The Batblog by Photobat | Portrait and Wedding

Each year the APPA’s come around, and each year photographers hold their breath and wait for the judges to give their prints a score. I had to hold my breath right till the last minute as all my prints were in the last category to be judged. The brand new family category. I had no idea what to enter, the aim of this category is all about a portrait photographers regular day to day work. No spectacular multiple image photoshop compositions, just straight shots of more domestic commissioned portraits.

The results, 2 Silver with Distinctions for these images. The one of the Bird boys above did nothing at the Tasmanian Awards a month but it’s another one of those shots that I believed in and was really happy that it got up. Sometime you just have to believe in the print, even when it’s been stomped on by a previous judging panel! The one below of Olivia did pick up an award in Tasmania too, so it’s now multi award winning, but i like it because it was just something different that i wanted to try and the first pregnancy shot i’ve picked up an award for.

With the APPA’s gone, it is pretty much the end of award season for another year. That means it’s time to get started on next years prints! Well done to all my photo friends (too many to mention) who seem to all have had a great award season too.

When I ran my little competition a few weeks ago, Katie was one of the unlucky winners, coming in second. 2nd place isn’t first looser around here so we all drove off to do one of my favourite pregnancy sessions yet (I think i say that every time, but they are all really fun!). These guys are beach people and there was no option about where we would shoot this one. Andy and Katie came and picked me up and we headed off to explore beaches until we found a perfect one for the portrait. After a couple of not quite right beaches, we found a perfect stretch of uninhabited coastline where we could play.

Katie and Andy were so playful with each other, it was really cute to see them bounce off each other, and you can tell they are going to be fun parents. And little unborn Fin has no option, he is going to surf and even if he doesn’t he will be spending a lot of time at the beach!

The light was fading, so all the fun was over… well… it was supposed to be. Sometimes I see a shot that is a little brave. it is winter here so the idea of getting a little wet isn’t that appealing. I asked them “Do you reckon you could sit in the water? Just for a second? Promise it will be worth it!” So the answer was “Yeah… I guess so… Sure!” So i got the guys into position and I got myself into position (Laying down in the wet sand and water, and it was cold) and for 30 seconds we took the final shot and it really was worth it.
Thanks again yaou guys for being awesome, I really can’t wait to meet little Fin in a few weeks.

You may remember when Lucy was just a bump, but now she is a real life little girl. We had a shoot with her when she was 2 weeks old. The first couple of weeks are the best time for newborn shoots, genenrally lots more sleeping going on and you can get some really fantastic shots. I’m not sure what the dogs thought, but the kept looking in the window to see what we were up to.

 Congratulations again Lucy! You have found yourself some very cool parents who I can tell are going to be fantastic to you!

Getting to know people is one of the best things about this job, so driving up to the beach with Katie and Andy was a joy.
This shoot is right up there with the best pregnancy portrait sessions we have done. I can’t wait to post the rest!

Another high flying preview over at the Photobat Facebook Group

I can’t remember what gave me the idea to shoot a little abstract, possibly one of those miss-fires of the camera where you look down and think ‘”that’s pretty cool”. So here is the result of mucking around with an accident. We have put together this fantastic layout which is going to turn into an interesting piece of art for Olivia and Daniel’s home. I can’t wait to get the print back and give it to them!

 Check out the other shots from this shoot here

These guys are fun, and are about to become parents. I first met these guys at Brad and elisha’s wedding, and Brad got ready at their house. that is where I noticed some of the photography equipment hanging about and realised these guys are a bit into photography. Flash forwards and the pregnancy is nearly finished so we got together and took some shots.

Yes, we were playing around a little with the studio lights, especially the octobox. The stretchy fabric was really cool backlit.

The last spot we shot at was in the backyard, there was a fantastic red wall and nice light.

Thanks again Olivia and Paul for being awesome and planyin, I can’t wait to meet your little one very soon.

PS, This isn’t the end of the photos from this session. There is one more that will get it’s very own post as it is so different and cool that it really deserves to stand out!

More to come…

I’m really looking forward to catching up with Chris and Clare again. I’ve known Clare since grade 7 and only met Chris when we met up for this session. Not only are they getting married next year in Queensland and taking us along for the ride, but they are also going to have a baby later this year.

 These guys were a heap of fun to shoot and I’m really looking forward to meeting the little one and also the wedding. Thanks again for being a fun shoot!

It has been over a year since I first met Anthony and Amanda, at that time Amanda was quite pregnant and gave me a hand in updating my pregnancy folio. I have to say, both Anthony and Amanda are very special people, so friendly and I found myself staying a bit longer than normal for a chat at the end of the session. So now Ella is about and I have been back three times to photograph her so that we could put together an album showing her first 12 months. She is very very cute in both looks and in what she does, she is lucky to have such top parents who are completely in love and in awe of her!

 So below is the podcast that follows the Castray’s progress, from Pregnancy to just after Ella’s first birthday. It has been a preverlidge to spend time with this awesome family and I’m looking to catching up with them again soon, if only for a cup of tea!

 

 The Castrays [00:03:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup