Hard at it

Despite evidence to the contrary (ie the extreme lack of movement on my blog of late) I've been working hard over the last few weeks.

I've been all over the country to photograph some glorious weddings. I've enjoyed the traveling, mainly because it gives me a chance to listen to the podcasts I like in the car (hello This American Life) without the kids demanding I turn it off and put Justine Clarke on instead.

Here's photographic proof that I've been working. This is me at Brigid and Carl's wedding.



Things I've learnt about myself that I didn't know before I looked at these photos:
1. I squint. A lot.
2. I have chubby fingers. Okay, I already knew that, but the photos rammed it home for me.
3. Farm machinery is hot.
4. I strike the most ridiculous poses when I'm shooting.
5. I should have brushed my hair a little better.

* Meaghan

Thanks to Lauren who came along to learn for the day for taking these photos.

Let there be light!

You know those ads on telly, where the kids are being particularly cute in a big bath in a bathroom filled with light. There's usually a yellow rubber duck somewhere in shot, and bubbles placed very carefully on it's head. I've always hated those ads. Not for their cliched bubble-gum naffyness. But because I've secretly always coveted the bathroom.



Once I moved out of home I've always lived in houses with dark dank bathrooms. The tiles were always straight from the 70's. One bathroom had the showerhead coming out of the roof and raining down onto the beach coloured shower base below. Gorgeous.



So I despised those ads because they made me want something I thought I'd never have. A light filled bathroom.





But day of all days, our new bathroom is exactly that. There's a window the size of a fridge that lets in all the afternoon sun. It twinkles and dazzles and makes bath time a zillion times more enjoyable.

Right Miles?



I love that I can finally take photos of the kids in the bath. There's shiny surfaces a plenty for the light to bounce off. I just have to keep the camera out of the splash zone.



This new house thing is going well. Going very well indeed. I'm going to get me a yellow rubber duck.





* Meaghan

Wedding - Diana and Scott

You'll be happy to know that not once on his wedding day did I call Scott the wrong name (remember this?). Not once! All the way there in the car I kept repeating 'scott, scott, scott' so that by the time I got there I couldn't even remember the name I had accidently called him.

Diana and Scott were married up in Echuca, such a beautiful part of the world. I was honoured to be asked to go all the way up there for their wedding. Plus I got to stop in on friends in Shepparton on the way through, so a double plus for me.

Their wedding was all things elegant, and classic, and poised. Basically all the things I'm not. Perhaps that's why I was in awe all day. I was looking for tips of how to pull off 'elegant'.











Camera envy.



Scott was suave, so suave. So ready to marry his love.









The photo on the left is one of my all time favourite photos. Just look at Scott's face. He's watching Diana come down the aisle. You can see his eyes getting glassy. That expression just says it all. It's what a wedding is all about.









Diana really designed her wedding well. There were small touches which really took it to the next level. One of my favourites was the environmentally friendly confetti. Brilliant!





After the ceremony the bridal party and I wandered along the old time warf in Echuca. I used to go there on school excursians and always thought it really boring. I was in primary school, so that's to be expected. But visiting again now, I really loved it. The buildings were the perfect backdrop.





Scott's face in this photo cracks.me.up!







These two had me in stitches all day. Diana's sister and her friend Cazz were dynamite. They thought it they lifted up the ruffles on their dresses they resembled bat wings. Demonstrated here.



I can't believe I've forgotten to mention my FAVOURITE part of the day. No it wasn't her dress, or the vows, or even the cake. It was Diana's nickname. Since a child, Diana has been known as Poss. To this day, everyone calls her Poss. Everyone. It's the sweetest, warmest nickname. Everytime someone said it, it was like they were being extra loving towards her. 'Poss, can I get you a drink?' "Poss, you look beautiful.'' "I love you Poss."





I asked Diana if she wanted me to get those few bits of confetti out of her hair. 'Nah," she said. "They're part of the day." Exactly! Well played Diana.







Radcliffe's in Echuca is ah-mazing. Their function room is enveloped in a canopy of vines. I walked in their and promptly lost my breath. It really is something you need to see to believe.







Diana said to me later that their wedding really was the best day of her life. The gravity of having friends and family together in the one place to celebrate their marriage was not lost on her. "I'll cherish it forever," she said.



To see Diana and Scott's slideshow click HERE

* Meaghan

Return to normal (ish) programming

After a longer than expected hiatus, I'm back.

Our brand spanking new house is all built and we have moved in. I'm surprised by how much I love the house already. I thought it would be a little souless to start off with, without us having put our stamp on it. However it already feels like home. The house is light and oh so bright. The morning sun streams into the kitchen and bounces cheekily of the countertop. I love flinging open my bifold doors and letting the sea breeze lilt into our living room.

Miles and Ryan are as glad as I am to finally be settled in the one place. We are all enjoying stretching out in our new home. Ryan kept going the long way to his bedroom in the first few days though, because he would get lost going the other way. And often I would hear Miles' voice come from the depths of the house calling 'Mum, where did the toilet go?' They are both still convinced I'm going the wrong way when driving home from the beach, and yell at me from the back seat to turn around.

Ah, the joys of moving.



I've been busy busy working while I've been away from the blog. I've got a bevvy of wonderful weddings to show you all, some family shoots I went on, plus photos from our time in Portarlington. I've travelled up to Echuca and all the way down to Tasmania for weddings, plus plenty in the Geelong area. It's been a crazy few

Being internet free was, to be honest, wonderful. Just what I needed. My head buzzes enough on it's own, and adding the whirl of the internet really makes the noise in my head outrageously loud. At first I was jumpy, like someone giving up coffee. But then I relaxed, my mind calmed, I embraced the silence. I reconnected with my kids, my friends and myself. I've got a new view on how I'll approach the net from now on. Taking it in bite sized pieces rather than eating the whole pie.

I've missed you all, all your great comments and support. It's terrific to be back.



What I'm reading: The Year of Living Dangerously by Christopher Koch . In the move I found my long lost copy and am getting to read the final few chapters I'd missed out on by losing it.
What I'm listening to: Relistening to Drunken Trees by First Aid Kit

PS - I've decided to do away with the borders on my photos. Sure, they're lovely, but they take stinking forever to put all the photos into them. So they've been banished so I can spend less time on the computer and more time cooking in my new kitchen.

PPS - The photos of me were taken by Estelle while we were taking a break from shooting a wedding in Tasmania.