Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Baby Photography with Oscar







































I love photographing babies! And after a few sessions with active toddlers you soon forget how simple things were before they got that active!
 I thrive on the energy of an active child shoot, but had not thought about the calmness of a pre-crawling baby shoot. Oscar was a particularly clam baby in fact, starting out with a wee snack from Mum he was ready to go.



A little bit of tummy time :)
Look at those big blue eyes pop! taking in the world and melting hearts.
A little shoot like this takes less than an hour too that includes a couple of wardrobe changes as well :)



This shoot with Oscar inspired me to work on something new and exciting for baby and new born  photography and hopefully it will be all ready in just a month or two. Feelin; excited!

Friday, May 4, 2012

Christchurch photography session with Grace






































Wee Grace, a fun loving preschool kid, this was what we photographers like to call a 'mini' session 20 minutes max is all it takes and even a very busy preschool child  pauses long enough for just that moment.
We decided to do the photos around Grace's home, it's where she feels comfortable and relaxed, we played and chatted and took some great relaxed portraits, and Grace had a good time too!!



I love the connection you make with subject and camera, I love those moments of joy that comes from these quick wee sessions, you can see how relaxed we both are and there is a wonderful connection that at times can take your breath away. The wow factor that makes you as the photographer whisper to yourself, this is why I do this, moments of joy and expression to treasure forever, giving families lasting memories they will proudly display and keep, I find myself only wanting to give people the best for their family photography, mainly because I expect this of myself when photographing my own family, and I will keep going until I know I HAVE IT!!!
It is a special treat to be invited into peoples lives for a day, and to record that life in a way that is familiar to them and best represents them. I'm not saying that it is easy, because it really isn't I guess even when you have a natural 'eye' for it, I find myself pressuring myself for the best I can do everytime, mainly because I want to give people the very best and who would settle for less?
I think Child Photography can be amongst the most rewarding, they are not yet at this young age worried or conscious of their image, they do like a wee look on the LCD display however which usually gets a wee giggle and encourages them to do more photos.
I always indulge the children in their photo sessions with letting them decide on some poses, it helps get them into the session and also lets them have the sense of control over  the session, also sometimes we play you chose something then I choose something, Grace decided it would be quite good to hug trees :)

Thanks it was a great wee session!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Family


























Family, It's the cluster of people we live with,love with, laugh with, cry with and that helps shape us.
I love family photography! I love capturing the family, representing who they are right now.
And then.... capturing the individuals, the parts that make the whole.
As long as the days can seem with a young busy family, this time right here, is way too short.
My Aunties used to tell me as a child, that my school years would be the best years of my life. At the time I know, I would have 'pulled a face' with a 'what ever' attitude.
So many times now I find myself thinking how right they were, how nice the time in the nest really was.
Suzanne's young family were great, and we had a lot of fun, it was high energy but everyone was up for it. We had a great day for, it the weather had been kind.
These guys certainly have a lot of fun together and a lot of love, nest time is sweet, and that's just where these wee guys are at now, a little independence at school and the nest to come home to....life for these guys couldn't be better :)



The wee bits that make up the family......


.........


And sometimes we get a little tired and hungry, and things just don't seem to go our way.
But that's ok when your with family :)
We can do these things amongst our family, they get to see the best and the worst of us, and if we are really lucky we get a wee hug and some one trying to cheer us up in their own cheeky wee way.
I love this next photo!
And amongst this, all the dynamics and the hustle of a young family with kids, the individuals to take care of and raise, moments that take your breath away and moments you wish would just stop, you somehow find some time, for yourselves if just for a moment :)
Because these times do go by so fast, and we should treasure them.
From my own experience it's hard, I don't want to treasure the all  tantrums and difficult bed times, and I'm sure with time I wont even remember them, because they aren't the ones to treasure and remember. It's those little moments of joy, it's the notes of love left lying around the house, the hugs the fun times spent together,it's helping solve a problem, offering comfort and wanting to give it when needed, it's those times you hold onto because they are so good, and because as a family you do take the good with the bad:)

Let's face it those good moments are GREAT
Lots of love and fun! I would sum this day up as, and all too soon they will be grown-up, but for now they are happy in their nest, with Mum and Dad there to take care of them.
thanks for a really great family day!!!!

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Little Models








































These too gorgeous girls came out on a photo shoot to help friends of their family with their photo shoot, by entertaining them and showing them how to pose. They were very good at both, so of course I couldn't resist photographing them too!
They loved the camera and getting their photos taken, and it showed.
It's always a real treat to photograph people that love being in front of a camera, they look so relaxed and felt so special, like a wee movie star or model and I realized how wonderful it was for the confidence of young children to have all the attention of the camera and feel that special kind of feel that a photo shoot can give.
Big sister had just got new contact lenses and was enjoying not having glasses so this was indeed what she needed for a wee confidence boost. And it really tickled my heart to hear that she told her mother on her way home that day, that she would like to be a model when she grew up :) It showed how relaxed she was with our wee shoot and how special I had made her feel, and that is beautiful, and their photographs I think reflect just how much they enjoyed themselves and how comfortable they were with me. That I love, I want people to enjoy the whole experience, not just the finished product, but to embrace the day and come away feeling,well, rather special.
And these too were rather special, and a real joy,


and eventually little brother even felt comfortable enough to join in.... oh joy! it was fun!!!!


What a fantastically fun day we had! I just love just how relaxed they are with the camera and having their photos taken and how much fun we all had!
Thank-you for sharing your day with me :)

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Mummy LOVE

What a great time we all had on this shoot in Hagely Park here in Christchurch, a warm early Autumn day with great light and colours for family photography.
Mothers Day is coming up! and these guys were showing a lot of 'Mummy love' you could see the closeness and feel the love and there is nothing quite like 'Mummy love' getting Mummy hugs or a kiss on a hurt. The warmth and safe feeling you get from your mothers embrace and watching these guys all interact was a real treat for me and getting to capture it was amazing!
Mum soon became the prop for this family photography session as no one wanted to lay on the ground, but were more than happy to be supported and cushioned by their Mum, who I must say was more than happy to play portable seat for the day :) and what a fantastic prop She made and how apt after all we are here to support and prop the little ones up every now and then :)


There were lots of cuddles and kisses on this sweet wee Autumn day and Mum made the best seat in the house or should I say park.
This is a special bond and it's always a delight to see the closeness and richness of family, thanks for a great day guys and for sharing your love
xxx

Friday, March 23, 2012



With Summer at a close,( though I think most would ask did we have a summer this year?) I thought I would start the new blog with some of the highlights from my summer. Spending time with my wee muses. This particular shoot was inspired by a desire to go out to the jetty Sir Peter Jackson used in one of his films.
An old couch sat out on the Jetty and was the perfect seat against a beautiful Canterbury landscape, and the muses were in the mood for photography :)
My children have always been the inspiration behind my photography for so many reasons, I am constantly looking for that shot that to me says who they are, that look that melts my heart and honing my skills on them. I sometimes end up with the Mum hurry up and take the photo look, do I have to stop and be your model again (they don't seem to care how great the light is hahaha), but when they are in the mood for having their photographs taken it all seems to come together nicely and that's what it's all about I guess, getting them in that mood and enjoying the session.
I also want to demonstrate to them that you can LOVE your job and have FUN doing it, but you also have to work hard at it :)
Summer for us was spent entirely in our shakey region of Canterbury and for those of you who also live here you would well know our summer holidays were also interrupted by some rather large jolts.
But that aside we decided to spend our 'holidays'  exploring our region like going over the hill to the bays,  exploring parks we had never been too, seeing what north Canterbury had to offer.
I think we can never know too much about the place we live and for those of us in Christchurch and Canterbury it is also important to appreciate what we DO have to embrace it and enjoy it.
This year I am going to make a more conscious effort to do more exploring of my region (and hopefully find some fantastic photographic backdrops while I am at it!!!) It's hard sometimes to put in such an effort weekends or days off are so few and there's things like house work and gardening to be done, but this year I am going to breath and do it, enjoy what we have (and maybe just work harder on those tasks while the muses are at school!) we still have so much beauty around us down here and I think now more than ever the recording of such has become more important to me especially the recording of my muses, I have even been inspired over the last week or so to go through my archives of family photos and though I have adorned my house with many a large canvas I have decided it is time to print the ole 6x4's and have a hard copy of the family Album( I guess I'm the photographer version of the builder who works on everyones house but their own).
Picking only my favourites I have 388 photos in one nice we folder to print, a small portion of what exists on 3 external hard drives- back-up back-up and then back-up!!! The fun and a few happy tears I have had going through this lot, it's our life and digitally recorded (some are on film negs) there, and in plenty a little hoard that I can easily store without blocking the entrance to any fire exits!
It's family and all it's branches there for the muses to be amused... good bye summer, it's time for the leaves to turn and fall (into great photographic piles!!!) next year we hope you stay a little longer and maybe bring some more heat, but for now we bid you farewell as we do and look forward to the changes of a new season.