Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Farewell 2013... you were great, but I'm looking forward to the new year.

So it's that time of year... when we sit back and reflect on the year that was and figure out what we want to achieve in the new one... not that we really possess any real control over how the year will unfold outside of our own choices and decisions, but there is a healing in looking back and reminding ourselves of what we've learned.

2013 was a challenging year, it was a year of wonderful high's but crushing lows... both in my personal and business life. But if I chose to sit and play the victim and blame others I'd be no better off at the end of it all.

We are all allowed to feel defeated and deflated and question whether some of the choices we made were worth it, but if we keep our heads in that space we are further digging the very hole we've found ourselves in. It's part of the journey, don't sit there, you've gotta get yourself out of it. A lot of it is self talk, a change in thinking, instead of looking at the situation and seeing where others failed you, it's the need to look at yourself and see where the wrong is within yourself... 

Without going into too much detail I found myself in a couple of situations this year where I could have quite legitimately sat and thrown the blame around, but I have a part to play in every relationship, both business and personal, and if I don't recognise my own faults how can I better myself? 

So that's where I'm at, reflecting on the year that was...

2013 was a year of growth, which means that 2014 can only benefit from the lessons learned. 

In 2013: 
  • I was able to travel for work, 
  • I established myself in my studio space,
  • I pushed my creative limits attempting ideas out of my comfort zone,
  • I entered National and International awards and was actually RECOGNISED! - I feel the need to add here that years ago as a photography student I was terrified of these very awards, and even after working in the industry for over 13 years there was a certain prestige associated with them that made the butterflies do flips in my tummy at a terrifying pace. So to enter and receive recognition felt like a real justification and a big "I told you so" to the doubters over the years... some lecturers included.
  • I held workshops and mentoring sessions.
  • I met photographers I hold in high esteem.
  • I created "ROAR - Spirit" a project evolving but made primarily to uplift women, and to praise and recognise the journey's and experiences that women travel... from child loss, to birth trauma, to health battles and what we as women feel 'defines' us.
So, all in all... this year has been quite incredible, but I'm ready for 2014, and some new clarity.



And of course what would a blog post be without a few gorgeous images from the year? 

Here they are - My highlights from the year!

Enjoy, and Happy New Year!

APPA 2013 - Silver Award
International Loupe Awards - Bronze


APPA 2013 - Silver Award
International Loupe Awards - Silver. Top 50 Finalist.

first underwater photography attempt. 




furthering my newborn twin photography 


working with older children and older babies. 


furthering my maternity session ideas and photoshop techniques. 


Landscape photography. 


whats not to love about a triplet session? those smiles. 


the moment you have an idea in your head and it plays out just as you'd imagined. 


trying out new ideas and poses with newborns. 


that moment you capture 'love' and it's so perfect. 


when you're photographing and an idea pops into your head as you look at the scene and it's so beautiful and raw and stunning...  


when you are asked to photograph a newborn session, for not only a friend, but a talented photographer in her own right, and this happens...  


a year after photographing the birth of these beautiful babes, and I was able to return to capture their first birthday. 


an image dreamt up and executed. 


maternity, and my love affair with it. 


when a newborn se sweet just pulls the most perfect face and 'blue steel' ever! (and that hair!) 



shooting more outdoor sessions. 


making eye contact... 




that precious moment with twins... 


stunning locations and stunning mothers...  




new angles, and a different approach. 


when it's all just as you imagined. 


working with older babies... and it pays off so beautifully. 


I will always love being able to capture hanging poses... always! 


when clients return for follow up sessions. 


summer locations... and then the bird flies through as if it were planned. 



the chubby cheeks and the lashes... littlest details. 


when you photograph a friend, a photographer, and her newborn son, and he smiles! 


being asked to capture images of a family so special... at a location so meaningful.  


because she's my mother... love.


Thursday, December 12, 2013

About the Calendar...

I thought it might be a fun idea to go through the calendar images, month by month, and tell you a bit of the story behind them. Starting with...

January:


Amelia. (5 days old)

I had photographed Amelia's mumma a few weeks earlier as a part of a maternity call out I had done. During the session we chatted about a follow up session at the same location. 

It was shot during the heat of summer, as dusk fell. The tide was out, the rock pools the perfect location. I get such joy from location sessions.

Amelia was a dream, barely stirring and allowing me to capture some images long thought up in my mind. (Which of course then create a whole new array of ideas.) 

There is so much I adore about this image, the reflection, the still and calm, the light, the bird captured flying... This seemed the perfect image for January, summer, warmth and beauty.

With 2014 just around the corner... 2014 Newborn Images Calendar {Melbourne Newborn Photographer, Melbourne Maternity Photographer, Melbourne Newborn Photography, Melbourne Maternity Photography, Melbourne Baby Photographer}


This year has been a remarkable year for me both photographically and personally. It has been a year of extreme high's and low's, and a year of immense personal growth.

This year I chose to put together a calendar of images taken during recent years as a newborn photographer. It includes award winning images as well as some personal favourites. 

I've loved putting it together, and am extremely happy with the final product... naturally I have one hanging in the studio to show off.

It is available for purchase through my Etsy store HERE. 

I hope you love it just as much as I do.

xx Em

It's been a while...

It's been a while between posts... but a lot has been going on... I promise... I've been trying to figure out the best way to ease back in to the blogs, because lets face it, you don't want to be bombarded with posts... or do you?

So while I become accustomed to a new operating system (yes, after years of PC I have now converted to Mac) and try and figure everything out and unlearn the past 20 years of PC I'm trawling through the images of the year, while also attempting to remain on top of the current edits.

So what does this mean? You'll get a steady stream of pretty pictures that as yet, haven't seen the light of day on the blog. Regardless of whether you're much of a blog reader... 

Enjoy the following posts over the coming days.

xx em.