There is something wonderous about the start of a new year. It’s like a blank page that is yet to be written.. and we can dream or plan about what will be. So it was very fitting that my first shoot for 2012 was a newborn shoot – and what a yummy bundle of newness I was able to capture. Cute little Grace arrived on Christmas day much to the surprise of her parents. I always thought it was strange when someone shared a birthday with another big event, but here I realised first hand babies just make their entrance when they are good and ready to meet the world!  But what a delightful gift for her parents to enjoy on Christmas night. It was a warm and humid morning when I arrived, ideal conditions for a newborn baby to just chill out and relax. And relax she did! She was a perfect little angel and quite the model. Check out her delicious little pout and those cute chubby cheeks. Yum! Her aunt had collected some different items to celebrate her arrival and we were able to give her shoot a very girly feel, while also mixing it up with some precious moments with mum and dad. Gosh I love newborns! xx

In October it was my daughter’s 3rd birthday and for months she’d been asking for a “pink princess party” (same as 75% of all 3 year old girls…!).  As I’m not a real fan of tizz and hot pink… we combined my love of “brown paper packages tied up with string” with her “pink princesses” obsession and came up with a lovely rustic princess party to share with her closest friends.

As a bit of a wanna-be party planner or stylist, I do enjoy making things pretty and fun… so I had a few key ideas for the party  – It had to be environmentally friendly (we used existing objects like a paper flower and white platters, or leftovers around home or friends to decorate, buying only some coloured paper, stickers and brown paper for the event) – It had to have a mostly healthy menu – We had ‘fruit jewels’ (cookie cutter shaped fruit on sticks), ‘ham swirls’ (ham and tortilla wraps on sticks), ‘princess popcorn’ (fresh popcorn in paper cones), ‘garlic toasties’ (garlic bread shaped like tiaras) to name a few  –  It had to have a goody bag bar with delicious and pretty sweets (where the guests could take wrapped items home to share with family rather than eating lots at the party)  –  It had to include fun activities for the girls to do (they each decorated their princess hats [made from recycled boxes and leftover paper], they had a pass-the-parcel and also spent time filling brown paper bags (with printed messages) with goodies – It had to be relatively cheap but also classy (I made all the decorations, the lollypops and cupcakes (with chocolate tiaras) myself and then to give it a finished look I chose printable stationary from Polka Dot Prints including invites, chocolate dots, personalised princess straw tags, buffet sign and buffet labels – which looked great!).

Yet most of all, my goal was for the party decorations and food to be made up of items that my daughter and I created TOGETHER – I dipped the cups in jam, she dipped them in pink jelly crystal, I made the cones, she filled them with popcorn, she counted out the musk sticks, I wrapped them up, I put the chocolates in the bags, she put the stickers on etc.  And I’ll admit I did more than her (and a bit of it at some ridiculous hour of the night before!), but it was so much fun to be creating things WITH her rather than shooing her off so she didn’t make a mess (as most creative perfectionists like me tend to do!).

It was really fun, and I’m going to put these memories into a book for her soon – added with even more pictures I took of her friends (we did a mini photo booth on the princess chair!).  It will be a wonderful memory for us to look at together and reminisce – I realise already how treasured it will be – she has changed already in the two months it took me to post! Don’t they grow too fast?

On the morning of a wedding, many couples now send a gift and handwritten message to their husband or wife-to-be. And as popular as it is, I think it’s something that will never grow old. It is a privilege for photographers to be able to capture these private moments. When couples read the last words and thoughts from their beloved as they prepare to commit their lives together. Such was the start to a beautiful day capturing Amy & Jeremy’s wedding day story. Set in the picturesque Sirromet Winery, their day flowed perfectly and was filled with the fun, honest, adoring and beautiful love that they share. A gorgeous mix of vintage beauty surrounded the emotion of the day. Sentimental touches like the amazing dress her mother handmade, a poem written and read by a family member and wedding portraits going back several generations at the reception – all added to the beauty of the day. I loved seeing the personal touches and involvement of those they love the  most. Amy and Jeremy are a kind, caring couple and if their married life is to be as beautiful and heartfelt as their wedding day, they are set for a truly wonderful life ahead.

If you live in Brisbane you will more than likely remember last Saturday’s thunderstorms. After a grey, rumbly morning, the sun shone during the humid middle part of the day before a big storm blew in fast and furiously in the afternoon. At the time the afternoon hailstorm approached I was at the gorgeous St Andrew’s Church in South Brisbane capturing the story of Marissa & David’s wedding ceremony. We were then heading up to the City Botanic Gardens and Parliament House for further portraits – and although we were hidden within the city and gardens, we could definitely hear it loudly and just see it looming.  But thankfully, it held off (almost as if to watch us!) and slowly followed us through the park – see a shot here. We were safe in the calm before the storm during our photography session and it hit hard literally just as we stepped in the porch of the Stamford Plaza where the reception was to be held. Perfect.  We couldn’t have planned it better if we’d tried. So the storm made for a beautiful backdrop to a romantic and beautiful wedding. We completed their story with gorgeous photos inside the hotel. Not even a raging storm could stop the beauty of these two in love. Gorgeous.

Couple shoots are so much fun – and I especially love it when we combine a photographic session with an idea that means a lot to the couple, is something that inspires them or is just plain fun. This portrait shoot was for Amy & Jeremy – a beautiful couple who are engaged to be married very soon. For their session we wanted to do something a little different – so we chose the movie ‘Chocolat’ as a starting point – not a pure imitation but just an inspiration. We combined Amy and Jeremy’s natural love story with some features from the movie – like a stone staircase, a red jacket (and red lips), intimate kisses, pretty crockery, delicious chocolates and a lot of playfulness. It was heaps of fun and I can’t wait to capture their wedding later this month!

For those who know me best, you will know I’ve always had a very quick thinking, creative brain – full of ideas… I often wondered why I had so many ideas (for everything!) and it’s only now in the last year or so that I’ve realised how perfect it is for creating unique settings and capturing memorable moments for the people I meet. So, if you’ve got your shoot booked with me and would love something a little different – but are a little stuck – email me a few thoughts on what you love or what inspires you and I will no doubt be soon sending back a list of wonderful ideas!!  Fun times ahead …

Friday afternoon was perfect for a sun filled engagement session, featuring a vintage theme and a big grassy field.  Alice had been collecting beautiful props over the months leading up to her and Rob’s session and it all came together beautifully. I really love that there was a mix of pretty things – some Alice had gathered recently, like fresh flowers and home made cupcakes, as well as long loved romantic antiques and items given to her from family that tell their own story. What a gorgeous couple and so much fun to capture their growing love.

Erika and Andrew’s wedding story was so much fun to capture. It was quirky – with details like the boys boutonnieres (with cute McGregor buttons), the playful poses and some very cute reception/ceremony details. It was romantic – there were flowy vintage dresses, heritage jewellery, and gorgeous flowers (put together by Erika’s talented mother). And it was meaningful – a day filled with those they love most and personalised with features such as a family brooch hidden on the bride’s dress and photos of their parents (at their weddings) with them to share their day.  The ceremony was held in gardens of Indigiscapes with photos at the grand old Whepstead House (where Andrew’s parents were married many years ago!).  A reception at the Lighthouse Restaurant at Cleveland was the end to a perfect day.  Now they are off to travel the world and begin their married life together – I can’t wait to show them the rest!