my life « Heartstory: Canberra baby & child photography by Katie Kolenberg

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Three | Canberra portrait photographer

July 4, 2010

It’s been crazy busy since Toby’s birthday, and I had meant to blog again WAAAAY sooner than now. I still haven’t processed the many, many images I took on his actual birthday, so the first few here are from Toby’s Big Day Out, which was on Saturday. First we took him to see Toy Story 3, his very first trip to the cinema, and then we went to the zoo. And here he is, full of energy and joy and oh yeah… chocolate. Bribery works wonders with three year olds, when it comes to having their photo taken.

Heartstory {children's photography}

Heartstory {lifestyle photography}

And this afternoon we went to a nearby favourite spot for a proper little photo session. Lookit how cute he is!

Heartstory {children's photography}

Heartstory {portrait photography}

Tags: canberra child photography, canberra childrens photography, canberra lifestyle photographer, canberra portrait photographer
Posted in child photography, my life | 5 Comments »

One more sleep | Canberra portrait photographer

June 30, 2010

It was 8.40am, and I found him sitting and drawing in a perfect little patch of light shining through from the kitchen window.

Heartstory {lifestyle photography}

Dear Toby,

Tomorrow you will be three years old, and for some reason it seems like a much bigger milestone than when you turned two. Probably because there is no doubting now you have left babyhood behind and become a little boy.

I can’t really explain the feelings I have over this birthday. On one hand, I am so excited for you, especially since this is the first birthday you truly understand and perhaps the first one that you’ll remember when you’re grown up. But on the other hand, I am really sad. Sad that you’ll no longer be two, or two-and-a-half, or two-and-three-quarters (which was the first age that you learnt to say when people asked how old you were). Sad that the last three years are over, and that when I think about how quickly they went, I can’t help but imagine how quickly the next three years will go. And the next three, and soon you’ll be reading these letters for real, the day I write them. And that’s a scary thought! Because while I relish thinking about the kind of young man you’ll grow into, I don’t want to let go of these days we’re living right now. I don’t want to let go who you are right now because I love every single little thing about you in your just-about-to-turn-three-year-old glory.

I love the way you reach out and cup my cheek in your palm and look at me with such adoration. I love the way you snuggle in bed with me every morning and will stay there for as long as I want, even though you wriggle incessantly and sometimes poke me in the eye. I love the way you always notice when someone’s hurt or upset or just a little bit stressed and you come and ask what’s wrong. I love the way you make up words when you don’t know how to say something, and deliver them with the utmost confidence. I love that you have such a love and appreciation for music. I love that you come and sit on my lap while I’m editing photos and ask to see the babies and bellies. I love that you don’t care about gender yet, and you’re just as happy to play with a hot pink car as you are with a blue one. I love that you’re so tidy when you eat and you never get food all over your face. I love that you notice beautiful things like sunsets and flowers and cute little girls and always comment with such admiration and respect. I love that you get upset when I tie my hair back and tell me that I need to get my curls out. I love the way you say ’sowwy’, ’sumpin’, ’boutside’ instead of outside, ‘zume’ instead of ‘zoom’, and that you still can’t say an L at the start of a word, but you’re trying. I love the way you still call our car the ‘new car’ even though we bought it a year ago. I love that your favourite song is a recording of ‘Shot by both sides’ that your Dad and his band made, and that you sing all the words and the guitar solo. I love that your other favourite song is by Sia, and after that comes ‘Let’s go driving in my car, car’. I love the way you say ‘Yes!’ so precisely. I love how when you draw, you don’t decide what it is that you’re drawing until after you’ve finished. I love how determined and strong willed you are. I love the way you boss us about. I love that you love people so much. I love that everything you feel comes out in such an intensely vocal way. I love that you get over your anger so quickly. I love that singsong squealy thing you do when you’re enjoying yourself. I love how excited you get when you see us after a day at daycare, or when you see someone else you love who you haven’t seen for a while. I love watching you try and imitate the silly faces I pull at you. I love the hilarious names you come up with for your toys. I love listening to you play by yourself. I love that you pick out your own shoes and hats and pretty much always seem to get them perfectly co-ordinated with your outfit. I love that you get scared by certain things in movies and TV shows, but you keep asking to watch them anyway. I love that you still don’t get out of bed by yourself ever, but you simply sit there and shout at the top of your lungs for one of us to come and get you. I love the way you try to think of stuff to make us come back up to your room after we’ve said goodnight, and when you really can’t think of anything you look at us sheepishly and just say ‘cuddle?’. I love your gorgeously messy blonde curls, your blue eyes, your little rosebud lips, your flawless complexion, your pudgy little fingers and your pokie outie belly with your pokie outie belly button. I love that you’re still a little shorty and your pants are always too long. I love that you still get mistaken for a girl from time to time. I love that you still suck those two fingers just like you did when you were 6 months old. I love that peculiar obsession you have with ears and how kissing our ears at bedtime has become part of your routine. I love the bold and earnest way you correct us so when we sing the wrong words to a song or do something, anything, in the wrong order. I love that you notice the tiniest little bruise or scratch on your Dad’s or my skin, look all concerned and say something like ‘Owie Mummy, you hurt your finger’ and then you try and kiss it better. I love the way you sometimes call us by our names rather than Mummy and Daddy just because you think it’s funny, and you know we do too. I love that you are such a little chatterbox. I love your crazy laugh, and how much joy the sound of it brings me. I love that you laugh so much. I love that I get to see you and cuddle you and kiss you and hang out with you every single day.

I love being your Mum and I love you, more than these words, more than any words, could ever express.

Love always,
Mummy.

Tags: canberra award winning photography, canberra child photography, canberra children's photographer, canberra lifestyle photographer, canberra portrait photographer, heartstory contemporary portrait photography
Posted in child photography, my life | 10 Comments »

Phone home | Canberra lifestyle photography

June 29, 2010

I’m not done with the beach series yet, no siree. I took something like 1500 frames while we were at Jervis Bay in April, and haven’t even made it through processing half of them yet. I hope you’re enjoying them.

Today I thought I’d post a little set of hilarious shots of Toby running after us down the beach with his funny hooded towel on. At the time I took them, I was mesmerised by his shadow dancing about on the sand with the golden late afternoon light behind him, but when I saw them on screen, I immediately thought of ET and other cute little sci-fi characters, and so they took on this other dimension.

Without getting too technical, I wanted to share a little bit about my take on post-processing. For those who don’t know much about photography, post-processing (also referred to as ‘processing’, ‘editing’ and ‘photoshopping’) is what you do with your images after downloading them from your camera. There are about a gazillion ways to process images, and usually the approach to processing is a hugely important part of a photographer’s ’style’.

When digital photography was first beginning to take over from film (which amazingly was less than ten years ago!), I engaged in many a heated discussion about how much Photoshop work a photographer ’should’ be doing before their images were no longer ‘photographs’. It always struck me as crazy, because while all professional photographers should know their craft well enough to get photos ‘right’ straight out of camera (and by ‘right’ I mean correctly exposed and with a good white balance), there is just so much more to photography and image-making than pressing a few buttons on a camera. If you break down even just the basic steps, it’s a lot: first there is sensitivity and vision, then there is understanding light, then there is camera craft, and finally there is knowing how to process and enhance your images to bring out their best. I think people forget that images shot on film can be processed and manipulated to a similar degree to digital – first there is the processing of the film which can alter the contrast and colour of the images quite dramatically, and then there is the printing which has a whole other set of possibilities for adjustment and enhancement. Photographers have been post-processing since photography was invented. Digital photography and photoshop just makes it easier, more accessible and a lot less messy!

As you would know from my blog and website galleries, I am not hugely experimental with my post-processing. I like strong colour, clarity and detail, and a rich, full tonal range. I like my images to look real; the way I saw, engaged with and ‘felt’ the moment before I captured it. Mostly I use basic, traditional adjustments (saturation, contrast and tone) to achieve the right look. However, there are always images that call for something a little bit more. For me, these images mostly come from a standout moment – whether it was particularly dramatic lighting, an unusual location or intense emotion.

I have deliberately processed these images in three different ways, however they are all quite close to the original captures that came out of the camera, and very much the way I saw that moment when I lifted the camera and started shooting. I have even included my ’straight out of camera’ images for you to compare!

In the first two images I have reduced the intensity of the light, and made the overall colour tone slightly softer. I have cropped the images to focus attention right in on Toby. I have also lightened the skin tones, increased the clarity and boosted the shadows. I chose this look because I think it enhances the quirkiness of the images and makes them look slightly more surreal.

Heartstory {child photography}

Heartstory

My portrait clients would know that I rarely offer images in both colour and black and white. For me there are just certain images that call for black and white, and that is just the way they should be. This is one of them. I am not a fan of very high contrast black and white images. I love to see a million shades of grey so very, very much, and so I always do my best to work on that very carefully with my black and white conversions.

Heartstory {child photography}

Heartstory

Almost the complete opposite of the first two images, with these I wanted to preserve and enhance the original dramatic lighting by making the images darker, warmer and more intense. These are definitely mood images. The expression and detail is less important than the overall feeling; the sense of movement, space and time.

Heartstory {child photography}

Heartstory

There is an incredible amount of work that goes into processing images – most photographers spend many, many more hours at the computer with Lightroom and Photoshop than they spend shooting. I think most professional photographers have at some point been asked ‘how can you charge $x for a 5×7″ print when I can get it from Big W for 30 cents’? Well, this is one part of the answer.

I think this is the first time ever that I’ve posted anything even vaguely technical on my blog! I would love if you could give me some feedback, so I know whether I should go down this path more or stick with what I’ve been doing.

Tags: canberra award winning photographer, canberra child photographer, canberra childrens photography, canberra lifestyle photographer, heartstory contemporary portrait photography, post-processing digital photography
Posted in about photography, child photography, my life | 6 Comments »

Proud mummy moment | Canberra child photography

June 28, 2010

Woops, I missed a day! I also planned to take lots of photos during our busy weekend, and I didn’t. Fail times two!

I particularly wished I’d taken some photos last night, when I experienced my proudest mummy moment to date. But the truth is, I was too busy enjoying said moment, to want to stick a camera between me and the action.

We were at a friend’s place, celebrating her birthday with a bunch of other friends. After we ate, her husband very bravely stood up to sing some traditional Tibetan songs to us all, in honour of his wife’s birthday, and the first birthday of hers that they have shared together in Australia. His singing was beautiful, and Toby sat on my lap, completely mesmerised. After he sang, there was some more singing by a few others, and after that I asked Toby if he would like to get up and sing a song for everyone.

Well.

My funny little nearly-three-year-old said ‘YES!’ most excitedly, jumped up, and marched to the front of the room where the others had stood. He looked around the room boldly, seemingly unperturbed by the group of nearly twenty adults all looking at him expectantly. And then he had a mental block – he couldn’t think of anything to sing! Everyone laughed, because he sighed in such an adult sounding way – exactly the sort of expression that we all make when we can’t think of something. A few suggestions were thrown around, and then he picked one – ‘let’s go driving in my car’, which is the sort of song that he will sing over and over again for the entire car-ride home from daycare. It was not his finest rendition, but that was because he was a bit shy and as he sang, he crept slightly forwards towards me in the most adorable way, inch by inch. He finished the song with a huge round of self-applause and a cheer, and then wanted to sing more. And of course, we encouraged him. So he sang several songs, one of which we’d never even heard before, and he really didn’t want to stop! And he did it all in such an endearing way – not a whisper of showing off, just pure living in the moment and loving it. I cannot begin to express how proud I felt and how happy it made me. I will never forget it.

More than just the pride I felt for my little boy, a big part of what made the moment so special is that we all stepped outside of ourselves for a few minutes and became lost in the moment. I can’t think of any other social event I’ve been to in recent years where adults have sat around unashamedly singing for no particular reason other than to celebrate and enjoy. And imagining how that experience manifested inside Toby’s heart makes me very happy.

Of course, this image has nothing to do with last night whatsoever. But like that moment last night, it speaks to me quite strongly about Toby’s character. I honestly can’t think of anything better in the world than watching a child experience new things.

Heartstory {child photographer}

Tags: award winning canberra portrait photographer, canberra child photographer, canberra childrens photography, contemporary portrait photography, Heartstory, lifestyle photography
Posted in child photography, my life | 9 Comments »

My favourite month | Canberra children’s photographer

June 26, 2010

Back in May I photographed my darling friend Bec and her beautiful family. I had Toby with me, and took the opportunity to take some portraits of him while we were waiting for them to arrive. I hadn’t had time to process them until now, but I remember flicking through them briefly after I downloaded them and realising with a gasp how grown up he suddenly looked.

Heartstory {children's photography}

Just so you know, I don’t actually encourage this; it’s genetic.

Heartstory {children's photography}

I’ve decided that May is my favourite season to photograph. It’s not just the colour; the light is absolutely superb. These shots are pretty much straight out of camera, with hardly any post.

Heartstory {children's photography}

These were quickly snapped as I took Bec, Kent and Ash to a new location. An autumn shoot is not complete without cheeky little ragamuffins throwing leaves!

Heartstory {children's photography}

Daddy turned up later and I caught these just before the light was gone completely.

Heartstory {children's photography}

I can’t wait until next May!!!

Tags: award winning canberra portrait photographer, canberra child photographer, canberra family photography, canberra lifestyle photography, canberra professional children's photographer, heartstory photography
Posted in child photography, my life | 2 Comments »

More holiday polaroids | Canberra lifestyle photographer

June 25, 2010

DAY THREE

Ever tried standing on a cliff edge with a two year old? It’s scary. It looks like we’re standing about two metres back, but it’s actually about five. And I would. Not. Let. Go. Of. His. Hand.

Heartstory {lifestyle photography}

DAY FOUR

A trip to Husky is never complete without fish and chips. I don’t know if it really is ‘world famous’, but it tastes good enough to be.

Heartstory {lifestyle photography}

DAY FIVE

Stopped at Milton on the drive home to Canberra. Would have taken more pics but got lost in an antique shop for about an hour.

See how Toby is eyeing his plate suspiciously? Well it’s banana bread with ricotta and honey. He. Didn’t. Like. It. Toddlers are insane.

Heartstory {lifestyle photography}

Tags: canberra childrens photography, canberra family photographer, canberra lifestyle photographer, iphoneography, shakeitphoto
Posted in family photography, iphoneography, my life | 1 Comment »

Missing summer | Canberra family photography

June 24, 2010

I’m backtracking again.

Reason #352 why I love my iPhone: I can take fun photos whenever and whereever I like without dragging my SLR around.

It goes without saying that my SLR did accompany my every step during our family holiday at Jervis Bay in April (yes, even on the beach with fine, fine sand and brand new very expensive lenses – I am dedicated!), but my iphone fits in my pocket and with fun little apps like shakeitphoto which mimics an old school polaroid, there is no post processing required and my memories are captured in a whimsical, retro style which I really love! Since I’ve had it, I’ve documented parts of my daily life which I never would have bothered with before.

So here is day one and day two of our holiday, captured with shakeitphoto.

Heartstory {family photography}

I work hard to get my horizons straight when I use my iphone. NO EDITING LATER!!!

Heartstory {family photography}

Tags: canberra childrens photography, canberra family photographer, canberra family photography, family holiday photos, iphoneography, shakeitphoto
Posted in family photography, my life | 1 Comment »

Wabi-sabi | Canberra children’s photography

June 22, 2010

I came across the word ‘wabi-sabi’ not that long ago, and it really struck a chord with me. I think it does with a lot of photographers and artists.

Wabi: humble
Sabi: the beauty of the natural progression of time

The beauty of imperfection.

It’s what I love to capture. It’s the truth. It’s human. It’s the way we are. It’s why when I’m post-processing images, I often increase the clarity instead of smoothing skin out. Flaws are beautiful; they reveal character, stories, time.

Beauty is everywhere, but often it’s the most breathtaking in the imperfect and the ordinary.

It’s why this image has been a favourite for many months now. It’s the curve of his belly contrasting against the nappy sticking out of his shorts, it’s the dirty nails that clearly need trimming but the delicate way he’s holding that little leafy branch, it’s his chubby, dimply soft little hands with that one little finger curling oddly around the one next to it.

Heartstory {child photographer}

Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in. ~ Leonard Cohen

Tags: canberra award winning photographer, canberra baby photographer, canberra children's photographer, canberra childrens photography
Posted in child photography, my life | 10 Comments »

Zoom-zoom-a-zoom-a-zoom-zoom! | Canberra child photographer

June 21, 2010

These shots were taken out the back of Brand Depot (or is it DFO – I can never remember) by the Canberra runways back in March.

Heartstory {children's photography}

Before I became a parent, I never had a preference as to whether I wanted a boy or a girl; I just wanted a healthy, happy baby. And I have to say that despite my love of fashion and girly things, I am so, so glad I had a little boy. And he is such a little boy, complete with every little boy stereotype imaginable; planes, trains, cars, diggers, bulldozers, cranes, rocks, insects, sticks, dinosaurs, rockets, robots, toolboxes, swords, pirates, bridges, tunnels, monsters and sharks. He’s also loud. Very loud. Very loud and very messy.

However, to balance out all that boyishness, he still gets mistaken for a girl sometimes because he’s just so pretty. And he’s very sweet and gentle and cuddly and often says things like ‘Mummy, where are your curls, you’ve got to get them out’ (when I have my hair tied back) and ‘Look at the little girl, she’s so pretty!’ and ‘Wow, look at the beautiful sky!’ Plus, he’s crazy about shoes. So I really feel like I have the best of both worlds.

Tags: award winning photographer, canberra child photographer, canberra child photography, canberra childrens photography, canberra family photography
Posted in child photography, my life | 6 Comments »

Father & son | Canberra family photography

June 20, 2010

Often Dads are overlooked when it comes to discussing and analysing parenting. It’s sad, because even if they’re not around as much, they’re just as important as Mums when it comes to influencing and teaching their children. Sometimes more.

I’m so glad to be living in a time where on the whole Dads play such an active role in raising their kids. It certainly wasn’t that way when Toby’s Dad was growing up. Most of the Dads I know will say that having children is the absolute best thing that’s ever happened to them, and you only have to watch them spending time with their little ones to see how true that is.

I love watching Toby play with his Dad. They have such a special bond. It’s different from the bond that he has with me, but equally as significant to all of us.

Toby’s world is that little bit brighter and more wonderful whenever his Dad’s around.

His Dad’s world feels so much more complete ever since Toby came along.

And this photo makes my heart sing.

Heartstory {child photography}

Tags: award winning photographer, canberra child photographer, canberra childrens photography, canberra family photographer, canberra family photography
Posted in child photography, my life | No Comments »