Blog : Personal

Thank You

Thank You

On behalf of the team at Jade Norwood we just wanted to take the time to give thanks for you, each everyone of you.

We value your patronage and appreciate your confidence in us. Counting you among our customers is something for which we are especially grateful.

I personally want to take this chance to thank the beautiful people that I come across in my work; and a huge thank you to my clients from my local home town! Booking work at home is extra special for me.

Thank you for your continual support of my business, whether it is through a booking, a Facebook like, commenting on a blog post about how much you love it, or sharing the joy of your photos with friends and family.

Thank you for referring me onto other families and newly engaged couples. A referral is the greatest compliment – it says that I did a great job for you, and you trust me to do a great job for someone that means a lot to you, and that means a lot to me.

Thank you for your loyalty, for coming back to me for more photographs – this means the world to me.

Thank you for allowing me to feel your joy and be a part of the big moments of your lives, for allowing me to indulge my creative passions (which in turn brings me joy) and for becoming my friends through it all.

May I suggest a simple but very important reminder to you all – back up your photos…twice! Put them on a computer and then back them up onto hard-drives to keep your photos forever… don’t let us become the lost generation of crashed computers, drowned iPhones and missing memories.

Even better store your top favourite photos each month/year to a cloud like drop box!!

And also PLEASE PRINT your photos, not just the ones your get done professionally, but those snaps you take on your phone and on you own camera… Just think how are your kids going to share photos of you with their kids!!

young girl and pony

I want to give you all a great big hug, just like Chelsea is giving Picaso the best cuddle!

girl and pony

 

Canada in 2018 = No Australian Wedding bookings for 2018

Canada in 2018 = No Australian Wedding bookings for 2018

Today is just going to be a short, quick post… I can’t believe how quick the year has flown by so far. It has started to get to that time where lots and lots of 2018 wedding enquiries are coming through daily so I thought I best write a public blog post to let you all know that I will NOT be taking any wedding bookings for 2018 in Australia, instead elope to Canada and Ill meet you there!

It is very scary to say but I am super pumped to explore Canada for 2018! So anyone getting married in Canada in 2018 looking for a photographer, Im who you need!! Spread the word…
For those of you who have travelled Canada extensively, lived or live there, let me know what I must see and things to look out for!!

And because every posts needs a photo and a little snow like Canada, the gorgeous Kiarna & Josh at Mt Selwyn on the weekend! Cant wait to share more from this session…

canada photographer

Dream Come True – Watch Roger Federer Live

Dream Come True – Watch Roger Federer Live

I am super excited for the two weeks ahead in Melbourne for the Aussie Open, anyone who knows me, knows I am a Tennis and Netball fanatic. The only time my TV is on, is to watch Tennis or Netball!!

So many years I have wanted to go the Australian Open, but for whatever reason I haven’t been able to!! I haven’t even watched a tennis match live, anywhere… The schedule has just come out for day 1 on Rod Laver Arena and I get to watch Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer & Samantha Stosur. What a day!

My biggest goal was to make sure I made it to this Australian Open so that I could watch Rodger play live, he has been such a champion for such a long time, truly the greatest player of all time. Dreams come true…

I have the tickets to see him play – one dream made!
The next dream is to meet Roger!!

australian tennis open

(Above is a screen shot from the Aus Open Website)

 

Merry Christmas + 2015 nearly over…

Merry Christmas + 2015 nearly over…

As the year 2015 winds up I am enjoying looking to the future and the things I have planned, personally, and as a business. But I also wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past year and all the fun Ive had, things achieved and the people I met.

Well, one of the greatest highlights of my year would have to be watching Australia win GOLD live at the Netball World Championships. A goose bump inducing, eyes stinging with tears, screaming til I had no voice left, AWESOME moment and I am glad I finally got my act together and went along to something I was so keen on being a part of. So I’ve now made the promise to watch my fav Nat Medhurst win her 4th gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 – fingers crossed!

Working with Beej for another year, alongside my sister at more weddings than ever, and my other associates and second shooters during the year is what not only makes the world of my business turn around, but make sure it’s enjoyable too!

This year, my mum bought a horse that she LOVES. Mum has done so much for me over the years, and as only mums can, understands me like no one else. Nobody else sees me at my worst and in agony, not being able to move well from my condition – but she just knows! And I just love that she has finally treated herself and got a horse she gets along with so well. She has deserved this for so long, but being a mum, never put herself first!

A fun experience was doing an engagement photo session – in the snow! I got to work with other photography mates on this one in New South Wales and we had a blast in the snow, laughing til we peed our pants…well I didn’t – but one of us might have!

Is this a highlight? Hmmmm, still debateable…but I actually had to drive all the way to Tumut after camera gear caused weight issues with the plane. I just couldn’t cull a single thing for that shoot, and no way I was going to put it on with all the other luggage!!

From a business perspective, changing the logo and branding of Jade Norwood was hard work, but so worth it in the end. I hope you love the luxurious look of it all, even if I still feel there are improvements to make! That’s just my eagle eye and high standards though! I was named in the Top Ten Adelaide Wedding Photographers for The Knot, now named The Wedding Club, as well as being a finalist in the ABIA Australian Photographer of the Year – such massive compliments that I truly appreciate. While these things are super lovely, my main goal at each wedding is to do better, than the one before, and to have each and every person that comes into contact with “Jade Norwood” to have an amazing experience.

I’ve also excitedly started coaching/mentoring individuals to be the best they can be in their photography and photography business. I love that I can help someone who is just starting out, as well as someone who has been in the business for some time but is looking for that extra bit of oomph, capital return, time management and passion! I wish I had invested in coaching for myself a long time ago – oh the headaches, tears and frustration it would have saved!

It’s been a great year for me, one that really has changed my perspectives of business and life in general – for the better. I’ve enjoyed all the weddings that I’m entrusted to photograph and I am thankful for the friendships I have forged through my photography. I hope that as well as enjoying the festive cheer of the season, getting some sunshine and time with family and friends, you too are taking a moment to reflect on how far you have come in 2015, and the amazing moments yet to be defined in 2016. Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year xx

jade norwood mentorship

Loved meeting awesome people and shooting in the snow…

jade norwood mentorship

My gorgeous nieces, can’t wait to spend more time with them in 2016!

jade norwood mentorship

The cutest Indy, I hope to see a lot more of her and her Mum in 2016 also…

jade norwood mentorship

I’ve Done Something This Year That Might Just Shock A Few People

I’ve Done Something This Year That Might Just Shock A Few People

Yep – I’ve done something that might shock a few people, maybe get a few tongues wagging, and it all comes down to balance. No, I haven’t taken up Yoga! But yes, I have turned down weddings I *could* have photographed in coming years, and in effect, have ‘turned up’ everything for myself.

Each year, I say I am going to go to the Australian Open next time.

Every time I’m watching it while editing another wedding at home.

I booked a brilliant trip to watch the World Netball Championships and it was meant to be a dream, tonnes of netball, watching my idols, no camera (well…that was more an airline issue), and a break…in the wedding off-season of course.

The reality was that I was sick through most of it, had to give up my seat for a few games and nearly missed the Grand Final match, was forced to stay longer due to said illness, and took a fair while to recover once returning home… But the Australian Diamonds won GOLD!! Dream came true to see it live!!

I’m always a goal setter, and my yearly wedding target is 25 weddings. This is also a cut off number because I want to be able to give my clients the time and attention their beautiful and individual weddings deserve. Yet I was always going over this (and just working extreme hours to keep the service up there), because there were people in need after being let down by someone else, or special people in my life that I wanted to be there for. I didn’t take on more work because I was afraid of missing out, but it was rather a desire to please, and experience more.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my job, the opportunities it presents, the people I meet and the beautiful moments that I partake in and record for a lifetime. But in my former life, pre wedding photography, I was involved in Youth Work, and I’m now again exploring Life/Business Coaching. Understanding needs vs. wants, identifying skills, foreseeing challenges before they become problems. Creating success. Finding balance.

Applying these principles to my own life and business has meant a few things.  We’ve found new systems to take over some of the repeat and automatic tasks of business; I’ve tightened my workflow to have a quicker turnaround time at no cost to my customer service goals, I no longer compromise on my contactable hours – so if you don’t hear from me on a Sunday, that’s why, and yes, I say no to  weddings, to balance business, boundaries and body and soul.

It’s already making changes, despite the fact that the reduction in wedding workload isn’t taking place until next year. Even Beej has been able to slow down with the new systems in place, which has meant more time with a toddler who is getting busier by the second, and some rest time to grow healthy baby number 2! Oh and we get time to send each other more catch up emails too which is nice!! It’s nothing that is going to make a noticeable change on the outside just yet – and the spare time I am finding is being invested into diving further into the coaching (more on that later). But to my friends and family it means more quality time, in more quantity. More time with Lacey and Chelsea, I just love those girls so much! To my clients it means an even higher level of service and attention, and a much quicker turn around time. It means discovering new career paths whilst building others up on theirs – which is probably what I am most excited about!

I will be sharing more shortly, but first I wanted to let everyone know why there might be a drop in my response time outside of my published office hours, why they might get a ‘sorry I’m unavailable’ response to their wedding query, and not see me post a wedding from that date, and why you might be seeing confusing posts on my social pages about coaching, when we know it is well outside of netball season! Haha! And also to let you know that you sometimes have to say yes to yourself, which means saying no to others – it might shock them, but it’s worth more than 100 thank you’s in the end.

Cant wait to spend more time in 2016 with my nieces Lacey + Chelsea… xx

adelaide photographer