2020 what a Covid year

What a year it’s been, an emotional roller coaster of ups and downs. I started 2020 on such a high, I’d worked so hard to build my wedding photography business, and felt 2020 was going to be my best year in business so far, 25 wedding bookings coming in during January alone spanning 2020 and 2021.

From such a high came a massive blow in March 2020, Covid-19. The repercussions of Government restrictions on the people of Great Britain hit me like a sledge hammer, as one by one, every single wedding after March 2020 was postponed and moved to 2021 and beyond as Wedding Venue after Wedding Venue was forced to close their doors to the public. Not only Great Britain, but the rest of the world was locked down, stay at homes was the message, protect lives and save the NHS, close your business, stop trading. We came out on our doorsteps and clapped for the NHS every week.

2020 has been a tough year for everyone, and we have all tried to find our own way to deal with this crazy crazy world, a Global Pandemic was about to hit us like a ton of bricks and cause devastation throughout the country. Each and every one of us have been touched in different ways by Coronavirus.  

As we spent more and more time indoors, the natural world started to recover from years of abuse, wildlife seemed to gain more confidence and venture further away from their natural safe surroundings for longer periods of time. People saw species of birds and mammals they had never seen before, or even knew “lived” in their neighbourhood, opening up a whole new world before their eyes.

During Lockdown people noticed how important the natural world has been for our own wellbeing, with 77% of people in England finding that visiting nature has been important for their general health and happiness. Time spent in nature led to enhanced feelings of positivity and increased general health, including improved mental wellbeing. Whether you watch birds seek out nesting spots or stop and notice bulbs and flowers raising from the ground, those moments brought joy and helped relieve stress.

Nature has a remarkable way of restoring calm, as people enjoyed the uplifting sound of birdsong through an open window, went out into the Great British Countryside to welcome a dose of fresh air and exercise. Many of us found solace in nature and unearthed precious time to notice what’s going on around us.

I already had an interest in nature and wildlife, and as the Government restrictions eased and travel was permitted I used my new found “spare time”, to venture out with my camera looking for wildlife.