Oscar

Hello friends! The blog has been a bit quiet of late... because I've been so busy! We've had Easter, birthdays, weddings and all manner of craziness in this house lately, it feels like I've finally had a chance just this week to sit down and get a blog post ready.

So here is little Oscar. He was the sweetest little man, and even though he was teething and - according to Mum and Dad - quite miserable, I still thought he was a divine little dude. I had a bunch of fun hanging out with him on a sunny Autumn afternoon.

His Mum and Dad's house (backyard in particular) was so gorgeous and quirky, and I could have spent many more hours exploring and photographing their knick-knacks, but they weren't real great for a 6 month old to explore, so I've promised to come back when he's a bit older and have some great adventures with him!

Sisters

I've talked before about the special bond that sisters share, and having two myself I can testify to that first hand. My sisters are my best friends. We share everything, laugh and fight. But we love each other wildly.

These two gorgeous little beans are going to grow up with a similar bond, you can already tell. I photographed Asher back in 2009 when she was teeny tiny, and when I went back for a visit last week I almost thought I was in the wrong house. She's grown up so much (as babies tend to do, I guess) and her big sis India has as well!

Their last session is here: Asher and India 2009

Last time we used the quaint little steps in the backyard to get some "still" shots of a very active toddler. This time it was the only way to get "still" shots of two gorgeous sisters together.

This is my first attempt at a more lifestyle shoot. Following the kids, allowing them to be themselves. I really enjoy the freedom in shooting this way, and it is the way I plan to shoot all my family sessions from now on. Let me know in the comments section what you think!

Thanks again Rachel for welcoming me into your home. I have so many gorgeous photos of your girls (and your bunny) for you, I couldn't keep the preview to just a few. Enjoy these and I'll be in touch soon xxx

India showing me how clever she is at pulling faces. I didn't encourage her. Much.

  And then we started to get tired, so headed inside for a story before bed...

Sunday Sun

One thing I absolutely adore about my job is seeing families grow and change from one session to the next. Seeing little kids go from shy toddlers to outgoing little pre-schoolers with more personality than I thought was possible for small children!

Regardless of the fact that I know this family really well, I'm still constantly surprised by how much the kids have grown... Paisley off to school next year, and Kirrilly conquering the known universe ;-)

This is seriously one of my most favouritist sessions ever (yes, it is a word. In the dictionary of Mandy - look it up!). Enjoy this preview Brooke and Rob, I was giggling so much at these images of your girls, they are awesome to the max. Love you guys xox

Brown eyed boy | Melbourne child photographer

Ok, I'll start this post by saying that little Jack made me swoon. Seriously. It takes me a lot to get clucky these days, but Jack did it. I just wanted to squish his cheeks and stare at that gorgeous little face all day long. And he's one of "those kids"... you know the ones: they sleep all night, laugh all day, happy little campers. One of those.

I feel so blessed to have been able to hang out with this little superstar yesterday afternoon with his parents Mick and Kat. Beautiful people, beautiful family, and now some beautiful images of you all cherish.

Enjoy these guys xoxox

Rhonda and Marion... a present for their mum!

I had a great shoot on the weekend for a wonderful family... Rhonda and Marion's mum is about to have a special milestone birthday, so both families got together for a lunchtime shoot in the park. I had a ton of fun, and even the grown ups said it wasn't as scary as they thought it would be!! Marion also mentioned that it's been a long long time since they had a photo of the four of them together... It is important to have family photos, and it's not as awful as you may think ;-)

Enjoy these guys... Gallery to come real soon xoxox

Baby's been a bad bad blogger

I have a few catch up posts to put up tonight, so keep an eye out!

First up, gorgeous lil Harvey! I had a wonderful newborn session with Harvey and his folks last year, you can see his session HERE! Now this little dude is 6 months old and mobile! He is such an adorable kid, and was so happy with playing and attempting to escape every shot, heheh.

Enjoy these Temora and Brad... I have a stack more coming in your gallery this week x

Roman & Amy | Melbourne family photographer

Trish called me some time ago to organise a session with me, but unfortunately their home was flooded with the huge storms that came through Melbourne at the start of March... And she was apologising for having to re-schedule!!! So we had our session yesterday afternoon. It was a gloomy afternoon in Melbourne, zero light and drizzly at 5pm, which is usually my favourite time of the day to shoot. So we had to make do with what we could find indoors. But I think you'll all agree that 6-month-old Roman would be luminous in any spot we'd put him! Look how gorgeous he is. And big sis Amy was a superstar. She had a lot of fun choosing her outfit and posing for me. And I had a ton of fun shooting her!!

Enjoy these Trish and Dean, I'll be in touch soon!

Mothers Day! | Melbourne family photographer

Mothers Day is almost upon us again for 2010. It's always a very busy day for our family, as both my kids birthdays are around then. This year Ivy's birthday falls on Mothers Day, last year it was Elliot's. I admit that sometimes it'd be nice to have a nice quiet relaxing Mothers Day, being pampered with sleep ins and breakfasts in bed... But if you're a mother, how is that even logistically possible? Especially if there's a birthday in the house too!!!!!!!!!

But seriously, I do feel very very blessed to be able to celebrate Mothers Day with my kids special days as well. As a mum, what other present could I ask for????? (Besides that sleep in!)

The 2 proudest and happiest days of my life... the birth of my 2 kids.

My own family has something of a Mothers Day brunch tradition. We all head out to see my mumma and my family, we eat a lot, drink too many caffeinated beverages, the kids run wild. Presents are shared and much banter is thrown about.

Me and my mumma

*sigh* I do love Mothers Day.

SO!!! To celebrate mums everywhere, I am running a special Mothers Day promotion and competition! Email me at comps@relicimagery.com.au and tell me about your own mum/nanna/mother of your own kids, and why you'd love to win a session with them. Tell me your story. I'd love to hear it. The winner will be chosen by a panel of judges, and will win a session with me at the location of their choice (Melbourne metro only... unless you want to fly me elsewhere ;-) ) with a $300 print credit which can be used towards anything you like... Prints, canvases, albums, ANYTHING! Conditions do apply, so please read the fine print at the bottom of this post. Competition closes on Monday April 12th, so get cracking!!

NOT ONLY THAT! Anyone who books a session between now and Anzac Day (April 25th) will receive a bonus 11x14 print, as well as your usual print credit. 11x14s are a size I don't normally stock, so this is a once only shot! That's a $75 bonus for you to use however you like... gift it to your mum, nanna or wife! Keep it for yourself! You choose.

And don't forget, I do have gift vouchers available.

Celebrate the special women in your life this Mothers Day, regardless of what you do. I know I will.

A client shoot - 4 generations of beautiful women

The fine print:

1. Winner must redeem prize by 31st May, 2010
2. Locations must be in Melbourne, otherwise travel fees will apply
3. Winner will be notified by email
4. The photographic session must include the person/people in your story. Otherwise, what's the point?
5. This is not a competition of chance. Winners will be carefully selected based on their story.
6. By entering this competition you agree to hear from Relic Imagery from time to time regarding promotions and special offers. I won't spam you, and that is a promise.
7. Competition closes on Monday April 12th, 2010. Winners will be announced shortly after.

Beachy morning | Melbourne family photographer

Back in August I had the absolute pleasure of photographing Gus and Alex's wedding. We decided virtually on the night to have a family session down the track, when everything settled down and Scarlet was a little bit older. So today we went down to the beach at Altona and took some shots with dog Willis in tow. It was a superb morning... warm and sunny, and we all had fun (except for maybe Scarlet, but she was happier when there was some food bribes on offer ;-) ).

I got to have another play with my wide angle too, which is absolutely perfect for beach shots! So here we are, the happily married family!!!!

Enjoy these Alex and Gus, and I'll be in touch again soon. Love you guys xox