LEARN PHOTOGRAPHY

Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned photographer, you'll find something here to help your photography grow! Guides, reviews, behind the scenes & easy to follow tutorials.

PHOTOGRAPHY BASICS

Top 5 tips for photographing toddlers

Top 5 tips for photographing toddlers

My day job is a full-time professional family photographer and most of the families I photograph have at least one toddler, so photographing toddlers is something I'm a bit of an expert on.  Just the idea of toddler photography can make some people break out in a cold...

Don’t say Cheese! – How to get real smiles for the camera!

Don’t say Cheese! – How to get real smiles for the camera!

Capturing natural smiles! Make it fun – not cheesy! One of the questions I’m asked most as a professional family photographer is just how do I manage to capture natural smiles?  You’d think something we all do naturally shouldn’t be that hard, but let's face it – it...

The beginners guide to shutter speed

The beginners guide to shutter speed

Part Three of our series on exposure Part one: good exposure and how to recognise it. Part two:  the magic of balance and the exposure triangle Now we now how to recognise good exposure, just how does our camera capture just the right balance of light in our photo?...

Sensational sunset portraits made easy

Sensational sunset portraits made easy

Remember that time you and your family were down at the beach, local park or back deck with the panorama vista?  It was the end of a gorgeous day, everyone was happy and relaxed AND as if in recognition of your amazing day, the sky puts on the show of it's life!  The...

The magic of balance and the exposure triangle

The magic of balance and the exposure triangle

Part two of our series of posts on exposure Part one: good exposure and how to recognise it. Now we now how to recognise good exposure, just how does our camera capture just the right balance of light in our photo?  Of all the many buttons, dials and knobs on our...

FAMILY & CHILD PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

National Photographic Portrait Prize

National Photographic Portrait Prize

I’ve just returned from an exciting weekend attending the opening of the National Photographic Portrait Prize in Canberra.  Especially exciting for me because one of my portraits had been selected as a finalist!!   When I was phoned with the news late last year I’m...

I love something that’s “uncool” and I think you should too.

I love something that’s “uncool” and I think you should too.

Ok, so I've never been accused of being super cool, and back in the 80's my name was more likely associated with being a "dag" (if your not from Oz, that's slang for someone who don't have a neat, tidy or cultured appearance), than someone who's chic and on trend, but...

Take your best first day of school photo’s ever!

Take your best first day of school photo’s ever!

It's that time of year again!  Is your little one heading back to school or starting school for the first time?  There's little doubt this is one of the most photographed moments of the year.  Follow our five quick tips to make sure this year you capture your best...

LEARN LIGHTROOM

Sharing & Exporting images in Lightroom Classic CC

Sharing & Exporting images in Lightroom Classic CC

Why do we need to export? We’ve mentioned before, in our fast guide to getting started in Lightroom Classic CC, that Lightroom is a nondestructive editor. This means all the edits you make to your photos in Lightroom, aren’t made to the actual image file. The original...

Lightroom Classic CC Clean Edit – Start to Finish

Lightroom Classic CC Clean Edit – Start to Finish

What is a "clean edit"? “Clean Edit” is a term you hear a lot in photography circles, thankfully we aren’t talking about household chores, you can do a clean edit when your desk is in a complete shambles, just as you can clean edit a picture of your kids...

The Top Four Lightroom Classic CC Edits

The Top Four Lightroom Classic CC Edits

I've put together the top 4 Lightroom Classic CC quick edits you’ll use over and over and over!  They might be small, but mastering these four fixes,  will have a BIG impact on your photos! I remember when I first started using Lightroom.  I got the basics of...

Get started using Lightroom Classic CC – Fast!

Get started using Lightroom Classic CC – Fast!

A Crash Course in Lightroom Classic CC Get ready for the ultimate beginner's guide to Lightroom Classic CC!  And while I promise to get you up and editing your photos in a flash, there's a lot to cover so you might want to go grab yourself a cuppa/glass/choccie and...

BEHIND THE SCENES

The return of the silver queen! – APPA 2016

The return of the silver queen! – APPA 2016

Just a few short weeks ago, the Australian Professional Photography Awards (APPA) 2016 were held in Melbourne.  For the first time in years I didn't attend in person, but watched from afar, having only just returned from a lovely six week break with the family.  And...

GEAR GUIDES & REVIEWS

The best way to print your instagram photos

The best way to print your instagram photos

The easiest way to print your Instagram photos If you've read my blog for a while, you'll know that I am really passionate about capturing gorgeous images of your family.  Like really passionate!  But what you may not have picked up on yet, is that I am just as...

Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

The ultimate practical family portrait photographers review The wait is over! Canon have announced the 5D Mark IV, the successor to the hugely popular Canon EOS 5D Mark III.  I confess to purchasing my Mark III the day it was released (2nd March 2012), making my...

The only FIVE things you need to get started in photography

The only FIVE things you need to get started in photography

Have you always wanted to learn photography but keep putting it off until you can afford the gear?  You'd be surprised at how little you really need as a beginner photographer.  Sure, once you "catch the bug" it can get expensive, gear envy can be catching and it can...

A Mum’s guide to buying your first DSLR

A Mum’s guide to buying your first DSLR

Christmas is coming and you're thinking of finally splashing out on a fancy camera.  You start looking around online, looking in a few shops and it doesn’t take long to realise there are more cameras to choose from than dishes at your local Chinese!  How on earth do...

PRO PHOTOGRAPHY