It's nearly Mother's Day

and I want to send my love to all of the mums out there that I've met, photographed and spent hours with, enjoying their children. To all of you that became mothers for the first time this year, those who expanded their hearts to add another baby and those of us who are in the thick of motherhood and enjoying their beautiful family...Happy Mother's Day. I hope you're treated like a queen, kissed and cuddled within an inch of your lives, and that you get time to pause and appreciate what you've created. Simone xo

Through the Looking Glass

I'm excited to announce a really special project. It's been rattling around my head for a while to do a book on what it's like to be a child in Adelaide. A selection of the memories and locations that are iconically South Australian. This book will explore what makes an Adelaide childhood unique, from apple picking in the Hills, to swinging on a Hills Hoist, to a milkshake in the Central Markets. We'll be shooting very conceptually, with a nostalgic feel (hence the title!) so the families that come onboard with the project will be contributing some ideas that they felt were part of their own youth. We'll be discovering our town through the eyes of the children, and creating images with an iconic and emotive feel. The book will be an amazing piece of art in itself, and the plan is to launch the project with an exhibition of the individual images at my studio/gallery.

How to be involved? Call the studio to arrange your sitting and we'll start planning a shoot that will suit the project, and incorporate some of your own stories. Our standard sitting fees apply, and for participating you will receive a limited edition copy of the book (and my undying love and affection!).

I look forward to hearing about those things that make you feel like a kid, and being inspired.

Simone xo

Announcing a really special competition...

which is a bit of a first! It's autumn...finally! Hands down, it's my favourite time of the year and I want to shake things up a bit. I'm always on the look out for new locations, so I can keep things unique and interesting, and realise that a lot of you would have special little places that you love, that might be the perfect backdrop for your family portraits. It might be the a park, somewhere you love to go walking, or a place that you've been meaning to visit. It doesn't have to be somewhere grand though, you'd be surprised how the small, out of the way places can lend themselves to amazing works of art. One of my favourite locations is along the side of the road in the Hills! Please keep in mind, some of the beautiful places around Adelaide, such as Carrick Hill, charge fees for photography in their grounds, and others are private property that need specific permission. Avoiding such places, no matter how fantastic, is preferable. Unless you have special access of course! Locations that are within the Adelaide Metro, or immediate Adelaide Hills are preferred. Not only for the travel time and expense, but also for the fact that small children don't handle a long car ride, then an active photo shoot all that well.

So, here's the competition. Inspire me with somewhere really cool and tell me why it means something to you, and you could win

One Location Sitting and a 16x20 inch Signature Print, valued at an amazing $925.

The best three responses will win, and also feature in my winter studio window display.

Entries are to be in before midnight on Friday, March 26th, and I'll contact the winner via email. You can add your entry here in the comments, email me at simone@simonehanckel.com.au (put 'Location Competition' in the header), or join the Facebook page, and comment there. Don't forget to add an email address.

The fine print! Bookings will need to be held before April 30th, and are limited to one individual family group (no extended families). Prize is not transferrable to cash, or product substitution. Normal booking conditions apply. Locations must be within Adelaide metro area and immediate Adelaide Hills.

Share the love, join us on facebook!

Simone Hanckel Photography is now on facebook! Our fan page is going to be a bit of a secret clubhouse, somewhere for the cool kids to get information, sneak previews, tagged photos from your own shoot, and super secret squirrel offers. We're very excited about this, as it means you have the opportunity to share exclusive peeks of your images. All you have to do is join! Go to the Simone Hanckel Photography Facebook Page and become a fan. We'd love to see you there. xo

Valentine

In honour of Valentine's Day, I want to share the pregnancy photos of a fantastic couple I had the pleasure of photographing. These guys epitomise the meaning of love :) Their obvious affection for each other, their delight in the baby that is coming, and their willingness to celebrate all this by having portraits taken was really inspiring. It was a privilege to document their story, and I look forward to photographing them again with their new little one :)

My Valentine's Day this year will be doing something for my boys to show them how much I love them, it's a blessing to have such a day to pause and make someone feel special.  It doesn't have to be grand gestures and roses!

Happy Valentine's Day.

Simone  xo

Testing my new blog...

with some of my recent award winners. All four of my entries were awarded silver in this round. We do this five times a year, and it's nerve-wracking (although I was a judge for part of it this time and got to experience the other side!), but it's so good for growth and keeps me striving to create something incredibly special for my clients each and every time. A big shout out to my fabulous models, you make it easy :)

xo Simone

xo Simone

For Karen, Darren and girls :)

A sneak peek! We had the perfect morning, three beautiful little girls and a gorgeous location :) I can't wait to show you the rest!

xo Simone