A Keepsake Session at Home: Jinn, Sarah & baby Alexa

Analogue Photography, Families, Keepsake Sessions

October 29, 2017

Every so often, as a creative who uses their art to make a living, you have the joy of shooting for people who are ready to give you their total trust, and it’s always such an incredible joy. I suppose it helps that Sarah & Jinn are fantastic friends and some of my favourite people around, but this was the case with them when they contacted me earlier this year for some lifestyle family photos in Perth.

I believe my first response was to dance around my creaky old Milanese apartment, my second was to ask, “but what should I shoot? Film or digital?”
“Whatever you like!” they responded.
I danced some more.

The morning of the shoot, a few hours before I was due to photograph Skye & Stuart’s gorgeous Darlington Estate wedding, I rocked up jet lagged and barely functioning, except for the buzzing nerves that inevitably arrive with shooting an important life event on an uncertain medium.

We moved from room to room in their plant-filled, character home, as I shot mostly in silence while Jinn & Sarah played with Alexa, their most magical tiny human, my shutter clicking every so often while I took my time gauging the light and the scenes in front of me.

I occasionally switched to digital, just in case, but for me shooting hybrid only ever reinforces the beauty of film – it’s slowness, it’s realness, the necessity of being mindful with every exposure.

When I received the photos back from the wonderful team at Canadian Film Lab, I breathed a sigh of relief. After all these years, my old Pentax K1000 feels like an extension of my hand, but getting those scans is never not preceded with a moment of tension, followed with a reminder of the medium’s depth & the beauty of imperfection.

But for now, it’s time to put aside my endless capacity for rambling (thank you for reading thus far!), and let the film speak for itself, feat. Sarah, Jinn & the most wonderful baby Alexa <3

Psst, I’ll be back in Australia once again this December, from the 1st to the 11th (although I could stay a little longer), with plans so far to photograph a wedding in Donnelly River, an anniversary keepsake session in the hills, and a small business venture in Fremantle. If you’d like to be a part of it and plan your own photo session, just flick me an email. I’d love to make something wonderful with you <3

An analogue photo of Alexa and her Mum during a lifestyle family portrait session in Perth A 35mm photograph of baby Alexa & her dad Jinn at their home in Western Australia. A film photograph of Jinn, baby Alexa & some of their succulents in Perth, Australia An analogue portrait of Jinn & Alexa during a lifestyle family photo session in Wembley, Western Australia. Baby Alexa captured on film during a lifestyle shoot in Perth An analogue family photo taken at the family home in Perth, Western Australia. Baby Alexa playing with her rattle, as photographed at her home, on film in Perth. Baby Alexa & her Dad playing at home, photographed on 35mm film in Wembley. Baby Alexa as photographed during an analogue lifestyle family portrait session in Western Australia. A family playing together during a lifestyle portrait session at their home in Perth, WA. A mix of dappled light, baby Alexa and her missing woollen slipper captured on 35mm film. A family photo taken in Perth of a Mum and her 6-month old baby. A 6-month old playing with her Mum's jumper, captured on film in Perth. Photo from a family lifestyle portrait session, captured on 35mm film in Perth, Australia. Mum, Dad & their 6-month old baby playing during a lifestyle portrait session in WA. A 6-month old getting in some tummy time with her Mum, during a family photo session in Perth. Baby Alexa playing with her camera during a lifestyle photography session in Perth. A lifestyle family portrait session captured at home in Perth, Australia. A candid analogue portrait of 6-month old baby Alexa, at home in Perth's suburbs. A 35mm portrait of Sarah and Alexa, at home in Perth.