i live on a sheep station in outback australia with my husband, daughter, son, dog, 7 chooks & 10000+ sheep.

i’ve been involved with the winton based, waltzing matilda photographic group since 1999 & have been fortunate to attend photographic workshops with Doug Spowart, Peter Eastway, Mike Langford, Michael Amendolia, Jackie Ranken, Steve Parish, Andy Cross, Don Hildred and David Oliver. i now co-ordinate the annual BHP Billiton Cannington Waltzing Matilda Photographic Exhibition & Competition, which attracts entries from all over Australia.

even back in the days of polaroid cameras, i loved to take pictures. but my interest in photography bloomed, when i started using (my now DH’s) slr camera & zoom lenses. so i borrowed my dad’s manual minolta SRT (with a sweet prime 50mm 1.4 lens), did a photography course by correspondence & learnt about the basics – aperture, shutter speed, composition etc. i loved that camera! i used it for most of miss m’s baby photos & it produced the creamiest b&w’s. when she started crawling, we invested in a canon EOS 33 with a vertical grip & 28-135mm IS lens. after using such a sweet prime lens, the zoom’s performance inside was terribly disappointing. so i was excited to find a 50mm 1.8 mk1 (metal mount) – here’s one of my favourite images with it:

by 2003, i had captured thousands of photos of miss M & master B – the envelopes were numbered, dated & safely tucked away in photoboxes. but i wanted to do something with them … & that’s when i discovered 2peas in a bucket, CK & the world of scrapbooking. my 1st break came through a friend i met on the internet, legendary scrapbooker K (Kerrin Quall) who invited me to contribute to an article about regional & remote scrappers. the feeling of giddy happiness that comes from seeing your layout published is one that other scrappers will understand. with 2 pages & lots of journalling, this layout was published in For Keeps (issue 18, 2004):

that opportunity led to other amazing opportunities in the world of scrapbooking – writing photography articles, attending & teaching workshops, plus joining the design team at blue bazaar & for keeps! i met so many wonderful people & still feel amazed & grateful for the opportunity to create & do something i love whilst living in such a remote spot. computers & the internet really have opened up a world of possibilities.

once i started homeschooling my kids, i had to cut back on scrapping commitments, but photography remains my passion & a big part of my life.

my photography business, specializing in authentic lifestyle portraiture of babies, children and families was launched in july 08. i love capturing everyday moments in an original, artistic way & i think my style combines the best of both worlds – an artistic approach with the spontaneity and emotion of photojournalism. i love capturing special details – a shy smile, big blue eyes, golden curls, long lashes – and i love images that are fresh & authentic, so there won’t be any cheesy or super-stiff posed shots!

with my homeschooling commitments, i accept a limited number of clients each month and treat each one to a boutique experience … from planning the details … to the fun of the photoshoot … spending time in the digital darkroom, proofing and preparing 30+ beautifully edited images … presenting your images in a private online gallery for viewing pleasure … selecting from a range of quality products in the privacy of your own home … to the time when you receive your beautifully packaged order … my goal is 110% satisfaction!

this blog chronicles the world { thru my eyes }