Melbourne Photographer specialising in portraits of newborns, babies, engagements and weddings
I’m currently working my way through editing a client gallery, though I should have been in bed a loooooooooong time ago – but I just can’t help myself. And I can’t help jumping the gun a little and sharing just one photo.
Seriously – how impossibly gorgeous is she?!! And better yet – there’s another soul just like her. The spitting image in fact.
More tomorrow night, all going well.
Narrelle x
{ Christening Photography Melbourne }
He made me work nice and hard this one. I personally think he knows a good thing when he’s got it, and was enjoying all the extra cuddles. I can hardly blame him for protesting every time we tried to put him down and sneak the nice, warm blankie off him. I’d have been the same. But what’s great about these bubs that don’t do quite what we expect them to is they keep me on my toes. And I get to capture them as they are, which I just love – it really is at the heart of my photography. As much as I love the posed, sleepy, deep breath *sigh* inducing photographs of newborns, and as much as I will aim to capture some of these each session, it just doesn’t always work. Baby rules the roost as far as these sessions go, and I simply follow their lead. Happily.
What I love about this session was the connection between little Liam and his mummy and daddy. I adored watching him search them out, and engage with them. I love how laid back they all were, and how comfortable and natural they were as a new family of four. And I felt grateful to be able to record a brief moment in their lives, as they were. As I look through the images from the day I know that’s what they reflect. And that makes me happy.
Thank you so much, Natasha and Andrew for having me over. It really was a pleasure to spend time with you all – you have a beautiful family. And you would seriously have to be amongst the most relaxed and calm people I know (which comes in handy when I get thrown out by roadworks on the way and end up running half an hour late…. please tell me you weren’t stressing in secret… 
) Here’s a few of my favourites so far. I just love the first shot – I wish I had one like this with my own children.
And don’t you just love these little feet. I just wanna munch on them!
I hope he slept well after I left, guys. It would be pretty typical. 
Narrelle. x
{ Newborn Photography Melbourne }
I made my way through the loungeroom, then sat myself at the table. It wasn’t long before I was greeted by a hug. You know, the there-are-arms-wrapped-tight-around-my-neck-and-I’m-not-sure-how-long-I-should-hug-back-before-pulling-away-but-I’ll-enjoy-it-in-the-meantime type hugs. And I did enjoy it. She gave a great hug – definately a wonderful way to get the session started.
Emily has Global Develpoment Delay, and also has ASD tendencies. Her way of showing acceptance of me was to hug me, nice and tight. A genuine, motiveless, nice and tight hug. What a great way of saying to someone, you know - I really am happy to have you in my space. I’m very tempted to remember it myself for future meetings – if only we weren’t all so un-selfconscious as Emily.
Emily’s mother applied recently for a session, through the The Littlest Heroes Project. Towards the end of the session yesterday she showed me the last ‘decent’ photograph they had of Emily, taken four years ago. I felt so sad for them, in the sense that there was a whole chunk of Emily’s life that they’d not been able to capture, and record, and recall the moments of joy that had been. And I’m sure there were plenty of those moments. Despite Emily’s inability to express herself, as you or I might, there was definately a visible happiness, a calm in her spirit. She is truly beautiful, inside and out. Actually, flicking through the photographs last night, I was surprised at just how lovely she looked. At just seven years of age she has a beauty and grace well beyond her years. And it was an absolute pleasure to be able to capture that for her family.
As a charity session, not only was the session time and fee donated, but they will also receive all the digital files on disc to keep for themselves, as well as a print of each of the images. It is a tremendous blessing on my part to be able to do this for them. They’ve missed out on four years already, having other issues and priorities to focus on. It would make me incredibly sad if I weren’t able to offer something that I take for granted in order that they don’t miss out on another year.
If you, or a young child or person (under the age of 21) you know is currently fighting, or has fought, or suffers from any serious childhood disease or life-altering disability please get in touch with the team from The Littlest Heroes Project. Once your application is accepted they’ll be more than happy to put you in touch with a local photographer who will, in turn, be tremendously blessed to be able to offer his or her time.
Below are some of the images from Emily’s session. I love each and every one of them. I especially love the last set of four though, taken at the end of the morning as we were winding up. Emily’s brother, Aaron, had been determined to get in the shots the whole morning, and I’d promised him his turn when Emily’s was over. I’m so glad that I got to capture the two of them together. There was such an obvious bond between her and her older brother. It was precious to see. It makes my heart very happy indeed.
Narrelle x
{ Children’s Photographer Melbourne }
There are moments when I walk away from a session with a deap-seated knowledge that I’m made to do what I do. I feel happy. content. complete. fulfilled. excited. all-a-quiver. quiet. elated. at peace.
This was one of those times.
I got into my car and headed away, waving goodbye as I left, a smile on my face and a chesire cat grin in my heart. The grin’s still there, by the way. Each time I think of little Mary, and her beautifully sweet nature, and her innocent heart, it lights up again. Gosh – I could go on and on about how much I loved this session, about how much I loved little Mary, about how wonderful it felt each time she ran to me with one of her hugs. How she reminded me of what childhood is all about. How she made me want to capture that so bad.
As I watched the images upload I gasped, then smiled. More than once. They were just how I wanted them to be. I could breathe again.
Allison and Tim, I’m thinking this could be one of my favourite sessions to date. It was an absolute joy spending time with you and your gorgeous girl. I can still feel her spontaneous, genuine hugs, even if , at the time, I was simply something to grab on to, to stop from falling. I’ll take them as hugs. And I’ll hold onto the warm fuzzy feeling that went with them. There’s nothing quite like the honest joy of a child – I could breathe in solely of that all day if my body didn’t rely on oxygen. And if Jaedon wasn’t already betrothed I’d be begging for an arranged marriage between the two of them.
Here’s just a few for now, though I’d love to pop the whole lot on here. They represent to me what I love about photography, and children, and life. And the blending of the three.
Narrelle x
{ Child Photographer Melbourne }
My first session for the day, and it was off to a good start. I walked in the door to be greeted by the most delicious of aromas and a fresh cup of hot coffee. Mmmmm.
And Vincent, my subject for the morning, was just as divine, if not more so. He had an impossibly gorgeous little face, and the rosiest of cheeks (teething will do that to you). He was a little shy, but we soon worked a smile or two out of him with all our dancing and singing, and funny face pulling. Maybe he thought we were funny, or perhaps he just smiled because he felt sorry for us. Either way works for me.
I love this age. And I know I say that whether it’s a newborn, a six month or a two year old child I photograph. I guess they all have their endearing qualities, each being at a unique stage in their lives. But at six months, most children are very alert, and very curious. They love soaking up their surroundings, and their eyes – so wide and full of innocence – contain the essence of childhood. And what I’d give to have eyes like Vincent. Boy, are the girls in trouble in sixteen years or so.
These are just a few images from his session. I’m glad we managed a few smiles out of your little boy, Antonella – he really is beautiful. Such a sweet little soul.
Thanks for a great start to the weekend, Antonella and John. It really was a pleasure spending time with you all. You have a gorgeous family, and it was an honour being able to capture your little guy at this stage of his life.
Narrelle x
{ Baby Photographer, Melbourne }
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