Hello May feature

Back in 2009, Rich decided to put a ring on it. And like many in that situation, I buried myself in inspiration and spent a small fortune on wedding magazines. I have to admit though, I found so many of the magazines to be rather impersonal and cookie cutter. 

Hello May is a wedding magazine, blog and directory in Australia that brings a real and personalised element to the weddings and the vendors they feature. It's such a refreshing approach.

We were absolutely thrilled to discover that our wedding party photos were recently featured in the Hello May wedding blog. You can find the feature here.

This was thanks to our photographer, Claire Connell who also posted some photos on her website if you're interested in seeing even more photos of our day. I'm still floored at how she captured the magic. I wholeheartedly recommend Claire if ever you are looking for a photographer for events or family shoots. Lady has a gift.

Belinda x

Wonderland, by Kirsty Mitchell

The Lavender Princess.

Don't you love when art stops you in your tracks and it's like time stands still while you explore every detail. I'm so enraptured by Kirsty Mitchell's incredible work and story that it's almost too hard to gather my thoughts to tell you about it. When I spied the dramatic lavender scene above, I had to know where it came from, who was responsible, how it was done and why. Such intensity and beauty, I found it utterly compelling.

Kirsty's background is primarily in fashion and costume design but I think it's fair to say she's a 'multi-passionate' artist. Kirsty's world was turned completely upside down and inside out when her mother passed away from a brain tumour in 2008. From the depths of her grief and despair after loosing someone she had been so very close to, someone who had taught to believe in beauty, wonder and using your imagination, rose this concept of Wonderland.

Wonderland is a photography series that consists of sixty eight images or 'scenes' so far that have taken four years to make. Kirsty is still working on the final seven scenes of Wonderland that are due to be released in the coming months. Each image transports you to a place filled with ethereal woodland characters, where imagination and possibilities are limitless. As I started to explore Wonderland, I truly did feel like I was tumbling down the rabbit hole. All of the props, costumes you see in each scene was created by Kirsty by hand, many taking months of preparation to complete. All that in addition to setting up the perfect location, which meant sometimes waiting for tiny window of seasonal opportunity to capture incandescent flower fields in full bloom. Kirsty's commitment to the scenes she first saw in her dreams and was compelled to recreate is astounding - none of these images have been photoshopped. This blows my mind.

Gaia's Promise.

The Faraway Tree.

The Storyteller.

What a breathtaking tribute to her mother. An incredibly sacred, secret Wonderland that belongs to the two of them. We're just lucky enough to be imbued by the beauty of their bond, through the looking glass.

You can see all of the Wonderland images, read all the behind the scenes stories and Kirsty's honest and emotional diary that accompanies the entire four year journey on her website, here. It's really worth the visit.

Belinda x

Don't dream it's over

INXS

I'd like to introduce my lovely friend Wendy McDougall. Wendy is a professional freelance photographer and has been using her powers to capture the most incredible images for over thirty years.

Wendy started out as a music photographer in 1979, and spent the next fifteen years or so recording some of the country's most iconic bands during what became "the defining era of Australian Rock & Roll". Hello, ultimate dream job! 

She has since branched out into photography for film, television, theatre punctuated by portraits, documentary, photography for books and producing her own art projects.

Wendy & Doc Neeson, in the 80's.

Wendy has recently launched a Pozible campaign to bring many of the photographs she took in the 80's on film, into the digital realm.  I recently had a few hundred family photo's scanned for my Nana's eightieth, it cost me over $400. This process is expensive! Wendy needs about $7,000 to get over twenty years of rock & roll history scanned and archived for posterity. She has to reach the minimum target of $4,500 in order to receive any of the pledges at all.  The great news is she's on her way, but she needs help!

To me, a photograph is absolutely priceless. It tells us so much without having to say a single word. They are important and worth saving, so that the story is passed on.

There are a range of pledges to suit your budget and Wendy's offering some fantastic incentive rewards, so please do pop on over take a look and support this very worthwhile endeavour to preserve our history.

Wendy's "It's only Rock & Roll but I like it" Pozible campaign has a deadline of the 19th June. You can find it, here.

Belinda x

* Blog title refers to The Australian National anthem, of course.

Garden Fresh

These beautifully vibrant photographs are from the Garden Fresh series by Jakarta-based artist, Agan Harahap. The vivid imagery of wild animals placed in situations that are inherently human really feels strangely like you're looking at yourself, echoes of Life of Pi. 

Agan says, "It is like a fable about a journey undertaken by the animals when they venture into our daily lives. The animals are confronted by a new reality that is in conflict with their natural habits and habitats."

I can relate to that zebra today. Some days, everything just feels a bit out of step, you know? 

Belinda x

Phuket Town Night Market

Phuket town night market is open on Friday and Saturday nights and we were told it was a 'must see' activity during our stay in Thailand.

Thankfully Rich was armed with both the camera and the inspiration to use it after our recent training, so I managed to convince him to travel almost an hour in a shuttle bus so I could hunt for market bargains. Normally, this would be akin to asking him to punch himself in the face.

Turns out it was a fun night for both of us. The markets were so vibrant and provided Rich with inspiration at every turn. I noticed him practicing what Tim taught us, to observe and be in the moment, he was drinking up his surroundings searching for the images. It was great to watch.  

Well, I was watching. That is, when I wasnt rummaging through fabric and bags and clothes, bargaining for 'best price' .  I do love me a good market!

Belinda x

* All photos by Richard.  I was far too busy shopping!

Sawadee ka

It took a few days to wind down. To settle the mind and the incessant urge to be doing something. But when we did, our days became simple, quiet, slow and full.

In ten days, we left our local area only twice (more on that later). Aside from our hotel which was nestled between a beach and a national park, the local area meant one little street with a few beachside restaurants, bars and shops. 

For me, the biggest luxury was having the time to read, rest, think and be in the moment. To be able to connect with the physical world around me, to actually have the presence of mind to appreciate it and my part in it. 

Reminding me that what is, is meant to be.

Belinda x

* Sawadee ka is Thai for Hello (female)

** Photos 2, 4, 8, 9 taken by Richard

The Nursery

Feeling refreshed and inspired this week. Rich and I had such a wonderful weekend away down to the south coast, it was exactly what the doctor ordered.

Attending Tim Coulson's photography workshop, aptly named 'The Nursery' on Saturday, completely exceeded my expectations. We were joined by a lovely small group of bloggers, crafters, designers, budding photographers and hobbyists in Tim's home. Tim's passion for people and photography just lights him up from the inside out. He shared his knowledge on the key technical elements of shooting but also how to connect with your subject and how important it is to be present, in order to see and capture those moments within moments (emotional shooting).

My tech-head husband, bless his stay-up socks, has tried many times over to teach me the technical stuff.  Some of it stuck but for the most part it was just a case of, waaaay too much information, too many options, where do you even begin?

What I've learned from Tim about shooting on manual is that I can keep it simple, stick to a couple of settings that work for most situations and train my mind to understand how the technical elements work together. It was a revelation! It's actually starting to make sense. After 'hundreds of days' of practice it will eventually become second nature and not get in the way of emotional shooting. I'm looking forward to that!

The thing about shooting on manual is the image is just so much better when you get it right. It's such a thrilling feeling too, I'm hooked!

These are some of my favorite images that Rich and I captured at the workshop's practical live shoot. We couldn't have asked for more, a breathtaking setting with magical afternoon light, beautiful subjects and expert guidance from Tim and his clever 'profesh photog' friends, Annette and Luisa.

On Sunday, we spent a gorgeous day in Berry. Keen to keep practicing what we had learnt, our cameras shot in manual all day. It was slow going, but I felt so empowered!

A huge thank you to the talented and generous Tim who is so willing to share his experience and knowledge with all of us. And to his (seriously) beautiful wife and son for having us in their home. The good news is, The Nursery may be coming to a town near you. I couldn't recommend it highly enough, I'm still smiling!

Thanks also to the group, it was so inspiring to spend a day learning and creating with lovely people. Rachel, Greer, Jodi, Roberta and Kelly have also blogged about their experience and shared their awesome photos. Check em out.

How clever are we! 

Proud as ;-)

Belinda x