leannedoblephotography.com

Whilst the majority of Geelong was glued to the television to watch a fabulous game of football, my daughter and I thought it would be a great chance to have a little session. I mean why not it was about to pour down rain and not exactly warm but hey throw caution to the wind and jump in right..so we get a little wet ..meh doesn’t matter. So grabbing a few quick props we set off. It didn’t rain. Instead I got a few favourite images of my little girl who is growing up before my very eyes. She is a sweetheart and a gentle spirit and I think this little session shows that. I have her captured now..forever. I know I will treasure these images as she continues to blossom into a young woman. There is innocence here..still..I hope she can carry that into her adult life. I adore her.

I love having the opportunity to show off these precious little faces and seeing the family connect and love on their new little addition. I think it amazes me how each baby has its own little way about them and can look so different, so beautiful. This little miss has a gorgeous head of dark hair and was so alert for much of the session. I did manage to take a few sleeping images though and I adore them but that stunning gaze she gives is a winner too. Anyway I am no writer so I will let the images speak for themselves..enjoy!

I have often wondered why I do what I do and why I choose this medium. Why do I love portraits over landscapes? I guess the answer for me is that I am a people watcher. I always have been. I can sit in a mall or down the beach and just get caught up in the interactions that take place. The way people walk and talk, the way they respond in different situations. How we respond differently in the same situations.We are all so unique, but all so bonded by common needs. I am fascinated by the realness in our body language that whispers, yells and shieks, whilst we never utter a word. The way we rub up against each other..sometimes good sometimes bad..it is so very relational and human and yearning for connection. I want to capture that and hold it in space and time to view and share.

My family recently went away camping. We needed to reconnect. We were rubbing against each other and the friction wasn’t good. So we took time out. It didn’t go as planned. In fact the holiday wasn’t great..like dominos each of the girls got sick and were coughing up a storm..high temps, runny noses and generally the whole yukiness that comes with the flu.. Our family time was no hallmark card..no kodak moments to share..but it was real. You had to find the joy in between and in it all, we leaned on each other. We were close.We needed to be together to support each other. It is beautiful. I wonder in this time if I was the observer, what I would have seen? I hope in it all we showed that we were a tight unit, that Love reigned supreme. Not that we didn’t fight and scream and have trantrums, but that we have a cord of love and connection that runs like a lifeline through the fabric of our family tapestry. As we rub bump and connect, need space, need to be held, we always find our way back to our common thread..we need to be loved.

I think that is why I love to capture family in my work. I need to be reminded that we all yearn for that belonging and to have the sweet moments captured reminds me that we are bound to one another. I hope on the days when life is tough and emotions are frayed that my clients can glance at there family images and remember the bond.

I do.

I have to share this as I am reminded of connection in this image.

Not so long ago I photographed  a little newborn, her name is Neve, and now I get to show you her ” not so much bigger” cousin Isla..what a sweetheart she is too, and I think it is so nice that family get the opportunity to grow up together and play. I hope you enjoy these precious images..I had great pleasure taking them.

I was casting a look over old work of mine and looking at the progress of me,  as an artist ,and my girls as they have grown, and my eyes fell on images that in the past had not been seen..it was magical..to see with fresh eyes and step back into the day that these were taken and to see the value of images that have been sitting calling me to care. Like a composer that begins a song, then walks away..only to pick it up again in another space of time and thinking. This is what happened today.. I am so glad that it did. I have another precious image to find its way on my wall..I so look forward to seeing it on display. So here are my treasures from another space..I hope you enjoy them.