Connecting Within
14
JULY, 2019
The pregnancy journey is a time of rapid change, growth, challenge and contemplation. One journey is never the same and often brings us out the other side as stronger, more in tune being.
The biggest life journey for a woman is motherhood, the journey of growing a baby, navigating birth and allowing the adventure to begin, leaving most things you knew to be your reality behind.
It is a time of receiving advice, working out who you are on a deeper level. What are your morals, your beliefs, your strengths, your weaknesses. What choices will you make for your baby, yourself and your family throughout this winding journey?
“One journey is never the same, and often brings us out as a stronger, more intone being.”
Dr. Google can tell us all this and more, but is it really you? Does it resonate in your soul? The best advice you can receive in pregnancy is to go somewhere that speaks to you, somewhere that makes you feel like you.
Sit yourself down in the middle of a field, in front of the crashing waves, on the top of your mountain, or in your favourite nook of your house and stop. Be still. And tune in to your growing baby, listen to your thoughts, contemplate and challenge your path thus far, trust your beliefs and be brave in your choices for you and only you.
How do you want your journey to look? feel? Who do you want to bring along for the ride? Who will support you and hold up your river banks as you flow, crash and ebb within them? It may be one person, it may be many, filling your cup in different little ways.
If you don’t have your river bank around you, go out and find them, more likely than not your support tribe is already there, waiting for you to arrive.
We are each on our own unique motherhood journey, some parts known and some parts yet to be uncovered, but if we don’t tap in to it from the beginning, how do we truly know what it looks like? It may seem, scary and confronting and way too challenging, but I promise you that it is how it began for most, and trusting in ourselves as strong, capable and deserving women is a magical place to start.
Maternity- Birth - Newborn- Family- Commercial
Alstonville, Ballina, Byron Bay
Maternity- Birth - Newborn- Family- Commercial
Alstonville, Ballina, Byron Bay
frequently asked questions
Q. My kids are gorgeous, but they don’t sit still and I’m worried they won’t behave..."
A. I’m a mum of three busy kids, I get it, the more you tell them what to do, the less they want to do it! I usually start with a few ‘everyone look at the camera’ shots and then the rest of the session is pretty easy going, I might give some suggestions for things to do, or more photogenic places to go, but generally I just let the kids play and explore. Often the best photos are when your kid is doing the thing that makes them most happy! And if meltdowns happen (and they will!) I may take an adorable photo of that, and then we can take a little break or head on a different adventure.
Q. Should I wait until everything is perfect?
A. Is family life ever perfect? Your kids want to see you, with them, so they can hold those memories and feelings in their hearts. You may never lose those 5 kilos, you may never re-paint that feature wall, and that is okay. Your kids don’t care, time goes fast, don’t wait. (or if you’re like me, a photoshoot is a great deadline haha).
Q. So how does it work? Where do we start?
A. Great question – click on the contact tab above to chat with me!
Q. When should I book my family session?
A. If you need a weekend, I am usually booked out 2-3 months in advance, so get in touch ASAP to check availability. If a weekday suits you, at least 2-4 weeks notice is great. I do get the odd cancellation, so it’s always worth checking if you aren’t sure!
Q. When should I book my newborn session?
A. If you want to capture your bub when they’re brand new, book a session as soon as you can. I usually book you in for your due date initially, then whenever your little one arrives we can make a firm date and time then. I only take on 4 newborns a month so I am able to be flexible if they need to be rescheduled. My sessions however are very relaxed and don’t require bub to be asleep to perform any crazy baby yoga positions, so even if your bub is 4-6 weeks old by the time you are feeling up to photos, they will still capture all that new baby love.
Q. What if my baby arrives early or late, can we move our newborn session?"
A. Yes, absolutely! Often babies don’t like to stick to their due date and that is fine. I usually recommend booking your session for your due date, and if bub comes early or late we can work out an available date to move the session.
Q. What days/times do you do the sessions?
Outdoor sunset sessions I shoot Monday-Sunday, we start 1-2 hours before sunset, depending on the location.
Real life sessions I shoot on Sundays and the time can vary depending on the activities you choose to do and the light in your home/yard, generally 2-3 hours before sunset
Newborn sessions I generally shoot these Monday - Friday, we generally aim for a 9.30am start if that works with any older kids and naps. If you need a weekend session to include older siblings this can be arranged also.
If you have a wedding or other occasion, I do have some flexibility outside of these days/times, so please Get in touch
Q. Where can we do the shoot?
A. I absolutely love photographing families in places that are special to them, whether that is your family home, or the beach or park you always go to together, if the place is special to you, the photos will also be that little bit more special in the years to come. If it’s just a photogenic location for your sunset session you need, then head to the contact page and I’m happy to recommend some options around the Byron Bay or Northern NSW.
Q. Can my dog be in the photos?
A. Absolutely! I have a dog who is very much a special part of our family, I couldn't imagine having family photos without him! Let me know if you want to bring your fur baby and we can make sure it's a dog friendly location. They can be in all the photos if you want, or we can find a shady spot to tie them up or let them roam free if they are allowed, up to you!
Q. How much is it?
A. Head to my contact page and get in touch to find out. Alternatively my pricing page will give you a starting price for the various sessions.
Q. Can I have a discount?
A. For past clients who have had a full family or newborn session with me I offer a $100 discount off your chosen package. If my sessions aren’t within your current budget, keep an eye out for one of my mini sessions by following me on my Facebook or Instagram, as they are announced here first.
Q. Do you do mini sessions?
A. Yes! I usually do mini sessions around mothers day and Christmas mini sessions in November. These sessions are shorter than my regular sessions, with a small number of images at a discounted price. Best to keep an eye on my Facebook or Instagram as they are announced here first.
Q. What if the weather is bad or we’re sick on the day of the shoot?
A. Cloudy skies make for great photos, but I certainly don’t want to get stuck in a storm. If it looks like it may rain and this will affect our shoot, I’ll be in contact in the days prior and we can decide if we should reschedule.
If you or your little ones are sick, please try to give a least 24 hours notice, and we can reschedule when everyone is feeling better.
Q. What should we wear?
A. I’ll send you a detailed guide after you book your session, including lots of info on what to wear, what to expect and how to prep for your session. But if you have any questions, head to my contact page and we can chat!
Q. Do you photograph extended families?
Yes! The relationships between cousins, grandparents, aunts is truly special and many families gift a session to a loved one for special occasions. You are welcome to also split off into separate family groups for photos also. Head to my pricing page for starting prices on family sessions or my contact page to chat with me.