I don’t often give myself a weekend off, sometimes it just happens … luckily enough when this couple contacted me earlier in the week hoping for a photo session on the weekend I was free.

Some things are just meant to be … like the way I met my husband when I was going to leave the night club early but just HAD to stay for some reason; or when I’m frantically running late to then bump into an old friend, when if I was on time I wouldn’t have seen them at all; or when I walk into a shop with one thing on my mind and end up walking out with something else that I love even more; or when I’m having a free weekend and one family is only in the state for a few days and desperately want a photo session. Some things are just meant to be.

Andrew and Natasha brought their gorgeous 6  month old daughter Lyla over Bass Strait to Tassie to spend some time with family.  While they were here we met up for some quick snaps at the Botanical Gardens. I loved how they just swooned over little Lyla, like she was the sunshine in their day … I mean who would blame them, seriously, isn’t she sooooo adorable?!

I met Sally in Primary School, almost immediately we became best friends. She was everything I was too scared to be … confident, funny, outgoing, friendly.  She was the first friend that gave me the freedom to be myself, who made me comfortable without any judgements. She taught me how to be a good friend to others in the same way.

To this day the presence she had in my life during those School days, will always stay close to my heart. So when she asked me to photograph her daughter for her 2nd birthday, I was thrilled.

And what a complete sweetheart little Emma is. The way her eyes twinkle when she smiles is sooo contagious. I’m willing to bet she is going to grow up to be just as awesome as her Mummy.

So I have challenged myself. And contradicted myself. If you are following my photo a day project you may have seen Day 184, it’s a photo of me. In there I blab about the importance of loving yourself through your flaws, yet the photo of me shows only my eyes.

I talked the talk, so now I will walk the walk. But before I do, I just wanted to share something that is important and close to my heart.

I believe there are just wayyy too many of us who refuse to have photos taken of ourselves because of a physical hang-up. Be it a double chin, a crooked nose, one eye is bigger than the other, bad complexion, yellow teeth … the list is quite possibly endless. I get so dissapointed when a client books me to take photos of their children and I ask if they want to be in a couple, the answer straight away “No!”

After I took that photo of myself I thought deep about why I didn’t want to show my whole face. Apart from the obvious physical flaws and issues I have with my appearance, the deeper answer is “I simply don’t know”.

I mean, God forbid and touch wood, imagine if I died. I leave behind 2 children, a husband, and many people who love me. What do they look to, to remember me by? Photos. But what if I refused to be in photos with them or let them take photos of me, because of what? A pimple that is hardly noticeable? Or when I smile one eye crinkles up and the other stays wide open? It’s hardly justifiable – well to me anyway.

I have felt better about myself and how I look, but what the heck, I’m sure I’ll look back on these and think to myself what a spunky spring chicken I was. And if not, do you know what I WILL see, the person I was. A loving mother, devoted friend, caring sister, daughter, aunty …

Because those are the things we really are. Those are the things that make us beautiful. Not a perfect tan, or white teeth or a button nose … who we are and what we did as people, is ALL that matters to those that love us.

So I will start, and I hope you will follow, here are the things that make me BEAUTIFUL.

I’m funny, selfless and patient; I’m empathetic, creative and honest; I love cuddles and making people smile; I love taking photos of people’s true connection with those they love.

GULP:

serious me

not so serious me

Get out there, snap photos of yourself with your loved ones … snap photos of just yourself doing something silly. Just take photos … of you, the beautiful you.

But before you do, I want you to tell me … what makes you beautiful? Don’t leave me hanging in the lurch here, I told you, now it’s your turn. The comment button is just below, I’d love to have you share with me.

A couple of weeks ago I had a dilemma. I had ordered a cake for a cake smash session but when I realised I hadn’t discussed the cake with the clients it was too late and they had already made their own! Oops to me. I couldn’t waste this beautiful cake I had. So I put out a desperate call for a cake smash for the next day …

Enter Iris, the sweetest little big doe eyed darling I ever did see.

Thanks to Cutie Cups for the amazing Giant Cupcake.

I apologise in advance, for once again I have many many images to share. I can’t help it, my clients just have the cutest of cute children.

Lakayah is about to celebrate her 1st birthday and to put this momentus occasion down in the history books forever, we had a cake smash session! Too. Much . Fun.

She was so cute and petite, picking all the decorations of the gorgeous butterfly cake first. A real little princess.

This latest blog post from me comes in the form of a cute little boy. And when said cute boy smiles, he smiles so sweetly … with DIMPLES! A photographers heaven.