To'ia Family | Brisbane Family Photography

This family session is the epitome of coming full circle. I paused my photography work during my pregnancy with my youngest children, my twin daughters, now my first official session back is with this beautiful family that also includes twin girls. When twin mamas meet its next level mama-bonding with plenty of stories to share, and tales of commiseration and joy to tell in this somewhat unique parenting experience.

We spent a winter’s morning together in their home and in their garden making some photographs for this gorgeous family that jumped from three to five in not quite the blink of an eye; those twin pregnancies are long and slow. These little ladies have it made with this big brother doting on them while they track his every move, desperate to be on the move with him.

Thank you for welcoming me into your home To’ia family, it was such a treat to make these photographs for you.

Welcome Isabelle | Newborn Photographer Brisbane

I met beautiful Isabelle when she was twelve days old.  She was especially tiny and delicate - or perhaps she just seemed so to me because my little loves were both big babies ;-)  Their newborn session was a kind gift from both of their sisters to celebrate their new family.

I met Isabelle and her parents at the lovely home of her grandparents for our session.  As we slowly worked around feeding and settling Isabelle, I was so impressed with the gentle and confident support Ian gave to Angela as she attached Isabelle for a feed.  Twelve days into breastfeeding is no easy feat, you're both still figuring out how this all works - add in recovery from birth, sleep deprivation and learning how to be parents for the first time - the support, love, kind words of encouragement, reminders of how a good latch should look etc from your partner means the world!  I was instantly taken back to those first few weeks bunkered down at home with my husband and our babies when he would just sit next to me while I fed them, offering all the things I saw in Ian.  Magic. 

Here are a few of my photographs from our session together. 

Newborn sessions allow a lot of time for getting to know the new family, being so warmly welcomed into a home - like I was with Angela and Ian - is always a pleasure I'm grateful to experience. 

Pentax 645n|  Portra 400

To chat about booking in a session like this for your family, please click through to my contact page and get in touch. x

Life Inspired : Ilona-Rose | Brisbane Lifestyle Photography

It's my beautiful bestie's birthday today ... Happy Happy Birthday Ilona xx 

We've known each other for most of our lives and I still laugh the most with her. We are on the same page when it comes to the beautiful, intricate details of life and balance each other out in all the other stuff.  

My friend is sincere but sassy, inspired and traditional, loyal and fun, bold and driven, supportive and genuine in her friendship. And my husband loves her almost as much as I do! 

She's snuggled my newborn babies with so much affection, listens intently to their stories now they're not babies anymore, she makes herself at home in our home, she encourages my big dreams - and we dream big together. Our life is so much brighter with her in it. 

My birthday wish for her is that she is always, always surrounded by love and joy and loyalty and encouragement and celebration and sincerity. 

Apple Tarte Tatin, by Ilona...

We took these photographs a couple of years ago, at a time when she had found her strong, wonderful spark again and I can't tell you how happy I am that I stood in her kitchen with her and photographed it.  

I found my spark again too when I got these photographs back, I fell right back in love with film.  

Happiest of Birthdays my beautiful Lona, we love you lots and lots. xx  

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Nikon F4 | Portra 400  

Schuring Family | Brisbane Family Photography

12 Months | 12 Families ... 2 of 12

Meet The Schuring family, one of my families participating in my Twelve Months Twelve Families project. It's so fun to start seeing this project really get underway! 

Family sessions are the core of my business, the work that I love spending the bulk of my time doing, but that doesn't always mean it's easy. Millie - usually a massive fan of having her photo taken - was not into it the afternoon of our session. We were having trouble leaving their house in fact. In that situation there are two options ... 1. negotiate with a young child who doesn't want to hear any of it, or 2. go to the park and let them play until they were happy to chat about photos. Option 2 is always a winner, and it wasn't long until Millie was super keen to get in front my camera.  

We moved a little way down the park to make these really fun family photos, photos full of all of their crazy, their laughter, their snuggles and their cheekiness.  

The girls were a hoot and completely embraced the 'have fun' direction I gave them! It absolutely makes my job that much easier when the kids are comfortable enough to be themselves, it makes the afternoon easier for mum and dad too! 

Thanks so much for signing up to the project Libby! It was so great to photograph your family and spend an afternoon photographing all of the love you're so clearly surrounded by. xx

Click through to the contact page to get in touch to chat about a session like this for your family. 

Pentax 645n  +  Portra 400

Nikon F4  +  Acros & Fuji Superia 20

Martin Family | Brisbane Family Photographer

12 Months | 12 Families ... 1 of 12

Meet the big-hearted, fun-loving, all-or-nothing Martin Family.  Mama Peta is one of my oldest friends. Her family lived across the road from our family from when I was around two years old - or perhaps I was younger. In any case, she's been in my life forever. One of my earliest memories was going over to her place to play with her amazing collection of Barbies. Lots of well kept outfits and shoes for days - all matching pairs!  I spent days and days of my school holidays with her, smuggled a puppy we named Puddles home with her, and cuddled two of her four babies at only days old (she's a wonderful mama). Like I said, a lifetime of memories. 

For anyone who reads this who knows the Martins, will nod along in agreement here ... They're one of the most down to earth families around, they welcome you with open arms and would literally take their shirt off their own back for you. No questions asked. They're loyal to the end, they cherish those they keep extra close and fun always seems to find them - if not, they bring it with them. 

The last time I photographed them, was Peta & Dean's wedding day. It was such a genuine honour to photograph almost all of them all these years later, though we missed Jesse on the day of our session.  I only hope I did them justice, especially Peta - I want her to properly believe everyone who tells her how beautiful she looks in these photos. And especially Tiarna. Being a teenager is no joke, we're hard on ourselves and on others as we're dragged from childhood to an adult. I wish I had a beautiful photo of myself as a teenager, I hope that Tiarna sees her own beauty in these photographs. 

Thank you for trusting me with photographing your family, my friends. I loved spending the afternoon with you all - proof that Facebook is not a good enough replacement for seeing someone in the flesh and having a well overdue natter at the car afterwards. So much love to you all xx 

Pentax 645n | Acros 100

Nikon F4 | Fuji 400h

Lyla and Harry with Mama - Brisbane Family Photography

Mamahood is magic.  We are very quickly thrust into a new way of loving and living and being.  So alongside that magic there is a great deal of learning on the go, sleep deprivation, learning your real bounds when it comes to personal space and patience.  It is hard.  So hard.  Wonderfully difficult.  There are days when we're equal parts head over heels for our little loves and desperate for the reprieve of bed time. 

Alyca and I have spoken a bit about mamahood and getting through those days, exhausted and grateful that we made it through.  Since she was headed back to work sooner than planned, she gifted herself a lovely mother's day present this year a photoshoot with her two little loves.  We didn't leave her bedroom, and spent the time colouring, reading books, jumping on the bed, giving big hugs and lots of giggles. 

She's doing beautifully as a mama to her two. Going from one to two kids is no joke, but her home is filled with a heck of a lot of laughter and so much easy joy.  Her kids will always be certain of a mama who adores them, has only their best interests at heart and will make sure there's always a reason to laugh. 

Take a look at Alyca's pregnancy session from summer, here: http://www.reneetrubai.com.au/journal-recent-sessions/2015/11/20/waiting-for-baby-frost

pentax 645n | Portra 400 & Tri-X 

Hear Her Roar - Best Friends Edition | Brisbane Portrait Photography

Do you know what fun looks like?  THIS!  This afternoon was so much fun!

I met Renee, Anita and Sarah at Roma Street Parklands on one of the last sunny Autumn afternoons this year, to make some beautiful portraits.  These ladies turned up looking like springtime in their gorgeous florals!  When we found our little spot in the park they immediately set up some music, kicked off their shoes and had a boogie while I got set up.  They kept the party going as I photographed each of them individually - each of the portraits that are full of laughter had nothing to do with me and everything to with what the two ladies behind me were doing.  Our afternoon was genuinely as fun as these photographs look, and I kinda wish I could head out for an afternoon like this with my own besties and come home with a pile of pretty photos. 

When I announced my Hear Her Roar sessions, I put a callout on Facebook for women to tag the amazing women in their lives who support them, make them laugh and form essential parts of their village.  Renee nominated her two wonderful friends, and I jumped on the opportunity to photograph them.  The idea for this type of session was for individual portraits for women, but after this session it's now evolved into what this session has the potential to look like - a group of best friends having a ball together on a sunny afternoon. 

The girls were happy to let me experiment on these really fun double exposures, I'm so glad we did because I adore them - to me, they're like seeing yourself in a fairytale.  Beautiful!

I'm so thankful to Renee, Anita and Sarah for jumping on board this idea with so much gusto, I'm thrilled with the photographs we made, and I hope they see their own beauty - in themselves and in their friendship - as clearly as we all can.  xx

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Colour Photographs:   Portra 400|  Pentax 645n
Black and White Photographs:  Acros 100|  Nikon F4

Hear Her Roar sessions are designed to make a beautiful portrait of yourself ... let me show you the strength of your own beauty ... book a session or enquire, HERE. 

May, Photo-A-Day Project | Brisbane Family Photographer

On a whim, I decided to load a roll of black and white film (Acros 100) into my grandad's old Pentax K1000 and work on a photo-a-day project for the month of May of life at our home.  What I didn't account for were the winter daylight hours - or lack thereof!  So while I love the film stock, it wasn't the best choice for indoor work with very limited light, or artificial light, so I rated it at 200 ISO and had it pushed once in processing - for those film users following along ;-) 

The results aren't breathtaking, there are a lot where I would have liked to have made different choices, but they are exactly what our life looked like ... some days the thought would hit that we all wouldn't be home before dark that night so I'd run for the camera to snap whatever was happening right then before we had to all dash out of the house for the day.  I didn't take a photo on all 31 days either, there are three days when I forgot to take a photo, which is disappointing, but sometimes the chaos of our day won. 

What they are to me though, is precious.  I tried to remain mindful of the tiny little habits the children have that I wanted to have documented that aren't usually the 'pretty' things that I seek out.  So there are photos here of teeth brushing, getting dressed, tv watching, crushed ice munching, lots of exhausted afternoons, weekend chores, meal time, craft time, dinosaur everything - and for the last day of May when I completely forgot the project, bedtime, which usually looks like this - one in our bed and one on a mattress on the floor! 

I'll print this little project into a small photo book, and I'm already thinking about doing the same project as we head back into summer at the end of the year. 

How are you going with your photo projects this year?  I'd love to hearxx

Tiffany & Nicholas . A Love Story | Brisbane Engagement Photography

Tiffany is a gem, a true treasure I kept from my time at a past job.  Tiffany is a rare woman, she is insightful, empathetic, strong, capable and so grown up. She's younger than me in years but oh so much wiser - a wise and gentle soul, I count myself lucky that our paths crossed in life.  Now though instead of leftovers and a rushed chat in the lunch room, we indulge in long rambling lunches in pretty locations, not a clock to be watched. 

Tiffany announced her engagement to Nick recently, and confirmed with me that I don't photograph weddings - I was quick to confirm that I do not, because Tiff had joked previously about a 'big fat Greek wedding' and the pressure to deliver on a wonderfully full, traditional event like that was unnerving, however once she revealed that they'd chosen a smaller island wedding in Fiji, well, you'll see me on the plane there next year!  Before all of that though, we met to work on some engagement-come-Love Manifesto photographs. 

It was the first time I'd met Nick, and while we spoke about the plans for their wedding, his quiet adoration and constant support of his fiancé won me over.  It's plain to see how much his focus is on keeping that beautiful smile fixed firmly on her face.  Tiffany is equally as adoring of him, and softens ever so slightly, and falls into place right at his side, looking forward as absolute equals towards their exciting future. 

Young love that is clearly, true and complete love, is such a gift.  To know your many years ahead will be spent together on his or her team, with each other's best interests as well as your family's as your mutual focus, is equal parts secure and so freeing. 

The last light of sunset on an autumn afternoon in Daisy Hill Forest.

Pentax 645n|  Portra 400 and Ilford 3200

Mother's Day

For as long as I can remember, the only thing I ever wanted to be when I grew up, was a mama. Alongside that were everchanging career dreams of primary school teacher, midwife, architect, neonatal peadetrician (yep!), writer, nanny, crafter, graphic designer, baker, photographer and ever it will continue, I'm sure.

The dream of becoming a mother was something I could physically feel inside of me, ebbing and flowing between a calm knowing and fierce, impatient and perhaps fearful, desire. 

As with most mamas, when I was pregnant with our first, I just knew. I was excited but not surprised by the two pink lines on the pregnancy test. I adored every minute of my pregnancies - we'll, to be fair, 8 months pregnant in summer is no treat! - and even smiled through my contractions because I knew that with c-sections looming, it was a gift to experience them. Breastfeeding them was physically and emotionally hard work for the first six to eight weeks and then ... I adored every moment. My goodness that experience has been irreplaceable, and I'm sure healed those c-section disappointments more than I gave it credit for at the time. 

Mothering them has been the easiest thing I have ever done in my life. Not because parenting them is always easy, but because they are and always will be the most important and precious people in my life.  Daily my heart swells with pride and adoration for them both, and every time the intensity of it catches me by surprise. And I know I'm not done having babies, even if we have another, I'm sure I'll never feel 'done'. 

Becoming a mother has changed who I am in more ways than I can count. I've learnt things about myself I didn't know before them - my patience wears thin quickly, I'm not as selfless with my time as I'd imagined I'd be and, I guard unbroken hours of sleep like the piles of gold and jewels that it is. I am more in tune with life, have gained more sensitivity and awareness, embraced my inner hippie (and my outer hippys ;)  I understand more than ever that we are all just doing our best, so while my choices in pregnancy, birth, feeding and raising children are passionate and I will advocate for them to no end, they are mine, for me and I support yours as just as equally, regardless of how they differ. Surprisingly though, alongside becoming more sensitive to others, I've become more sensitive to myself. Thank the universe, for it has taken some time. 

Today on Mother's Day, I told my husband that I would not be traipsing all over the countryside to see our respective mother's like we do every year, the children and I would be staying home, he was free to join us. And he has. This decision came with so much guilt and angst, but it has come with so much peace for myself. Aside from writing this (next to my son while he naps), I've ignored the chores and the 'should do's' and have played with my children. All day. I've been on the verge of tears more times than I can count. I know it's a 'hallmark card' holiday, but it's my hallmark card holiday and I've missed celebrating it for myself these passed six years that I can claim it as mine. Today has been a gift from myself, to myself, surrounded by the people I love most, bunkered down in our little home together. 

Magic.  

We co-sleep. My nights haven't looked like this since I sleepily asked my husband to snap this photo. It's either one or the other with one or the other of us.

But as I stirred awake, I had a cold sweat over the thought of - what if this is the last time they both fall asleep with me, all three of us snuggled up?! I asked for the photo, he looked confused, took the photo, he put my phone down and I went back to sleep with my little love hearts. 

Bliss. Absolute and pure.