Everything about these photos makes me happy, but not quite as much as the people in them. I love how much they love and adore one another, and how that has been captured in 5 frames and a few short minutes.
That’s definately worth repeating on a yearly basis.

Narrelle x

1. See the Hollywood sign. For real.
2. Visit Disneyland.
3. Do a photo safari/expedition.  Like to the Galapagos Islands. Or Madagascar.
4. Publish a book.
5. Quit biting my nails.
6. Be comfortable in my own skin.
7. Organise a charity working holiday to Bolivia (more specifically La Paz and El Alto).
8. Get fit. Actually use the home gym we bought 18 months ago with this purpose in mind.
9. Go to bed before 11:30.
10. Beleive in myself.
11. Do a destination wedding in Hawaii, Canada, Finland, or Greece. Or all of the above.
12. Take up Spanish lessons again.
13. Learn to play the Piano.
14. Have a vegetable patch.
15. Invent something.
16. Shoot a wedding for free, for somebody that needs a little love.
17. Teach our kids to rollerskate.
18. Build something (with my own hands) for the new house.
19. Wear ear-rings every day for a whole month.
20. Do something spontaneous and totally out of character.
21. Go skinny-dipping (see above).
22. Do a barista course, and learn how to make pretty patterns on the top of my coffee.
23. Have Matt’s lunch ready for him before he goes to work.
24. Renew my (PADI) diving licence, and go diving again.
25. Raise a five figure sum for an inspiring, life changing organisation or person.
26. Do something that completely terrifies me.
27. Convince Tara Whitney to come to Australia to do a workshop/retreat (or attend if someone else manages to convince her first).
28. Have a portrait session done of Matt and I.
29. Attend one of Stephen Dupont’s workshops. Kathmandu would be awesome.
30. Buy the most expensive bottle of wine in the restaurant. Red of course.
31. Find a hairdresser that actually does what I ask for.
32. Win a game of pool against Matt.
33. Watch The Sound of Music.
34. Have lots of beautiful babies visit the soon to be built studio.
35. Go a whole week without a computer or mobile phone. Voluntarily.
36. Visit New Zealand, and toy with the idea of bungee jumping.
37. Bite off more than I can chew.
38. Fly first class.
39. Eat a truffle. A real one, not one made from condensed milk and coconut.
40. Make enough money for Matt to retire (guess whose contribution that one was).

It seems like a big list, however there’s nothing I would cross off as being out of the picture just yet. Some excite me more than others. Some just plain terrify me, but not as much as having nothing to work towards at all.  So I’ll dream big, work hard, and tick off as many as I can.  And have a party at the end anyway.

Narrelle x

Kelly, if you could figure out how to market his DNA you’d be sitting on a goldmine.  You could buy that house you’ve been wishing for, and a hundred others just like it.  And fill each of them with beautiful children.
Imagine what fun that would be, for us photographers anyway.

Narrelle x

The following are because I must.take.photos of the things that make me happy.  Today it was clear blue skies, and trees that cling to both the memories of autumn and the promise of spring at the same time.

And, as co-incidence would have it, I also planned to blog some images today from a recent night out with The Idea of North and James Morrison.
They were here in Melbourne, launching their joint project Feels Like Spring, and I had the fantastic opportunity of photographing the evening for them.
As expected it was a fabulous night – every time I see these guys I come away feeling thoroughly entertained, and this time was certainly no exception.  It was probably the best I’ve seen them play.  But then again I say that every time I do.  Perhaps they do just keep getting better and better?

Anyway, here are the photographs.  If only I could attach sound to them.  Well I could if I’d used video I guess.  But there’s a good reason why I’m a photographer and not a videographer. 

I love this first one  – there was (and always is with these guys) such an element of fun to the evening.  This totally sums it up.

And I may need to explain the following shots – they were taking during the performance of Dear John, and showed Nick and Sally having a lyrical argument scat fight.  Brilliant and hilarious at the very same time.  One of my favourite parts of the show.

Thanks as always, guys, for having me along.  It was a seriously good night.
And now each time I think of Spring, I’ll think of you.
Not such a bad thing.

Narrelle x

In all seriousness – I make sure everyone I photograph is well aware I am doing so, and I make sure to show them the results on the back of the camera as soon as I am done.  Most people are surpised to find they are half decent.  Maybe my camera doesn’t look serious enough (maybe I should start shooting with the 70-200) or maybe I just don’t look like a proper photographer, but either way I get a bit of a buzz when I flip the camera round and see their faces light up.  I think I’m becoming addicted to it actually, which is probably why I found it hard to stop today, being on a roll and all.  Until Jaedon reminded me that he reeeeeeeeallly had to go to the toilet.  Poor boy.

I’m enjoying this little challenge so much that I was thinking of making it slightly more of a challenge.  If anyone wants to leave me a comment, and a (semi-basic) description of the type of person I should try and approach, such as age, gender, ethnicity, hair colour etc, I’m all for it. 

In the meantime here is the first of today’s willing models.  I have four photos of her that I just love, but this is my favourite.  I don’t think she realised how gorgeous she looked.  I hope she sees this and believes it.

Narrelle x

They won great big points with me right from the start, for agreeing to incorporate a giant lime velvet chair I’d recently found at a charity shop into the session.  Truth be known their upcoming session immediately sprang to mind the moment my keen eyes spotted it, and I bought it in faith that they’d be up for it as much as I was.  They didn’t disappoint me (thanks again, guys!).  The logistics of driving it into the city, finding a park where I could drive straight in (as I couldn’t see out the rear mirrors to reverse) and then offloading it at the other end hadn’t occured to me at that point, but it all added to the adventure, and will make for a great story years down the track.

One of the things I adored most about the time I spent with Keri and Stephen, capturing fun and loving moments between the two of them, was watching them as a couple, not as parents (as I’d previously captured them).  It’s something I genuinely appreciate about photographing couples aside from their children, and I always walk away feeling better off for it, having witnessed a love that is much more than an infatuation.  It’s a love that’s grown, matured, deepened and strengthened through the bearing and raising of the product of that love, but exisiting before and outside of it.  It’s a wonderfully beautiful thing.  And I had no idea until near the end of their session that this was Keri and Stephen’s first instance they had left their son alone to have time by themselves.  No wonder they were having so much fun! 

Thank you so much Stephen and Keri for being being so gorgeous, so happy, and so in love.  For reminding me why I love spending time with people in love, and capturing that love.  And for being willing to drag a giant lime green velvet chair around the centre of Melbourne with me.  I definately walked away from your photography session feeling much better off for it. You guys rock.  In every way. 

And I have to say I love every single one of these images – each one a favourite for one reason or another.  I hope they can see as much of themselves in them as I can.  And I hope they make them as happy as they do me.
And that’s very happy.

If you’d like a little peep at the rest of their session, click on this link to their slideshow (best paused while it loads).  And feel free to leave them lots of love and tell them how gorgeous they are (have I mentioned that already?)

Narrelle x

 Narrelle x

I had a fabulous time in Sydney. It was an awesome, encouraging and inspiring way to kick start 2010.  I’m convinced already that it’s been one of the best things I’ve done so far, for both me and my business.

Here’s just a couple of my favourite images so far, the first from a shoot and walk with the beautiful Jackie yesterday, and the following two from the workshop itself.

I’ll be back with a lot more soon. 

Narrelle x