The last couple of months have been big. Exciting, nostalgic, stressful, bittersweet, promising, and really, really big. If you're a parent, I'm sure you know what I mean. It has been wonderful in lots of ways, but also overwhelmingly bursting at the seams. I'm supposed to have taken my car in for repairs (because crashing into a Grandma dropping off two young kids at preschool is a great thing to add to an already overwhelming month! ?‍♀️), but even though the insurance is all sorted, I haven't had any spare capacity to even book it in. On the surface it probably didn't look too bad. My calen ..read more

Did you know that when you book a newborn photography session with me, whether in my Te Awamutu photography studio or at your own home, we plan EVERYTHING to be perfect for your family and your home? The colours, the styles, the overall feel, the props… If you've seen cute photos you like, and wonder who came up with the ideas and colours for them, the answer is simple - we do it together! Every newborn photo shoot includes a planning consultation over the phone, where we talk through everything - from what you are most looking forward to about your new baby that we can capture in our photos ..read more

What a year 2017 has been! I've met so many wonderful people, seen so many new parents created, had the privilege of capturing so many fleeting newborn moments, and laughed with, chased, played with and photographed so many fun-filled, full of life families. My own boys have changed from a baby and a toddler into a toddler and a little boy (or big boy, as he informs me if I make the mistake of calling him little!). Here are a few of my favourite moments from the year.   1. I am definitely biased about this photo, but I love how it captures so much about my eldest son Zachary. He might lo ..read more

I didn't love being a newborn mum. That might sound bizarre coming from a newborn photographer, but hear me out. Having a newborn is hard. When my first baby was born, I really didn't enjoy the first few months. I'd wanted this more than anything, it was everything I'd ever hoped for, what we'd spent two years working towards and longing for, and I loved it (and him) more than my life. I just didn't really enjoy it.  My nipples were practically falling to pieces, they were so cracked and bleeding. Tiredness wasn't just a side effect of my life, it WAS my life. Some wonderful friends ..read more

Do you dread the idea of a family photo shoot? Maybe you’ve had bad experiences in the past, or can’t stand the idea of standing awkwardly in front of the camera? Or maybe you love the idea of photos, but wonder how your kids will behave and whether you’ll be able to get the photos you want? Let’s turn that upside down and make your photo shoot a fun experience that your whole family LOVES. Use it as a chance to focus on each other, remember how amazing these people are, and to fall in love all over again. I’ll take care of making this an amazing experience once you arrive. Here are some tips ..read more

It all started with a shirt. A button down shirt covered in stegosauruses, to be precise. It wasn’t something I would normally choose for my dirt-loving, messy little boys, because it would be grubby within a few minutes and never look quite the same again. But it sure was cute! The idea flitted through my mind that it would look great on the beach for some photos, and it grew from there. I could see the photos in my head. Long stretches of white sand. Sparkling clear water. Soft afternoon light. Big, empty skies. And two cheeky little boys in their stegosaurus shirts, grinning happily in our ..read more

“I was born with a syndrome called MRKH! In short when I was 17 I found out I was born with no uterus. As you can imagine finding out at a young age I will never be able to have children was heartbreaking!! I went through years of living in silent pain and pretending that this did not exist! I, like many other women only dreamt of having a baby one day, but I knew this would be something I would never experience, being pregnant with my own child. Fast forward to 2013, I fell in love with a man I only dreamed would be my baby daddy! I was upfront and honest with him since day one about my infer ..read more

The Specs Lifestyle family photo shoot on the family's farm in Piopio (King Country)   The session Breathtaking setting. Check. Stunning spring evening. Check. Gorgeous family with perfectly coordinating clothing. Check. Dreamy golden light. Check. Dogs, lambs, daffodils and guitars. Check, check, check and check.   Things couldn't have been more perfect for this gorgeous King Country family photography session. The setting was the family’s spectacular farm just out of Piopio, with green rolling hills, little lakes and dams scattered around the property, prize-winning daffodils, and ..read more

Nothing is quite as life-changing as having your first baby. No matter how prepared you think you are, nothing can fully prepare you for the moment you hold your new baby and feel like you hold the whole world in your arms. Your life suddenly has a new focus, and it's like a part of your heart is walking around outside of your body. So much of what you read about preparing for a new baby is focused on the practical side of things, and on all the things you "need" to buy. Those can be pretty fun to plan for and shop for, but to me, they barely even scrape the surface of the things that really m ..read more

A photo a day project Life happens. Remember when you thought that you’d have hours to spend gazing at your baby, playing peekaboo and gurgling to each other, while your house gleamed with cleanliness and your dinner roasted in the oven? How did that work out for you?! It is easy to let the moments slip away while you are busy just getting by. You realise a couple of weeks have gone by and you haven’t taken a single photo. Then you try to make up for it, and take 50 photos of her in the same spot, doing the same thing. A photo a day project can be just the push you need to get you out of playi ..read more