A trip to Hogwarts...

I didn't post these images that I took a while ago. I photographed the Girl Guides being presented with their awards. And THIS was the location. I swear it was like stepping into Hogwarts. It's a girls school here in Melbourne. I wonder if the girls think it's beautiful and enchanting or maybe because it's SCHOOL they don't see it.

Don't think I would have got good marks if I went here - I think my imagination would have run wild being here. It was stunning.

I'm sure many 'stories' would have been written...

After the HAIL...

Well, when I woke up, it was raining. Then the sun came out. Then it clouded over, rained, rained, rained, the sun poke out, cloud, rain, sun, cloud, rain... etc etc etc.
Then the sun came out, then it HAILED. Just as the bride was due to arrive.
Then it stopped. And then they were married, and then this:

Can everyone say WOOHOO!????

Stuff - again

Check out this hair!
In a hat - for 5 minutes, therefore it requires a photo!
Hehe - i LOVE this image - and don't think I've posted it here... oops if i have.. don't you love it when they are teething... dribble everywhere!!
nothing much interesting to report really... I'm boring.... except the fact i have to complain... why is it, when you NEED something - you cannot buy it? I mean - why is it so difficult to buy a white or cream PLAIN umbrella? I mean - really!!
I have a wedding to photograph tomorrow - on the beach... the weather forecast is 16, rain, hail, and gale-force winds (so yeah the umbrellas will get blown away anyway)
but honestly.. it's like when you need a plain black shirt or something classic - no shop stocks it!
(hense why I own a lot of black, I never have this issue! )
So I've got a stock of BLACK umbrellas now - just in case...

So if anyone has special powers to change the weather in Victoria, Australia tomorrow - I'll owe you one LOL!!

That's all for now.. I'll stop complaining..

Toby Outfit

Cause I promised Amanda I would.... ;)

Another band rehearsal

What every band needs: a crazy groupy...
This was the first time going to their rehearsals with the new baby (5d) and using the 1.4 lens OMG so good... I had the camera set at 1000 iso, cause I wanted to test out how much I could push it.. and I couldn't believe the results...
The band is called Non-slip Rope. Garrison (singing) is my husband, Richie (drummer) is my brother, Paul (lead guitar) is Garrison's cousin... so it's a bit of a family affair. Megs (above) is Richie's Partner. I call her my sister anyway!

After the girls had enough we went home, stopping off at an Italian place to get some food. Poor Megs ordered carbonara... and when we got home it was Marinara. Not good for something that gags at the smell of seafood. She was claiming she wasn't hungry anyway so went to throw it out. I grabbed a mobile phone and rang the place.. The guy is hilarious and insisted on delivering the right order and then decided that we deserved a bottle of wine too!

Order there more often and have them stuff up your order... !

Now for some images:

Garrison is a really quietly spoken person - who would think?





"... if men are from mars, then drummers are from pluto.." Still Crazy movie.

The BIRTH

LOL!

YES siree! I have a 5D!

But this was taken BEFORE the new baby arrived ;)
Putting on shoes kept Emerson occupied for 15 minutes. He gave up and found something else to play with. But I had to take a photo. Pity the ISO was CRANKED up high and the shots of intense concentration are so noisy you can barely see who it is - but this worked...
EAT YOUR HEART OUT DAVID BECKHAM! I'm only 17 months old!
And obviously training to be a goalie - since I keep forgetting that you use your feet NOT your hands!
And now my new love..
My L series lens. Put that on the 5D and OMG I need to get to the gym to build some muscle!!
But wow. I'm so excited. CANNOT wait to have a session.
I could NOT have done this shot like this at this ISO on my old "excuse I called a camera" (oh that was harsh... but oh boy am I in love!)



And yes - Even Emerson is impressed. He even looked at the camera! It MUST be the L series. LOL
(Do I sound like a complete moron if I say with a bigger camera & lens I actually feel like I can call myself a professional photographer???)

xxx

the joys & heartache of a new 5D

So I'm meant to be doing a happy dance...

BUT...
I woke up on Monday morning. THe first thing I though of was my 5d. I ran downstairs like a child on Christmas morning to find it was only 7:10am. Bugger. So I waited. and waited.
FINALLY there was a knock at the door! It was my husbands playstation 1 that he'd bought on ebay for $30. NOT my 5D. BUGGER. I was so annoyed.

Then ten minutes later - another knock at the door! YAY HAPPY DAY! The 5d had arrived!!
So I quickly put the one lens I had that would work happily on it, my 50mm f1.8.
The shutter stuck.
I had to take the lens off to release it.

So I waited for the lenses to arrive to see if it was my lens. I have dropped it twice.

So I waited, and waited, and waited.
430pm came and no lenses.

So I rang. Found out he hadn't sent them by courier, but by post. But they will still arrive today. NOPE. Rang the postal company - they hadn't heard of the number.

So I waited.
And I'm STILL WAITING.

It's now Wednesday!

But if they don't arrive by 330pm - the guy will jump on his motorbike and deliver them to my husband to bring home.

So I'll update you later! So no - I've had a 5D for nearly 3 days and only a bung lens to use!
I have a session tomorrow so can't wait to play!!

In the meantime - here are some images (with the 5d!!) of a gift I received from a client a few weeks ago.
I photographed her whilst pregnant, then her birth and her beautiful baby boy when he was home again. we have become great friends, and this brought tears to my eyes!!




Oh, and I have some big news to announce soon (just gotta get the all clear)
xxx ;)

Images + a Hat..

I know that isn't the best focus - but look at that face!!



And ask my son to have his photo - AND wear a hat? that is a challenge impossible. So this is the best I can do! I stuffed up the pattern but had done so much I refused to start again. I'll have to make another!! So Miss Queen on the knitting needles.. what you think???

imagine a BIG happy dance...

Happening right now in Melbourne, Australia - all due to...

A 5D + 24-70mm F2.8L + A 50mm F1.4 !

Imagine the happy dance when it arrives... oh my!

that's all! xx

Just little me....

Okay - well it was time to do a self-portrait. A few reasons - one - I need a shot for my website (the new one in development)
two - if we are to have another baby - I'll get big again...
three - it was my first day home (as in the job is OVER!!!) and Emerson was asleep so it was time for ME TIME.

Now I SUCK at self portraits - so please help... are any of these any good??

need some HONEST opinions please!!





xxx

TAGGED....

(hehe not technically the most brilliant image - but that's cute for a newborn who's asleep!!)

OMG!! I've been tagged again!! The lovely Leah is responsible!

| the rules |

post the rules before you give the facts. post eight random facts about yourself. at the end of your blog post, you need to tag eight people and list their names. leave the people you tagged a comment on their blog, letting them know that they've been tagged.

| my eight |

(ok I'm making these COMPLETELY photography related!)

1 - I started out using a canon film SLR - it was meant to be a different model but we got JIBBED and the camera inside was the wrong one... problem was - my father got it in another state!

2 - I also made my first money (therefore making me professional - I am told) from a hip hop artist that promised me the WORLD.. in that a world tour... New Zealand - Japan - London - Switzerland - {somewhere else in Europe} - Finland - New York {for a month} - LA - Mexico - and then home.. Obviously that never happened.... and no - the "record label" that supported him - he didn't come up on a search on their website...

3 - I continued in the music industry - photographed bands & "blues & roots" artists...
then i was pregnant (woohoo!)

4 - I "toured" country Victoria at 26 weeks pregnant - met the loveliest couple who mothered me the whole tour {of two days - but when Frenzal Rhomb are belting out the music and your in front of the speaker stack, and then the baby doesn't move - you get scared you've deafened it for life - the doctor the next day said the baby would be fine - i feel for these people putting up with me! - I was photographing... and we are still friends to this day...

5 - I then - at 37 weeks - photographed a music festival../ by 6pm the crowd were throwing the crowd floor into the "pit" I decided it was time to leave - It was getting a tad dangerous for me & my baby! "rock on" (whatever)

6 - decided to launch my business towards Maternity & Newborns (and photographed LOTS of babies during PB time) and have never looked back

7 - I still love the music scene - and now Emerson is old enough - can enjoy the occasional night out {which also serves as a business trip} and take some music making pics...

8 - I'm about to re-launch my business - hehe - stay tuned!! You'll see it here first!!

So the 8 I'm tagging (so sorry some of you have already been tagged - mix it up - this is fun!!)

Amanda

Amelia

Sheila

Jessie

Mully - who still hasn't answered the last tag!!

Ashley

Nadia (but damn you just got tagged!)

and Janet (again!!)

And so - some images - well since the other night of proofing I have none... but going thru the memory banks found these of Emerson...
and these P.J's don't fit anymore!!! (and they were HUGE on him in April!)



xxx

Curly newborn

So much for not putting "previews" on this blog! Oops. Must updated business blog - note to self!
This little one was three weeks old. Took us a while to get her to sleep, but finally she drifted off. And then was such a little angel!
Thinking of using this first one on a business card design.. what do you think? I really love this session - maybe cause I got many shots I've been trying with bubs for ages - and also - a little girl!! I swear I only photograph boys!



This is such a fav: