As any Australian or New Zealander will attest, embarking on a journey to Europe is no small feat. The arduous trek typically demands a minimum of 23 hours in transit, factoring in the time spent traveling to and from airports, not to mention any extended layovers. Thus, for those well-acquainted with this adventure, touching down in Paris after enduring a 30-hour journey last week was a sight for my tired eyes.

A proper Royles wedding occurred on the 12th of November earlier this year. When I say proper, I mean that the bride and groom wore country boots and they greeted each other with a handshake at the altar. True Nat and David style if I’m being honest.

Just over a year ago, an old friend of mine called me to tell me the news of her recent engagement. Much to my surprise, Madi asked me to be her photographer for the intimate, farm wedding she and her fiancé had in mind. A photographer for an interstate wedding, in the middle of a farm amongst cows and plenty of rolling hills. To say that I was gobsmacked is an understatement.

A night full of laughing, twirling and love was forecasted for the 24th of September 2022. But, my gosh, did I get to witness so much more than that. Not only did Rhi & Dan invite me along to capture the strength and passion of their marriage ten years on, there was also an official renaming and two birthdays to celebrate! Let’s paint a picture…

Long time lovers, high school sweethearts and best friends, Erin and Ian tied the knot at The Secret Garden Estate in the Gold Coast hinterland about a month ago now. Waking to a spectacular, blue skied day was the perfect present for the soon-to-be husband and wife.

Want to know the beautiful thing about photography? I get to know some of the most supportive, creative, magnificent people in my corner of the Earth. Jen is one of those people. I met her over a year ago on the set of her own branding film where she began birthing the newest section of her company (Blūm Mama).

Imagine meeting the love of your life half way across the world and realising he’s the polar opposite of you. Well, that’s what happened to Shay and Scott. It was a blossoming love story from the beginning really. With a stroke of luck, the one thing they had in common was travelling and so Shay and Scott met on a tour in Vietnam.

Entangled in sand, love and your best friend… what more could you want from an engagement session? As the sun set in the Gold Coast, these two love children danced and played on the beachside. Nat and David, I cannot WAIT to capture you both at your wedding next year.

This was not only my first ever wedding to shoot but also my first ever cultural wedding! What a beautiful mix it was. Still buzzing months later from the joy that May & Sisa brought to their wedding day.

Being a nature photographer, people are WAY out of my comfort zone. So far out of my comfort zone that it seems odd to even give it a go. But with all things art, we must learn and grow by doing the opposite of what is familiar and comfortable to us. So here I am, on a location shoot with four other women. What could go so wrong? Trust me, everything did…

Armed with padded hiking boots, headlights and not enough warm clothes on our legs and bums, my friend and I ascended Niamboyoo at 4am on a Saturday morning. With short stops along the way, a moment of desperate need in the bushes and mysterious noises coming from the distant trees we slowly hiked onwards and upwards to the peak.

The days are long, the golden alcoholic juices are flowing and the the end of 2019 came and went. It’s 2020 now; are you feeling overwhelmed? That’s okay, don’t stress out, just be you and let yourself be ready when you can be. Here’s a minuscule paragraph of my own thoughts on the new year and just a wee bit of what I did to close off Chapter 2019.

Let’s talk traditions at Christmas time. Do you open your Santa presents straight away? Does your family have a big Christmas Lunch/Dinner? Do you eat breakfast on Christmas Day? What about games? Are there specific games that your family plays on Christmas Day? There are so many traditions out there, some weird and unusual and some generic. Tell me yours!

This morning, the sun spliced open the clouds and brought with it the warmth on my back. I recognised this feeling as an initial need, perhaps even a desire but then soon realised I’ll probably be dying a summer death this season…

One scooter, two adventurous adults and a whole heap of hiccups along the way. There were dolphins to be watched at sunrise, mountains to be hiked, Bintangs to be drunk and money to be stolen… Here’s some bits and bobs of what happened while I was in Bali during August this year.