"Go that extra mile and prove your worth that little bit more...
work hard and let that speak for itself."
I'm excited to share my second Fearless Female feature talking to an inspiring mum of two Joanne White, who runs her own Southampton based Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) and mixed martial arts (MMA) fightwear clothing company, Rainha Fightwear exclusively for women. Having found there weren't any clothing companies that catered to women's bodies & sizing, Joanne decided to set out her own company doing just that! I originally heard of Joanne's unique business from an alumni entrepreneurs networking group at Solent University and had to hear more of how Joanne set up her business! So here's her story on her passion for Brazilian jiu-jitsu and breaking the mould. This shoot also features a few beautiful photos of her youngest daughter Effie who couldn't stay away from the camera! Isn't she gorgeous?
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Nisha: What inspired you to start this unique business, Rainha Fightwear? When did you start?
Joanne: I had been training for about a year, and struggled to find anywhere fightwear that suited my style and also found that there weren’t any brands out there that had a wide variety in women fightwear at the time. So it originally started as a university final major project and developed from there.
I see you regularly train in martial arts, how did you get into this sport & lifestyle?
I've always had a love for martial arts, but had never tried anything like Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) before. My fiancee was training and kept pushing for me to give it a try. I was hooked from my first session.
As a mum of two young girls, what is it like being a full-time mum, businesswoman and sportswoman? Do you have a particular routine, lifestyle you work to?
As a mum of two young girls, what is it like being a full-time mum, businesswoman and sportswoman? Do you have a particular routine, lifestyle you work to?
Hectic! Yes our life is pretty much built around routine to fit in not only our work and training schedule but also our eldest daughters as well as she currently does BJJ, swimming and is starting street dance soon as well.
I imagine your beautiful daughters and fiancé are a big part of your business & brand. In what ways does the family get involved in the business?
We do everything together, so Jon and I both run Rainha and make all of the final decisions together if we ever struggle and can't agree on a design we let our eldest daughter Marlee be the deciding factor. We also get her involved in photoshoots, events and our social media. She loves getting involved and it has inspired her to create her own mini brands for fun.
I imagine your beautiful daughters and fiancé are a big part of your business & brand. In what ways does the family get involved in the business?
We do everything together, so Jon and I both run Rainha and make all of the final decisions together if we ever struggle and can't agree on a design we let our eldest daughter Marlee be the deciding factor. We also get her involved in photoshoots, events and our social media. She loves getting involved and it has inspired her to create her own mini brands for fun.
How do you come up with designs for your clothing range? Tell me about the process of getting specially made fightwear designed for females in mind.
Our first design was just a simple one we put together to help with brand recognition and also get our brand colours and everything out there. Since then we’ve actually had some very talented tattoo artist friends of ours Amber and Juliet who have created two of our most popular rash guards. We wanted to get designing our own more, that was the original plan, but where things took off so quickly and unexpectedly it caught us off guard. You can see of Amber and Juliet's work on Instagram @amberjanetattoo and @artycow.
Did you receive any funding for your business or was it all self-started?
We received a bit of funding from Solent University through their business startup scheme where we also took part in crowdfunding but we mainly scraped together what we could and crossed our fingers!
Having competed in BJJ & Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and won various competitions, do you feel the community of female fighters and this sport is growing?
Having competed in BJJ & Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and won various competitions, do you feel the community of female fighters and this sport is growing?
I have competed a few times last year, which I found incredibly nerve-racking but also so fun. I got to meet loads of fantastic female fighters which was amazing and create some great friendships. One of my favourite competitions I have done is 'Fight like a Girl', run by one of my best friends Chloe Moore. It's a female only competition and was great to see so many talented women in one room fighting and laughing all at the same time. I think its just going to keep growing, more and more women are not only trying BJJ every day but are also making themselves well known in the BJJ community for their amazing achievements in competition around the world.
Do you still compete in local/regional or national competitions?
Yes, I would love to do some bigger competitions eventually, but I’m not very confident and second guess myself a lot, so I want to spend this year really concentrating on my technique and training with lots of other women and prepare for a year of competing next year.
You’re very active in this community and social media, do you find this helps with creating your products & clothing?
Definitely, I think being active on social media is a big part of it, but we also really value every single one of our customers and do our best to make sure we give them the best service possible. We are only a tiny family-run brand so every sale for us is huge and we want our customers to know how much we appreciate them so I think that is more important.
You’re very active in this community and social media, do you find this helps with creating your products & clothing?
Definitely, I think being active on social media is a big part of it, but we also really value every single one of our customers and do our best to make sure we give them the best service possible. We are only a tiny family-run brand so every sale for us is huge and we want our customers to know how much we appreciate them so I think that is more important.
How did you go about building your Rainha brand? Your logo is gorgeous!
Lots of guessing and trial and error. Everyone is so lucky they didn’t see the list of potential names we had there was a lot of questionable choices!
Do you tend to find your customers are local or nationwide or even international?
We get a lot of customers over the country but we have found that we actually get a lot of love from America as well as Europe which is awesome and still totally blows our minds.
You talked about Fibromyalgia which you’ve described as chronic full body pain and fatigue. It’s amazing that you’re so active in the BJJ community and what you’ve done to overcome that. What major challenges did you have with running your business and did you have to make big changes in your life?
Do you tend to find your customers are local or nationwide or even international?
We get a lot of customers over the country but we have found that we actually get a lot of love from America as well as Europe which is awesome and still totally blows our minds.
You talked about Fibromyalgia which you’ve described as chronic full body pain and fatigue. It’s amazing that you’re so active in the BJJ community and what you’ve done to overcome that. What major challenges did you have with running your business and did you have to make big changes in your life?
Well it never goes away, so its just balance really. I try my best to live as healthy a lifestyle as I can and also make sure I schedule in time for me to rest and recover because that's a big part of it. Getting the balance is definitely the hardest.
I imagine in the sport of BJJ and MMA, there aren’t as many female role models. Do you have any role models you look up to?
There are loads of female role models it's amazing and it hard to pick just one. A couple of women that I love to watch compete at the moment is Ffion Davies, Samantha Cook and Gezary Matuda.
On the topic of female empowerment, have there been any obstacles being a businesswoman or in life and how did you overcome that?
I guess being a woman in a male-dominated sport starting a business for women in a male-dominated sport was really daunting and at first was a risk and also where I train at the moment I am currently the only woman. I guess you always feel like you always have to try and go that extra mile and prove your worth that little bit more, which is a lot of pressure in itself, but I just try and keep my head down and work hard and let that speak for itself.
Another interesting topic you’ve touched upon is confidence. As a business owner myself, there are definitely times I lose confidence in myself. Do you have any processes that help you with inner confidence in both your business and yourself?
I'm just very good at faking confidence! More often then not I have to check in with Jon, he helps me keep a level head and not over think things and try and stay as confident as I can. All you can do is try your best.
I'm just very good at faking confidence! More often then not I have to check in with Jon, he helps me keep a level head and not over think things and try and stay as confident as I can. All you can do is try your best.
What advice would you give to females interested in trying out BJJ or MMA for the first time? Would you have to have a certain fitness level or previous combat sports experience?
To just do it, you get fit while training so there's nothing to worry about, its great fun and you become a part of a great team and eventually become like family. I couldn’t recommend BJJ more, it has helped me so much not just with my fitness and health but also with my confidence.
If you're interested in trying Brazilian jiu-jitsu or Mixed Martial Arts, Joanne trains at Phoenix BJJ in Southampton where you can meet and learn more about this exciting sport. See their timetable of classes here.
You can find out more about Joanne's unique business below:
Rainha Fightwear Instagram
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Also some exciting news for this Autumn/Winter 2018 season. I'm currently working on a brand new venture, Girlboss Sessions - branding, portrait & lifestyle photos for fearless female entrepreneurs & kick-ass businesswomen who are bossing it at work. Can't wait to share more updates about this!
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Also some exciting news for this Autumn/Winter 2018 season. I'm currently working on a brand new venture, Girlboss Sessions - branding, portrait & lifestyle photos for fearless female entrepreneurs & kick-ass businesswomen who are bossing it at work. Can't wait to share more updates about this!
I'm very excited to celebrate 1 year of taking the plunge and becoming a full-time freelancer! Wooo!
So this year has been a pretty exciting, manic and a celebratory one, first being shortlisted as a finalist for the UK Wedding Awards 2018 for Best Wedding Photographer and being featured in Dorset, Wiltshire & Hampshire Bride Magazine 2018 in Jan, then moving house and getting a brand new home office in March, then celebrating turning 25 in May, then 3 years of running Nisha Haq Photography in June, then receiving an honorary degree of Master of Arts from Solent University in July and now over the moon that I'm celebrating 1 year of being a full-time freelancer! 🎉🎂🙌🏽
I can't believe it's been a whole year since going full-time with my business last month and it's certainly the best thing I've done! (You can read my blog post about it when I announced this news last year here.) If you asked me when I just graduated from university at 21 that I'd be living the dream as a full-time freelance photographer at 24 and all the amazing opportunities and experiences along the way, I would have laughed at how preposterous that sounded!
I can't believe it's been a whole year since going full-time with my business last month and it's certainly the best thing I've done! (You can read my blog post about it when I announced this news last year here.) If you asked me when I just graduated from university at 21 that I'd be living the dream as a full-time freelance photographer at 24 and all the amazing opportunities and experiences along the way, I would have laughed at how preposterous that sounded!
I think being British, it's often we don't share our accomplishments and celebrate the milestones in our lives as much as we should do, so this blog post is both a celebration and reminder that if you feel it's a big achievement in your life, career or family, CELEBRATE and share the great news with loved ones! For me, I remember this time last year I was so worried about taking the plunge into going full-time with my business and many self-employed folks will understand that it can be scary not having a regular monthly income and being responsible for everything, not having sick or holiday pay and also juggling all the ins and outs of running a business and feeling you're offering the best you can for all your clients. Though this may seem like a lot of disadvantages and pressure, having successfully achieved a year of being full-time, I wouldn't have it any other way!
Pros of being a full-time freelancer
Here are a few that I've discovered this past year:
- Job satisfaction - I absolutely love what I do and photographing weddings, shoots and meeting lots of different people. Getting to do what I'm so passionate about full-time is amazing and I'm always buzzing for the next shoot! Being able to reap the rewards 100% is a wonderful feeling and knowing I have happy clients means the world to me.
- Independence - I love having the freedom of setting my own hours, doing what I love doing when I want to. Basically getting to choose how I want to work that suits the lifestyle I want. (I love getting to shop on a weekday when it's not jam-packed on a Saturday!) It's the little things that make a lot of different and love having the independence of how I live my life. I love the quote, 'Work to Live, Don't Live to Work' and try and take that ethos in everything I do.
- Location - It's great being able to work from home and not having to get stuck in rush hour traffic anymore or get bogged down with office politics and company hierarchies. I'm currently writing this blog post in sunny South Devon for a mini-break (mainly getting to have a lovely different view out of the window!) I'm also very fortunate to be able to work in some amazing places and venues and get to see some epic views when I'm out photographing which is definitely one of the perks of the job!
- Salary - Although it was daunting having unpredictable finances and the lack of security being employed, growing my business to where it is today is something I couldn't have dreamed of and the growth has been amazing these past few years! The sky's the limit and I'm always working the best I can to grow my business. Being full-time has allowed me to grow both in business and personal development which is more than I could ask for.
I was thinking of ways of how to celebrate with my other half, Rob, we brainstormed with ideas like a bottle of bubbly, a giant balloon in the shape of the number 1, and then Rob suggested that he'd make a special cake for me to celebrate this milestone in the shape of a camera. Although it's a bit kooky, I love it and it's as homemade as they come! He tried to replicate my trusty Canon camera and I can just about see the resemblance! Tehe! Regardless, it tasted DELICIOUS and couldn't be happier to celebrate this special occasion.
I often talk about the rollercoaster of running a business, and I'm so grateful and blessed to have such a supportive network such as IPSE, Solent University, Somerset Art Works, Solent LEP to name a few, who've helped me get to where I am today and of course all my amazing clients, family, friends and my other half for believing in me and encouraging me to pursue my passion full-time! Thank you so much everyone!
A few behind-the-scenes snaps of being a freelance photographer. You can find them posted on my Instastories on Instagram if you fancied a follow (@nishahaq).
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Read more on being a #girlboss
Find out more on my new portrait & interview series, Fearless Females
More on my website of my latest weddings & photoshoots
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Read more on being a #girlboss
Find out more on my new portrait & interview series, Fearless Females
More on my website of my latest weddings & photoshoots
Eeeeek! I'm very excited to share some amazing news that I've had to keep quiet for 4 months!
So Monday 9th July was a pretty memorable day and certainly one I won't forget in my life. It's been a day I've been excited and nervous about for the past four months, as it was the day I received an honorary degree of Master of Arts from Solent University. Being one of the youngest honoraries at Solent University to receive such an award is something I would not have dreamed of so early in my career, especially just celebrating a year of going full-time freelance today! Hooray! I still feel I'm only getting started with my business, so I'm stunned to have been acknowledged by my University in this way. It's one of those things where it still feels pretty surreal thinking about it.
I'm still taking it all in... feelings of delight, jubilation, astonishment even a fortnight after the graduation ceremony, I'm still pinching myself that I really DID receive an honorary degree. It feels even more special as the Academic Board of Solent University, the university I graduated from in Bachelor of Arts in Photography only 4 years ago, would confer such an esteemed award especially as there are only 10-20 honorary degree recipients per year at the University during Graduation Week.
The Vice-Chancellor's letter
When the letter came in the post in February from the Vice-Chancellor, firstly I was shocked and had to read the letter ten times to make sure it was posted to the right 'Nisha Haq', then I cried a little as an overwhelming feeling came over me as I realised it was legitimately addressed to me. This was a huge honour to receive esepcially just turning 25 and remembering of all the hardships I've had to go through was all worth it to have that letter in my hands. The fact that it read 'this is in recognition of your outstanding accomplishments and commitment to photography' really hit home for me as it's something I'm so passionate about and worked so hard for.
In April I received another letter informing me that I would have to give a 3-5 min speech at the Graduation ceremony at Southampton Guildhall which at first seemed exciting then I remembered how many graduates, parents & faculty there would be watching on the day (plus a live stream of the ceremony online!), the nerves definitely kicked in! The past month my life had been consumed by watching graduation commencement speeches (particularly in America - I feel British Universities don't share it on Youtube!) such as Steve Jobs, Oprah, and JK Rowling to inspire me. After lots of sleepless nights of worrying what to put in my speech, a couple of days before the ceremony it just came to me and I knew what I was going to say. I just had to be myself, share stories of my own experiences and the many ups and downs I've faced and not worry that I didn't have 30/40+ years of industry knowledge and wisdom like many honorary graduates would typically have. I just had to remember I am unique in my own way and share what I knew and learned in the short 3 years of running a business. All you can do is to be yourself.
The big day
So the big day finally arrives, my partner Rob, mum, brother, dad and step-mum all travel down from Somerset & Nottingham for this special day. It meant a lot to me having my closest loved ones to celebrate the day with me, especially as I speak about my family in my speech. I also realise I'm the first person out of all the recipients receiving an honorary degree to give a speech as it’s the first ceremony to kick off graduation week! Although extra nerves kick in, I stick to my trusty cue cards and I'm ready to get on stage for the speech I've been worrying about so much.
If anyone was curious about what it's like to receive an honorary degree from a university, I'll try my best to describe what it's like. Through the midst of shock, excitement and nervousness, I do remember moments such as putting on my robes and cap and a strange feeling of it being déjà vu as it only felt like yesterday that I was graduating with my BA Photography degree. I had to remind myself this is entirely different and what to expect would be entirely different too! Soon after putting my gown on, I was interviewed by the press team for a snippet on how I was feeling and any words of advice to students/graduates. It was still pretty early in the morning and being the first one to arrive at this point, I thought I’d just go for it and try and mumble some words of inspiration, though the nerves of the speech I had to deliver later in the day was still making me sweat (the black polyester gown on a 30°c day didn’t help mind you!) You can decipher if you feel inspired by my video clip below:
Next, I had the privilege of having a formal photograph with the Chancellor, Admiral The Right Honourable Lord West of Spithead and Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Baldwin, both very tall gentlemen with little me at 4”11 in the middle for a photograph beaming with pride. Then I had a photograph with the director of the School of Art, Design & Fashion, Professor Peter Lloyd who was one of the members to nominate me for the award (as well as Robert Wayman, Alumni Relations and Philanthropy Manager who nominated me). Such a friendly and funny gentleman and really put me at ease throughout the whole day which made it that extra bit special. I’m often the person behind the camera, so to be in the front for lots of formal photos was a new experience for me! It was also lovely having a family photo, which made me really happy.
The graduation ceremony
Now for the scary part of the day, the ceremony! My family and I were split up as they had to take their seats and the faculty, distinguished guests and honorary recipients would be sitting on the stage in front of all the graduates, their family and friends. We were all placed in a specific order when queuing up for our entrance so we could easily take our seats into Southampton Guildhall. As the last to take our seats, a loud cheer and round of applause were made with upbeat live music played us in for our walk to the stage. All I could think of was not to stumble up the stairs in my 4-inch heels (I’m thinking at this point I definitely should have worn flats!) Unbeknownst to me I would be sitting in the front row under bright stage lights in front of everyone to see. It was pretty daunting but comforted by the fact I was sat next to Professor Peter Lloyd. For this particular ceremony, it was all the graduates from fashion courses that were receiving their degrees and what a wonderful group of graduates it was! Peter and I had a little giggle as we had the optimum view of everyone’s amazing shoe choices (I wouldn’t expect anything less from the school of fashion!) and all the glamorous heels.
After all the graduates had received their degrees, it was time for my speech! My palms were definitely sweaty at this point and I'm trying to keep my cool, as this was the moment I was anticipating. Peter stood up behind the lectern and read a citation about me. Just hearing my name being said in a speech to a room to hundreds of people, if not a thousand and having my accomplishments, the work I do and what I’m passionate about being shared with everyone was an emotional moment for me especially knowing my family & my partner was in the audience. It filled me with so much pride.
The speech
I was announced to receive my honorary degree of Master of Arts and shook hands with the Chancellor and invited to share a few words. I was so honoured by it all and despite the heat, bright lights and nerves, I felt so happy and proud, I went into the speech feeling fearless. I told myself, 'I got this' to give me a little confidence boost. It paid off practising a few times and delivered my speech as rehearsed with an extra bit of oomph thrown in. I was delighted I didn’t make any hiccups and got through it one piece! I was over the moon! After my speech, award-winning beauty journalist Ateh Jewel received her honorary degree of Doctor of Media and delivered an amazing passionate speech, which was so inspiring to hear. Just being awarded in the same ceremony as she was with all her amazing achievements was humbling.If you did fancy a listen, you can find Peter's citation (1:50:41) and my speech (1:54:48) filmed below:
Being a #girlboss
The ceremony was coming to an end and all I could think of was, WOW, this is an insane experience and I couldn’t have had a bigger smile on my face. I was pleasantly surprised when we made our exit how many parents shook my hand as I walked down the aisle and congratulated me and even said they were proud of me. This coming from people I’ve never met before really moved me as I wasn’t sure how the audience would react to my speech or whether they would be fussed at all about who I was. To have that reception was truly amazing and I never thought I could inspire people in that way. If I can encourage the new generation in becoming creative freelancers & entrepreneurs in any way, I feel I’ve done a good job as it's something I'm so passionate about. I think it was affirming for parents to see their daughters and sons graduate from Solent University, which isn’t a traditional ‘red brick’ university and more renowned for it’s enterprising and industry-focused courses, and that if a Solent girl who graduated 4 years ago can be up on that stage, then their children can have a pretty amazing career too. Congratulations to the Class of 2018! :D
There should never be any limits on what you set out to achieve and that you can be successful in whatever career you choose. In my case, anyone can be a #girlboss.
I’d like to say a BIG thank you to everyone who has supported me and helped me on my journey to where I am today, my amazing clients who believe in me, my family and friends who love me, my wonderful partner Rob who encourages me and to everyone who inspires me everyday to keep pushing and working hard for those goals and dreams to happen.
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You can read more on this story on Solent University’s press page:
Learn more about studying art and design at Solent University or BA Photography (Yay!)
I can’t believe it’s been 3 years!
It’s crazy to think that this time 3 years ago I was sitting in front of my computer and registering my business and making the first steps in starting my professional photography journey, something I thought wouldn’t happen until much later in life. So it’s exciting just saying it out loud that Nisha Haq Photography has been in business for 3 years!
I remember in the first few months it was nerve-wracking to even say I was a professional photographer let alone to class myself as an entrepreneur or that I was a business owner. Even doing my first Facebook advert felt alien to me and putting my business ‘out there’ was a daunting concept. Fast forward 3 years, it’s been a pretty incredible ride in getting here today and certainly lots of amazing experiences along the way!
On this day last year...
I was pulling a gobsmacked expression in front of a large audience when comedian Ellie Taylor called my name to be crowned IPSE UK Young Freelancer of the Year. Certainly a day I won’t forget! This was the extra push I needed to take the plunge into being a full-time freelancer a month later and what a journey it’s been!
I know a lot of businesses have corporate goals they target such as a certain annual turnover or profit they want to make in a certain period or hitting a certain amount of followers to they want to reach. Don’t get me wrong, all these things are important in the day-to-day in running a business, but what I’m most proud of in what I’ve achieved in the last 3 years can’t be measured in numbers, it’s knowing my confidence in both myself as a woman and a business owner has grown so much, it’s definitely not something I would have foreseen.
It’s the confidence
The confidence in believing in myself and knowing that going full-time with my business is the best thing for me.
The confidence in trusting my gut with decisions and growing my business.
The full confidence to introduce myself as a professional photographer / entrepreneur and badass businesswoman (I might bleep the badass out if saying aloud!).
3 goals
I’m also proud of the fact that I’m already on the right path to accomplish the goals I set at the beginning of the year which is a first for me. Every New Year's resolution gets recycled and never usually gets achieved… well, 2018 isn’t going to be that year! My 3 personals goals this year is:
- Moving in with my partner of 6 1/2 years and getting our own place together, plus a much bigger (and snazzier) office and a portable home studio! (Which I've ticked off this whopper in March!)
- Adopting a healthier lifestyle and actually sticking to it (started in April and I’ve lost half a stone and on my way to losing a full stone soon!)
- Launching my new Fearless Females portrait and Q&A series and writing more inspirational blog posts and telling women's stories (I launched on International Women's Day, 8 March! The next fearless female will be published very soon - watch this space!
3 fabulous shoots
for 3 fabulous people
to celebrate 3 fabulous years!
I’m over the moon celebrating 3 years of running a business and telling people’s beautiful stories. And so, I'd love to celebrate what makes you special… with a chance to win 1 of 3 unique photo sessions of your choice! My biggest prize draw yet!
-Couples / engagement photo session to celebrate that special love in your life!
(Up to 1.5 hour photoshoot in a location or your choice, usually an outdoor location e.g. woodlands, city, beach etc.)
(Ideal for someone who has started/running their own business or a freelancer/ self-employed entrepreneur; up to 2 hour photoshoot in a location or your choice, usually at your business offices or place of work)
-Bespoke Boudoir session to celebrate the goddess in you!
(Up to 3 hour photoshoot in a location or your choice, usually at your home / a local hotel / my home studio)
So come on and join in the fun & excitement! To enter, fill in your details & preferences, a little bit about you and why you’d like a photo session with me (plus put down any unique ideas you have too!)
I look forward to hearing your beautiful stories!
Yay, it's wedding season!
I've got a few wedding fayres coming up this year and excited to meet lots of brides & grooms-to-be. I really enjoy meeting couples in person and just chatting away and getting to know each other. It's a great way of meeting suppliers face-to-face, ask lots of questions and get a feel for the service and style they offer, especially us photographers! I feel wedding photography is one of those things where it's so personal, we're there on the most precious day of your life celebrating and documenting it all, from the laughter and tears, it's a pretty intimate affair; so it only makes sense to meet in person too.
Wherever you are on your wedding planning journey, at the very early stages and you're browsing for ideas or ready to book your favourite suppliers to help make your day feel that extra bit special, wedding fayres are a great place to start! I love chatting with couples and getting to hear their engagement stories and how they first met. It's a great opportunity to see if I'd be a perfect fit as there are so many different photographers with varying styles, personalities, packages and experience; it's a big decision to make and can be daunting when there are lots of choices.
I'm delighted to be working with PMN Wedding Fayres again this year who select great local suppliers to exhibit on the day so you're assured there will be high-quality businesses offering their services. Also, another good reason to attend is there is no obligation to book, you can simply browse and feel inspired by different wedding ideas, soak up all the knowledge from professional wedding vendors to help plan your day.
I'm excited to be exhibiting at these local wedding fayres this year:
Sunday 10 June 2018
Queen's Hotel, Portsmouth - 11am-3pm
*NEW DATE ADDED!*
Sunday 24 June 2018
New Place, Shirrell Heath, Southampton - 11am-3pm
Queen's Hotel, Portsmouth - 11am-3pm
*NEW DATE ADDED!*
Sunday 24 June 2018
New Place, Shirrell Heath, Southampton - 11am-3pm
I'll be exhibiting my brand new wedding albums and there will also be an exclusive wedding fayre offer, only available when you inquire at the fayre. :D
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| Eeek my new wedding leaflets featuring Jess & Will's (photographed on their gorgeous wedding day earlier this year), has arrived just in time for tomorrow's wedding fayre! |
I'm very excited! Looking forward to seeing you there!
ARRRGHHH, so I realise the majority of big milestones in my life start with a loud expressive shriek of some sort to announce to the world of a new chapter. This is one of those things where I feel it calls for such an occasion... turning 25!
I must admit, I wasn't really sure what to do write for my birthday blog post. In the weeks leading up to my birthday, in some ways I was dreading getting a year older and enjoyed saying I was in my young twenties. Even when my lovely mum asked what I would like for my birthday a month in advance (she's really organised!), I stuttered and avoided thinking about it as the thought of being considered 'old' was a little daunting. For some reason, I have a perception of what old and young is and when you're an innocent 12-year-old thinking about being a 'grown-up', 25 years old seems really old and that's when you're a 'proper adult'. In some ways, I was right at twelve! In my previous post about finally moving in with my partner of almost seven years, I realise there's lots of adulting that needs to be done particularly in the form of admin... change of your bank, driver's license, insurance, doctors addresses, setting up bills, signing more contracts... the list goes on! However, celebrating my 25th birthday yesterday, I realise I didn't need to dread being 25. I say to many friends that age is just a number and it's how you feel inside that counts, not societies pressures that dictate how you should live & behave. I really should take my own advice!
Although, it's hard to tell what it will feel like being 25 (I'm only a day in), but what I know is that I've already been 'adulting' pretty much throughout my twenties, I just didn't realise I was doing it! After a little reflection, these a few milestones I've experienced these past four years:
20 - Created my first magazine & social enterprise Penta Prism and secured investment from my university for my business
21 - Graduated from Solent University and got my first grown-up job doing a 9-5
22 - Secured a second investment from Solent LEP and thus started my business. Also photographed my first wedding independently
22 - Secured a second investment from Solent LEP and thus started my business. Also photographed my first wedding independently
23 - Celebrated my first business anniversary
24 - Won IPSE UK Young Freelancer of the Year, became Hampshire Venus Awards Customer Service semi-finalist, UK Wedding Awards Best Wedding Photographer finalist, going full-time with my photography business and not to mention moving in with my partner into our first home together, to name a few…
25 - I'm not sure how I'll top off last year's experiences but I know I've got some exciting news to announce this July… watch this space!
I think it's safe to say adulting as a millennial is a little different compared to previous generations! I still feel young, but experienced in many other ways and taking every day at a time. Turning a quarter of a century does feel like a big milestone which has helped me reflect on what's important and cherished in my life. I consider myself fortunate to do a job I'm really passionate about, have an amazing partner in life and wonderful family & friends. There's still so much I want to explore, experience & achieve and I still feel I'm only just at the beginning of my journey.
I think it's safe to say adulting as a millennial is a little different compared to previous generations! I still feel young, but experienced in many other ways and taking every day at a time. Turning a quarter of a century does feel like a big milestone which has helped me reflect on what's important and cherished in my life. I consider myself fortunate to do a job I'm really passionate about, have an amazing partner in life and wonderful family & friends. There's still so much I want to explore, experience & achieve and I still feel I'm only just at the beginning of my journey.
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One of which was having a surprise trip to Edinburgh last weekend from my amazing partner, Rob! Eeeek! I've never been to Scotland and what a wonderful place it is! Despite only going away for 3 days, it was an exciting full-on city breakaway which I loved. A few highlights were:
A birthday meal consisting of a 6-course tasting menu at Michelin starred restaurant, The Kitchin in Leith and delicious cocktails. Wearing a tight dress & heels was not a good idea after feeling like I was waddling out of the restaurant back to the hotel, it was that AMAZING!
A day out in the city centre, exploring the likes of Edinburgh Castle, the charming cobbled streets and markets, Princes Street Gardens, getting my obligatory Hard Rock Cafe Edinburgh t-shirt (I collect one in every city they have a Hard Rock Cafe, I'm now at 13!) going to the Scotland Shop and getting a Henderson scarf (the other half is a Henderson!) and ending the day with cheeky cocktails at an Asian street food cocktail bar, Miss Woos.
The hotel itself was awesome! Malmaison Edinburgh, a boutique 4* hotel, a converted 1883 Seaman's mission which has beautiful views over the Water of Leith which was lovely to wake up to in the morning. Leith is a really lovely area, lots of history, fabulous food and charm.
Mimi's Bakehouse in Leith is a definite must for scrumptious cakes, bakes & anything sweet. Fabulously fun decor, their Oreo flavoured cheesecake was to die for! I'll be visiting again to try their afternoon tea!
There's so much to see and do in Edinburgh, and with easy flights from Southampton, I'll be sure to visit again soon! Here are a few snaps from my birthday weekend away...
Visiting the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official residence in Edinburgh and the home of Scottish royal history was a fantastic experience. I'm a big fan of the Royal Family, especially the Queen and to visit a palace stooped in history and beautiful artifacts were amazing. I'm a history buff at heart!
Visited Edinburgh as well? Let me know your thoughts & recommendations of places to visit for my next trip!
