At the beginning of the year I posted on my Instagram stories a series of videos of an excited Priya and how much I had planned for 2020 – like we all did.
I shared how I had been liaising with amazing wedding suppliers to bring you informative content on planning your wedding, tips and tricks to try, and photography related posts. I had editorial shoots planned throughout summer and of course weddings I had been booked to photograph.
And – Then – We – Pause.
Everything paused. Businesses in meltdown, couples having their dream wedding days postponed or cancelled. But most saddening, the risk to life caused by this out-of-control, spiralling virus. It’s hard to see the positives in such an uncertain, scary time.
I was going to title this blog post “My Apology” outlining the reasons for the lack of sharing posts and up-to-date content. Initially, my lack of motivation to write came from obstacles I faced personally and I felt I needed to apologise for being so rubbish with business related content. But then I snapped out of it and realised that everything going on around us right now is so much bigger than me and my musings.
Instead, I’m using this lockdown to be still and to be happy with the simplest of things. I usually try to live my private life off screens and now I’m finding joy in connecting via video to my loved ones. I’m looking up more while I’m on my daily walks and taking in the surroundings. I can’t photograph right now, so I’ve been creating in different ways and have found a joy for an old love of mine, abstract art.
I live a stones throw away from my local hospital so it’s lovely to see people step out onto their driveways every Thursday evening to clap for carers, sharing waves, a friendly nod and cheers with some neighbours that we’ve never interacted with before. As we live so close to our hospital we often hear fireworks and car horns as a sign of appreciation to those looking after the most vulnerable. My beloved mum is a Key Worker in a Nursing Home so I do a little personal cheer for her too.
We have all been forced to rest and reflect while our world heals from humans and I couldn’t think of any better gift for not only us, but for our planet too (my inner hippie is doing a little happy dance). After all the panic we now see the positives of this pause. We now understand what is really important to us and what we are grateful for.
What is important to me and what am I grateful for?
- Loved Ones.
- Health.
- Connection – those that know me well, know how much human interaction in person is my biggest love and the reason I choose to photograph PEOPLE. A smile to another, a hug, a coffee catch up, a pat on the back, a kiss on the forehead.
I suppose the point of this blog post is a new starting point. I have put aside the things that bring me the most joy while I “adult” and I’m ready to bring it back. I have a beautiful little corner of the world wide web, which is my personal outlet of creativity and thoughts. I pride my approach on being as REAL as possible and writing in the way I talk to people in person. I never want to be wooden in my writing or my approach and never want to just put “stuff” out there mindlessly to stay current, cool and relevant. Connecting with people is so much deeper than that, this lockdown has proven that in so many ways.
And so, the journey begins… (well, re-begins)
Priya x
