At this time of year, it's natural to start reflecting on the year gone by. And what a year 2020 was, eh!

This time last year I was getting all packed up for two months of travelling around India. On my travels, I remember seeing people in masks at airports and shrugging them off as unnecessary. Little did I know how lucky I was to return to the UK before the dreaded virus hit. I feel very fortunate I was able to take that trip, although it now feels like a very distance memory - one I must look back on one day soon.

2020 was a year of cancelled and rearranged plans, staying in, no work and too much work. A most traumatic time for small businesses and the self-employed, with the government regulations bringing much of the wedding and events industry to its knees.

The virus has affected us all in different ways and my heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones and been physically and mentally ill. Personally, I feel lucky to have been able to see my family in between lockdowns and over Christmas, but it certainly wasn't an easy year. A house move during lockdown, weddings cancelled with payments refunded and three temporary jobs to help keep me afloat. Despite the struggles, I've found over the years I have developed an ability to adapt and survive. My resilience has got me this far and I've been comforted by meeting others in a similar position. I generally felt useful working and volunteering during a pandemic and have made new friends.

Focusing on my business positives, 2020 was the year I was able to lean on my family and baby photography. I've been photographing families and babies alongside weddings for years now. It's something I love but have always left in the background. This year I was able bring it into the foreground of my work with a few wonderful sessions in between lockdowns.

Somehow against all odds some people still had their 2020 wedding and I was delighted to photograph three. These were intimate, small events that were extra special to be apart of and I also feel privileged to have documented a period of time in our history that we certainly shall not forget.

With Monday’s inevitable lockdown announcement, I must admit I have struggled to find the motivation and positivity to finish writing this blog. Yet, looking through some of my favourite 2020 images, I'm reminded that despite the madness there were a lot of joyful moments and hopefully 2021 will bring many more.

I'm not sure what’s going to happen in the next few months but I'll be trying hard to put energy back into my business. I have hope. I'm looking forward to better, safer times, being reunited with friends, dancing, gigs, festivals, and photographing more weddings again of course!!

I usually try to escape to some sunshine in January but obviously not this year. Instead, I’ll be doing my tax return, looking for work and hanging in there and holding fast, and I hope you are too.

Thank you to everyone who has supported my one-woman band in the past and future. 

Stay safe and here's to a better year!xx

2020 Bride Grain Barge wedding, Bristol Family Avon Gorge Hotel, Bristol Baby Church wedding girl PPE Wedding Bristol wedding Brother & sister Bride 13-110-Laura Crouchley copy 14-287-Laura Crouchley 15-380-Laura Crouchley 16-93-Laura Crouchley-1 17-55-Laura Crouchley 18-196-Laura Crouchley 19-72-Laura Crouchley-2 20-144-Laura Crouchley copy 21-blog set 1c babybath bride 24-157-Laura Crouchley-1 25-76-Laura Crouchley-1 26-288-Laura Crouchley 27-116-Laura Crouchley-1 28-131-Laura Crouchley 29-41-Laura Crouchley copy 30-98-Laura Crouchley-1 31-251-Laura Crouchley 32-370-Laura Crouchley 33-92-Laura Crouchley-1 34-86-Laura Crouchley-1 copy 35-458-Laura Crouchley 36-86-Laura Crouchley 37-46-Laura Crouchley copy 38-201-Laura Crouchley-1 39-575-Laura Crouchley copy 40-422-Laura Crouchley 41-59-Laura Crouchley-2 42-236-Laura Crouchley 43-127-Laura Crouchley 45-171-Laura Crouchley 46-56-Laura Crouchley-1 copy 47-117-Laura Crouchley-1 48-206-Laura Crouchley-1 49-107-Laura Crouchley-1 copy 50-435-Laura Crouchley 51-93-Laura Crouchley 52-579-Laura Crouchley 53-92-Laura Crouchley-2 54-399-Laura Crouchley 55-113-Laura Crouchley copy 56-217-Laura Crouchley 57-31-Laura Crouchley copy 58-175-Laura Crouchley 59-302-Laura Crouchley-1 60-170-Laura Crouchley 61-112-Laura Crouchley 62-23-Laura Crouchley-1 copy 63-110-Laura Crouchley 64-74-Laura Crouchley-1 copy 65-13-Laura Crouchley copy 66-178-Laura Crouchley 67-97-Laura Crouchley-1 copy 68-71-Laura Crouchley 69-46-Laura Crouchley-1 70-488-Laura Crouchley 71-491-Laura Crouchley 72-107-Laura Crouchley copy 73-347-Laura Crouchley 74-154-Laura Crouchley 75-305-Laura Crouchley 76-298-Laura Crouchley 77-320-Laura Crouchley 78-99-Laura Crouchley-2 79-167-Laura Crouchley copy 80-486-Laura Crouchley 81-124-Laura Crouchley copy 82-174-Laura Crouchley 83-425-Laura Crouchley 84-89-Laura Crouchley copy 85-199-Laura Crouchley 86-385-Laura Crouchley 87-498-Laura Crouchley 88-74-Laura Crouchley 89-106-Laura Crouchley-1 90-264-Laura Crouchley 91-351-Laura Crouchley 92-466-Laura Crouchley 93-112-Laura Crouchley-2 94-429-Laura Crouchley 95-373-Laura Crouchley 96-181-Laura Crouchley-1 97-398-Laura Crouchley 98-580-Laura Crouchley 99-68-Laura Crouchley-1 100-100-Laura Crouchley 101-blog set 3c 102-165-Laura Crouchley-1 103-540-Laura Crouchley 104-485-Laura Crouchley 105-96-Laura Crouchley copy 106-191-Laura Crouchley 107-169-Laura Crouchley 108-82-Laura Crouchley-1 109-523-Laura Crouchley 110-116-Laura Crouchley-2 111-138-Laura Crouchley-1 112-301-Laura Crouchley copy 113-305-Laura Crouchley copy 114-blog set 2c 115-258-Laura Crouchley 116-140-Laura Crouchley 117-322-Laura Crouchley 118-50-Laura Crouchley-2 119-308-Laura Crouchley-1 120-176-Laura Crouchley 121-63-Laura Crouchley 122-157-Laura Crouchley 123-129-Laura Crouchley-1 124-273-Laura Crouchley 125-584-Laura Crouchley 126-105-Laura Crouchley 127-121-Laura Crouchley copy 128-269-Laura Crouchley copy 129-577-Laura Crouchley copy 130-440-Laura Crouchley 131-110-Laura Crouchley-1 copy 132-570-Laura Crouchley