of inspirational people I’m glad to call friends,

of amazing people who have openly and honestly shared of themselves with me, trusted me, and allowed me to photograph that,

for this beautiful country and the lifestyle and choices it affords us,

and most importantly for my beautiful family who put up with me and love me as i am.

Have a wonderful 2012, I hope that you are as excited by this coming year as what i am.

Michelle x

Our time is short

This is our fate, I’m yours”

Lizzy and Grayson are meant for each other, and no ocean too vast for this romance started in Canada and culminating on a summer’s day a few weeks back in Melbourne.

But their story continues with the Mornington Peninsula being a home-coming for Liz, and a new home for Grayson, who will be greatly missed by his family who travelled out for the wedding.

The delightfully understated Barak Estate was the perfect venue, and tunes by Benn Mannie set the mood. Enjoy this little preview….

Melbourne weather has been typically crazy this November …..we’re getting everything thrown at us in a day!

Not that any of it matters when the big day arrives.  Family and friends gathered to celebrate with Melissa and Leon, and to share this beautiful day.

Enjoy a little preview ….

“A portion of your soul has been entwined with mine. A gentle kind of togetherness, while separate we stand. As two trees deeply rooted in separate plots of ground, while their topmost branches come together, forming a miracle of lace against the heavens.” – Janet Milne

Even more so when I have a connection with the family, having shot Alex sister’s wedding a little over 12 months back. So special to me!

But Alex and Bree would have won me over regardless, being completely and utterly gorgeous! And with their open love for each other, and their family and friends there to help them celebrate, the day turned out to be perfect.

Their chosen wedding venue, although a last minute call due to the weather, was the amazing Sky High  with the balcony overlooking our beautiful city.

Big thanks going out to my gorgeous friend Vanessa Jones of Metaphor Design in helping cover this shoot.

Enjoy this preview….

middle, and end. Life is about not knowing,

having to change,

taking the moment and making the best of it,

without knowing what’s going to happen next.

Delicious ambiguity…..

- Gilda Radner

This is my brother Jason, and his adorable fiance Kristin. Together they are amazing.

Recently engaged, here is my ode to this special time in their lives. At home, doing what they love,

cooking smore’s around the campfire….

(Fanny Crosby)

This beautiful extended family were together for one special day recently, and I was honoured to be there to capture some family memories for them.

Although we were interrupted by rain a couple of times,  that only made it more fun as we ran for cover!

Here’s a sneak preview…..

Little creatures abound and we are drawn outside to meet them….

These sessions are designed to celebrate your relationship and to provide a window back to remembering that which is truely important.

Inspired by the amazing Jesh de Rox whose workshop I had the privilege of attending late last year, the techniques of ‘beloved’ is something that I have been putting into practise in all of my sessions to bring a sense of something that is authentically real and unposed.

The results have been better than I could have hoped for, as I’ve seen the walls melt away and couples really see each other in a way they may not have for a while. Often I’ve been moved to tears, being the witness of such an out-pouring of love and open-ness.

And to have this captured means that you will have a joyful and constant reminder of the love you share. Best expressed in the words of Helen Keller…

So long as the memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that life is good.

Marcus and Amanda are the sweetest couple, and have been together for a number of years. They’ve survived travelling around Australia together in their old comby, and have dreams of owning their own piece of paradise. When I discovered that one of their favourite things to do on a weekend was to go bushwalking, I had no hesitation in jumping in the “Old Girl” with them and heading down to one of their favourite spots on Rye back-beach.

Our session couldn’t have been in a more perfect spot. We walked and we laughed, and we captured what is beautiful.

In the meantime, my heart just melted when I laid eyes on little Rye, 3 weeks young. A beautiful new family. So precious…..

Father and son love…..

Family love…..