17 From '17 | A Snapshot of 2017 {Avon Valley & Perth Wedding, Family, Event & Commercial Photographer}

As 2017 draws to a close, it's time to reflect on what an amazing year its been for me, with a random selection of some of my favourite images from the past 12 months.

So here they are, seventeen memorable moments from 2017, in no particular order.  An eclectic mix of images from the incredible weddings, families, events and commercial work I've been privileged to shoot throughout the year.  And a few from my own collection too, including a self portrait of me towards the end (yep, in my car, of course!).  Because its important for photographers to make time to document our own lives too.

So a huge thankyou to all of you who have made 2017 so rewarding for me.  Because without you, my amazing clients, friends and family, I wouldn't have been witness to these moments, or had the opportunity to create these images.

Have a fabulous Christmas and New Year, and I'll see you all again in 2018!

 

Why I Chose Pentax as My Weapon of Choice | Polka Dot Wisdom | Polka Dot Bride {Perth, Avon Valley & Wheatbelt Wedding Photographer}

A little article I wrote for the lovely ladies at Polka Dot Bride has just been published, and it goes something like this...

Hey, guess what?  I shoot Pentax!  Weird, I know?!  I don't think twice about it, of course, but every now and then I get asked why I chose Pentax as my camera system, usually by an observant wedding guest with an interest in photography, and almost always when I'm darting around grabbing shots, with no time to spare for explanations.  Well, it's mid winter now, and I'm buried in my office, with time to finally answer that question for you!

So why did I choose Pentax, when so many photographers have gone down the Canon or Nikon path?

Well, technically, Pentax chose me, when I joined my high school photography club and was handed one of the dozens of Pentax K1000's that the school loaned out to students on weekends, with a roll of film and a few vague instructions on how to use it.  My fate was then sealed in Year 11, when my parents returned from Bali with a K1000 they'd purchased for me Duty Free (thanks Mum and Dad!).

A couple of decades down the track, and I'm still shooting with that K1000, as well as Pentax's latest full-frame DSLR, the Pentax K1 (both pictured below).  And the reason I've stayed with this system is because Pentax make superb cameras and lenses.  They've been around forever, and have stood the test of time.  Their optics are incredible - they even make a medium format camera, the Pentax 645 Z, which just goes to show the level of build quality they are capable of.

They also boast a huge range of lenses, with many of the old manual film lenses being compatible with current digital cameras.  Which is a huge plus for me, because after so many years shooting Pentax, I now have a fabulous set of fast primes I can still use to create beautiful, dreamy images on your wedding day! 

And lastly, Pentax renders the final image with a lovely film-like quality, which goes hand in hand with my style, allowing me to produce images that hark back to the days of film, even when they're shot on the latest digital cameras.  So really, what more could I ask for in a camera system?!  Definately Pentax and proud!

Pentax Perth Avon Valley Wheatbelt Wedding Photographer.jpg

A Snapshot of 2016 | A Year in Review {Avon Valley & Perth Wedding, Family, Event & Commercial Photographer}

2016 has been a fabulous year for me and my business - I've met and worked with some amazing folk in some super cool locations, but now, with the exception of my little sisters wedding on New Years Eve, I'm done shooting for the year! 

So I'm taking some time to reflect on the last 12 months, with a selection of random faves from both my client and personal work.  Images that move and inspire me in some way to continue doing what I do.  It might be the colour, light or composition, the emotion or moment they capture, the personalities involved, or the snapshot they provide of a wider story, which led me to select them.  Sometimes I can't put my finger on it, I just know that an image holds and records something special for me.

So here they are.  In no particular order.  Some digital, some shot on film.  Images from the incredible weddings, families, events and commercial work I've been privileged to shoot throughout the year.  And a few from my own collection too, including a portrait of me right at the end (thanks to my very clever 10 year old!).  Because its important for photographers to make time to document our own lives too.   

So a huge thankyou to all of you who have made 2016 so rewarding for me.  Because without you, my amazing clients, friends and family, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to create these images...

 

Bali + Lembongan | Travel | August 2015 {Avon Valley Documentary & Travel Photographer}

A seemingly endless run of frosty nights and icy days has me dreaming of warmer places, so I'm casting back to a year ago, when I travelled to Bali and Lembongan with my girlfriends from school, for a week of R&R...

No husbands, no kids, just us and a week of lazy days spent by the pool and on the beach, drinking G&T's, laughing till our sides split, and savouring the most amazing array of food this special place has to offer.  Plus a heap of shopping, countless massages, a couple of crazy motorbike rides, and a few random nights out.  And then an ash cloud to keep us there for a few more days! 

So who wants to pack me in a suitcase, take me on their next holiday, and have me document it all in beautiful pictures?

 

A Portrait of Harvest | Personal Project | November 2015 {Avon Valley Documentary Photographer}

I've just spent a month working on an exciting personal project, documenting the story of harvest, from paddock to bin, while I drove a grain truck for my brother on our family farm.

This was a special opportunity for me on a number of levels, but mostly because I was able to return to my farmy roots, and at the same time, have oodles of time to record the story of a unique and ever changing season on a farm in the Wheatbelt of WA.

All shot on a Fuji XPro1 mirrorless camera, with the 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 and 35mm F1.4 lenses, this is a collection of spontaneous, opportunistic 'grab shots' which were taken while I was working, often as I pulled into a paddock or sat in line waiting to deliver my load of grain at the CBH bins. 

In most cases I didn't have the luxury of waiting for the best light, or taking time to position someone better for a portrait, or even to shoot on anything but aperture priority mode, because, well, I was meant to be working, which for the most part includes holding the steering wheel in a truck! Which is why you'll see lots of loosely composed images, and shots taken through the windscreen, bugs, dust and all.  But as many of you will know, I kinda like to shoot like that anyway, so really, I was completely in my element on this one!

Following are some of my favourites.  But there are so many more, so I suggest you settle in and enjoy them all in slideshow format, because that's where you'll see plenty more of the farm, my fellow truckies, and the friendly staff at CBH Avon Yard, who so kindly allowed me to poke around with my camera for an entire month!