Maya was quite shy to meet me. Before our session, we sat down together and ate cake for breakfast. Maya baked the cake the previous day with Mum, Vicky. Then when I pulled out my camera, Maya danced. Non stop. Dancing bodies of shadow + magic. Baby Ida watching her every move. Now, imagine if all my sessions began with cake . . .
So much love, kindness, faith, joy + CONNECTION within this family. As a photographer, my goal for every session is to tell the authentic story of the families I document. To show them the beauty that I see within them through my lens + to take photos that they can look at years later, with the same emotion they felt that day. This is my WHY. Love Lisa x
What do you most want to remember about these days?
The year of togetherness. So different for everyone, yet the same. When I was unable to work, when Mr.Leek also lost his job ( now luckily has a new one ) + for like so many others this year. Life as we knew it, had utterly been turned upside down + inside out. My beautiful friend Elisha, had witnessed all this + said to me “I want to book you now + photograph us as soon as you are able to”. Elisha + her beautiful family were the very first portrait session I photographed post lockdown 2.0. THANK YOU my friend, it meant more than you will ever know. 2020. The year of family. The year that felt like ten X
After the bushfires and before the virus. This session has been one I have been wanting to share for many months. Today feels like I can begin again. “Let’s run + feel the freedom of everything.”
I do. I believe in it. In the art of our lives. When we speak to ourselves first thing in the bright rushing morning. The magic of belief. The kind found in the ordinary ingredients of a day + lifetime. The kind found in our working hands + our tired feet at night. The way air can carry the scent of change. I believe in magic. How to know a moment. I witnessed it here. It is amongst us. Everyday. Can you see it?
May we experience the freshness of the morning + smell the wet dry earth.
May we lean our ears down to the the earth + listen to its murmur.
May we feel the ground beneath our feet and the wind kiss our face.
May we taste the salt of the earth on our tongues.
May we acknowledge the shapes, colours + lines that surround us.
May we never forget these fleeting moments.
* Images taken on our most recent family break at mountainous Indies Run, in Wandiligong. A dog friendly property with hospitable sheep, a creek to catch fish in, an hours drive from the snow + walking distance to the local, what is there not to love about this place? X
Sometimes, I use words the way I often use my camera, imprecisely. I do this because I can’t always find the right words. Sometimes, I do not blog as often as I should. I do this because I can’t always find the time.
A recent double session - maternity + newborn, where time played an important part. Her body was growing another. Gloriously captivating + miraculous. It was a precious + fleeting time. But it was captured + I made the time to blog it.
Sometimes we meet the most unexpected friends, in the most unexpected places. Photography has always had a way of bringing people + our four legged friends together . . .
Fresh foggy newborn magic! Is there anything better?...Oh baby Stevie - you may have made your Mumma a puddle for life. I am feeling blessed + grateful to be given the opportunity to document your love from the very beginning. It just felt like yesterday when your journey began for you two love bugs. BIG hugs X
With every minute we make count, I try and make every frame + experience count. I have shifted my focus on what speaks to me and that is embracing the good, with the bad. This was one of those times.....admittedly I had to re shoot twice. The weather was off during our first attempt + perhaps my focus was a little off too. BUT I am ok with that. I have found that since approaching my work with the value of being vulnerable - I've just not met many more clients, but life - long friends. But mostly it is the opportunity I often get - to rub shoulders with the most beautiful people through my work. Our conversation + connection goes so much deeper than photography + those occasional off days.
And it literally was....I managed to capture this gorgeous gang in their happy place. Almost all my family sessions happen around the water. We have such a connection with it - creeks, ponds, lakes + oceans. So this happened on this very last warm day we had on the beach. Only 170 more days until summer. Yep.
If direction was given, the authenticity is gone....AND when there is beauty + chaos....magic unfolds. A bunch of my favourites from this recent session X
Life is all about the people you meet + laughter. Laughter is beautiful, vulnerable, lovely, wild + utterly free. Full fledge belly laughs that cannot be contained. Are the best. To people, laughter + the beautiful nooks + crannies of our lives X
I met this family...fours years ago, when Elle had three. I had three. We talked about four. Now Elle has four. I have four. We have stopped now. But this time every year, we hook up. The beauty of joy is as unique and inimitable as a fingerprint. I capture that + also the things that get a little out of order. These are always the happiest moments though. When we have no rules and no schedules. Just love, the air, sun + each other.
*It is always an honour for me to photograph this sweet tribe*
When it doesn't even feel like there could have been a before...
She has taught one of our son's + we call her Little Miss Sunshine because...
