A Few Photographs From My Trip To Cannes for Way Up North 2019
Last week I headed down to Cannes for my third Way Up North wedding photography conference. I previously attended Way Up North’s inaugural conference in Stockholm back in 2015, and then the following year in Rome. I knew the format; workshops, presentations by some the best photographers in the business, networking and chatting with a bunch of European wedding photographers, and a mean closing party to round off the event. I was excited!
Wedding photographers are essentially creatives who love to express their art through photography. Most of us didn’t set out to be wedding photographers, wedding photography chose us, and I am no different. Running a photography business can at times feel terribly mainstream and commercial, and I’m pretty sure no photographer ever said that book keeping was the favourite aspect of their business. We need to be out their taking photographs, doing what we love, and we also need to recharge out creative batteries and be inspired. This is what Way Up North does. It recharges us, it inspires us, it sets us up beautifully for the wedding season ahead.
So on the first evening, I raced from the airport to my hotel, threw down my bag, grabbed my camera, and headed down to the beach to catch the last few minutes of the sunset beach shoot. Now ideally I would have liked to have been there earlier, but British Airways schedule had other ideas. Still it didn’t matter, as a wedding photographer I’m used to rushing around and creating something when timing is tight, and this was tight! I reckon I had 5 minutes to capture some images before the poor freezing and wet models headed off to get warm. Still, the light was beautiful, the sea a dreamy colour, and the models, organised by Swedish wedding blog Sisters In Law ,fabulous in tulle.
So now I am back home, and it’s raining of course. This little shoot seems a bit surreal, but my head is still partially on that beach, loving the soft light and pastel colours. I’m pumped up from all the great presentations I heard, and have yet again I’ve brought home plenty of ideas. These include ways I feel I can improve what I do, both from my client’s experience, and from fulfilling my own creative needs. Things I want to try, and self imposed limits I want to go beyond.
If you’ve never been to a Way Up North gathering, do try and go. It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting out or if you’ve been in the business for a decade like me. I guarantee you will get plenty from it. Each time I have been there has been a really good curation of speakers, who’s knowledge and wisdom is shared so generously. I think what always strikes me the most is that no matter how successful a photographer is, we all still have the same worries and challenges, insecurities and scripts playing in our heads . So many of us have imposter syndrome right?
Later this year Way Up North returns to Stockholm, and there will be two more gatherings again next year. Here’s the link you need to find out everything you need to know.
Ok so here are a few images from the Sisters In Law sunset beach shoot. Short and sweet. Enjoy. J x
