Mother Megan Love

LC-Wide & Belair X6-12 (with black borders)

To say that I'm over the moon about the birth of my best friend's little girl, Harriet would be an understatement... so I wanted to post a few more of the photographs I took back in February for Megan's pregnancy photo shoot.

These are some of my favorite shots from the whole day & I really love the way that they show just how happy Megan was to welcome her first born into the world. I feel that they are a mix of celebration and heartfelt happiness, which were exactly the emotions that that Megan was expressing on the day.

I had the opportunity not only to use my beloved LC-Wide, but also my new Belair X6-12... this was only the 2nd time I had used my Belair & I found that it gives such a beautiful quality to these portraits. I can't wait to use it in more portrait sessions in the future.

I especially can't wait to take photos of little Harriet when I am next in Brisbane. 

x

Mel

Plus one!

 

 
   

 

 

My beautiful friend Megan, waiting for her plus one. (Instax Mini)

I have been back & forth from Queensland a far bit lately, the most recent visit to Brisbane included spending time with my beautiful friend Megan, who is just a few weeks off welcoming her first plus one into the world. As it was my first pregnancy shoot, I was a little nervous about getting the right angles, but Megan was such a pleasure to work with that it all felt relaxed & easy. (you may remember the photos I took at Megan & Dan's wedding)

These are just a selection of Instax shots, I was juggling 5 different cameras on the day & am still waiting on some film to be developed & scanned, but I'm super happy how these turned out.

Another trip to Queensland awaits me once there is news on when Megan (& Dan's) baby arrives... that's what I get when I move so far away.

x 

Mel

Poladarium 2013!

 

 

I was lucky enough to have two of my Impossible Project SX-70 Polaroids included in the Poladarium 2013 calendar (see above). Its lovely seeing your photographs in print, the thrill never really wears off... it's one thing that makes all the film, cameras, patience & time involved in film photography very much worth it. Submissions for next year's Poladarium are opening soon, so keep an eye out if you shoot Polaroid! 

x

Mel

When the wind changes...

Polaroid SX-70 (Gold Frame Colour Shade 680)

Relocation. Most of us relocate at some point in their lives. I have several times. Through all the little Queensland towns I lived in as a child to high school in Toowoomba, moving to Brisbane after graduation, moving to London, moving to Melbourne. There is so much to be gained from experiencing new surroundings & cultures, but sometimes you do feel like you lose many things also.

After I returned from London and moved to Melbourne, I felt liberated & loved discovering a new city. I still love Melbourne, more than ever, but now so many of my friends have moved back from overseas & interstate to Brisbane, I feel like I am missing out. As much as I am in Brisbane quite regularly, a few times per year, it is barely enough time to see all my friends properly, so I have started just making small trips to see just one or two friends (& usually, my parents).

I know a few of my friends wish I would move back to Brisbane & I understand why, but at the same time, I feel like I've spent the last 6 years of my life uprooting myself from location to location. It's time I put a few roots down & I must say that's one of the hardest things to do when you're out of practice. I can't even commit to a mobile phone contract, let alone anything else.

A couple of my good Melbourne friends are moving to Sydney and Tasmania, one is moving back to her her home city & the other is moving for work. They are both moving for very good reasons... but I just don't feel like I have a "very good reason" to be moving away from Melbourne, I've only been here for a little over 2 years & it is only now, starting to feel like home.

If only ruby slippers were real, then all my amazing friends would be but a couple of heel clicks away.

x Mel

Brisbane City Lights with La Sardina

La Sardina (Lomography CN 800)

Ever since my luck with long exposure bulb shots in New York, I've been slightly obsessed with taking night shots... especially since most of the cameras I use require either natural light or a flash, its nice to know that there are other shots you can take at nighttime.

These photographs are of Brisbane at night, taken over the Christmas holidays while I was visiting my family & friends. It wasn't easy to get a whole lot of light trails, since there were hardly any cars on the road, but I love how the lights of the city & Southbank glow in these shots.

I had Lomography CN 800 film already in the camera, so I wasn't sure how long to leave the shutter open while using the bulb setting, but most of these shots are between 20-30 seconds.

Apologies for the quiet time on the blog front, being back at work & training up a new assistant... along with enjoying summer, I've sadly neglected blogging. 

x Mel

Golden Times with SX-70

 

 

 

SX-70 with PX680 Color Shade Gold Edition & ND filter.

Over the Christmas holidays, I ventured to my home state of Queensland to spend time with my family & friends. Many photographs were taken, rolls of film developed when I returned to Melbourne & now I only have to finish the last few exposures on the films still in cameras.

One of the cameras I took to Brisbane was my newly acquired SX-70... this time with the new PX680 Colour Shade Gold Edition... I shot one pack of this film & am quite impressed with the results, 6 out of 8 exposures isn't bad at all.

While in Brisbane I enjoyed taking my parents & friends to the Matisse: Drawing Life exhibition at GOMA, they have a drawing room and cafe as you exit the exhibition with props & still life arrangements to draw & while away the day. I highly recommend it!

x Mel

Megan & Daniel get Married!

Megan & Daniel get Married!

(LC-A with Rollei Crossbird Creative X-Pro 200 film)

 (Instax Mini 25 with Instax Mini film)

Before I jetted off to New York, I had the honour of being at one of my BFF's weddings in Brisbane. It was such a beautiful day that truly celebrated the immense love between two amazing people. Megan had asked me to bring along my Diana Mini camera (I also took my LC-A & Fuji Instax) to take casual photos of their special day. The Diana Mini film is still pending... but here are are few of my LC-A & Fuji Instax photographs.

There was rainbow layer cake, whoopee pies, many glasses of champagne, tears, joy, happiness & loads of love. Megan and Daniel, I again wish you the happiest of lifetimes together.

x Mel

P.S. On occasions like weddings I love instant film, I was able to bundle up all the Instax Mini photos I had taken at the end of the reception and give them to the bride & groom to take on their honeymoon.