2020 Silver Linings: Finding the Good in the Here and Now

“I’m thankful for my struggle because without it, I wouldn’t have stumbled upon my strength.”

— Alexandra Elle

Dumpster fire. Hot Mess. Worst Year Ever. Sh*t Show. 

All words to describe 2020. 

Trust me, I get it. 

A global pandemic. Presidential upheaval. Racial Reckoning. A historic election. 

How many times did we hear… unprecedented??

It’s been a year. So many people/industries/economies/{insert nearly everything} have suffered, so many people have lost their lives. 

In the midst of this turmoil and suffering, it can feel hard to find the good, much less search for it. It can even feel a bit wrong.

Yet, that’s exactly what we need—now, more than ever. To find the miracles in the everyday; to celebrate; to have gratitude for all the blessings we do have. 

Miriam Webster says a silver lining is: a consoling or hopeful prospect.

And this year, amidst all the chaos, I’ve found many 2020 silver linings, many blessings. And I hope that by sharing mine, you’ll take a moment to recognize some of your own…

Stillness

This year marks fourteen years in the wedding photography industry and nineteen years as a photographer. In the last ten years we’ve been fortunate to log many miles traveling to document in amazing destinations for our clients. When the lockdown hit, we sadly had to cancel a much-anticipated shoot in Columbia for a bridal designer (and sooo many other trips). But it also opened the door to months of no travel.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I liiiive to travel. My vision board is covered in beautiful photos of drool-worthy destinations. 

But sometimes the universe has a way of delivering to you what you didn’t know you needed. 

We found ourselves grounded and our calendars cleared. As the weeks turned into months, we settled into new routines and found ourselves with weekends free—something that we haven’t experienced in years. 

It turns out, it was just what our souls required.

We were able to do some spring cleaning and actually reflect back on my portfolio and the wonderful shoots I’ve been a part of.

Health

I’ve always been a runner (thanks, Mom!), but half-marathons have been the limit of my distance experience, mainly due to the time that long distance requires. With free weekends and the streets nearly empty, I found myself running further and further each weekend.

The main reason? Because I could. 

I wasn’t racing back for a commitment or worried about my social calendar for that day. So I ran further and found a meditative joy in not having to be anywhere. I ran 7, then 10, then 13, then 18 miles, enjoying the freedom of free time. When I look back at this year, it’s one of the things I’m most thankful for. 

And because I’m so passionate about moving and sweating every day… Back in January 2020, I did a 30 day challenge to move/workout/sweat for 30 minutes each and every day. When January ended I decided to keep going and I never stopped. 

This entire year, even the very  few times we were on those 6am flights, I’ve found a way to ensure I sweat for 30 minutes per day—every. single. day. of 2020. I’ve worked out in parking lots and gotten up ridiculously early; but ultimately, this goal was made easier because of 2020. And now I’ve formed a tried-and-true habit.

A bit like brushing my teeth, I really don’t want to go a day without my daily sweat. Will I keep the streak alive in 2021? Hmm, the jury is still out, so stay tuned on that!

The Abundance Plan

This year has given the gift of a pattern interrupt. When the busyness was quelled and we were left to ourselves, if you were anything like me, a lot of questions arose:

Why did I do XX?

Did I still want to do XX?

What do I want in the future?

I poured myself into our education for photographers; specifically, my signature course The Abundance Plan that we launched pre-COVID in January. 

Once lockdown set in, I used the time to really figure out how we could help photographers while our industry was at a standstill. And I’ve always believed that progress and growth starts from within. 

From diving into courses and books, I found time to do so much work on my own personal growth that directly translates into more impact for our student community. I’ve been blown away by the incredible group of photographers that have chosen to bet on themselves and support each other in the most abundant way, amidst what many felt was a year of scarcity. 

I know it sounds cliché, but they have truly restored my faith in humanity and our industry. 

I hope we can continue to show that our industry isn’t defined by competition and that we can achieve so much more together.

The Magic of Intimate Weddings

An introvert at heart, I am quite content with a good book, some quiet and a glass of wine. In fact, that just might be one of my happy places. That said, this year, I felt that I was given an entirely new view on the power of connection. From our clients not being able to host their weddings, birthdays celebrated in the quiet of our home, to missing milestones and moments with friends. This was hard. 

We all had to reimagine what gathering looked like and how to safely move forward with some of life’s most important milestones. The resiliency and creativity of our creative partners and clients astounded me, and we were lucky enough to be part of some intimate ‘micro-weddings’. 

While I’m not a big fan of the micro-wedding term, I’m all for intimate gatherings, layered with meaning and beauty. 

One of my favorite weddings this year, and most special gowns to date, was that of Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Featured on our journal, and covered by Vogue, Eunice wore her Grandmother’s 67-year-old Dior gown for her intimate Miami wedding planned by Annie Lee of Daughter of Design. 

The fabric was delicate and fragile and had faded to a soft french vanilla color. Even more remarkable was that Eunice (also her Grandmother’s namesake) shared the same measurements of her Grandmother, making the gown a near-perfect fit. It’s legacy, American history and meaning was really something special and reminded us all that the power and importance of weddings has little to do with the guest count.

Fostering

Chad and I have always fostered when our travel calendar allowed. With the changes to our schedule, due to COVID, we opened up our home to more amazing animals in need. 

From a goofy and wild Great Dane named Troy (pictured above), to tiny kittens and our current foster, a Newfoundland mix named Rue, they all brought us so much joy. We are hopeful that we helped ensure their placement in a forever home.

Named Harper’s Bazaar Top Wedding Photographer

While we didn’t get to travel or shoot nearly as much as we planned to this year, it was amazing to see our industry come together so strongly in support of one another. From Zoom call after Zoom call, to colleagues  focused on quickly sharing knowledge on how to navigate the rapid changes of postponements and cancellations… 

The camaraderie and leadership was incredible. 

It, once again, reminded me what a power community we have in the wedding industry and one that I’m so grateful to be a part of.

It made being named a Top Wedding Photographer in the World again incredibly special this year. 

Getting creative with Refined X KT Merry Presets

Lastly, of the few trips that we did take, we ventured out into the wilderness of Oregon. It was a dream collaboration with longtime-friend and colleague Joy Proctor, for our Refined x KT Merry mobile presets. 

We explore how important it is to remain creative in challenging times. Though many of us are relegated to our homes, it provides a perfect opportunity to go inward, to reset,  to rest, and to keep the creative juices flowing, even if it looks differently than we might have imagined.

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2020 will be a year we will never, ever forget. 

In fact, I would imagine we will even tell our grandchildren stories about what we all experienced this year. Yet, I also feel deeply that we will all leave this year with a deeper understanding of what truly matters. And perhaps, with even more grit and determination to make 2021 our best year yet. 

Here’s to you and your 2020 silver linings!