A Day With Bek Smith
"IF I'M TRAVELLING I WILL EITHER BE AT THE AIRPORT OR PREPARING TO LEAVE AT 3.30AM IN THE MORNING."
Photography genius Bek Smith takes us with her for a day and gives us an insight into the life of one of Australia’s celebrated wedding photographers; and let us tell you… It’s not all glamorous bridal gowns and 5-star hotels.
6.30am - I am still comatose in bed, usually because of a very late night editing or maybe a wedding the day before. I take great pleasure in snuggling up to my blanket when my husband gets up to go to work though - it feels like a sleep-in every morning!
7.30am - My son Mayer wakes up and usually calls my name, making me feel a little more guilty for lying in that extra 10 minutes.
8am - Its breakfast time! This usually consists of me attempting to make a beautiful gourmet breakfast for my 2 year old with French toast and boiled eggs, It then sadly gets tossed aside and its yoghurt for breakfast. My own breakfast is only lemon water at this stage whilst checking instagram for the latest posts or whatever I have missed overnight. (I usually get a scrap of toast and a coffee when Mayer gets distracted with a toy later).
9am - My son may go to see his Nanna so I can get some work done. I drop him off (not without a Wiggles sing-a-long) and pick up a coffee on the way home to get some editing done. He has just started to say ‘I love you’ when I leave, which makes leaving him ten times harder.
10am - When I get home I waste about half an hour of my precious time by checking Instagram (which I do way too much) and then sit and procrastinate. I have ten lists on the go at a time. I love lists. Lists are my thing.
10.30am - Emails!!! I cannot keep up with my emails, so I make time in the morning to make sure I have responded to everyone (sorry if I haven’t as yet!). Emails are my biggest admin task and I try to get on top of this as soon as I can. Which is not always easy when you are travelling.
11.30am - This is where I usually (and honestly) get started on editing. At the moment it is crazy - but on the average week I would have about two weddings and another editorial on the go at the same time. I have found that I am pretty particular about how I edit, so passing this on to anyone else would make me even more stressed. I think its important to edit weddings yourself as you were there personally and got to experience all the emotion and passion of the day. I find that this really shows in an edit.
12pm - If I have my Son this is usually the time I would put him to bed and start my work day. If not, I take time out to have some lunch. If it is a Friday I usually take myself out to have lunch somewhere and take my laptop with me, it’s something that feels like a treat and gets me into the real world and not stuck behind my desk all day. If I’m at home I eat pretty much the same thing every day - a chicken salad or sushi.
1pm - Ok so I’m probably still at lunch - another wine??? Otherwise if it is a wedding day - I will be starting my day at the Brides house!
2pm - Editing and emails are really most of my day. If I have my son with me I would take him to the park or down to our local beach to go shell collecting. We also go supermarket shopping; he loves to eat out the supermarket aisle by aisle.
4pm - This is my time to finish a deadline or do the housework. A mother’s work is never done! If I were going away to Australia or overseas, it would be my time to pack. I think I have finally become good at packing light. I also learnt from Joan Didion: tape a list inside your closet door. It enables you to pack without thinking (see my Instagram for more details).
5pm - Time to rest/play with my son. Making time to cuddle and play outside with Mayer is so important and what life is all about. I make sure I have dropped my phone somewhere out of sight and spend a good hour or two just being a mum. My Afternoon consists of trucks, cars and play-doh.
7pm - Bedtime! It’s usually Mayer’s bedtime. I make a bottle and create a relaxing zone for him to start the process of going to bed. This is also usually when my husband gets home so we get a good half an hour of family time. My son loves story time; it’s usually something about a dinosaur, a truck or fireman Sam. It’s crazy how much more we learn from children’s storybooks! I think I know so much about dinosaurs now that I have actually considered becoming a Paleontologist. I then unwind with a glass of wine (or two). If there is something I have missed on TV (anything to do with reality TV) I will catch up on this if I have time.
8pm - If I am travelling I will either be at the airport or preparing to leave at 3.30am in the morning. I prepare all my camera equipment, passport and minimal clothes. If I am not travelling, my Husband and I usually get takeaway of some kind and a bottle of wine. We rarely make it out these days but I think 2017 will be a time of change!
If I am away somewhere, I would usually be in my hotel room doing a debrief of the next day whilst watching a crappy movie or seeing an old friend for a vino. A swim is usually also on the agenda if the hotel has a nice pool!! I find water so relaxing and is essential for a good nights sleep.
9pm - If at home you’ll find me at my desk editing. I have a playlist on spotify that keeps me motivated. It usually consists of U2, bad 80’s and a few random tunes I have shazamed. I have taken to showering at night now - it is just easier and helps me sleep. Otherwise, if I really feel I have some time up my sleeve I will take a long bath.
10pm – I’m still not in bed as I am a bit of a night owl. If I am at a wedding I would more than likely still be there on the dance floor. Otherwise I would be trying to keep my eyes open watching some movie I have seen a billion times. If it was a night like tonight, I would be still editing and trying to update all my advertising for the following year. I also use this time (which is usually pretty quiet) to follow up any emails or do last minute touches on edits. I usually end up in bed by 11.30pm - where I look at instagram and fall asleep in THE best bed ever. It seriously is the most comfortable bed I have owned and I miss it when I’m away. And on that note…. goodnight … I’m off to bed.
Find Bek Smith on Mr Theodore.