If it doesn’t sound crazy to read the phrase “2017 Year in Review from the CEO,” then you obviously have had more faith in me from day one than I always had in myself. You see, it’s only in the past few weeks that I’ve really started to consider myself as more than just myself – somehow, I became the head of something bigger than me without realizing.
I don’t “first person” it much on the blog, because despite being the name behind Ashley Gerrity Photography, AGP has become so much more than just me. What started out on almost a whim after realizing that I thought photography was a special kind of magic has become a team of incredibly talented, persévérant creatives with a shared vision for capturing & celebrating life alongside our clients during their most epic & intimate moments.
A standard 2017 year in review would talk through all of the amazing couples that we’ve met, the adorable babies we’ve welcomed into the world, and the growing families that we’ve celebrated. We’ve been doing that all week and we’ll continue to do that throughout the remaining twelve days of Christmas. But today, I’m hopping out of the shell of photographer to talk about some of the things that made a huge impact on our every day lives in 2017. Then, tomorrow, I’ll be back on the mic to share just how excited we are for some of the crazy excitement going down in 2018!
2017: The Year I Learned to Love “My People”
I think that if you ask Rachel on a good day, she’ll be happy to tell you that I’m usually a pretty cool lady to work with. And I do always try to be! I have depended on her as a part of the AGP presence since my second wedding ever and I wouldn’t trade her for the world. There genuinely wouldn’t be the AGP you know and love today if there wasn’t a Rachel first.
(She totally didn’t know I was writing that. I hope she reads this and feels #allthefeels in the morning.)
But in 2017, we really started to push the boundaries of what the two of us can do alone.
Ann and Jenn have been along for the ride for some time, as a second shooter and assistant, so it was natural that we’d invite them to be a bigger part of the team as we grow our footprint.
Liam fell into my inbox on a day when I was feeling open to newcomers. Thank the universe for that!
Partnering with Kiersten was the most natural next step in a long-time professional friendship.
Do the math! We seriously grew from a happy little team of two people to a collective of six who are chomping at the bit to make 2018 the most amazing year ever? I often have the hardest time believing that hundreds of couples have invited me to be a part of their wedding day. It’s seriously the coolest concept when I think about it! But even more humbling in these last few months is the knowledge that these five people trust me and believe in me enough to be a part of the AGP team.
2017: The Year That We Learned to Have Serious Fun
There is a moment that stands out in my mind from 2017. It was the end of Katie & Brandon’s awesome wedding day in Avalon. It was the end of the night. We were working with our friend Darrell from over at Philly in Love. Jenn was training Liam, so the whole team was there. The band was playing Tom Petty as we walked out of the venue into the salt air. (This was when the world still had a living Tom Petty to worship.) It was almost a truly iconic moment.
So, to make it truly unforgettable, I pulled American Girl up on my spotify and blasted it out through my car speakers. Rachel & I danced like no one was watching. Liam recorded it all on a little camera. (Seriously, it’s worth watching to the end.) We all laughed and drove the two hours home on an unforgettable high.
2017 was the year that I started to let go of the uptight and have fun. I watched my friend Petronella get down on the dance floor while second shooting. I had champagne toasts with fathers of the bride. I found new excitement in shooting engagement sessions in a waterfall in the mountain and surrounded by my familiar stomping grounds at Longwood Gardens.
If 2016 was the year that we pushed out boundaries and saw how far we could go without breaking, 2017 was the year that we learned to revel in the joy of what we do. We are alongside for the greatest party of our clients life. Dancing, laughing, hugging, and crying through moments we are lucky enough to embrace.
2017: The Year I Got Dirty and Liked it.
65% of our weddings are in Philadelphia. I can knock out a ballroom wedding with my eyes closed and I love the big grand chandeliers, floor to ceiling windows, and elegant historic building that the city offers.
Our engagement sessions are beautiful and have led me to become a member at Longwood Gardens – I even visit on my days “off” when I need a slightly more scenic office space than Conshohocken.
But this year, I took a hike. Two of my favorite sessions of the year took me a little bit (or a lot) outside of my comfort zone.
With a five hour round trip car ride and a multiple mile hike, shooting Tonya & Matt’s engagement session at Bushkill Falls was one of the most inspirational shoots of the year. I took off my shoes, hopped a barricade, and put my feet in ice cold mountain spring water. I breathed in fresh mountain air. I skipped from stone to stone in my camera leggings and an off the shoulder tank top. (No, seriously, Petronella gave me the “you’re not really leaving the house in that, right?” look before we walked out the door.) It was amazing.
Then days later, I took Rachel & Tom off the usual trails and into the tall wavy (tick-infested. . . I’m horrified by ticks) grasses of Valley Forge and got seriously gorgeous, un-beatable engagement photos.
Why does this matter? Because I’m a little bit disheveled, but I’m 100% not an outdoors/feet-in-the-dirt kind of person. But this year, the two sessions that helped me to feel the most in tune with my inner artist forced me to get to know my crunchier side. She’s actually pretty cool. And the pictures were 100% worth it.
2018: What’s coming next?
So many things! It’s not fair to put it all in one post!
So let’s celebrate the ending of an amazing 2017 first, then check back tomorrow to hear what’s in store for a kick butt 2018!
xo Ashley
