Boobies, Bickies, and Bear Farts...who knew? | Wellington Family Photographer

So I have known this family now for three years.  That little one in the Teepee...I knew her before she was outside of her mummy's belly.  Miss Catherine is one of my poster children.  I know this gorgeous creature...but on her third birthday...forget about it.  She wanted no part of this photoshoot...which was about Hamish the gorgeous addition to the family.  While her mum was sitting in the makeup chair getting spoiled rotten by Renee, I was trying to sneak some shots of Hamish off.  Catherine had other ideas.  She stomped her little feet and tried to shoo me away from her little brother like I was a cat that was being naughty.  She was the ultimate gorgeous little mini diva detesting the paparazzi.  That is until I gave her a bickie.   Sometimes they work a treat... Never underestimate the power of a good bickie.   However...this reprieve only lasted until I started paying attention to Hamish again then all bets were off. Hmmmm.  WHat is a photographer to do.  My heart was breaking.  I love Miss Catherine...she is my gorgeous girl.  But nah...today she would have none of aunty Mandi.  We tried relocating down in the garden and setting up the most gorgeous teepee...Brilliant Idea except nope she didn't really feel like coming out of such a beautiful setting.

So I farted.

Yes you heard me right.

When ever I am stuck for what to do.   I fart.   Usually it is with my mouth. (for the record it was this time as well).

Catherine decided that a fart was worth a peek out of the tent.   I asked her if it was her who did it.  She flattly denied it.   I asked her if it was her daddy?  She gave him a suspicious look.  Then it ripped again.  Head popped out one more time.  This time I told her I was so clever that I had identified whom it was who had done such and unsightly thing.  She demanded to know whom it was!

"The bear in the woods of course."   This she found absolutely hilarious.  (to my huge relieve...I was slightly concerned it would send her cowering all the more in her teepee).  But now our Catherine the Great strode out to show that  bear her bare bum.  GORGEOUS!  Then we were off cooking with grease.  Here are some sneak peaks from their shoot. And an introduction to the most chilled out 9 day old I have yet to meet.  Hamish.  Hamish made one peep the entire session.  Was given boobie and he was sweet.  Simple life.  Gotta love it.  SO LOVE THIS FAMILY.  So looking forward to photographing them in their new home for Hamish's first birthday!  Yeah!

Dale's Model for a Day Shoot

Dale won our Pink Wheel of Happiness at the Women's Expo and won a voucher for a free print the lucky girl.  She the upgraded to the show special and got a chance to be spoiled by Renee in the makeup chair for a couple of hours.  She needed it too after having a challenging week...she was sure that we were not going to get much from her in the state she was in but nahhhh.... We always find ways to pull out that sparkle.  Doesn't she look amazing.  She is now plotting her next shoot and this time with her partner.  :)

Aisling and Lauren | Wellington Portrait Photographer

Oh my Goodness this shoot was absolutely a blast.   Aisling and Lauren are best friends and are the most gorgeous girls inside and out.  It is hard to imagine the parenting that went into take two girls that are so beautiful and shaping them in to being such unassuming, playful loving 15 year olds.  They were an absolute riot to shoot with and then would pull out the most gorgeous angelic shots that immediately followed complete and utter piss take shots.  It was a roller coaster ride of awesomeness.

I posted the behind the scenes of Lauren and Aisling's shoot and Aisling wrote this to me on our Facebook page "Hey Mandi, Lauren Mee and I just wanted to say a huge huge thank you for a wonderful day on 4th July! We had the most amazing time traveling around Lower Hutt with you and the crew taking photos, of which were full of hilarious and amazing times evident in your amazing photography :) We had an unforgettable experience and we both hope we get the chance to work with you again :) Thank you so so much for this experience, we can't wait to come view the photos this coming Thursday :) xx"

Nummy Noelle | Wellington Fashion Photographer

Noelle was one of our model for a day winners that we met at the Wellington Wedding Show.  She is on her way to get married in Germany and wanted to get some lovely shots done for herself and her partner.  We had such a good time on this shoot and lucked out.  As I was taking her to my favourite black wall to shoot on there was this gorgeous mustang parked in front of it and the owner / friend of the owner / some dude on the street was standing by the car and let us use it for the shoot.  LOVE the result. 


When Noelle came to collect the images this week she was laid out with a cold and then wrote us this, " Thankyou again so much for the beautiful makeup, hair and photos! I love them! My cold is going away and I am pretty certain it is because my body figures it has to feel at least half as good as that woman in my photos looks."


Glad you are feeling better Noelle and I hope you have a wonderful trip to Germany.

Free Range Kids Book | Wellington Childrens Photographer

For the last couple of years I have been collecting images to create a book of visual poems about childhood in New Zealand.  I have an idealized view of it as a Kiwi by choice but not by birth.  I know I had quite a Free Range Childhood in the Suburbs of Atlanta but America was not looking at all like the sort of place I could give that sort of an upbringing to my Sam.  That was one of the reasons we moved to New Zealand in the first place.   We eventually bought an organic farm in the Akatarawa Valley.  This was where my photography business started as I would record the beautiful children who would come and pick blueberries on our farm.  I got the idea to do the Blueberry Farm Kids book...but wasn't quite organized enough to get all of the kids I needed in one season (I was running the farm and an Environmental Education program as well as working at the Hospital and teaching myself photography....go figure.)  So this project I thought would take just one year has spread into four and I am keen to see the book published but I am finding that after organizing the images I have less children than I thought I had gotten for it and would like to get some more to round out the picture I was shooting for.  

Just click on the book below and you will be taken to a page that will give you all of the juicy details on how to sign your favourite littlie up for the book.

Jen and Jono | Engagement Shoot Wellington Royal Golf Club

Oh we had such a good time on this shoot.  Jono picked the site and I can't believe I haven't found this spot before.  How beautiful was the Royal Wellington Golf Club.  Stunning...but nothing next to our gorgeous Jen with her beautiful red hair.  This was my colour before it decided to go all gray in the front so I just looked lovingly at her and remembered when I was a red headed bride...Awwww. Her composer finance Jono has some seriously good taste not only in locations but in girls too.   We had such a good time and the weather decided to put on an amazing Indian Summer display...lucky us!