Laughter

It's blog carnival time and for this round the theme is 'laughter'. An easy one, you'd think, but there is a phenomena we see as children's photographers where kids are trained to give a hideous grimace for the camera from a VERY young age! I recently had a baby do it! That was disconcerting to say the least... :) I always tell the kids, 'You're not allowed to laugh until it's funny' and then we get on with getting to know each other. Parents know that the children will take a while to warm up, and often leap in to 'help' but I love it when the kids slowly reveal themselves to me and end up smiling and laughing purely because what we're doing is fun. That's when the magic happens. This is Rose and her baby sister Eliza. We took the first photos at the pregnancy shoot and Rose stole the show! I love that we have a record of life before her sister arrived, it's a whole new world afterwards :)

and for her baby sister. Less giggly of course, but completely 'awwww' worthy. Rose is besotted :)

Next on the blog carnival to visit is Los Angeles Baby and Children's Photographer Je Neuhaus, done in her signature classic style :) Keep going from blog to blog to see what some of the best of the world's children's photographers are doing. It's worth the trip.

Simone xo

Forest

Sigh...this is the best part of winter, the incredibly moody, stark, structural looking scenes I get to work in, and kids that are all bundled up with rosy faces. I LOVE shooting in winter, I say this every year. We are blessed with such a beautiful winter season, it's a crime not to make the most of it. This is little Caleb, who I had the enormous pleasure of photographing as a newborn as well. His folks are up for anything...so the forest was an easy sell! LOL Add the gorgeous dogs and this was a dream to photograph. The perfect winter's day.

Simone xo

Framed

This month's 'blog carousel' entry is about images that use framing. We're not talking about the wood and glass combo around the photo, but the use of elements within the image to 'frame' your subject. This is something I do a lot, often instinctually rather than deliberately, as I use the environment in my photography more often than not. Clients will see me start to hyperventilate when I see an arbor or gorgeous window! To illustrate how I use framing in my work, I couldn't go past this one favourite image. I took this probably six or seven years ago now, with my beloved Mamiya C220 TLR (techy speak for camera as old as I am!) and *gasp* film...and it remains one of my most loved, and most commented on images. I've even had the funniest comment to date about this photograph. I was exhibiting at a parenting expo, had this proudly big on canvas on the wall behind me, and one lady stopped, pulled me aside and told me it was a shame I hadn't waited until the kids stopped playing to take the picture. Hmmm....

So, without further ado, the photo. Affectionately known as The Twirly Girls.

[caption id="attachment_341" align="aligncenter" width="850" caption="Simone Hanckel Photography"][/caption]

The opportunity to see how this extremely talented group of photographers interprets one theme is fantastic! Please visit the next stop on this blog carousel, the gorgeous Tara McGlinchey NJ and NYC Baby, Child and Family Photographer :)

Simone xo

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

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 :)