Gypsy Falls, Celebrating You!

I am always on the look out for stunning locations for sessions and the moment I saw Gypsy Falls Retreat in Lorne I knew it would be ideal for an upcoming ‘Celebrate You’ session for a small group of friends.

Secluded yet within 30kms of Port Macquarie, the beautiful recently renovated bungalows at Gypsy Falls are an adult-only luxury escape.

I knew Gypsy Falls would be perfect, not only because of its seclusion, gorgeous decor and close proximity to a waterfall, but because it had a roll top bath. This may seem like an unusual request for a photo shoot, but I love to deliver my clients vision and this vision included a floral milk bath.

Stunning!

Read on to see a couple of photos from the ‘Celebrate You’ session…

Now, you may be asking what a ‘Celebrate You’ session is all about. Think Boudoir but ultra feminine, classic and fun, these sessions are perfect solo or with a girl friend or two and can be held at home or on location. Before each session I like to gather a mood board, usually on Pinterest, from my clients so I know exactly what their vision is which we can then incorporate into their session.

Our day actually started before Gypsy Falls, with the amazing Leah at Eight Lane Beauty in Laurieton.

Leah is a fabulous make up artist (& does an incredible facial too!) and made my clients look and feel amazing prior to our session getting underway, along with supplying coffee and delicious treats from Grounded. Yum!

A quick drive up to Gypsy Falls and our session was underway. We maximised our stunning surroundings and used various spots within the bungalow, from the classic bedroom to the balcony and finally a milk bath in the stunning roll top bath with incredible views.

Take a look at some of these images which my stunning clients have given me permission to share.

Our day was paused for a delicious grazing box from Port Macquarie based Natural Vibez and then we took a ten minute walk down to the waterfall on the property to complete our session.

My role is to document, with gentle guidance here and there, and ensure we capture the best from your session. I am so proud of the gorgeous galleries each of the three beautiful ladies received. I know our day definitely delivered on the ‘celebration’ and left them all, us all, with memories to treasure.

It was lovely to arrange such a beautiful day but it goes without saying that you ‘Celebrate You’ session can be held in your home..no bells and whistles necessary! My aim is to create a relaxed, fun experience which you will treasure, whatever your reason for having your shoot.

If you’d like to chat about what your session could look like please get in touch!

To find out more about Gypsy Falls visit https://www.gypsyfalls.com.au

Leah at Eight Lane Beauty at https://eightlanebeauty.gettimely.com/#home

Natural Vibez at https://www.facebook.com/Natural-Vibez-101248949018298

Grounded Espresso Bar at https://groundedespressobar.com.au

Cows, Rain and Mud

…and a fantastic event!

I’ll be honest from my first sentence. I have never been to an auction of any kind, never mind a cattle auction. So when I was approached by McCulloch Agencies to photograph their opening event at the newly revamped Wauchope Sale Yard I was so excited!

The McCulloch team are amazing and fantastic at what they do. Watching them work and getting swept up in the atmosphere was fantastic.

We didn’t even notice the rain, although my feet did..I don’t own a pair of gum boots (or wellies to me!) but I could’ve done with some.

I love looking for the details, the little things which may go unnoticed but most definitely are a feature of an event. It’s a pleasure to capture these things and even more fun to present them to the event hosts. Often when you’re hosting an event these little details go unseen, you know they’re happening around you but you’re caught up doing other things.

The family friendly event was a huge success, congratulations to the McCulloch team!

Take a look through a few images from the day and let me know your favourite.

To enquire about availability for your event please get in touch by emailing lucy@lucyhumphriesphotography.com or clicking the link below.

Flowers? Yes please!

What’s not to love about flowers? Feel-good beauty in each unique petal, stunning scents and an array of amazing colours.

One of my other most favourite things is photographing awesome people, so you can imagine my excitement when I got to combine the two a few weeks ago working on a project for Zeller at the incredible Thistle Flowers.

Matt and Chris, like myself, are fairly new to Port Macquarie and have recently moved in alongside the stunning Hollow Store on Murray Street.

The space is relaxed and calm, the lighting soft and the welcome is warm. I was fortunate to be able to photograph Matt and Chris over an hour of their busy morning and it’s instantly obvious how much care and love they pour into their work. Each bouquet is thoughtfully designed, every stem placed for maximum effect.

I was lucky enough to glimpse some wedding flowers which Matt & Chris were prepping, the flower crowns were so detailed and utterly beautiful.

Not only do they show their fresh, locally grown flowers a whole lot of love and care, that same welcome is evident for every person who walked into the store. A friendly chat, lots of smiles and a wealth of knowledge about their trade.

So much pretty! I could go on and on with sharing photos from the morning, it was such a joy to be there and to meet Chris, Matt and the Hollow Store team too.

If you’d like to take a peek at the Zeller article featuring Thistle Flowers and my photos you can see it here: https://www.myzeller.com/The-Zeller-Regional-Report-Shining-a-Spotlight-on-Regional-Businesses

I’ll be sharing some more from the session over on my socials too, you can follow me on Instagram at Lucy Humphries Photography.

Need to update your business photos for your website and socials? Get in touch today, I’d love to help.

Personal Branding with added SUNSHINE

If you haven’t seen Jen and her incredibly aptly named business ‘Rays of Sunshine’ then you’re missing out.

Jen makes beautiful wearable art with intricate details, beautiful colours and a lot of love and care. From earrings, or ear candy as Jen says, to hair barrettes and so much more - even custom designs.

I first found Jen through her insta reels - a must watch, just trust me, and we got chatting, met for a coffee and had a good old conversation about updating Jen’s personal branding photos.

I know updating your photos can be forever on the ‘to-do’ list, we have so much to do as business owners that taking some time with a photographer can seem like time we just don’t have.

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“People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories and magic.”

— Seth Godin

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Having photos of you, and not just your face, but your product/service, your workspace or even your favourite coffee spot, help to make you relatable to your audience.

It means that when someone visits your website or socials they can see you, with beautiful, clear and fresh photos.

In reality you may think booking a branding session means scheduling a whole day out of your diary. But it can take as little as an hour and I looove making the process as simple as possible for you.

So please stop putting it off, lets get you booked in today.

Visit Jen, Rays of Sunshine here:

www.instagram.com/raysofsunshineau

https://www.raysofsunshineau.com/

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Beachy Dreams

We are so blessed in Port Macquarie to have a huge choice of beautiful beaches.

Each offers it’s own benefits, from the wide sandy expanse at Lighthouse to the shady calmer spots at Town and the more secluded varied landscape of the little beach down by the Lighthouse.

Often, if a family would like a beach shoot, they already have a favourite in mind. Sometimes this is driven by their memories there, sometimes it’s because their furry family members are joining us (that’s their dogs…)

In your happy place, you shine.

It’s such a pleasure to be the face behind the camera capturing the magic.

Do you have a favourite beach?

My upcoming mini sessions for Father’s Day will probably be held at Oxley Beach. These gorgeous short sessions are a wonderful way to have a mini shoot at a fantastic price. Plus I’m including a framed 8x10 image of your choice from your session. Perfect pressie for Dad!

You’ll find all the info and available sessions here: Father’s Day Minis.

Displaying Your Photos

I am a firm believer that photos should be on display.

Yes, we all get those facebook memory notifications to remind us of years gone by, but how nice to have smiles on repeat whenever you see a memory-filled frame up on the wall.

It has been a dream of mine to have a ‘photo wall’ for years, and now I have one I absolutely love it.

Here it is!

The process of putting it together was much more simple than it first looks.

Our starting point was the metal lettering, which I found with Hoagard and immediately knew it would make the perfect centre point. Being the centre point, we fixed it to the wall first and then went from the centre outwards with the frames.

We wanted all black frames of varying sizes and picked them all up in Target. The hardest part was choosing which photos we wanted to frame!

The top line was kept the same, as was the bottom. I also wanted each corner of the display to have a larger frame in it.

There is so much flexibility with the display, you can choose to have different coloured frames all mixed together, to have the entire wall covered or just a section, to use lettering or not… the possibilities are endless.

Do you have a photo wall? Inspired to do one now?

I have a Pinterest board dedicated to beautiful ways of displaying your photos, take a look here: https://www.pinterest.com.au/lucyhumphriesp/displaying-your-photos/

Winter Shoots & Why I Love Them

You may think your family photo shoot must be reserved for the Summer months, floaty dresses and longer days.

Here’s why I think the cooler months are a perfect alternative.

• The days are shorter.

  And that’s a good thing?

  I think so! An earlier sunset means your session can be planned earlier to catch that beautiful golden light. Usually around 4pm works wonderfully. Not only does this mean you’re not waiting all day for your session, it also means little ones aren’t so overtired.

• Warmer clothing.

  Yes, a floaty frock is magical but warmer clothes, jeans and layers make for amazing images.

• Quieter Locations.

  No overcrowded beach, yay! We get your chosen location in a much more serene setting, simply because there’s far less people hanging around in the cooler months.

• And finally… the cuddles!

  Feeling the chill? That just means closer snuggles!

To find out more about my sessions please visit https://www.lucyhumphriesphotography.com/family-photography or get in touch via the contact form here: contact

Why investing in product photos is so important

Wondering whether it's worth investing in product photos?⁠ Do you really need them?
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Here's why I think it's vital for your business:⁠
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• They are the first thing your potential customers see⁠. Not only do your images need to be eye catching, they need to really show clearly what your product is. Put yourself in your customers shoes, when you're scrolling through a website what do the company's product images say to you?

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• Your customers want to see your product in a variety of styles including lifestyle shots, to help them picture your product in their lives.⁠ Whilst the crisp white background is sometimes necessary for listing your products in certain places, it's actually the more relaxed lifestyle photographs you'll probably find you use more. For example, in these shots styled for Little Oil Blends I've added the diffuser subtly to the background, allowing the customer to envision the products in their home.

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• It's cheaper. Yep, by the time you've invested in the equipment needed to take some good product photos, not to mention the time it'll take you to set up, photograph and then edit, it's often cheaper to hire a professional, and less stressful for you!

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If you have any questions around product photos I'd love to help, email me at lucy@lucyhumphriesphotography.com

The Mad Hatter's Tea Party at GROW

On a gloriously sunny Saturday in late November my two children and I went down the rabbit hole…

Our morning began with a drive about an hours west of Port Macquarie, where we live, to Toms Creek. We’ve never been there before and the journey was a lot of fun. Yep, I know, not usually the first sentence which comes to mind when thinking of an hours car trip with two kids! But genuinely, we had fun! Part of the journey was flowed through farm land and we loved spotting animals, watching cows cross the road and the horses shading themselves under the trees.

Arriving at GROW ensured the excitement level in the car went up a notch. We were warmly welcomed by the Mad Hatter herself and the Queen of Hearts who introduced us to a gorgeous baby goat (not an official term, I know..) called Casper, and some cute miniature ponies.

The kids were given balloons and showed to the amazing table. Decorated in true Alice in Wonderland style, alongside beautiful floral decorations it held everything any child could dream of for a tea party. Sandwiches, cookies, cupcakes, fairy bread, fruit, juice, and hot coffee for the grown ups!

The GROW team, all wonderfully dressed in themed outfits, made amazing hostesses. Encouraging the children to meet the animals and play the varied party games - everything from a duck race to musical chairs, and every child was made to feel extremely welcome.

We had such a wonderful morning of games, followed by a splash in the creek where everybody teamed up to try and splash the Queen of Hearts. The setting they have in Toms Creek is absolutely magical and I was in my element taking photographs and enjoying the party.

Thank you GROW team, we can’t wait to see what you have planned for 2021!

For more information about GROW please visit their website https://www.growsustainableliving.com/

Planning for your Personal Branding Shoot

So you’ve decided it’s time to show off the face behind your business, amazing! You’re already well on your way to allowing your customers and clients to connect with you.

Now you’re wondering what kind of images you need? Don’t worry, here’s my quick guide to ensuring you obtain photos which will make you shine.

1. Where?

   Think about where you are going to use the photos. Websites and blogs usually need some landscape images, for your social media you’ll need portrait. Plan for the next 6-12 months, do you have a new launch approaching? Will you want to use some over Christmas with a few festive props?

2. Location

   Depending what your brand is all about will help determine your location. If you’re a landscaper you don’t really want 20 photos of you sitting at a desk.

   Equally, if your home office is fairly dark it may be worthwhile looking for a shared office space (I love CoLab at Sovereign Hills).

3. Outfits

   Here it’s wise to link with your branding. If you have pinks in your branding try and involve them in your outfit. It’s also worth considering what suits you. Canary yellow might be your logo colour but if it washes you out then avoid a large amount of it.

4. Pinterest It!

   Build a mood board of brand shoot photos you adore. When my clients book in, I create one for us to share if they don’t already have one. That way I can see exactly the style they’re looking to obtain.

5. Personality

   Let it shine through! Love coffee? Include a few photos of you drinking a cup. Crazy about cats? Add them in somehow, perhaps a cat scarf! Your branding shoot should provide images which give your clients a glimpse into who they’re working with.

Image taken at CoLab for Zoe of The Numbers Hub

There you have it, my tips for planning your branding shoot. When did you last update your images? If you’d like any further information please fill in the form & I’ll get back to you.

Milkshakes, Strawberries & Photographs

…and not forgetting friendship!

I was so honoured when Lisa (the creative mind behind beautiful Little Henrio) reached out to me the first time, back in July. We hit it off straight away, Lisa is really fun to be around, and even better - our kids got along!

So when Lisa got in touch to say she would like me to capture some more of her gorgeous makes I jumped at the chance.

Naturally, there was coffee and cake involved when we met at Ricardoes Tomatoes. The children enjoyed a cake in their gorgeous matching outfits. The fun sweet treats print was actually designed by Lisa’s nephew and is super cute! The detail on the sleeve of Ruby’s dress was just so pretty.

After our refreshments, which were absolutely delicious, we ventured out for some strawberry picking. The kids absolutely loved finding and choosing which strawberries to pick and I had so much fun photographing them.

Ricardoes makes a gorgeous location, filtering the light beautifully. The dress worn by Ruby has a real ‘dorothy’ vibe, so pretty with it’s cute print.

It’s so funny to think when I first picked up my camera I was adamant that I didn’t want to take photo’s of people, and now I absolutely love it! Oh, and the strawberries we picked didn’t even make it home, just too delicious!

Team Talk

Like most people, I don’t always like going out of my comfort zone. When I was approached recently to do something I haven’t done before my husband reminded me that “if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.”

Those following me on Instagram may have spotted in my stories a few weeks back I posted a brief ‘guess where I am…’ video from a sports field, where I was setting up ready to take team photographs for local Wauchope Netball Club.

With 19 individual teams in total across the day it certainly put my skills to work and I had such a great time. Meeting everyone and watching them interact (of course I couldn’t resist taking a few candid shots too!) was a joy.

Of course, with team photos the work begins once you start editing, and I had a lot of fun designing a border for the images to allow the player’s names to be incorporated.

Here’s a look at one of the images, alongside the border, which I am sharing with permission.

A huge thank you to Kylie & the whole Wauchope Netball Club team, it was an absolute pleasure to meet you all.

If you’d like more information, or to book your own team photo’s please get in touch! You can email me at lucy@lucyhumphriesphotography.com