Cover Image - South Coast Style

In the last month I have had hardly anytime to blog and now 3 post in a row!! its time to catch you all up on what been going on, but, it may take me a while.

On a recent editorial shoot in Merimbula I visited many places of interest, shops and came across some wonderful images.  Merimbula is such a warm and inviting town, i wanted to stay longer, i wanted to meet more people, i pictured myself living there!! aah the true measure of when you like a town!! but my roots are firmly planted here in the Bay for the time being and i will definitely be going back.

While there and at the end of the day I visited a renowned bakery by the locals as having the best pies and after the weather had closed in and become miserable, i was licking my lips in anticipation that at 4pm there would be a lowly pie with my name all over it.  Alas the popularity of this place was evident as it looked as tho a burglar had stripped the shelves and left not a crumb.  What was i to do they were shutting up shop cause well everything was gone and I had to shoot some produce for the editorial.

A quick whip round found some turkish buns (staff purchase for home), chocolate croissants, a slice of the quiche (purchased as I shot it) and some additional props chuck in to make this Cover shot.

It was so dark and miserable from the passing storm 3 flashes were required to light up the room.

I hope the lady who hand makes these tea cosies sees this cover shot and feels just as proud as I do as with out I am not sure it would have made the cover thank you!! It will certainly stand out on the shelves!!

Inside I also have some images of my day at Merimbula, a wonderful house called Makana designed by Architect Clinton Murray and the photos from Julie Holmes opening night of a fauna affair. It got some great content and the layouts are beautiful, really proud to be a part of it.

South Coast Cheese - Tilba

South Coast Cheese is a local husband and wife team; Erica & Nick are expanding their cheese making and have just started work on refurbishing the tilba cheese factory to accommodate new products.   The Sydney Morning Herald has just featured them in their good living Section and I got to photograph the new site, their delicious products and also the dairy which you can see in the background of this first shot. I am looking forward to documenting the making process for my made by hand project in the coming months. 

Holiday in the country

A short post today, as I have spent too much time on the computer already. I am trudging through what will be the end of a complete website facelift, its very exciting!! cannot wait to show you all!! and well, frankly, I can feel the computer slowly dehydrating my eyeball fluid (seriously those you have seen my screen would say this is possible).  So I wanted to post a country charmer, one that has so many pictures that I had to stop myself from putting all of them on.  This property is available for holiday rental and for those getting married it would be the perfect place to get ready, plus I recently used it for a product shoot we had so many options its a photographers dream house!!.  Lj Hooker in Bateman's Bay look after this beauty, speak to Bec if you want to know more about it.

Made by Hand - Printmaker

Bat & Owl Press

Seems as though things change ever so quickly and just as I get used to one way of blogging they go and change it!!

I cannot complain as I too have a little change as you can clearly see from my images.

Those who know me, may say, I am bordering on an obsession with Sharyn Cairns a brilliant, travel, lifestyle and interiors photographer I have admired for some time.  It's her moody dark tones and inky corners, its gets me every time.

It could be put down to that rebellious side of me that doesn't want to have everything light and bright & airy (what I do on a daily basis), I want some mystery, deep dark colours and contrast that screams intrigue.

I had to build up the courage to go out of my depths and when I met Julie Holmes from Bat & Owl Press I thought ok, this is the one to give it a shot.  She is a Print maker and Artist and has some incredible works that inspired me to take the extra leap...thanks Julie!! I am pretty happy with the the change, although, i couldn't use it everyday I can know take a few lessons learned and go about making my own thing with it.  I would be interested to hear what you guys think about the difference or is a photo a photo to you?

I love my strobes (flashes) I think I should show them off more often.  Now, to name them.... 

Her latest works in progress

Before and after - Houses Malua Escape

I get an overwhelming sense of joy when someone books in for my lifestyle package shoot as I get to style and shoot a property.  

The images are presented in both standard landscape and split landscape to accommodate portrait orientated images.  The split shots give the opportunity to incorporate "lifestyle aspects" and some rooms just photograph better in this composition. 

Bearing in mind its a modest budget for styling that comes with the package and I only use the furniture/accessories onsite to not give any false pretences. I work my magic to showcase a property and its features, as well as, try to conger some warm fuzzies. I love me some warm fuzzies!!

Have a look at the full listing here and I am positive you will opt for the lifestyle package too.

Made by hand - Braidwood

Soon I will introduce you more formally to Keith (through the made by hand project) and his custom frame building business from Braidwood & Canberra.

The shoot that we talked about, way back when, was to be dark and moody something a little different from what I usually do, but I was up for the challenge.  I also thought we should chuck in some flash gels and make some interesting color after experimenting with a red bucket on site over my flash.

Below shows the two test shots and I was immediately drawn to the one on the right it almost instantly plays terminator music in my mind when I see it, plus the red line makes me think precision like a laser. So it was decided gels were to be part of the shoot.

Below are some of the finals from our behind the scenes shoot the other day and I get to shoot some of his fully assemble bike collection in the near future so I can show you all just how beautiful they are however if you want to see them here is the link to his site Kumo Cycles

Glossy Flossy - South Coast Style magazine

South Coast Style has hit the stands and once again they have featured yours truly!! some of my Living with a Locavore entries on the blog - such as The treehouse connection, Hopdog Beerworks, & my fav girls of Braidwood - Little Finch have made their way into the coastal watch section.

 

I met and shot very talented artist and serious barrister mister jones from bermagui.

ok so go grab a copy and flip a page or two.

Recent Ramblings

The weather plays a huge role on when and if I get to do scheduled work a lot of the times and this week has been particular frustrating!!

 I am just itching to do some more editorial work and alas the weather has stopped me in my tracks, Dont get me wrong my paper work is thanking me for these rainy days but I find myself eager to create on most days and today was no different.   Upon doing a routine task...grocery shopping.. I came across the brown paper mushroom bags at coles, most time they are drab plain old mushroom bags but as soon as i seen them I noticed beautiful typefaces and font art is a big trend at the moment so I grabbed a bag or two or three and made for the checkout with my new kitchen art.

I used a frame I thrifted and painted white, done a quick clean up and and chopped the mushroom bag to fit the frame and wahla! here tis my new framed kitchen art thanks coles...

Recent Ramblings

The last couple of weeks have been....to put it into few words exhausting!! even as I type this, its with drowsy eyes and half heartiness as I am a little weary... but I will at least wait for the sun to go down before I carry my carcass into bed.

I have recently undertook a commissioned travel feature for Australian Country Collections magazine on Mudgee which involved, wine tastings, cellar doors, cheese tastings, gourmet walks, cafes, restaurants and the list goes and oh did I mention wineries!!, I know, poor me right, well lets see there are over 160 wineries in mudgee 40 cellar doors I visited and shot only 8 and I didnt get to taste any while at each!!! ok now lets hear it "oh you poor thing"  and I love me a wine or two.

We also stopped by some great places on the way at Crookwell and chucked in a couple of interior shoots, why not!! I cannot share to much but here is a quick sneaky sneaky...

Recent Ramblings

Have been really inspired by stills lately and how stylists seem to effortless put a really quirky eclectic mix of items together.

It occurred to me as I was putting some props aside for an upcoming shoot that I have some quirky stationery and boxes that i picked up over several years just because I liked the look of them and thought I will shoot that one day and that day has come ...hope you like it.

Living with a locavore - Braidwood

I know, I know you just cannot drag me away from this place. I kick, I scream every time I past by that last little street on my way home,  and now even my car breaks down at mongarlowe in protest of leaving.

So what ya been doin there?....again? you ask...well i am so glad you asked, because this project is just truly an insiders peek into the construction of a eco, sustainable home from start to completion....wowee i am lucky girl indeed to be invited into their home and well, you cant get no more literal than that with this home.

The beginning thats right as the book implys you can grow you own home...

Or you can just bring the experts in like John & Sue from Huff n Puff Construction

From the dirt road in what seems to be the middle of nowhere a single bale marks the location of the construction and friends, family, neighbours are invited to observe and or volunteer a lending hand to help built this one bedroom, 1 bathroom and home.

I have so many shots I would love to share but, alas, I cant give it all away just yet...until then...

Recent ramblings

Travelling as much as I do I make sure that I stop at anything that takes my fancy, that people rave about or I hear a rumour about. It happens to be one thing that I absolutely loooove about my job, and holy shitake mushrooms have I recently came across some talents!


While working through the images I realised  they all have something in common, they are artisans they make things by hand.

I know I must naturally gravitate to these people as I admire them so and with the collection I have so far and with some things booked in the near future  I will be adding a new addition to the blog.

Along with my ramblings and locavore entries I will be adding the "made by hand" entries that give you a pictorial, behind the curtain look into the people that create and make things happen within their craft.  The title is inspired by one of my favourite photographers/ stylists Pia Jane Bijkerk as she has created books of the same name.

heres a quick preview