The incredible Raye Law also came to visit the Brown household, and so for my very last day I was surrounded by such amazing talent from two wonderful photographers and friends.  Being able to work together to create beautiful memories for such a special little person brought such joy. These women are inspiring. It was such an honour to even be there at that time to welcome Will into the world, but to have those two women by my side that day, made it a day I will not soon forget.

It was, quite simply, magic.

In the afternoon, Raye and I captured some of the most amazing moments of tenderness and connected love between Will and his beautiful parents (of which Raye got my favourite shot of the day), and I can’t wait to share those very soon.

But, for now, my goodbye images of the strong, handsome, loving and inquisitive Will Brown…

By the end of my stay we had already learned of his little personality traits – his preference to have his hands by his face to comfort him while he slept, his ability to sneeze multiple times in a row followed by a cute sigh of satisfaction, his inquisitive one-eyed slumber… it was all beautiful.

A showcase of just a a sprinkling of the amazing 10 days we spent together… (and trust me friends, the best is still yet to come. My last and final day in Canada deserves a post all of it’s very own for so many reasons, so be sure to check back in soon)

I felt life at that moment. I experienced it deep within. It moved me on a level far to great for me to even comprehend at the time. It was (as my friend Lana puts it so perfectly) nothing short of soul nourishing. I feel so blessed to have been asked to be present as a photographic storyteller at his birth.

He breathed life into his lungs and his journey began. His cries of the unknown cut through the air and bounced off the adrenalin and joy that was so tangible in the room that night. Then there was silence… a beautiful silence. Although his eyes were already open, he was truly seeing for the first time. The electrcity between him and his gorgeous mama was palpable as she held him tightly still not quite believing he was hers.  “I want to see his face” she kept saying over and over as she tried to turn him around and lift him up to eye level. Next, his daddy held him tight and kissed his little fingers that had wrapped around his own. Time stood still.

Baby Will’s future is infinite – a blank page, an amazing story yet to be written, filled with endless possibilities and dreams. At that moment, that beautiful moment, he entered the world surrounded and protected by love. The magnificence of that ocassion made me feel deeply alive and humbled me in a way I will never easily forget.

Welcome Will…

Music by the gorgeous Amy Seeley (licensed with permission).

As such the studio will close Monday 14 June 2010 and reopen on Monday 12 July 2010. During this time, I will have very limited access to internet and email and no access to voicemail while I am away (I will not even be taking my phone with me). If the matter is urgent and cannot wait until my return, please send me an email and I will do my best to respond when I can. Otherwise, all voicemail messages and most emails will be returned after Monday 12 July.

For me though, the best part about this amazing weekend is the opportunity to meet and network with some of the most amazing photographers in Australia. Being able to catch up with those that are positioned all around the country, as well as meeting some fabulous new people make this time what it is. I am seriously humbled and amazed at the wonderful talent that our country has, and just to be part of that last week was a complete honour in itself. Thank you to all of my friends, new and old, for filling my heart with such warmth.

If you’re interested in learning more about the APPAs, you can visit the official website here.

In the meantime – have a beautiful week. Enjoy your families, your friends and your quiet time.

I’ll leave you with an image of this gorgeous little girl from a recent session I have yet to blog (as well as many, many other sessions that have still not seen the light of day on my blog due to being so busy behind the scenes) – she is so fortunate to have three older sisters who will be there to show her the way in life. She will have the wisdom of their experience, the kindess of their friendship and the beautiful connection from such a loving family. She is a lucky soul.

“Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart“ 
- Kahlil Gibran

My little Charlie boy is growing up far too quickly. How can you be so happy and so sad all at the same time?

I was about to sigh once more over this dreadful infestation, when I stopped and looked again.

Peeking out through the long grass strands were tiny little yellow flowers.
Weeds.

Yet… they were so pretty. Aren’t weeds supposed to be hated, even loathed? Why was I drawn to them? They were so beautiful – I’d seen them a hundred times before, they’re not an uncommon sight, so why was today any different? Was I looking at them with a different heart?

I saw them differently because I looked past the fact that they were weeds and therefore supposed to make me feel anything other than beauty. I knew in that moment I could feel whatever I wanted to feel… about anything. That was my choice. There was nothing good or bad about what I was looking at – it was only the way that I was feeling about what I saw that made it good or bad. I saw beauty. I wanted to go out and look at them, admire them, enjoy them. So, I did.

I too often forget, personally, how it’s the little things like this that can make such a huge impact in the way that you feel, love and be. I photographed the beauty that I saw today, for me – to remind me that there is beauty in everything. These flowers are not any less deserving of my attention or love for them just because they are weeds – it is my choice alone how I choose to look at them.

I do this constantly with those I am fortunate enough to photograph – every.single.client.is.beautiful. I am constantly in awe of the beauty that surrounds me when I photograph my clients – every moment, every breath, every whisper. Today my challenge was to go beyond the beauty that I see in my clients, and look for it where I might not have noticed before. 

So remember friends – you are important, you are loved and you are beautiful.

Find the beauty in small things, and the most unexpected of things.

I have had this song by The Who stuck in my head for days – mainly because I was catching up on some much neglected blog/website stat reviews, when I came across some wonderfully gorgeous people who had themselves blogged about me and my newborn and baby photography. I was blown away, truly. Particularly as I had never heard a peep from these people before, and yet here they were, taking the time to stop and write to the special people in their world, about my work. I felt flattered, actually –  more than that, I felt honoured. Speechless, in fact. I would have never known that they had done so had I not stumbled across them. But, it also made me realise there must be many people out there who may visit my blog without ever saying a word (and considering my stats, that’s the majority of you!).

So today, I challenge all of your silent visitors out there!!!! Drop in and say hello! Even if it’s just one word, I’d love to hear from you in the comments field on my blog below. Go on… it will take two seconds, I promise!   Whether you’ve never commented, commented once, comment occassionally or comment every time I blog (I appreciate it more than you know… x), I’m talking to YOU! Yes, YOU! Show me you’re listening

Coincidentally, I’m also updating a new FAQ post for my blog shortly, so if there is some burning question you’ve wanted to ask me about anything (doesn’t have to be biz related) either pop it in the comments below, or send me an email.

Facebook Page
Don’t forget I also have a Facebook page that I also keep updated, so if you’re not already a fan via Facebook, make sure you come past, join and say hello!

Day 31: So… here we are. The end of the month, the end of the photo-a-day project. I had wanted to get a photo of the two of them together quite a few times over the month, but it just never seemed to work out. So, I kept putting it off, putting it in the too hard basket, saying that I would do it on the 31st. But when the 31st came around, try as I may, they were both just not in the mood. I was just about ready to call it a day when all of a sudden, I snapped this last frame. I could almost cry. It’s like their little personalities were frozen, in that hundredth of a second, just as I know them. My happy little bright-eyed man and my shy, cheeky little girl – together, loving one another as only they can do. I couldn’t ask for anything more from them than be themselves, and this is what they gave me.

Thank you to everyone who as been following along this year’s project with me. It’s been a blast, and I hope that you have enjoyed it just as much as I have.

Day 30: Taken during one of his crying episodes if only just to prove he’s not always smiling. Still cute though…(naughty mummy!)

(I know I’m slightly behind with blogging these as I take them, and even though I’ve finished, I’ll try and get the last one up ASAP! Thank you for all of your lovely comments on the project everyone! x)

Day 29:  There’s the saying that if you can’t hear what your children are up to, then they’re always up to no good. I had just finished giving Charlie a bath and there was silence the house. No singing, no chatting, no toy noises. I could however, hear some very faint rustling noises coming from the studio. I was all ready to walk in expecting to see her looking through all of the albums that are in there (as she always does, it’s one of her favourite things to do) and instead found her conducting her own little photo session. When I asked her what she was up to, she put her finger up to her mouth and said ‘Very quiet. Baby sleeping mummy!’ and then proceeded to pick up her camera we had bought her for Christmas and take some photos. I almost melted on the spot. She had even gotten out blankets like a good baby photographer and put them over her dolly (who was on her tummy and had her arms up under the face, of course…). I asked her if I could take some photos too. She nodded. “Mummy, sit here” as she pointed to the space behind her. “Be very quiet”. If it weren’t for my uncontrollable giggling, I might have been very quiet too.

In honour of my 30th recently, I wanted nothing more than some images with my family. As a photographer, it is near impossible to get an opportunity to be in lovely photos with your own children, so I knew exactly what would make my heart sing for my birthday.

Barb is amazing – she gave me everything I could possibly wish for, and more. Beautiful, heart-felt, loving images with all of that Jinky magic that just follows her wherever she goes. I feel so thankful to have these loving memories of my family.

And as gorgeous as she is, she’s even blogged us -so head on over here to her blog, and check out her yummy images:

{Thank you my lovely friend, I have said it a million times already, and I’ll say it again once more… thank you! My heart has grown even bigger because of you xx}