I had a bit of a shock earlier this week when I logged into the blog and saw the last article I’d posted was back in 2011, thirteen years ago! It was that long ago I’d forgotten I had a WordPress account and rediscovered my old blog whilst trying to set up a new blog….

So, why did I abandon the blog? If I’m really honest, I’d have to say I can’t really remember but 2011 was about the time I got seriously into wedding photography. That coincidence is significant because although I loved everything about shooting weddings (I’ll donate a separate blog article on that) it did leave little time for anything else photography wise.

A lot’s happened in those thirteen years, both with my photography and in our personal lives. I had three years of all out wedding photography. Setting up a business that was going really well, until I suffered a suspected TIA or mini stroke in 2014 which suddenly changed everything. The good news was that six months later, after numerous tests and scans at my local hospital, the consultant was happy to say I hadn’t suffered a TIA. I’ll write another article on that experience as it did bring home to me some of the challenges a self employed photographer could face.

Borough Market, London, UK

After closing my wedding photography business I threw myself into the world of stock photography which is where I’m still at now. I’m as keen as I ever in relation to my photography but, these days, I’m normally shooting street, food or travel shots.

I want to start writing for the blog again which coincides with me setting up a new website using Adobe Portfolio. To that end, hopefully, I’ll be posting retrospective posts in the coming weeks, catching up on the last few years to where I am now.

All images: ©Stephen Hyde 2007-2025 – All rights reserved.