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I know it may not seem ‘right’ in these times to be sharing images of weddings, to be talking about Awards and even photography in general…but we have to carry on. We have to carry on because, although the devastating health and life implications of coronavirus are absolutely huge – and, of course, the most important thing by far – we are also facing unprecedented times in terms of our entire industry, businesses, and, on an individual level, the people who run them.

The entire wedding industry has been hit hard, with weddings – understandably – being postponed or cancelled throughout the world. This is obviously devastating to each and every couple who have saved and planned for their day, sometimes for years, and it is truly awful.

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We’re bringing you a special podcast episode today, as we discuss coronavirus with very special guest Simon Leclercq. Simon is in quite a unique position to discuss this with us, as, not only is he a brilliant wedding photographer (having won 8 awards from us in total), but he has also been a doctor for over 5 years, and is currently on the frontlines working on this global pandemic. We discuss lots of aspects in this episode, both from a health point of view, and in terms of our wedding photography businesses, including:

what’s happening in Belgium right now (where Simon is based),
analysing what’s happening in other countries and taking action,
the vitalness of protecting the elderly and those with underlying health conditions,
the psychological effect of isolation and loneliness,
the good and bad side of social media during all of this,
the power of good deeds,
trying not to worry about how long it could last (as we just don’t know),
the impact on us as wedding photographers and the importance of positivity,
making the most of any financial help, including mortgage holidays,
using our own personal strengths and creativity to help others,
practical tips and advice on how to get through this, both mentally and on a business level,
why self-isolation is absolutely vital,
why there’s no need to panic but how we need to take our responsibilities seriously,
why the vast majority of weddings, if affected, will be postponements rather than cancellations, and a great practical tip on how to deal with postponements for dates you can’t do,
how everybody can make a difference,
and more

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So excited to have the fantastic Rocio Vega on the Podcast for Episode 19 today! Based in Spain, Rocio was one of our top photographers of 2019, and has won six awards from us, including 3 Story Awards, which is an awesome feat. She shares so much today, including:

whether there really is a quiet season at all,
her experiences and views on talking at conferences,
having conversations with herself,
being empathetic and the importance of that,
why she watches hands (and it’s not linked to coronavirus),
her childhood and how she got into photography,
how learning what you don’t want to do is so important too,
not shooting what everyone else shoots,
one of her favourite current Netfix series and why she recommends watching it especially if you’ve got kids,
her ideal days,
being in a relationship with a fellow (brilliant!) wedding photographer (Franck Boutonnet),
how moments are like waves and searching for the peak,
how our own feelings and emotions have an impact on what we shoot and show,
shooting a lot and taking advantage of the tools at our disposal,
the concept and industry of wedding photography,
moments over couple-imagery,
staying true to yourself,
adding variety to your inspiration diet,
her specific approach and tips regarding flash,
her top tips for improving your documentary skills,
and much more…

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We think it’s absolutely amazing when our members share their behind-the-scenes tips and advice about how they captured certain images – and it’s brilliant when they share all about their Story Awards too! Today, the fantastic Ash Davenport is taking us back to one of his Story Awards from Collection Ten, including thoughts on his overall approach, as well as specific details about how he captured certain images from the Award-winning Story. Including tips on capturing emotion, patience, lens choice, layers, storytelling, colour, composition, and more, this is an in-depth and incredibly insightful read – thanks so much, Ash!

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After a little break we’re very excited to be back, and bringing you the fantastic Steven Herrschaft for Episode 18 of the This is Reportage Podcast! Based in Germany, Steven has made our Top Photographer lists for both 2018 and 2019, with a Lifetime Award count of 10 Reportage Awards and 4 Story Awards – an incredible achievement! Steven shares so much with us on the Podcast, including:

how he got into wedding photography at the age of 16,
the importance of being himself,
his past life as a competitive swimmer and how that’s helped him,
workshops and developing his own,
what bugs him about our industry,
some of his favourite Netflix series and movies,
the importance of keeping fit,
behind the scenes of a couple of his Reportage Awards,
having a strong work ethic,
why he shoots solo,
who in the world he would interview if he could,
the importance of doing what’s right for you and not to please other people,
how he loves the uniqueness of each wedding,
a couple of things people probably wouldn’t know about him,
his top tip for people wanting to improve their documentary skills,
and much more…

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