I don't suppose you'd want to read that sentence ever again but I do hope you read what has been written below for I owe you guys a lot for how this year turned out to be. 

Indeed, it was a great year. 

Right from my childhood I was attracted only to things that came easily to me, things for which I haven't had to work or think too hard, and photography, I thought, was something that fell right into that bracket. How wrong could I be(In a good way)!

This was my first year as a full time wedding photographer. I felt like I was suddenly shoved into the real world for which I wasn't sure I was ready. It was as overwhelming as it was exciting. I started around March this year after I graduated and completed 50 wedding assignments as the year progressed. I shot some 40 weddings and 10 other events/shoots this year after I kept myself an initial target of shooting 25 different weddings. This was a fantastic year professionally but the ground work for this was laid in the couple of years before this one. 

One thing I am really glad about is the fact that whilst I was studying, I had made friends with a lot of photographers who were already experienced in this area of work. The first 3 years of my college life when I only shot around 15 weddings in total, I used to spend my evenings looking at photographs, analyzing them, trying to replicate the tones, trying to replicate compositions, watching videos on YouTube like movie marathons, reading articles that were too big for my liking, reading books on photography and art, following and keeping in touch with the rapid rate at which technology was progressing in the line of photography and in general, following the trends in wedding photography and trying to learn all I could from anyone I could. I spent so much time in front of the computer that most of the people who visited us and even those who rarely dropped by always knew where to find me, in my room, in front of the screen. 

I realize that this year I have done all the things I have mentioned above along with hours spent post processing images from all the shoots I went to that I forgot what was most important to me: Going out there and trying to create something new.

I was so into not falling behind in this industry I belonged to that I didn't travel enough, I didn't spend enough time with my family and friends, I didn't do the things that I loved to do (apart from shooting kickass weddings!) and most importantly, I didn't take good care of my health. And the most shocking part was when I realized (a tad bit late) that it wasn't for the lack of time. 

Once I realized this, I just had one thought in my head, "Not anymore!"

I declined shooting a couple of weddings, made a plan and took a trip with my friends to this beautiful Villa in the depths of Kerala (Because where else would you go when your Goa plan flops?) and all we did the 4 days we spent there was talk, cook, eat and sleep. It was the happiest I have been all year! 

This coming year, as cliched as it may sound, I want to do all the things I missed out on last year. I love doing what I do for a living and I would be chuffed to bits If I had to shoot double the number of weddings I shot last year. What I do gives me a lot of spare time to do other things I love, and taking advantage of that is my only new year's resolution! Oh oh, and getting into better shape, as well!

Below are photographs from weddings I have shot this year, do take a look and don't hesitate a bit to refer me to your friends and family or anyone who is getting married and wants kickass pictures!

Have a great year ahead, you guys! :)