I daren't start this blog with 'In my day ... things were different!' In my day 'We' were the difference ... we were the new generation biting at the heals of 'the old guard'. There was always going to be a new generation coming in to replace what we did. Several things happened in the wedding industry when I was starting up. People started looking for images that were less formal and more photojournalistic, and people started asking for their negatives. Enter Generation 2.0, invigorated and empowered by the digital revolution. Camera makers have made it easier for our audience to be better aligned with our photographic skills, by vastly improved focusing, exposure, and image quality at affordable prices. Generation 2.0 is the new guard, thirsty for knowledge and keen to experiment. Herein lies the secret. If I sit on my experience and my wisdom I will quickly become redundant. The safety of my place in the wedding industry will be threatened by my own adherence to being safe, and my new clients will fade away. It is essential that I continue to experiment, take risks, and grow new ideas. Somebody once said there are no more new ideas left, just the old ones reborn and repackaged. This may be true but if you look at Gen 2.0 photographers there is a definite inclination towards fashion, architecture, design and emotional intent. I blame computers for this heightened awareness! But hang on! Isn't this what we as a new generation of photographers (in our day) brought to wedding photography to become visual leaders? So there's the rub! Its not that photographic intent has changed in any way. The new generation is photographing with a more aware eye to current trends in design and fashion. Generation 2.0 has a creative fearlessness unencumbered by the wisdom of experience. Flared out images with heads chopped out are hot, photographs of people in lines staring at a camera are not. There is a huge risk that if a Gen 1.1 photographer takes on the guise of Gen 2.0 without understanding the differences, they could easily end up looking like the guy with a really bad toupee. People stare, some point (especially children), and he never seems to get a date. Generation 2.0 embraces technology but also appreciates the retro opportunities of film. Generation 2.0 has an understanding of technology and creative fearlessness that will only be surpassed by Generation 3.0. As I recall, the two problems that other photographers had with us entering the market were: • We had a new product that was attractive to a new generation of brides and grooms,  and • We were under-priced. Not much has changed. Actually that is not true, photographers are educating themselves more, and better. All generations of photographers need to keep growing, learning, and creating. Cheers, Johannes