I'm about 6 months late blogging this beauty....
I met Caitie, Mia and Leah for a coffee one morning. I could immediately tell it was going to be a riot of a wedding. Mostly because Caitie and Leah were tag teaming being their beautiful selves, whilst chasing gorgeous Mia around. A month or so later, I bumped into them at the wedding of Merrin and Cameron, where Caitie and her father Graham tore up the dance floor in a way I have never seen, not even on youtube.
Our great friends Sal and Josh are expecting a small version. I am thrilled. Sal tried so many tricks to get out of having a baby; including a knee operation, a bone infection, and an emergency evacuation to a hospital down south to avoid a leg amputation, and more antibiotics than one human body should have to swallow.
A couple of hours in the life of Jemma, Dylan and little Flynn.
Dylan is a carpenter by trade, if my really terrible memory serves me correctly. Yet in between 60 hour work weeks, he somehow manages to transform this house into a photography paradise. Even when I dropped their photos off one evening, like late on a Sunday type of evening, he was making a walk in robe for their bedroom!! I know a few people that would be scratching their heads reading this, wondering if he is a real carpenter. My husband is one, and he insists that he can't finish renovating our house because people won't take him seriously as a builder. He has solidly proved that point. It's been 2.5 years for our bathroom.
Laura and Adam contacted me last year for this wedding. I felt pretty cool getting booked in almost 12 months in advance - I mean, that means they would have had other choices and they weren't standing on the corner of desperate street.
Last month I had the pleasure of being invited to document a few hours in the life of this gorgeous family. Little James took me on a tour of the house pointing out his favourite things and activities. I predict he will become a future air guitar world champion, sprinter, gardener, or hat collector.
know Lizzie because I have taken photos of her and Mycool before, and they go to the weddings that I photograph as a guest or bridal party member. When she hit me up for some maternity photos, I seized the chance to take them on an adventure. They consented by letting me know they had a 4WD.
I was invited to attend the Music NT Legends launch. Music NT is a brilliant organisation, and the backbone of the NT music industry. They have launched a philanthropic program to raise funds for their activity, and in doing so, are offering people the opportunity to become a legend for the annual fee of only $500! That is the cheapest right to legendary status I have ever heard of.... So get amongst it.
Megan and Ruben live on this yacht. When I found out, I was prettttttty excited to do some "in home documentary" of this life. They were temporarily living in a house during the later part of Megan's pregnancy, and the first few months of Zeph's life. But as soon as they started going 'camping' on the yacht on their weekends, I put my hand up to join them on the tender out.
A few months ago I received an enquiry though my website with the subject "secret squirrel." Some Darwin friends were wanting to split their wedding into three parts; a romantic elopement on the Darwin harbour, and two massive parties in their home towns of Australia and Ireland.
I was invited to document the Baptism of Despina. This is up there with one of my favourite photographic opportunities to date. I love documentary photography of people, culture and emotion. This was all of those things and much more. Stepping inside the Greek Orthodox Church in Darwin blew my mind. It feels like you have been transported halfway across the world. My family (and work colleagues) also appreciated the massive trays of Greek baklava and other treats that I brought home for them to eat.
Amy Bowen is a great friend of mine, so it was a total win to be her unofficial fourth bridesmaid and document the wedding of her and Josh Davis. Amy is one of the most hilarious, gorgeous and interesting people in the world. Josh is suitably a legend and her total match. They also have two amazing little children who almost succeeded in stealing the wedding show. Almost.
My beautiful friend brought home her third son, Irah. I stole a few moments to get some photos of the two of them whilst the older brothers were out burning off some energy. I can't wait to get the three boys together in a few weeks. In the meantime, here are some quieter moments....
A decade ago my sister made friends with this legend of a woman, who soon found this legend of a man. Their wedding took place at Mt Bundy Station; a nexus of deadly Territory outback and station charm, including a bull that likes to be patted, and join you by the campfire. The outback life brought on an insatiable thirst in the guests, and the wedding of the century ensued....
I was eagerly waiting the news of this babe’s arrival, as I was hoping to photograph her birth… At that point, we didn't know she was a she. But she stayed put until I was safely in another state before arriving in the world. I am not about to hold that against her.
On the weekend I had to resist some of the strongest kidnapping urges I have felt to date.
I went to visit my old high school mate, Haylee, her husband Nans and their two daughters Elise and Charlotte, the tiniest little three week old who has inherited the size three million feet of her mother.
Christine asked me to be her wedding photographer before I realised I wanted to be one. They got married on their block at Bees Creek, and the river bed in these photos is their backyard - an absolutely magic spot.
Everything was handcrafted with love by these two, their family and friends; including a multi tiered cake stand that the groom whipped up that morning, and vats of homemade rum.
It was such a pleasure to visit Kye and Louise and meet little Maggie Louise; who is an absolute sweetheart. Louise was one of my first friends when we moved to Darwin at the age of 10, and we were besties for a number of years. It is a treat to watch her grow such a beautiful family. x
After ten years, and two kids, Loren and Cameron decided on a wedding in the Hunter Valley. I was invited as a guest, so I took my camera as a date so I could document the day for them. It was an absolutely beautiful day and the speeches were second to none, I was laughing so hard I could barely take photos. Here is a selection of my favourite photos from the day. Warning: despite my best intentions, this did not end up being a small selection.