We've got to know many great couples from all walks of life over the last twelve months. In fact, it's been a spectacularly busy and exhilarating year for us all. We've worked incredibly hard - something I'm exceptionally proud of. Between us we've shot over 60 weddings and a handful of other interesting and quirky commissions. We've also made many significant changes to the business; hugely improving both customer experience and our own processes and productivity. We're all primed for our busiest year to date with 2012 seeing us travelling the length and breadth of the country as well as parts of Europe and who knows, maybe even further afield.

I find this variety of work invaluable as it keeps us fresh, challenged and inspired. We've documented many memorable weddings at numerous venues and locations with an array of interesting cultures and faiths. Moreover, families have entrusted with us the responsibility of accurately and genuinely documenting such a momentous and pivotal point in their lives, and of this we are incredibly proud.

Throughout the year we have never ceased striving to document commissions powerfully and authentically. Our customers are people serious about having an accurate record to look back on; no fairytales, no banal shoe shots or tedious requests for posed photographs, just an honest record created with our hands off approach. Photographs can and should be so much more than just pretty pictures, after all, when you're old and wrinkly what will be valued more, a picture of your Jimmy Choos on a table or an emotive image of an embrace with a relative? Powerful moments don't always make aesthetically 'perfect' photographs and sadly not too many wedding photographers have the capacity to appreciate this. We value a body of work that truly reflects an event, this strong sense of value and responsibility is why our customers choose to invest in us.

One of the best business decisions I've made in recent years is the addition of associate photographers. Associates ensure there is a continuous flow of creativity into the brand. I'm not just talking about image creation but hugely important elements such as infrastructure, business framework and processes and overall effectiveness - elements of such magnitude and scale that I simply couldn't implement them in addition to maintaining the day to day running of the business. Working as a collective and being able to bounce ideas between likeminded individuals has helped us to all grow as photographers in a tough industry. I'm very aware of just how much my work has improved whilst training associates, not only has each associate brought something unique to the table but it's also forced me to practice what I preach!

My first associate photographer, Joshua Archer, will be moving to Germany in mid 2012. Joshua has made a huge contribution and commitment to the company since early 2010 and I'd like to thank him for this in addition to wishing him, his wife and his beautiful new baby girl all the very best for the future. He's become an astounding documentary wedding photographer in a very short space of time.

Without further ado and in no particular order, here are my favourite images of 2011...

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