Ten years later...

I'm celebrating a major milestone this week. Ten years ago I photographed the first baby that I hadn't given birth to :) Little Harriette was only one day old and was the beginning of it all. I can't imagine how many beautiful babies I've photographed since, and it's daunting to look back on all the hard work the last ten years has been behind the scenes. A huge thank you to all the gorgeous families I've met, I love love love my job and can't wait for what the next decade brings. As if to celebrate my milestone with me, the universe delivered some fantastic news this month. Digital Photography Australia Magazine featured an article on my work (some pics below) and it looks amazing! I was asked to do it earlier this year, but had forgotten all about it until it hit the news stands :) It's for their latest Black and White issue and I talk about...surprise surprise...specialising in black and white photography. Go get a copy!

It's nearly Mothers Day and I can't wait. A whole day to myself with my beautiful boys is just bliss. I hope everyone has a beautiful day!

Simone xoxo

Monochrome

This week I'm part of a fantastic, creative idea that showcases some of the amazing children's photographers around the world. Every week has a creative challenge, with this week's being 'monochrome'. How could I resist being part of that? A group of us post on the blog with our version of the challenge and then link to the next photographer for you to visit. It's such a fantastic concept, and shows how diverse we all really are :) You'll find the previous post in the carnival here by the lovely Lisa Maksoudian. I'm often asked why I photograph solely in black and white. This was a choice I made very early on in my career as I explored monochrome and what it meant to shoot without colour being dominant in the image. I found that I was drawn expression, symmetry, texture and lines far more than I was interested in the brilliance of colour. For me, deconstructing a scene to its barest elements, with an emphasis on the beautiful subjects, is the perfect medium. I can't imagine shooting any other way. Black and white, to me, is like singing a cappella. The clear, simple tune shines and moves you, without the need for other instruments.

So the images I've chosen for this blog carnival are incredibly special. This is my dear client, and friend, Maria and today we say goodbye and pay tribute to her beautiful life. I hesitate to post about her on my blog, as it's usually for promoting what I do, but this post, about the beauty of black and white photography, is the perfect way to say publicly that I love and miss her. We have a very privileged position, being photographers, to engage with families that otherwise may not have crossed our paths. I count myself very blessed to have known and loved Maria and to document so many of her important milestones. All my love to her family and loved ones. xoxoxo

For a different and gorgeous spin on monochrome, it's over to the fabulous Rebecca Muldrick of Darling Art Photography of Chapel Hill, North Carolina :) Chapel Hill Child Portrait Photographer. Her blog post is fantastic!!

Simone xoxo

Madison, Chloe and Zac.

Sometimes the beach turns it on for us. Beautiful balmy night, mirror like water and the most beautiful silvery light. Add to that a gorgeous, relaxed and lovely family and we have the perfect shoot.

xoxo Simone

For Anna & Dino

The thing I love about pregnancy photographs is how we get to explore history, romance, hopes for the future and just the sheer beauty of how a woman looks when she's carrying a child. It's a true celebration of life and can be the one time in this busy, exhilarating journey that a couple takes in having a baby to pause and concentrate on each other and the life they've created. I'm just so blessed to be part of this.

Anna and Dino, you are going to be the best parents. If our shoot was anything to go by, your child will have an incredibly loving and joyful life. I'm so looking forward to meeting your little one.

Simone xo

We're moving!!

It's all been hush-hush for a little while, but the latest exciting news is that I'm moving! The business has grown at a rapid rate over the last three years and has seen me struggling to be at the studio enough to get the work done! There have been many all-nighters spent there, countless days where my boys have had to sit quietly in the back room and wait for mum to finish and just too many times I wish I could have had the doors open to make the most of the weekends and school holidays, but being on location and trying to see my children from time to time has meant something had to change!

So, the solution became really clear. Move the whole she-bang back home (just around the corner) and add the ability to use my little walled garden as a divine little garden studio in addition to the beautiful location sittings I offer. This part is what excites me the most! The opportunity to do sweet and simple mini-sessions in my own space will be so welcomed. I know a lot of clients will love it and I will too. Right now the garden is a 'work in progress' (no sniggering from those who've seen it recently!) but it's a fantastic blank canvas to create a gorgeous little space that would be a child's dream to play in. All maximised for the best photographs :)

As a bonus side effect, I'll get to go back to doing all ordering appointments in your homes again. I absolutely love doing this, I'm the frustrated interior designer type, and will really relish the ability to help you create beautiful and meaningful photographic displays in your home, with all the information we need at hand. My clients love this service, it makes the whole process far easier and can introduce ideas and concepts that are incredibly unique and personal.

I'm scheduled to move from the studio before the end of March, so if you want to pop in one last time to say hi, get in fast! I'd love to see you :)

Ivy!

Introducing beautiful Ivy who was so placid and clever, she was a dream to photograph!

xo Simone :)

Love-letters

Firstly, Happy Valentine's Day! I know Valentine's Day gets a bad rap in Australia, but I tend to think that any day that gives you the excuse to tell someone that you love them is a good thing. Always :) Don't argue, just do it! Today is the perfect day to talk about my Love Letters sittings. These gorgeous concept shoots are based around your child's character, quirks and favourite things and make an incredible keepsake. There are two rules for this sitting, the kids have to dress themselves (the more outlandish the better!) and they have to be able to tell me about their family, their lives and their favourites. If it were my own kids (who are sadly too old for this now at 12 and 9!!) it would have been a crazy combo outfit of Batman suit, tool belt, gumboots and a mask, coupled with a long story about how Batman is better than Spiderman because he has a cool car. :) This opportunity to photograph the kids as they are, without being all dressed up and perfect is just amazing. They relax, tell me their secrets and dreams, perform, dance, and in the case of the superheroes...leap! We get a photograph and accompanying prose that is your child in a nutshell at that age. Glorious chaos and all.

This is Poppy, who is four and wanted desperately to get under the sprinkler with the others but got shy and hesitant. Her little belly is what makes this photo for me, it's just divine.

A Love-Letter sitting has to be booked and planned for, so let me know on booking if this is the kind of thing you'd like. Our Love-Letter prints begin at 20x30 inches (poster size) and come either block-mounted or on canvas. They look amazing in your child's room as a reminder of that gorgeous stage when the world was new and exciting :) This is their Love-Letter to you xoxo

Simone xoxo

Bella

the ballerina :) This was something we've been meaning to do for a long time and last night was perfect! We had a ball...this was right up my alley :) xo Simone