promise this is true for every photographer, but this is a day in the life of THIS photographer!

Good morning, sunshine

Thankfully, part of the beauty of being my own boss is that I get to design my life to work for me. How I start my day sets me up in the best way possible, so that I can show up fully for myself, my work and my family.

I start every morning with an espresso at 5am. It’s a non negotiable, because coffee is key. Then I do at least an hour of editing before a 6am PT session or a big hike up The Peak (on mornings that I don’t shoot). There’s really nothing better than moving your body, especially when 90% of your job is sitting behind a screen editing. Next up is breakfast, which is usually a protein shake, eggs, or oatmeal.

On a shoot day, I do a quick gear check (I usually pack for a shoot the night before) and head off for the most exciting part of my day.

Say cheese

Every shoot day looks a little different depending on what I’ve got on the books, but the process is always the same. I’ve modernised and digitised my processes to make everything more streamlined and less intimidating for my clients. The proof is in the photo pudding!

Before we jump straight into a shoot, I like to speak to everyone first. It’s so important for you to feel at ease behind my lens, which means I take extra time getting to know the family I’m working with. For school shoots specifically, I take more time with each child - we chat and joke around until genuine smiles emerge.

Then, the magic happens. This usually goes by in a flash, because we’re all having so much fun! I remind everyone to really soak it in and be present in the moment.

When the fun’s over, the editing begins.

Edits, life and everything in between

The craziness of the day is just beginning at this point! And this is the least scheduled time of my day. I’ve tried to block out time to get certain things done, but it’s truly impossible. I’ve really had to learn to go with the flow and take whatever comes my way during bath and dinner times.

Once the kids are in bed, tummies full and eyes heavy, that’s when I properly sit down and look at the raw photos I captured earlier. I choose the very best stills and go into editing mode. I’m in the zone for a couple of hours, and my husband knows I simply don’t exist to the outside world during editing time!

Then, I finally get ready for bed, excited knowing that I get to do this all again tomorrow.