Abbeywood Estate, Ashfield House Hotel Standish, Birdsgrove House, Carden Park, CHESHIRE, Children, Combermere Abbey, Whitchurch, Coworth Park Hotel, Ascot, DERBYSHIRE, Doubletree Hilton, Engaged!, Family, Heaton House Farm, Macclesfield, LONDON & HOME COUNTIES, MANCHESTER & GREATER MANCHESTER, Maternity & newborns, MERSEYSIDE, NORTH WALES, NORTH WEST, Oddfellows, Chester, PEMBROKESHIRE, Portraiture, Rowton Hall Hotel, SHROPSHIRE, Soughton Hall Hotel, Flintshire, St George's Hall, Liverpool, The big day, Wedding Venues, Weddings Claire Penn Abbeywood Estate, Ashfield House Hotel Standish, Birdsgrove House, Carden Park, CHESHIRE, Children, Combermere Abbey, Whitchurch, Coworth Park Hotel, Ascot, DERBYSHIRE, Doubletree Hilton, Engaged!, Family, Heaton House Farm, Macclesfield, LONDON & HOME COUNTIES, MANCHESTER & GREATER MANCHESTER, Maternity & newborns, MERSEYSIDE, NORTH WALES, NORTH WEST, Oddfellows, Chester, PEMBROKESHIRE, Portraiture, Rowton Hall Hotel, SHROPSHIRE, Soughton Hall Hotel, Flintshire, St George's Hall, Liverpool, The big day, Wedding Venues, Weddings Claire Penn

2012... the best yet

2012 took me to Bruges, New York City, Amsterdam, Venice, Madrid, Jerez in Southern Spain, London, Pembrokeshire, Derbyshire and all over North Wales, Cheshire and the North West.   It's been quite the adventure. I've met one half of Los Del Rios ("Heyyyyy macarena!" - see if you spot him); got papped by 20+ paparazzi at a society wedding; consequently ended up on a Spanish news website; waded through St Mark's Square without wellies (recommended) and finally got to have a drink outside Cafe Florian - something I've always wanted to do; and last but not least I shot the Naked Cowboy.

Don't worry, he's fine. MIGHTY FINE.  You'll see.

I thought it fitting to post now rather than late December last year as it has been a year since my redundancy... since this wonderful, bizarre world became my job.   A year ago I would never have imagined all the things that would happen in the 12 months ahead.  Not sure I believe it all now!

Anyway cheese time/Oscars speech but I do have to say thank you to the 'Class of 2012' who have made me laugh and cry - all the couples, families, cute kiddos and squishy newborns. To my talented photography 'colleagues' who inspire, challenge and help me, especially the Click Collective & Venice girls (and that Bacon gang... you know who you are).  To everyone who supports me and makes me smile with a friendly word or kind comment - never underestimate those little things.   And to my nearest and dearest who encourage me and put up with me talking about photography and weddings... a lot.

Here are my favourites of 2012. Time to get started on 2013...  xxxxxx

PRE-VIEWING WARNING - go and pee, make a cuppa, get food supplies in.... you may be some time.  If you do make it to the end, I salute you.  It's worth it for the final face.  : )

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