The Story…
Many moons ago, when we first branched out from our purely commercial/editorial work, we set out with a lofty ambition: To offer the best family portrait experience available, not only in Melbourne, but anywhere: Since then, we have had the privilege of partnering with countless families in Melbourne and beyond in producing photography that, in essence, seeks to honour the people we work with and the relationships they have with those closest. Family portraiture has been, and continues to be, many things to many different photographers (and clients). For us, it is way beyond the technical, and all about the connection: The connection between you and your family members, and the sense of comfort and trust you have in the person photographing you. We are perfectionists and judge ourselves on the work we produce for each new client. While we are honoured to have a swag of international awards to our name, our true measure of success is the beaming smile on your face as you admire your new photographs. We love the work we do ultimately because it has such a positive impact on people’s lives; we welcome you to arrange an appointment to meet at our studio/gallery to discuss your wishes, and to plan a session that is uniquely you.
Location Photography Specialists
The greatest demand for our portrait work is shooting on location (either at the client’s home or preferred outdoor spaces). Whether or not you have a specific location in mind for your photoshoot, we can suggest a range of locations to best suit your needs and preferred style of photography. We will also suggest ideal times of day for best light depending on the season and location, and discuss ways to help you best prepare for your shoot. We always welcome requests to travel outside of Melbourne for destination shoots.
Maternity Photography
Most mothers prefer to have their maternity photography taken when they are between 6 and 8 months pregnant, and we offer value-added packages for families wishing to return to us for newborn photography after the birth of their child(ren). We also design artwork plans for families engaging us to photograph their families at various points in time, building dynamic art displays that become treasured centrepieces of family homes.
Newborn Photography
Newborn photography is all about those precious first days while babies are sleepy & tiny, and is often best done within 10 days of birth (most babies will have a flush of skin spots at some stage between 2 and 8 weeks of age). Tentative bookings are usually made based on expected due dates – we set aside time each week to allow for the inevitable unpredictability of these new arrivals. That being said, there are of course no rules; your child is unique, and we make it our responsibility to ensure your shoot exceeds all expectations, regardless of your baby’s age at the time.
Baby Photography
Our baby photography is driven by capturing the innate spark of personality and the developmental milestones emerging in that ever-changing first year, as well as the special connections forging between parents and siblings.
Child Photography
Toddler and child portraits present wonderful opportunities for beautiful photographs at all ages. Parents sometimes worry that the unpredictability of child behaviour may have a negative effect on their photoshoot: as a professional photographer, Ross’ rapport with children and ability to create amazing photographs out of the most unlikely situations is at the core of the service we provide (a skill he owes to his combined experience as a commercial photographer and as a father to five spirited children). Additionally, Ross has a great deal of experience working with children with special needs and can help plan the perfect shoot for clients with particular considerations.
Family Portraits and Extended Family/Generations Photographs
Our approach to family photography is to document the uniqueness of relationship and connection in a natural and unforced way, creating interesting and timeless photographs worthy of becoming new family heirlooms. Ross is highly sought after for his work with larger family groups, which require a unique skill set unto itself (both in terms of the photographic session and the post-production for optimal results). While the phrase “never work with children or animals” gets thrown around a great deal, we wholeheartedly disagree. As true family members, animals and pets are always welcome to be involved, with specific advice always offered during the planning phase of your shoot.
Couples Photography
In addition to our wedding photography we offer engagement sessions and photoshoots for couples; a unique and personal way to mark anniversaries or to give as gifts from one partner to the other. Our couples’ sessions are popular first anniversary gifts, especially with the theme of the first wedding anniversary being ‘paper’.