…and so on….

As usual for this time of year, we are VERY busy, getting Sessions and Orders out the door before the 25th …which seems only days away!  My kids remind me that the tree needs to go up on the 1st (our family tradition!)..and we need to swap decorations, but I dare not tell them that while the tree is safely tucked away in the attic space, the decorations have not been organised, and not one christmas present resides in our “secret” spot.  Remember the days when kids were little and you didn’t have to have a secret hiding place? Just a really high one?  Sighs.

Anyway, they are on the To-Do List…..along with a note that says “what the heck will I get the kids for Christmas?” and another one that says “Don’t be wrapping until 2am Christmas morning”….I just love that time of night, the silence of the house, the blinking of the tree, and of course my cup of tea and Christmas pie, while I sit in front of the Tree and remember my Mother who loved this time of year and passed to soon.  No I promise, I am not waiting up for Santa! I stopped doing that ….last year.  LOL.

So many new things on the home front for us with Business: a shift in what we will be photographing next year, but will announce more of that closer to the time.  A new logo…..which we love! Erick is being incorporated into it, but we decided to just revert back to the Amanda Haynes brand because people (ie past clients) found the ImagesHaynes slightly confusing, people didn’t know who they were actually booking, since I am the full time Photographer; it just made sense; and numerous other reasons……but we also feel comfortable under the Amanda Haynes brand.  Shooting weddings will remain with Erick and I…no change there at all!  (sorry the green and red looks so flat on here! but you get the idea of the pretty silver, black, bright red and stunning green!….we love it!)  Elegant and Edgy, just how we see our Images.

Beyond also got a facelift and everyone seems to be loving the new FaceLift of the site, the new BLOG…wow how cool and fun is that!  Thank you Kylie and Tash (both linked on the Blog site!) and the fantastic new logo, that looks like a great piece of canvas art for the wall but still speaks about photographer’s and that learning this Art is a progression…..

If you are a professional Photographer, be sure to check out the Blog for information on the Phoenix Conference with three amazing Photographer’s….you don’t want to miss this! and subscribe to the Blog for freebies, fun, information, etc to help take your business and clients to the next level!

Finally, posting some pics of this gorgeous couple, whose session I am just finishing proofing!  It was a very hot and sunny night, but also very windy…the worst of both things! LOL..but we had FUN and they were real troopers!  Will post more later, plus images from the other 10 sessions that have just been finished……but right now….back to work!

….so many I loved from this maternity/newborn session!

Our final bookings this year are a Christening and Wedding; and then we are booked through until end of January; so if you are expecting please contact us asap and if you are a wedding couple, we are only taking bookings for the July-December period next year; and some of those are full already; please also contact as soon as you can to arrange an appointment time.  Thanks!

Not sure which one I felt or did more…but this is what NOT to do at your wedding!

Busy proofing numerous sessions for families, newborns and Engagements before Christmas.  We have a Christening, two newborns, a family, two Engagements and a Wedding to do before the 25th December…..then we look forward to new things and exciting releases in 2009!

Will be back to blog in two days, when I have some photos to post for you too!  In the meantime….sighs….isn’t she beautiful?

Well the sparks sure did fly when I got to photography this stunning couple!  It’s so easy to see how in love J is with S…he adores her! and wow! who wouldn’t????  Stunning is the word that comes to mind!   They were both so fun and so easy to work with, just the way I like it, up for anything, incorporated their ultra cool dog, and happy to dig around amongst the trees, alleyways and other unlikely places, but where the light was perfect!

At one point we pulled into the side of the road to shoot some in the bushes…and the police pulled up behind us….I proceeded to get out my ladder to shoot in the bushes (yes I really do do that! LOL) and the police man was observing …..so I went and asked him if there was a problem, nervously thinking we were going to get arrested for public displays of affection and those PDA’s being photographed! but nope….they were looking for some naughty teens coming down the railway line behind us.  I breathed a sigh of relief but turned around to find this perfect shot happening behind me! LOL….nothing to see here Mr Plod!

…and some in the township……out of the township….and a funny outtake! ….just checking out my lens!

So of course today is the American Election; which with Erick being American, we watch closely, and I think Obama will take it out…but like they say don’t count McCain out, he is an old war horse who has survived many a battle, and may just pull his way out of the sad polls.  Then Saturday we have our own elections; and since this is not a place to discuss politics, I won’t go into that! …but Messy/Dirty/Low are the words that spring to mind about the Campaign this time.

Lastly …see Exhibit A    

…. now see Exhibit B (Image kindly supplied by my friend Anastasia Chomlack, whose work is so beautiful!) 

…today is last day to purchase fireworks, so if you are getting married and want to have a beautiful exit from your Reception, rush out and grab a box of sparklers!  Which is the very reason I had to borrow the image from Stace, because we have never seen it done here; so do something unique and different; we promise to capture it beautifully too…how about a heart shape captured on a slow shutter?  awesome!  (If you are one of our couples and have only just seen this idea …ie AFTER 5th November! don’t worry we bought some boxes, so just ask!)

For wedding couples checking out our work and blog ….please note we are fully booked for Weddings  from December 08 through to Mid May 09 …we may take a smaller one at end of April and we have a gap at the end of May, but anything else….Sorry!  If you are considering booking with us, please contact us as early as possible, because we are currently filling for the end of 09 and only have a few gaps left for the spring/summer weddings then, as well as 2010 bookings which are also filling now. Thanks!