canberra portrait photographer « Heartstory: Canberra baby & child photography by Katie Kolenberg

Posts Tagged ‘canberra portrait photographer’

Unforgettable | Canberra newborn photographer

September 7, 2010

I met Sarah and Michael back in July for their maternity session. It was a pretty special afternoon, and I was very much looking forward to meeting their baby because I had a feeling he/she was going to be pretty special too. Special things are always worth the wait, and she really made her mummy and daddy wait by arriving seventeen days past her due date!

She was asleep for the first fifteen minutes of our session yesterday morning, and I don’t think Sarah and Michael noticed, but I was moved to tears only a few minutes after I started shooting. Witnessing the intense love that new parents have for their first child is an incredible thing.

Then she woke up. And she was amazing.

Not only do I love her name (Freya is my favourite girl’s name ever, and I once had a cat called Freya who I adored) but she gave me an extraordinary gift: I experienced something I’ve never experienced before, and it was unforgettable. You know how they say that babies don’t smile ‘properly’ until they’re about 6 weeks old? So. Not. True. Not only did she smile over and over again, but she made her presence felt in a way that I’ve never seen a newborn baby do. I was totally in awe of her.

I’m pretty sure her parents already know how special their daughter is, and I now have the privilege of sharing the proof with the world (albeit the small world which reads my blog).

Meet Freya, at three weeks old. Something tells me she’s going to leave a mark.

New Stories {Heartstory newborn photography}

Thank you Sarah and Michael, for inviting me to capture this amazing time in your lives. Our session was like no other, and I can’t wait to share the rest of your gallery with you. xo

Tags: canberra maternity photographer, canberra newborn photographer, canberra newborn photography, canberra portrait photographer, heartstory contemporary portrait photography, multi award winning canberra photographer
Posted in newborn photography | 11 Comments »

Listalicious {1/52}

August 27, 2010

I got totally inspired last week after stumbling across a gorgeous blog by a photographer who recently embarked on a list project: one list every week for a year. You probably don’t know this about me, but I am a longtime maker and lover of lists. My most important lists are of course my ‘to-do’ lists (a weekly one kept in my iphone notes, and a monthly one stuck on the wall next to my desk), but I have written dozens and dozens of lists written about big, small, silly and serious things in my life since I started keeping a diary back in the dark ages. True. I love lists. So I’m going to be taking on this project myself, and posting one list every Friday for the next 52 weeks, just for fun!

50 things I love in the world

The smell of freshly ground coffee. (I like drinking it too, but I’m picky and sometimes it can be a big disappointment. Whereas the smell is never disappointing and always beeeooootiful.)
Kisses and cuddles from my gorgeous little boy.
Summer nights.
Scarves.
Sunflowers.
Home-grown vegetables.
Great conversation.
Vintage, retro anything. Just old things; their character and history.
John Fluevog shoes.
Paper.
Floaty dresses.
Dutch pastries.
French accents.
Pasta.
Arriving in a place I’ve never been.
Big chunky boots.
People’s stories.
Chocolate covered licorice.
Authenticity.
Books.
Kitty-cats.
Frozen blueberries.
Singing.
Hot showers.
Slipping into bed in the middle of winter when my electric blanket is on 9.
Gelato.
The colour red.
‘Distressed’ furniture
Hysterical laughter. The kind that almost makes you throw up.
Passion.
8 month old babies.
Beige. Although I prefer to call it ‘sand’ or ‘wheat’.
Shades of grey. In life and in a colour palette.
Live music.
Bruschetta. (But please pronounce it correctly – it’s a hard c.)
Courage.
Men wearing colourful socks underneath ordinary pants.
Jarmies.
Toddler mispronunciations.
Sticky wine.
Openness.
Handmade clothes on little kids.
Enid Blyton and the gift she gave to my childhood.
When people follow their dreams.
Red hair.
Pregnant women, especially when they’re beloved friends.
The beach at sunset.
Watching or listening to my son and my husband playing together and enjoying each other’s company.
Love. And the fact that it really is the most important thing in the world.
Lists.

Katie Kolenberg {fine art photography}

Tags: 52 lists, canberra portrait photographer, fine art photography by katie kolenberg, Heartstory contemporary portrait photography by Katie Kolenberg, I love lists
Posted in 52 lists | 5 Comments »

Lately | Canberra portrait photographer

August 23, 2010

I must apologise for things being a bit quiet on the Blogfront lately, but I’m pleased to tell you that I have a few fun little projects in the pipeline… so don’t go away!

I posted several weeks back that I was off to Cooma one fine Saturday to judge a photography competition. Well, judge I did. Wow, what an interesting and enjoyable experience! Huge thanks to Ian Pfeffer, the owner of Polo Red Gallery in Cooma, who invited me to come and select the finalists for the 2010 Photographic Prize. I was flattered and honoured to play such an important role, and I took my job very seriously. Big thanks also to my lovely friend Bec who I asked along to help me out.

Here is a photo Bec took of me pondering one of the images.

I have always thought I had well developed skills in critical analysis, (thanks to a childhood spent immersed in the world of fine art, followed by years of study in creative fields where ‘critique’ is a normal part of every day life) and it was very satisfying to put them to valuable use. I spent the better part of the day at the gallery, sorting and resorting entries and putting my brain and heart to work. I chose forty finalists from the entry pool and they are now hanging in the gallery awaiting your verdict. That’s right – the winner of the $1250 grand prize is decided via visitor vote, and will be announced at the end of this week. Voters also go in the running for a bottle of Grange – niiiice! I have several bigtime favourites (but my lips are sealed) and I can’t wait to see if one of them is the lucky winner!!!

In other news, I was excited to see one of my images in print again this month. LittleONE is a gorgeous new magazine for mums with style and taste. It has some fantastic articles about parenting, especially for the early days, and in my opinion is one of the best mags out there for this demographic. However, I can quite honestly say that much as I love it, I’m kinda glad it wasn’t around when Toby was a baby, because I would have been a lot poorer – it is full of so many inspiring and beautiful products for little ones, and the latest issue is completely focused on design & style. Here are some snaps of my work published in their last two issues. (Please note: the cover images not mine – I just wanted to show what the mag looks like in case you want to buy it!)

LittleONE magazine

Heartstory in print! {Canberra baby photographer}

Heartstory in print! {Canberra child photographer}

My competition to win a free session for Fathers Day is still open, so don’t forget to enter! Entries close on September 3rd. Enter here!

Tags: award winning canberra photographer, canberra baby photographer, canberra children's photographer, canberra portrait photographer, heartstory contemporary portrait photography, LittleONE baby magazine, LittleONE design & style, photography competition, Polo Red Gallery Cooma, polo red photographic prize 2010
Posted in news | 5 Comments »

Win a Heartstory photo session for Fathers Day! | Canberra portrait photographer

August 17, 2010

I meet a lot of fathers in this business. And it makes me happy to see how hands-on they all are with their little ones. It makes me happy because it wasn’t that long ago when life was very different, and little kiddies didn’t have anywhere near as much contact with their Daddies on a daily basis as they do now. I even met one Daddy earlier this year who stays at home while Mummy goes off to work every day (if you have the May issue of LittleONE Baby mag, you can read their wonderful story – and see some beautiful pics taken by yours truly!). I’ve written about this before, but it moves me deeply to see how connected my son is with his Daddy, to see the bond they share in love and play, and the important role he plays in teaching Toby about life and love. I also watched a little video on facebook the other day which turned me into a blubbering mess – it was all about parents (mostly Dads) returning from service and taking their children (and partners) by surprise. To see the absolute joy on their little faces when they caught sight of one of the most important people in their lives was absolutely exquisite. That’s what life is all about right there. Love and family. And that’s why I treasure being a family photographer so very much.

Ok, enough of the gushing… Fathers Day is coming, and I have an exciting announcement…

…IT’S MY FIRST COMPETITION!

It has taken me a stupidly long time to work out how to do this (who knew coming up with a competition would be such a challenge?!), but I finally have it sorted, yipee!

The prize:

One Heartstory photo session, and one matted 8×12″ print.

How to enter:

Leave a comment on this blog post, sharing your favourite memory of your Dad from your childhood. Please be absolutely sure to include a valid email address in your comment (don’t worry, it won’t appear publicly) so I know how to contact you if you’re the lucky winner! If you live in another country, you can still enter for fun! (Just tell me in your comment, so I know not to include your name in the draw.)
For extra chances to win, do any of the following (you get one extra entry per action) and don’t forget to tell me in a comment so I know to pop in the extra entry/ies for you.
- Go to the Heartstory website, check out my galleries, choose your favourite image, and then come back here and post a comment on this entry telling me why it’s your fave. (It can be from any gallery, or from the opening slideshow on the homepage).
- Head over to my facebook page, and become a fan by clicking ‘like’.
- Share this competition with your friends (you can do this however you like – one entry per method).

Terms & conditions:

The winner will receive one free Heartstory photo session (worth $150), plus one matted 8×12″ print of your choice (worth $110).
The winner can choose from a Life Story session {family}, a Love Story session {couples}, a New Story session {newborn} or a Short Story session {children & babies over 3 months}. If you book a Short Story session, you will also receive $50 of print credit.
All normal Heartstory session terms apply, including minimum spend. If you’re unsure, please refer to your portrait agreement, or request a copy prior to entering.
The winner must be prepared to sign a model release allowing images from their session to be blogged and used in Heartstory marketing material, galleries etc.
The prize is not transferrable to another individual or family.
You must be over the age of 18 to enter.
Competition closes at midnight, on Friday September 3rd. Winner will be announced on my blog, first thing in the morning (EST) on Fathers Day, Sunday September 5th.
The session must be booked within one week of notification (ie, September 12th), and must take place in Canberra (no destination bookings) by December 18, 2010.

And because I couldn’t possibly have a blog post without pictures, let me share a few of my favourite, favourite images featuring Daddies.

Heartstory {Canberra family photographer}

Heartstory {Canberra newborn photographer}

Heartstory {Canberra family photographer}

Heartstory {Canberra newborn photographer}

My child makes my world complete. To my child, I am the world.

Tags: award winning canberra photographer, canberra portrait photographer, fathers day competition, heartstory contemporary portrait photography, win a free session, win a Heartstory photo session
Posted in special offers | 28 Comments »

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 »

Multiple awards at the 2010 Australian Professional Photography Awards!

June 8, 2010

I arrived home last night after nearly five days in Melbourne, most of which was spent at the Australian Professional Photography Awards (APPA) judging. The judging took place inside the Digital Life expo, a three day event for photographers, designers and those associated with the industry at the Melbourne Convention Centre. As many of you will know, I only joined the AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography) in January, and so this was my first time entering and attending the APPAs, and wow, what an experience!

My itinerary also included a heck of a lot of socialising and an insane amount of laughter. I met many new people, and got to spend time with many lovely friends as well. (Oh, and I shopped too, of course! A trip to Melbourne is never complete without shopping!)

And quite apart from the social aspect, I saw some absolutely amazing work, a lot of which was by those I am fortunate enough to call friends. Many of my fellow ‘emerging’ photographers entering for the first time picked up more than one award for their prints, and it was all just so exciting to watch and be a part of. Congratulations to all of you gorgeous, clever people, including those who didn’t make it over that frustrating ‘79′ – you are all winners in my eyes!

Those of you who follow my facebook page may have have noticed a few excited status updates from the judging, but for those who don’t, I’m so thrilled and happy to share with you that I was awarded three silver awards for the three prints I entered! The first two were in the Illustrative category, and third was in Portrait (the same image I got a silver for at the state awards earlier in the year). There is a new category in the APPAs called Family, which is all about the every day work of photographers who specialise in photographing babies, children and families – it was fascinating to watch the judging of that category and I will definitely be entering it next year.

Katie Kolenberg {ACT AIPP Epson 2010 Emerging Photographer of the Year}

So for anyone reading this who:

has never been a part of the AIPP APPAs or state print awards
is just getting into photography and looking for inspiration
wants to see some amazing work that you would never ordinarily get the chance to see
wants to learn and network with other photographers
is about to make the leap into professional photography…

Let me urge you to go along to next year’s APPAs (which I believe will be in Sydney) and watch the judging. Treat yourself to three days of total immersion in the professional industry. It’s fascinating, inspiring, educational and a whole heap of fun. I am already looking forward to 2011!!!

Tags: AIPP, AIPP ACT Epson Emerging Photographer of the Year, APPAs, Australian Professional Photography Awards, canberra baby photographer, canberra child photographer, canberra family photographer, Canberra illustrative photographer, canberra portrait photographer, Melbourne APPAs 2010
Posted in fine art photography, news, portrait photography | 10 Comments »

Magical and unforgettable | Canberra family photographer

May 16, 2010

I don’t often find myself lost for words. I’ve pretty much always got something to say, even if it’s pure gushing with a total overuse of superlatives! But there is very little that I can say about this session or this family that the pictures don’t say for themselves.

Magical and unforgettable. That’s what this session was. My heart was touched deeply by these four very special souls.

heartstory {child photography}

heartstory {family & child photography}

heartstory {family photography}

heartstory {child photography}

heartstory {family photography}

heartstory {child photography}

Tags: canberra baby photographer, canberra baby photography, canberra child photographer, canberra child photography, canberra family photographer, canberra family photography, canberra portrait photographer, canberra portrait photography
Posted in child photography, family photography | 16 Comments »

Meet Felix | Canberra child photographer

May 12, 2010

Here is another of my gorgeous Love Autumn Mini Session families. Felix was SO much fun! When I met him for the first time, he came right up to me and gave me a good eyeballing from about 5cm away – LOVED IT! He obviously decided I was ok, because he was extremely co-operative with me and oh so cute throughout the session.

heartstory {child photographer}

A lot of photographers shy away from photographing kids at this age (2-4 years old), but I really love it – there is just so much gorgeous energy and toddlers are so, so funny! I also really believe that parents should be absolutely sure to have this amazing transitional stage of your child’s life captured. It’s over so quickly and you look back and wonder where on earth your little baby went with his or her hilarious mispronunciations and quirky little habits. It was just a couple of days ago that my husband and I set up Toby’s big boy’s bed, and I found myself suddenly and unexpectedly in tears as I realised that yet another stage was over forever. I can hardly remember what my boy was like a year ago, let alone as a newborn, and he’s going to be turning three in less than two months.

Please don’t let time slip away without having these moments captured.

Tags: canberra child photographer, canberra child photography, canberra portrait photographer, canberra portrait photography, love autumn mini sessions, natural light child portraiture
Posted in child photography | 3 Comments »

Sublime | Canberra photographer

May 1, 2010

I’ve always been a nature lover, despite the fact that I spend a good part of my life these days sitting at a computer. There is nothing quite like the feeling of standing before a beautiful natural landscape. It reminds me of how insignificant I really am, and I mean that in a good way! It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the tiny details of our lives and trapped in destructive thought processes that rule the every day; we all do it. But I know if I can just take a moment to step out of myself and just ‘be’ with the sublime energy of the natural world that everything else melts away, and I’m filled with peace and inspiration. Now, if I could just find a way to bottle that feeling!

We recently took a much needed little family break to Jervis Bay, my favourite place on the NSW South Coast. It was a beautiful four days and I didn’t want to come home at the end of it. I took lots of photos, and here is a little taste. I promise there will be more to come soon.

I have never fished, but I imagine it’s a pretty amazing feeling, especially the way this guy was doing it, completely surrounded by the raw power of the sea.

Heartstory {landscape photography}

Tags: ACT AIPP Epson Emerging Photographer of the Year, canberra landscape photographer, canberra portrait photographer, jervis bay photography, landscape photography, sublime nature
Posted in fine art photography, landscape photography, my life | 1 Comment »