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She seems so grown up lately, but I still see glimpses of my little girl in moments like this. Deep in concentration and chubby cheeks on show.
He's Mister independent lately. busy in all that he does, and he can do it all without any help. Little monkey x
They're in the depths of sibling wars most days, but there are still moments like these. Side by side, gentle, happily playing together.
A few weeks ago, late one night, I was feeling super inspired after reading a brilliant new photography book. A book focused on family photography. On a whim I put a quick model callout on my Facebook business page for bigger families and was flooded with offers! Because I shoot film, I couldn't photograph all who'd offered, even though I would have adored it.
The Kilby's were the family I ended up working with to practice my new found inspiration on, and from my side of the camera at least, it was a blast!
Mum Monica had warned me that they'd be a rowdy bunch, but they were so lovely, full of personality and super fun! They honestly made my job that afternoon a breeze. Seriously - who said never to work with children or animals?!
While this family were full of fun, there were also plenty of super sweet moments during our afternoon, note everyone's hands throughout these photographs, always connected. Beautiful! And after four children and being together for some time, David was so adoring of his wife as I photographed her individual portrait. It's not that I'm surprised, it's more that I was personally, pleasantly reassured.
When Monica and I were planning this post Valentine's Day session, I asked her a few questions about her family so I, in a way at least, could get to know them and what their family was all about before we met in person. Her words were lovely - she and David are such loving and conscious parents, so focused on making sure these kids are well supported throughout life. I've used Monica's words alongside a few photographs throughout this post, using her words to tell you about her family seemed far more fitting.
These four kids were awesome! It's not often that I work with children of this age so I wasn't too sure on how I'd be received. Would they think this was a daggy way to spend their Sunday afternoon? (If they did, they didn't let me know ;) Would they let me have a little peak inside their personalities - past the smile-for-the-camera smiles? (Absolutely they did, I was thrilled!) Could I manage to keep the time of the session long enough to get 'all the shots' but short enough so they didn't lose interest? (From my perspective, yes!)
All four of these kids were great to work with - in the interests of keeping it real, sure, we had a few moments that weren't smooth sailing, but you know what? that made up only a few minutes of our time. We let them take a minute to chill out and moved onto some other shot until they wanted to rejoin us. The results show that letting kids be kids is always the easiest approach.
I'll let Monica tell you about her cherubs ...
We had a lot of fun, everyone was so kind and so funny, Monica and I chatted parenting throughout the session and David suggested Monica and I meet for a coffee to talk about how they'll display their family photographs in their home for a bit of a girls afternoon as well.
This wonderful family has kept me inspired to photograph more families in this stage of life, rather than only those starting their family. I'm so looking forward to doing more family sessions just like this x
We spent the morning outside painting, she was patient and took her time, she carefully considered every dip into the paint, every stroke of the brush and it's position on the canvas. She knew when she was done and asked for another canvas.
He pushed and swirled the paint around the plate before haphazardly scribbling the brush around on the canvas in any white space he could find. When he was done (and it was over in a flash for him) he painted the palm of his hand and his forearm, so we signed his artwork with a handprint.
All of a sudden she seems to have grown up, again. She is using more mature turns of phrase and chastising her brother with hands on hips (clearly mimicking me ;) She is stubborn, feisty and sweet-as-pie. My beautiful girl.
"ah-ba. ah-ba. ah-ba." Abracadabra! A little more independent each day. Learning more and more from his big sister, he watches her like a hawk. He adores her.
The best thing about this photo? - I didn't ask them to hold hands. They were walking all by themselves from me to the bend in the path and back again. She would hold her hand out to him saying "come and walk with me buddy" and off they went.
Oh my heart.
In Brisbane this week, we felt the affects of Tropical Cyclone Marcia in the form of drenching rain. Nothing life threatening for us, but it meant almost five days of bunkering down at home with our kiddies. To say we all had cabin fever was an understatement. The kids didn't do too badly really and relished the hours of kids movies, shopping centre playgrounds and properly pulling out all of their toys. The sunshine this morning was a welcome sight as we all escaped out into the backyard.
Perhaps it was because I had a two week old sleeping on the floor next to us while we worked and because I was in that thick newborn fog - that which is so delightful, so otherworldly, so intimate.
Perhaps it was because I didn't have the energy to think of making this more than it needed to be, there is so much beauty in less is more.
Or perhaps it's because this gem of a woman has become like a sister to me. Who once our session was complete, snuggled my sleeping little man on top of the swollen belly holding her little man for hours while we drank tea and nattered away.
...
Whatever the case may be, I come back to these photographs over and over. They speak to my soulful, feminine, earth mama heart. They're more than just a beautiful pregnancy portrait.
Whatever the case may be, I have never created such an intimate set of pregnancy portraits before, or since.
Whatever the case may be, this beautifully in-full-bloom woman birthed the sweetest of boys with THE-BEST-DIMPLES-EVER like the champion that she is (I adore listening to her tell me her birth story). Happy second birthday darling HJO, you're a superstar x Well done mama x
The photograph below is, hands down, without a doubt my favorite pregnancy portrait I have ever made.
When I write a little text to go with my blog post each week, I have the 'I want to remember' prompt in my mind. It's usually something about the stage of their young lives, what they're doing right now. This week though, it's very literal and very specific. I want to remember this morning. Last Sunday morning. We were pottering around in the back yard in the early morning, Chris was watering some plants with the hose, which leaks at the tap link. Jameson knows this, and if you know him, he knows water is his thing. So rather than compete for the nozzle of the hose, he hangs around the tap and plays with the drips and the eventual puddle that grows at his feet. Both kiddies were in their pyjamas and they both got soaked. Chris was finished with the hose so we disconnected it, stripped the kids out of their wet pyjamas and turned the tap on to a slow dribble. They were out their for an hour splashing, filling, pouring, tipping, running, laughing. I did my best not to intervene and observed quietly and only made them come inside for a warm bubble bath when I could see them shivering. They were in heaven, as was I.
These photographs are not the best of the bunch, but they're the only ones I'm willing to put online ;-) The colour, full length versions are fabulous - I'm only sorry I didn't have my film camera loaded because they would have been something else! I'm tempted to make a small book just from this morning outside, because it was perfection.
Being invited into the home of a family to photograph their days old baby is such a special honour. Every time. Those days are filled with more than you could ever imagine before experiencing it first hand - there is so much to learn about your new baby, how to feed, bath, dress, wrap, rock, soothe, swaddle. Then there are things like manoeuvring them into their seemingly too-big car seat or pram, or learning to babywear. On top of physical recovery for mum, sleepless nights (and days), visitors and your usual routine. It's a lot. It's beautiful. And it can be overwhelming. Being asked to step into those days and document them is precious.
(Before you meet Abel, here is Kristie's pregnancy session if you've missed it)
Meeting sweet, ten day old Abel was, of course, no exception. We were treating his session in a very documentary style which seemed to suit him well. His parents had sent me a few, more posed ideas they'd like to try for during our session, though Abel would have none of that. He was most content when he was being held, fed or swaddled, just as life should be when you're not long out of the cocoon of mama's tummy.
These guys have got this parenting stuff nailed! I can remember those early days with our two and I can only hope that we managed as well and with such obvious joy. One thing I do remember well from our early days is how my husband did all that he could so that I only had to focus on recovery, resting and making sure both our baby and I were well fed. I saw the same in Jay as he took charge of nappy changes, dressing, swaddling and settling to allow Kristie to focus on feeding Abel, and having a snack or two. Daddies are pretty awesome.
Dear Abel is such a lucky little boy, as are his parents - look how much their home has been filled with love. x
We've had a rough week, our little man was sick for most of it which meant a lot of snuggling, quiet activities, napping and lots of restless nights. He's come good again now so he's back to his usual tornado-of-destruction self while mama tries, in vain, to catch up on sleep.
She doesn't nap every day anymore, when she does I see a glimpse of the same newborn face that slept on my chest all those years ago. This week was hard for her, a slow rest-filled week is no fun when you're well, but it's equally no fun if you go to kindy while your sick brother stays at home. My poor darling girl.
He was so sick all week, we spent most of our time cuddled up together, resting and negotiating panadol delivery as his fever rose again. He was determined to play in the windows of time when he felt well enough so most of our time was spent on the floor making award-winning duplo constructions, learning to roll balls (as opposed to throwing them in the house) and racing cars.
I'm sneaking in two photographs of the two of them this week, one from a morning at the park yesterday - she loved being big enough to push him on the swings and apparently having her push him was far more entertaining than mama or dada doing it.
The other is from a rare moment of them playing quietly, side by side in their playroom during our sick week. (This is far prettier in colour but I've unintentionally committed to a black and white project, so black and white it will be ;)
This week was one of those weeks when I felt like I did a bit better job at being the kind of mama I would want to be every single day. Slower days, mornings spent painting with water colours, fresh pikelets made for morning tea, cold ice blocks on the trampoline in the afternoon, less shouting, more cuddles and sitting on the floor with them, waiting longer until we got out of our pyjamas. And best of all, laying down with them both in our bed for their midday nap. Bliss!
This is their thing right now, cups of crushed ice while sitting down to watch a kids movie, they crunch on it all day long (they get that from me ;). And they ask for it first thing in the morning too.
She is understanding the concept of using watercolours more and more. She is taking her time to mix the water into the paint to a consistency she likes before she paints. Watching her assess the brush before dipping into the water and paint again, or touching it to the paper gives me such joy.
He must be doing what she is doing, so I set up wet watercolours for him. He is becoming more deliberate in what he marks on the paper and where, and knows when it's finished without drowning the page in paint as he's done previously. This masterpiece is up on the wall.