It’s hard to believe we’re already in our last week of 2021. I think we all approached 2021 with a sigh of relief – whatever this year would throw at us, it had to be better than 2020, right?
It sure started off that way. With COVID supposedly far behind in our rear view mirrors, I captured 34 events in the first half of the year. At every event – weddings, family shoots, christenings, corporate, birthdays – there was a sense of optimism in the air. Everyone was finally together again after months of being apart! The celebrations were loud and lively, but perhaps even more exciting than the actual event was the fact that we could all be in each others’ company again. Who would have thought that “no dancing” would ever be a government mandate? With dance floors back in commission, we sure all made the most of it.
The joy was unfortunately short-lived, and Sydney headed back into lockdown at the end of June. In a turning-point weekend where COVID seemed to come out of nowhere, I was labeled as a close contact after shooting my last wedding before the lockdown on June 20th. And we all know the drill – I went from weddings and shoots to a 14-day isolation. Woohoo. Luckily, I tested negative and all was well, until freedom day. The day I was out of isolation I took my son to Westmead vaccination hub to get the jab. My first taste of freedom, and guess what? I was a close contact again! While I had a buddy with me this time, there I was, back in isolation for another 14 days. As you can imagine, the eventual freedom couldn’t have tasted sweeter, and most importantly, my son and I tested COVID negative.
As restrictions eased, I was able to start photographing smaller weddings again from mid-October. For many couples, these weddings were dates that they had postponed not once, but multiple times thanks to COVID. As we learned to live with COVID, masks, checking in with QR codes, and getting vaccinated were the norm. A small price to pay to be with our family and friends again!
I was very blessed to still be able to capture 51 events in 2021, with 41 of those being weddings. Despite all the uncertainty that COVID has brought over the past two years to the photography community, I’m very proud to be in the business of capturing moments and preserving memories for people. I think we’ve all realised just how much we take small joys like hugs, chatting, and dancing for granted, and I’m glad to play a small role in helping people cherish these joys!
2022 is going to be a super busy year with over 60 weddings already locked in. With the recent rapid increase in Omicron cases and latest restrictions, there is still so much uncertainty surrounding the near future and 2022. But I think if we’ve learnt anything from the past two years, it’s that anything can happen! I’ll still be staying optimistic.
A huge thank you to all the amazing photographers and vendors I worked with during this year. And once again, I’m so grateful that I was able to be part of all the wonderful couples’ special day. Here’s to 2022!
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