2017

Here's a look at my photography within 2017.

It was a time of big change for me this year. 2016 ended with me working solely as a photographer, 2017 began with myself being involved with a film company and and author Ian Livingstone. 
Looking back this year was one of the most exciting years I have had and yet the most depressing year I have faced.
Working as a photographer in early 2017 I was able to set up a Film company to complement the photography I did, as my camera equipment upgraded, due to the success as a photographer and branch out into setting up other projects I was wanting to work on. I had written so many stories as a teenager and completed so many screenplays to films waiting to be shot, I  decided now would be a great time to do just that alongside any other commitments, such as weddings. 
Early 2016, I found myself approaching game designer/writer Ian Livingstone to turn some books he wrote for a series called "Fighting Fantasy" and even filmed a promo for one episode. It was a great learning curve as a producer for me. I was able to secure an exclusive distribution deal with Amazon when the episodes were complete based off my concept. I was able to secure the rights on some of the books with talks for further books to be included if I was able to produce the entire series. It kind of fell against what I was trying to achieve as I had a specific plan for all the books in the series in a certain story thread, covering seven series. It was kind if in the style of the television show "Game of Thrones".
I also found love in my personal life and moved in with them in early 2017, because we were near enough the same mind, we decided to work together and set up a company together in May. It was great, we hosted events and wedding fayres in North England and Wales. There was so much work to be done though something had to give and so I placed my focus on the new projects with the events company. I was still doing photography, just not advertising anything new. It got to a point where I only had two weddings to do.
As the work was coming in thick and fast for the events company, it demanded my full time, we had about 7 venues under our belt to host wedding fayres at and even put on a concert for an ABBA Tribute band called Swede Dreamz in Wales.
Success does have it's drawbacks as you find many people will seek you out just to gain from you and that's it. 
I learnt a big lesson at the end of 2017 as the relationship I was in ended and was made homeless suddenly. 
All the time I was placing in with this person was a complete waste as they took everything from me. Still owing me thousands to this day. Putting my eggs in one basket meant I had nothing to fall back on when I was made homeless one night suddenly. 
At the end of 2017 I had just ended the training as a Celebrant to compliment the events company we ran, I had worked exclusively for a company I no longer ran and was living with someone in their home. Looking back, I was living someone else's life. I was happy together with this person, and devastated when suddenly one night forced out by their family members. 

Luckily the one thing I have always done and enjoyed was writing, I began writing again during the dark times towards the end. I began writing stories that interested me and wrote out a series of books that read as a game. I was even lucky enough to grab a deal with a publisher to distribute the books. 

So now, working as a writer with the occasional Celebrant/Photography work, I have more time for loved ones and can help others better than I could before.