Little Shoots

❓ "Is a cake smash going to be messy?"

Short answer: Absolutely. 😂

But that's kind of the whole point.

Babies spend their first year being told "don't touch that", "don't make a mess", "be careful"...

A cake smash is one of the very few times they're encouraged to do the exact opposite.

Squish it. Throw it. Sit in it. Taste it. Wear it.

The funniest photos often happen when the cake is no longer looking like a cake at all.

And don't worry, I've got everything set up and ready for the chaos, so all you need to do is enjoy watching your little one have the time of their life.

Speaking of cake smashes...

I have just **ONE June Cake Smash spot remaining** before I head off on holidays.

If you've been thinking about celebrating your baby's first birthday with a cake smash session, send me a PM and let's grab that last spot before it's gone 🎂✨

You know what? I've decided to start a new weekly series called Grumpy Mondays, and this little girlie gets the honour of kicking it off😆

Every Monday, I'll be sharing one of my favourite grumpy baby photos of the week.
Because let's be honest... babies have mastered the Monday mood better than any of us.
This week's complaint appears to be:
"I was brought to a photoshoot and nobody consulted me first" 😒

See you next Monday for another tiny human with a very big opinion 👶

Some photoshoots feel less like work and more like catching up with relatives 😄
These two were so easy going, down to earth and full of positive energy that by the end of the session it felt like we'd known each other for years.
One thing I hear all the time from maternity clients is:
"We've never done this before. What if we don't know how to pose?"
The good news is... you're not expected to know. 😊
My job is to guide you every step of the way- from where to stand and where to put your hands, to those little adjustments that make a huge difference in photos. I don't just take a few photos and call it a day either. I like to create lots of different combinations and variations throughout the session, so when it's time to choose your images, you have plenty of beautiful options to fall in love with.
All you need to do is show up, enjoy the experience, and let me take care of the rest🤌

When I lived in St Petersburg, Russia, most people didn't do studio photoshoots because they preferred them.

They did them because organising an outdoor photoshoot was basically an extreme sport😄

First, you had to find a nice location. Which usually meant a VERY long drive.

Then you had to hope it wasn't raining (And if you've never been to St Petersburg... let's just say umbrellas are a lifestyle)

Then you had to hope there weren't dozens of people in the background.

So every outdoor photoshoot felt a little bit like: "Well... let's see what happens" 🤞😆

Now I live in Perth, and honestly, I don't think we realise how spoiled we are. Beautiful beaches. Gorgeous parks. Endless open spaces. And sunsets that look like someone turned the saturation up just for fun.

And June? June is underrated.

The beaches are quieter, the sunsets are incredible, and on many evenings there's hardly any wind at all which is great news for parents of little humans who don't appreciate sand in their eyes and hair in their mouths. 😄

Just golden light, happy kids, cuddles, games, and memories you'll actually want to frame.

Not a bad way to spend an evening✨

Great news.

We're back from holidays.

Bad news.

I've already booked another one 😁✈️

And because I'll be away for most of July, June is your golden window for family photos.

Which works out perfectly because June sunsets are ridiculously beautiful. Think dreamy skies, golden light, less wind and beaches that aren't packed with people.

So if you've been putting family photos off for "one day", this is your sign.

And if you book, thank you for supporting a small local business and its completely unreasonable holiday budget 😂

❓ Is newborn photography actually safe?

One day, my Russian auntie called me and said she'd been following my photography page for a while.

She had some feedback.

"Your posts are too long," she said. 😆

So I asked her what she thought I should write instead.

Without missing a beat, she replied:

"Just tell people you won't drop the baby."

Honestly... fair enough. 😂

But on a more serious note, your baby's safety is always my number one priority and comes before every photo.

I only use safe newborn poses and techniques that I have been specifically trained in. Over the years, I've completed multiple newborn safety and posing courses and continuously invest in education to ensure I'm following best practices.

I've even had a lesson with a neonatologist, who explained newborn anatomy, development, and which positions are considered safe for babies.

Many parents don't realise that some poses require special support. During your session, I use purpose-made posing pillows and supports (which are carefully hidden from the camera) to keep your baby comfortable and secure at all times.

I never force a pose. If a baby isn't comfortable in a particular position, we simply move on to something else.

So if you're wondering whether your little one is in good hands- the answer is yes. ❤️

And just in case you're still worried...

I won't drop your baby, guys. 😁

Classic😄🤌

Yesterday we had to say goodbye to our gorgeous boy, Simba❤️
And honestly, we still can't believe he's gone.
In January Simba suffered a stroke which left the right side of his body unresponsive. Watching him relearn how to walk almost from scratch was heartbreaking, but at the same time incredible. He fought so hard, and little by little he made such remarkable progress that we truly believed he was recovering well.
But over the last month something started changing. We found ourselves at the vet more than ever before for little things that suddenly weren't healing on their own. Yesterday we noticed he was breathing strangely like deep breaths with his belly and opening his mouth for air, and we rushed him to the vet thinking maybe it was a reaction to antibiotics he had recently started.
It wasn't.
The X-rays showed huge amounts of fluid around his lungs and abdomen. The vet told us it looked like the final stages of cancer, and that if we took him home, he could suffocate.
So we made the hardest decision of our lives.
If you ever loved a pet, you'll understand this kind of grief. Simba wasn't just a cat. He was family. He was part of our routines, our home, our everyday life, our comfort. The silence in the house today feels unbearable.
It's impossible to explain how much we loved him or how deeply this hurts right now.
Thank you for fighting so hard, our beautiful boy. Thank you for every cuddle, every greeting at the door, every moment with you.
We would have chosen you in every lifetime🤍

In Russia, we have a saying: "Children are the flowers of your life" 🌸
And isn't that true?
They grow so quickly, changing right before our eyes. One day they're tiny little hands wrapped around your finger… and the next, they're running ahead of you, full of personality, laughter, and dreams.
Motherhood is exhausting, chaotic, beautiful, emotional, magical- sometimes all at once.
And in the middle of everyday life, it's so easy to forget to pause and realise: these are the moments we'll one day miss the most.
The cuddles.
The sandy toes after sunset at the beach.
The way they look at you like you are their whole world.
That's why photos matter so much to me.
Not because of perfect outfits or perfect smiles, but because they freeze a feeling. A memory. A season of life that deserves to be remembered forever.
Today, I just want to say Happy Mother's Day to all of my beautiful mums. 🤍
Thank you for trusting me to capture your little "flowers" and the love that blooms within your families every single day.
One day, these photos will become some of your most precious treasures.

The kids DID NOT want to leave 😂
I had numerous little ones asking for "more photos",  more running on the beach, more cuddles with mum, more everything 🥹🌅
And honestly… that says everything.
Sunset at the beach is just magic. The soft golden light, warm sand, salty air, kids running wild while mums soaked up all the cuddles-  it didn't even feel like a photoshoot half the time.
It felt like a beautiful family evening that just happened to be captured forever 🤍
These aren't just pretty pictures.
They're the memories your kids will look back on one day and say:
"Remember when we did that at the beach with mum?" 🥹