Monika’s Studio Session 2013

I’ve been practicing my photography for a while now.  I am a second shooter on weddings and I quite often get to cast my eye over Kris’s photos and even edit his great work. Occasionally I will be in charge of some photos of the bridal party while Kris is working with a bride and groom, that sort of thing, but I have never been the one to run the show.  This was my chance to stretch my wings creatively.  I came up with the concepts, organised positioning, took the photos and edited them.

A lot of these images aren’t just a portrait, they are a story.  That was my aim for the day.  Not only to get some beautiful photos but to tell some stories through my photos.

Thank you to the students of Monika’s Unlimited Dance, who were great subjects and willingly gave up their time to let me experiment with them!

Parents and students that participated in the session can view images in the Monika’s 2013 Gallery. The full collection is now available for viewing! All of the access details you need are in the letter that accompanied your print. Hope you enjoyed the session!

This here is Sweet M.  She was a little shy but the camera, and I, loved her.

 

This is one photo in a series I shot on the day.  The concept and story behind this one is about a kid that is made to feel she is not worth anything, she wants to be a part of the group but is shut out.  I think today kids have it a lot harder with bullying.  No longer is it just in the school ground, but it follows them home, on social media, through texts and emails.

I wanted to show the pain that someone can feel when they are bullied.

It makes you feel alone, small, scared.  Even if no-one has laid a finger on you, pushed you, beaten you up, you can still feel isolated and afraid.

Miss A was such a good sport to take on the role of the one who is bullied.  The pain in her face, her body language, everything she did, made me feel almost like it was real.

Bullying is not ok.  (And A, YOU ROCK!)

 

 

C defies Gravity.  She held this pose for me and did it again and again till I was happy.  Such a beautiful girl to work with and an amazing performer too.

 

 

The Divine Miss J.  Great poses, did everything I asked of her and more! Got some amazing pictures of J and she was so happy to get up, get down, go here, go there, be happy, be sad.

 

 

The gorgeous Miss M…  Oooh la la! She was a magnet to the camera, even when I was photographing someone else I was drawn to her.  This photo is a Hollywood, spotlight on the star photo.

 

 

E the Jumper.  Oh boy, he could jump SO HIGH! We got heaps of great leaping in the air shots, but this one just captured me.  I love how he’s just sitting, quietly, and thinking…

 

 

G Girl.  Wow!  To be that flexible and she nailed this shot in her second frame!  Step, kick, hair flick and intense look right down the camera.  NAILED IT!

 

Thanks to all the students that were kind enough to come in and let me take some photos.   I only wish I had more time with these great kids on the day to get more photos! They were all really easy to work with.  Keep an eye out for a future blog with some more of my story photos.

And thanks to Kris for being my crew for the day, and trusting me to take some amazing shots.

Can’t get enough of Caitie and Luke

You may recognise this couple.  We’ve had a few photo sessions with them now.  Our first was a gorgeous sunrise maternity session, where Caitie was pregnant with her bub.  Next Caitie and Luke booked us for a newborn session for their newly arrived Miss C.

Not that long ago, Luke proposed to Caitie and they asked us once again to capture some photos of them.

I love it when we get to share in a clients life.  We get to document moments along the way, engagements, pregnancy, newborn, family photos, weddings.  It’s just so nice to see how things have changed, and to feel a part of their lives.  They let us in to their family to share in some very special moments in their life and I love that we are the ones that are growing up alongside of them.

I can’t wait to be able to capture the next part of Luke, Caitie and Miss C’s life.  The wedding.

Dawn – The Spinning Jenny, Volume 1

A long time ago in a land far far away….

Okay, recently and actually just across the street from our home…

We got to have a photo session like no other with an amazing band called “Dawn”, and have been privileged enough to be a part of their journey as they produce this amazing album – The Spinning Jenny, Volume 1.  Lead singer for Dawn is Kimberley, and we collaborated with her to come up with some amazing concepts for photos for the latest album.  It was all about bringing a steampunk vibe to the photos and getting shots that might be from an era long ago or one yet to come.  A group of battle weary travellers finding their history and ancestry in the world around them.

We actually did get up at dawn for the shoot, which involved lots of costumed band members walking down our street across to an amazing field across from our house.  I can’t imagine what our neighbours think when they look out their windows and see elaborately dressed men and women walking past as the sun is just rising…

I must say I got the biggest buzz and goofiest grin when we went into JB Hi Fi and saw the Dawn album with our photo on it.  Kris’s photography and my editing.  What an amazing feeling.  Thanks Kimberley and the band of Dawn for trusting us with your vision.

Dawn are exquisitely dressed by Alex of Clockwork Butterfly.

Album design by Matthew of DarkMantra.

(And piano graciously supplied by Steve Mackay.)

You can find out more about Dawn at their website or facebook page.

Dawn are going all over the country for their Dawn Winter Tour – check them out!

This is the album cover of The Spinning Jenny – Volume 1.  Apart from the costumes being beyond amazing, Kimberley has cheekbones and lips to die for!  She was an amazing model and had an aura of goddess like serenity.
There is just something about this photo that I love.  It has almost a tribal feel and her eyes just look deep into your soul.