WISE
honouring the stories of our elders
A photography project proudly brought to you by
our mission is to capture the wisdom and character of our elder generation in stunning portrait photographs and to share their stories with you in a special exhibition in mid 2025, at The front in Lyneham.
What is Wise?
Wise is a photography project about our elders – our parents, grandparents, friends and mentors – to honour their stories and their wisdom.
The project will culiminate in an exhibition at The Front Lyneham featuring 50 elders, photographed by Heartstory’s Jeremy Byrnes (a national award winning portrait photographer who holds the Australian title of Family Photographer of the Year in 2023 and ACT Professional Photographer of the Year in 2018).
Interested families apply to be considered for the project and successful applicants will have a portrait photography session and be featured in the project and exhibition.
This project provides a rare and special opportunity for families to have beautiful portraits that celebrate our elder generation, to celebrate their achievements, their story and their legacy.
Scroll down for more detailed information about cost, inclusions & availability.
LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE! Once we’ve filled our allocation we will close applications.
Apply for a place in Wise
How does it work?
We are looking for couples and individuals from retirement age and up who like the idea of telling their story and having their portrait taken. You can apply for your parents/grandparents to be in Wise (make sure you ask them first!) and you can take advantage of the opportunity and join in too and/or bring the grandchildren!
Sessions can take place at the Heartstory studio or at the elder’s home/dwelling.
- A portrait session available to book on weekdays and weekends at various times from now until the end of 2024 (early 2025 dates available soon). (value $200-$300)
- A featured portrait in the Wise exhibition and inclusion in a video about the project. (value $100)
- A personal purchasing appointment after your portrait session to review and order your favourite images (should you wish to do so) with $200 credit to put towards your order. (value $200)
- Take home a signed photographic exhibition print to keep after the exhibition is over (format & size TBC). (value $500+)
- $100 (value $1000+, as described above)
Full transparency: participation fees are kept low to cover only the administrative, design & printing costs to run this project.
The photos taken on the session are not included. At your purchasing appointment you will see a the whole collection of photos from your session with us and you can purchase prints, artwork, albums and digital files if you wish to. We highly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity and investing in your very own heirloom artwork by one of Australia’s best portrait photographers! It adds another layer of depth and meaning to your home, and of course, your patronage helps our business give back to the community through projects like this and keeps our small business running. Find out more about our pricing and products here.
Fill out the application form on this page, and we will be in touch to book your session. Your acceptance will be determined by a number of factors including diversity of ages, backgrounds and gender.
Our products and studio
What to expect
Your photographer is Jeremy Byrnes, one of the most experienced and awarded photographers in the Canberra region. Jeremy won the 2018 ACT Professional Photographer of the Year award and the 2023 Australian Family Photographer of the Year award.
He is a parent to two boys and has been shooting professionally for nearly 30 years. Although Jeremy is known as a little kid magnet, he is a people-person through and through and you’ll often find him chatting with the elders at weddings. One of his favourite types of shoots is multi-generational or extended family sessions, so he really is the perfect portrait photographer for this project and we wouldn’t be surprised if you invite him over for dinner.
Aside from photography, Jeremy has a passion for vintage cameras, vinyl records, mid century architecture and if his wife can’t find him, he’s usually on the street chatting to the neighbours. He’s also a member of the Canberra woodworking guild.
How the session will work
Sessions can take place at our studio in Belconnen Town Centre or at the participant's home/dwelling. Sessions will go for about an hour, leaving plenty of time for a variety of different photos and a short recorded interview. We will also have time to take additional portraits with children, grandchildren or other important family members and while these won't be included in the exhibition, this is a rare and special opportunity to show your loved ones how important they are with photos that will last forever.
How to prepare
We don’t require your home to look perfect or like it’s out of a magazine, however, we do suggest tidying up and removing any major clutter. We also want you to dress as yourselves as you can be. If this is dressed up because that suits your lifestyle and your aesthetic, we encourage that. If it’s super casual, we also encourage that. There are no rules. But we encourage thoughtfulness and intention. Those accepted into the project will be provided with preparatory information prior to their session.
Including other family members in your Wise portrait session
This is is what you could expect if you invite other members of your family to be a part of your photography experience.
Some of our previous special projects
A few important things to note
- Participants in Wise must be willing to give us permission to display photographs of you and your family in print and online, as part of your involvement in this project. This will include the use of names (there are various options as to how we do this). We are also hoping we can create a book to accompany the exhibition, showcasing the selected photographs and stories, although this will be subject to a few factors yet to be determined. Please discuss this with us if you have any concerns.
- The Wise participation fee of $100 per family is due in full to confirm your booking and is non-refundable.
- We aim to complete 50 Wise sessions by approximately February 2025 and the exhibition has been booked for June 2025. Participating families will be kept informed of progress as we move through the project.
- Your booking will be subject to terms and conditions and other policies, which you can review during the booking process.
Our story in 2 minutes
Canberra's leading family portrait photography studio est. 2009
- Copyright 2020-2024 Heartstory Photography