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These photos aren't taken by me, but I love them anyway because of the people in them and the memories. This week I had friends from America and my friend Courtney come visit. It was amazing and so much fun. I will be blogging about all the goodness this week :)

 

:)

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Sorry so late! :) It's been a big week with friends visiting from the States, and lots of photos from that to come! Here is one - just a quick snap from West End. I love street photography, I wish I had more confidence in photographing strangers. I saw this girl sitting in a restaurant, but when I went to take her photo she turned and looked at me so I couldn't. Later she walked past me, so I did it! :)

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I found this photo I took almost a year ago. Beautiful little Havi :) I'll be visiting her soon for the arrival of her new baby brother or sister - I can't wait! I have been aching to photograph kids for a while now. My friend Nikki and her brood of (nearly) nine are my favourites! I love them! And I know I will love the new one just as much :) See you soon!

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So very late I'm sorry! I've been out all day picnic-ing in the rainforest beside waterfalls. It was pretty rough :)

This Shot is from March's facebook competition (April's winner has been picked, but after that the months are still open, so get your name down for a chance to win a free photo shoot! :)) I love the composition of this shot, her beautiful hair and eyelashes - it's just so sweet and girly - I love it! :)

The rest will be blogged soon! :)

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This week's Shot is a little late sorry! But it is still Monday so I haven't missed it yet! :) It's getting harder and harder to pick a photo that stands out enough, AND that hasn't been blogged before, but if I've taken a shot I love so much, chances are it's already been blogged, so this one you will have seen before, but I want to call special attention to it :)

I just love books. Especially old books. And old bookstores. I just think about the stories that can be found in an old book, and not just on the pages but the history behind the book itself. I love seeing the names of the people who've owned the book, or a letter in the front giving the book as a gift to someone. I have bought books from antique stores simply because I found an old letter or newspaper clipping in between the pages, or a beautiful poem handwritten inside.

This photo reminds me of those kinds of stories. Obviously this particular book has passed many hands, and I wish I knew the stories behind every pair. I am going to print this one :)

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Today's Shots are simply what I love. Trees, leaves, the outdoors :)

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I'm a little behind on some posts, so I'm going to try this week to get them all done!

This week's Shot is from my January competition winner's shoot. I love this sweet little moment I caught between Kate and her soon-to-be husband's son Zac chilling in the hammock. They were such a relaxed, fun, happy family, I had a great time meeting them. :)

:)

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This weeks Shot to the Heart comes from a wedding I did a couple of weeks ago. I'll post the whole thing soon, but for now here is one shot that keeps making me smile :) (Those are the bride's shoes!)

Hope everyone has a lovely week!

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These photos come from the same shoot as the last Shot to the Heart, but seriously, the day was full of them! :) I love movement in photos, and ADORE afternoon sunlight. Megan is participating in World's Greatest Shave and wanted a few photos to remember her hair by. There are more to come from the whole shoot, but here are my favourite hair shots :)

Wanna have some photos taken? Get in quick, prices are changing at the end of March! Email me!


PS: Is anyone else singing "I Whip My Hair"? No? Just me? :)

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The Princess and the Frog

On a recent photo shoot, up a tree :D, I moved a branch aside to get a better shot. I squealed when my hand touched something cold, wet, and slimy. Luckily I didn't hurt the little fella. Isn't he cute!?

I don't normally like frogs. Let's be honest, if they are big enough, I scream and run. But how could I resist that little guy?

This photo is everything that I want my photography to be. The whole photo shoot was. It was more than someone looking at my camera and forcing a smile. It was more than taking a photo that showed what a person looks like. It's in the moment. It's a memory. It's unposed, undirected. The day was full of personality and character shining through everything she did. She climbed trees, she ran through the sea and the sand, she lay down in long grass, she cartwheeled, she whipped her hair, she played with a frog, a jellyfish and a ladybug. She didn't do these things because there was a camera pointed at her. That's just who she is.

Unfortunately a camera sometimes might as well be a gun. Point it at a person (and shoot) and their personality dies. Their character hides behind, "Am I smiling to big? Where do I put my hands? Can you see my double chin? Will you please Photoshop the zit off my cheek?" (I'm quoting myself here... which is why I am the photographer, not the photographed:))

I am a quiet person, so when I'm behind my camera, sometimes I forget to talk. I don't say a lot unless you talk to me, which is something I should probably work on. I don't like to pose too much and give too much instruction on what I think you should look like or be doing in the photo. What I have said, one of my only instructions, is "Just be" and the best photos have come from when I am silent.

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Ah! The ocean!

:)

So there's a bit of a theme running through my photography lately. I've had (and have coming) lots of shoots at the beach, but, it's summer, and we're Queenslanders! What do you expect? :)

Seriously, how inviting does it look!?

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Happy Monday and welcome to the first official Shot to the Heart! :)

AND Happy Valentine's Day!!! Hope you all have a beautiful day!

This photo I took a couple of weeks ago. The beach is so nice this time of year (when it's not raining, flooding, cyclone-ing...)  Unfortunately, my trip to the coast this weekend left me sunburned. Yes, again. No, I will never learn.


I have another photo shoot at the beach this week which I am really excited for, so maybe, just maybe, I will wear suncream. Maybe. I will try to remember. So in light of all that is wonderful about this time of the year, the weather, the beach, the sun, here is today's Shot to the Heart.

♥

Shot to the Heart

I feel like doing something different on the blog, so I have this idea of doing a weekly post (maybe on Mondays?)

I want to call the feature Shot to the Heart, and each week blog a photo of mine that I really, really like. One that makes me go "Wow! I shot that!" A shot that reminds me why I am a photographer. Or someone else's photo that inspires me, and reminds me why I want to be a photographer.

I'd really like some feedback on this, so here are a few questions:

1. Is this something that you'd like to see? Something that you would look out for? (I know I don't have HEAPS of readers, but to my faithfuls, I ♥ you!, and would you want to read this? :))

2. What else would you like to see? Camera settings? Before and after Photoshopping? Prints for sale? (I want to open an etsy store one day...) Interviews with other photographers?

3. Is Monday a good day for it?

So if you could let me know what you think I'd be eternally thankful! :)

Here are 3 examples. I shot these in August last year, and I've blogged them before, but they are still favourites of mine. I love the door ones because of the perspective. This old house was on stumps so it was up to high for any kind of "normal" shot. I love seeing things in a new way and making the ordinary not-so-ordinary. Plus I LOVE old houses, I LOVE doors, and I LOVE keyholes (because I LOVE keys) :)

And even though I'm not much of a dog person, these puppy feet get me every time. They're just so cute, and I'm glad I shot from this perspective.

Looking forward to your feedback! :)