2024: You're A Trooper

I’m told through the noise of several shows “You’re a trooper!” Then, the words “You’re brave” come in. Two very juxtaposing statements that have faded over time. I’ve made it this year through spraining both my left and right ankles (Mother’s Day & Halloween) and now recovering from a radial fracture on my dominant wrist (3rd November). Then, having difficulties finding employment, and even going through phases of anhedonia in my life experiences.

Admittedly, it wasn’t easy, but I ignored the tumult.

SO… the achievements? To think that I’ve made it after a year where it was extremely tough at points, this year was something that I look back on and say, I did that. I’ve done a grand total of 82 shows, seven festivals, and two feature shoots. I’ve landed my first-ever online and print feature with a magazine that I grew up reading as a young 15-year-old in 2001, getting into metal music. Alongside plenty of live features, I’ve worked with UK metallers Heriot for my first-ever feature shoot in the legendary pages. I finally made my return to Wacken Open Air and showed how much I miss home away from home. I challenged myself and “followed” phenoms Orbit Culture as they embarked on their sold-out Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, and London shows to gain a taste of how a tour feels like (while being on a very tight budget) - which landed with top guns 5B Media and Artists.

My absolute love goes out to the folks of Metal Hammer, LiveNation, Chaos Zine, The Modern Record, Damnation Festival, Distorted Sound and Renegade for carrying me through in reaching the heights. And a massive shoutout to my newest pals in Kerrang!, Manchester Academy and Amped for adding the admiration as teammates. I can’t wait to continue my journeys with you all!

What are my goals for 2025? I’ve been thinking about it for a bit with a view to some hardcore truths. Winning an award won’t be something I can ever obtain. Quantity over quality is on precedented levels on social media (it was very difficult to be recognised starting 2008). Video-making is not a strength of mine anymore. However, I have plans to go back to Wacken, explore Europe even further and potentially go back to the USA. As I aim to work with more clients within the music industry with fresh work, there’s so much fight that I can give. My photography has shown me where I’ve gone through a very tough 2024. I’ve learned that through a fast-paced digital age, the success that I’ll get from my photography is from the people who enjoy my work, it’ll never be through numbers, algorithms or clicks.

See you on the other side?