Wayward Spirit November Update

The Long Silence / November 1, 2022
So… things got a wee bit out of hand for a few weeks there!

Work went crazy, then I had a falling out with the main client… which we have since resolved (I think) – but it was all down to a feeling of being unvalued and under appreciated for just how far out of my way I go for them and the way that I felt I was being treated as a result. I really don’t ask for much, but sometimes you just feel taken advantage of, and this was one of those situations!

On top of all this working towards a resolution though, we went on holiday to Aberfeldy (not exactly a million miles away, granted, but it was nice to have a change of scenery for a few days, followed by working towards the Creative Light Festival with the awesome Margaret Soraya and also my first large direct job which… I have since worked out… I massively under charged for!

Since getting back from holiday and throwing myself into these two new projects though I have been hugely busy and feeling like I am learning quite a lot about my own direction and how to grow the business moving forward. It has been a hugely worthwhile process!

Back to normal for the next few days – working on property photography, floorplans and a little drone work! But I have ideas for the future, and thoughts to develop. It is all rather exciting!

All Quiet on the Northern Front / November 11, 2022
I have been quietly busy the last couple of weeks, a big hotel job (photos, floorplan, drone work… the whole sherbang) which should be finished to first draft this week has been the main task. A couple of small house shoots as well – but I just haven’t had a moment to get a website update done! I have a few new photos to go up and a lot more to come.

Things got sidetracked a wee bit with a small family crisis (ongoing) and I also redesigned the car at a junction which has really slowed everything down a touch for the moment. But otherwise all good and ever onwards!

Gallery Updates / November 12, 2022
Just added quite a few photos to various galleries, trimmed down the “Latest Photos” to some of the more recent images and added a new “Workshops” gallery.

The planned trip to Orkney to work with Margaret Soraya looks to have been cancelled which is a huge disappointment, she is still running the workshop but slow sales means that she is going to take it as a solo trip rather than with help as there just isn’t the margin in it to pay me too. Not to worry though as I am debating putting my own workshop together in Orkney for Spring 2024!

Which brings me onto workshops and tuition in general.

My thoughts at the moment are to launch a 1:1/private group service for 2023 whilst I look to put some more ideas together. I don’t want to take people to the same old places that everyone else uses – I want to do something a little more unique and with my own slant on it. My background is in archaeology originally and I want to weave some of this into my offerings – I love that human and ancient element in the landscape, I love looking for myths, legend and a storied landscape to work in… and I think that would be of interest to a wider audience. We are hoping to have our own accommodation available at some stage, perhaps next year, which would allow us to operate from Drumnadrochit as a base and cover some truly beautiful areas of Scotland which are somewhat less visited by the mainstream photography workshops and tours (although many of these areas are still within striking distance – the Skye Bridge is only an hour away, Torridon and Ullapool area about the same).

Meanwhile I also plan to build the commercial photography business working both in the property and holiday markets as I am now, but perhaps branching more into the world of Corporate Photography too. It is something I can do, and as with everything I bring my own style to it!