Happy Monday everyone, I hope you all had a really great weekend indeed.
I’m writing today, not with my usual Monday retrospect post, but with a very special post as it’s been exactly ONE YEAR since I started working with Sophie Traynor… WHAT THE HECK!? Where oh where does the time go and contrastingly, how have you only been in my life for one year!?
So yes, it’s been exactly one year to this day that I posted my very first blogpost featuring her stunning photography. It’s actually this very post, with the beautiful layered nude dress and gold glitter sunglasses that rival those of Dame Edna and still, a whole year on, I remember exactly how I felt when Sophie sent over these images.
Back then, Sophie did the selects and decided upon colours for the edit etc, so it was a complete surprise every time her WeTransfer email would pop up in my inbox and I would anxiously wait for the photographs to download onto my laptop…
I remember being totally thrilled with how the images had come out, totally proud of what we’d worked on together, totally shocked that she was able to make me look in that way and totally smug that a beautiful dream team had been born that day.
It’s so wonderful to look back at these snaps, from a year ago and notice how both my posing tekkers and Sophie’s photography and editing tekkers have developed and changed. We’ve both learnt SO much this year and therefore progressed in ways I certainly never thought to be possible.
And now, a whole year on, we’re still dream teaming away but this time in a much more fluid, less awkward and well-oiled machine kinda way.
I wanted to celebrate our Friendaversary as Sophie has completely transformed my blog, I think you would all agree?
Whilst the styling and general musings remain the same, Sophie’s creativity, hilarity and sheer talent has transformed the way I treat each and every blog post, she’s managed to open my eyes to what blogging could be and why it doesn’t have to be a one-size-fits all, something I’ve always tried to champion anyway, but never in ways that I have to this day.
So, with that, I wanted to share some of my favourite shots from the past year ,whilst I truly believe that the things we’ve shot in the past month or so are the best images to date (stay tuned), it’s so nice to look back over the last year and see how far we’ve come, together as our very own PBM dream team.
The shots above are from my all time favourite styling blog post ever! I have no idea why if I’m completely honest, but sometimes that kind of thing just happens.
I really love how Sophie captured the softness of the palette in my outfit and translated it with both the location choice and the edit.
I remember us playing around with dappled lighting through the tree’s and doing a mini happy dance when she shared the shots from the back of the camera, it was such a great day for shooting, the weather and the vibes were totally spot on and I remember feeling like what we had just shot could have been a spread from Teen Vogue… Maybe one day eh?
The shot below is also from our very first day of shooting together, in fact the first shoot we ever did. I was SO nervous about meeting Sophie that day and now know that she was too, although at the time she didn’t show it which was how I knew that she was the one for me, she made me feel so comfortable and at ease, despite shooting in a V busy area of Manchester, oh Soph, you’re a good egg.
It wasn’t long until we were laughing and being our *now* usual silly selves, and I couldn’t wait to get the next shoot day booked in.
The reaction to this beauty post was like nothing I ever expected to receive!
Beauty has been something I’ve wanted to talk about for SO long but I always struggled to find my own way in which I could have a voice. Sophie and I brainstormed and worked out that having that fashion spin on beauty was where I was able to fit in. These shots are like nothing else! And something I never thought I would be able to achieve, quite possibly my most proud project to date, and it was something we simply did just for fun!
This Christmas party shoot was a big one for me too.
It was something we’d discussed for AGES and I was so excited to bring our ideas to life.
However, it was my first time shooting at night and being Christmas time, Manchester was COMPLETELY RAMMED!
I was SO nervous, totally self conscious and hating every minute of seeing everyone’s eyes on me as I tried to pose up a storm.
Then, just when I needed it, Sophie shouted to me from behind the camera “Mate, you’ve got this” and she was right, I did have it, and I did give it and the shots are in-turn some of my proudest shots ever. They came out SO beautifully and Sophie truly took my Christmas party vision and ran with it, bringing both of our visions to life whilst also stopping me from having a nervous breakdown, well done kiddo!
Sophie and I have worked with some truly awesome brands this year which I am so totally proud of and I can’t tell you how incredible it has been to share the journey with somebody else.
Having been riding solo on this blogging journey for the past 3 years, it’s been incredible to share my 4th year with Sophie, someone to bounce ideas off, to create with, to laugh with and just generally lark around with, whilst still being the ultimate girl bosses too, it’s been an awesome year full of SERIOUS career highlights.
Sophie and I have had our work featured in shop windows, we’ve been to LFW together (BEST LFW EVER might I add) we’ve shot beauty looks, we’ve hired out locations and pushed the boundaries on blog photography and bloody loved every moment of it.
As well as making me feel more confident, Sophie has a weird way of making me look A LOT better than I do in real life too; I don’t know how she does it, some weird witching wizardry or some shit, but I’m grateful for it, I really am (ha)! She’s an incredible asset to my blog but is also one of the most beautiful and most loyal friends in the world, and I am SO happy you dropped me an email on that very fateful day… Even if you didn’t know who I was and it was only your friend who suggested you get in touch (LOL)
Love you Soph, thanks for everything!
Here’s to another hilarious year of Girl Bossing the shizz outta life.
x M
I absolutely love this post! You cuuutayyy!
It’s lovely seeing your face shots collated together. Might sound creepy McCreeperson, but I remember those shots with the cream dress and just being like WOAH ?? You girls have skills!!!!
I SO so look forward to seeing your posts with Sophie’s photography x
Erm I definitely meant fave shots. Not just your face. That would be a bit creepy wouldn’t it – I’m lolling so hard right now ???
I’d forgotten how stunning that Christmas shoot was, thanks for reminding me! I’m so happy for you guys to have found each other to work together – it’s obviously a match made in style heaven! Can’t wait to see what you come up with next.
Ellie x
http://www.shoestringthreads.com
Kudos Megan. Your blog is so beautiful and your so lucky to have found a photographer and a friend
Petite Side of Style
What a lovely blog post! You two are a total dream team! xxx
This selection is amazing!! I love the dress of the first look.
Steal4Style.com
I absolutely love this post, you guys really are the dream team!
I adore Sophie’s photography, she’s amazing and creates such gorgeous imagery.
Now time for me to find another Sophie! xxx
So many beautiful photographs and gorgeous outfits here! You both definitely are a dream team 😀 lovely post 🙂
VioletDaffodils
xx