***SCROLL DOWN TO SEE MORE***

You have no idea how much it means to me how much positive feedback and support that I have received from the images that I have posted already, it has taken me a bit longer than I intended to post this final part as I wanted to have the time to try and express in words what these images represent to me. You see I am better at taking photos than trying to express in writing how I feel, I wish I was a better writer and be able to express as I type what is in my head, I will try my best, so please bear with me. I mentioned on twitter last week that there was a story associated with this last part, so I think I will start there.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a control freak at times and I will admit it, this shoot was so important to me but there were several things that I felt, lets just say “out of control” about. I was so thankful for all of the wonderful people involved that I tried to, in my husbands words “micro-manage” every last detail. My biggest fear was turning up on the day and letting someone down as I had not though of one crutial element to bring it all together.

This is where the story I guess starts. As I had not been involved in a shoot like this before I had in my head that I would meet with the dress designer the wonderful Melanie Ford and we would have a try on of the dress/ dresses so I knew all of the other elements that I needed prepare. It didn’t happen like that as Melanie was such a professional at what she does that she didn’t need us to come and try on the dress, I just needed to supply her with the height, and size of the model. I knew it would be totally fabulous but also was not wanting to assume she was bringing other things like jewellery etc.

So having not seen the dress I was trying to work out in my head how I could get everything to coordinate, this is where Stacey my friend and neighbour comes into the picture (and Leila the adorable flower girls mum). You see Stacey got married only six weeks before and we had many a long and involved conversations about weddings and her amazing bouquet came to mind, as it was a neutral colour and would match any dress Melanie selected to bring on the day. I guess that didn’t come out quite right, it wasn’t only that it was neutral, I just knew that Louise from WOW Flowers was the lady I needed to contact to see if she wanted to be a part of this opportunity I had been so gratefully given.

When I walked into Louise’s wonderful shop Worn Out Wares where WOW Flowers is also situated, and while I was waiting for her to come and speak to me the two hat boxes were spied out of the corner of my eye, as well as the little purple umberella that I thought would tie in perfectly. Louise was so positive about being involved from the start, even though she had three weddings, Mother’s Day and donating all of the flowers for the Hunter Medical Research Luncheon that week (I volunteered to take photos at that too). I took a deep breath and asked her if I could borrow the hat boxes and the umbrella for the shoot, they were new stock and she knew they would be an in demand item for Mother’s Day but she let me lend them all the same. I promised her with my hand on my heart that if they were damaged in any way I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase them.

Stacey, who had agreed to come and hang out and help me, Danielle the model and I were so careful with these hat boxes, I had taken a picnic rug out and at each set up we all ensured that they were returned to Louise in the condition we received them. Now you may remember from earlier details that I shared about his shoot the idea to bring Miss Leila along came to me only the day before in the shower of all places. We had been shooting for around an hour and a half maybe when Leila’s Grandma brought her out and she really didn’t want any part of it to start off with. Poor Danielle was fantastic with her, even when there was screaming and throwing herself on the ground tantrums.

As both Stacey and I knew if we tried to force Leila it would only make things worse so we all just kept focusing on Danielle and slowly but surely Leila came around and just started playing and having fun with her new pretty princess friend. Two year olds basically have a mind of their own and we just had to go with what happened, did she want to stand in the direction of the nice light – no she did not. Did she want to do anything I asked her to do – no she did not. That is what was so exciting to me was we just let her decide what she wanted to do and we just went with it. I would loosely give Danielle direction and I am so, so pleased with the images we were able to capture.

This brings us to the beautiful brand new hat boxes, Leila decided she didn’t just want to look at them, she wanted to be just like Danielle and carry them too. The reactions from everyone was a gasp and run towards her to take them off her, remembering how careful we had been for the previous two hours. I could see in the viewfinder of my camera that I loved what was unfolding in front of me and I just went with it. Basically I was almost hyperventilating with excitement as I could see how genuine and real the images seemed to be as we just let the two of them play together. I said let her go I’ll buy the bags I love it, so that is what we did. The moments with the bag falling there is no way that I could have set that up and the genuine reaction of Danielle I am just amazed at what can be captured in a photo. By the way, my mum got one for Mother’s Day and the other is in my studio.

I have spent years photographing children and I think that has stood me in good stead as I gently ease my way into wedding photography. I guess what I am trying to say is I have learned so much from shooting children how to capture moments as they happen and I believe I have learned by experience to carry that through to when I work with adults too. I am also touched and honored that Danielle has had a lady come into her shop and genuinely believed the images were from her own wedding day, as my husband Aaron said well that shows you achieved what you wanted to achieve. She said this woman was so persisent that she was a real bride that Danielle held up her hand and said “I’m only 21″!

If you have read all of this I hope that you get a feel for what I am trying to say and to thank each and everyone of you who have supported me thus far. I am in the process of putting together an online slideshow of the images for Melissa to send to all prospective brides and I am off to the annual photography tradeshow in Melbourne to select a new album to design so that all of the potential brides who come to Ironbark can see them. I would like to thank Melissa, David and the team again for giving me this opportunity. Guess what, I am meeting with a bride this Sunday who is getting married at Ironbark Hill in May next year, she wanted to meet with me after seeing these images and I am very chuffed about it!

Kind Regards

Kristin
xxx

I think this image sums up my photography style…I could not set this up even if I tried!

This one cracks me up… Danielle trying to protect the bags and Leila being determined as all hell to get it off her!!!

As I promised there were so many of Miss Leila and my adorable model just playing together…there is actually going to be one more set. I thought I would remind you again who is responsible for making this shoot possible.

***REMEMBER IF YOU GET TO THE BOTTOM OF A PAGE AND WANT TO SEE THE FIRST FIVE PARTS YOU CAN EITHER CLICK ON PREVIOUS POSTS AT THE BOTTOM OR YOU CAN GO TO THE TOP OF THE BLOG AND CLICK ON THE ARCHIVES TAB AND CLICK ON THE LINKS***

If you would like to become a fan of KMU Photography on facebook please go to http://www.facebook.com/kmuphotography

In no particular order these amazing business houses assisted to make this shoot possible – I have over 1,000 images to sort through and I am working as fast as humanly possible to share them with everyone. Click on the links and show your support.

Gown, headpiece and Jewellery: Designs by Melanie Ford, 488 Hunter Street, Newcastle.

Location: Ironbark Hill Barrel Room and Gallery, 694 Hermitage Road, Pokolbin.

Hair and Make-up: Blush Brides, mobile service that come to you.

Flowers, hatboxes and Umbrella: Worn-Out-Wares and WOW Flowers, 41-43 George Street, Singleton.

Model: Danielle Thompson, who happens to own Chocolate Delicious Shoes (who supplied us the shoes too), 107 John Street, Singleton.

Flowergirls: Leila Rew, her own flowergirl dress that she wore only six weeks ago in her mum and dads wedding purchased from Tea Princess.

***ANOTHER BLOG POST WILL BE COMING TOMORROW OF MORE DANIELLE AND LEILA SHOTS THERE WERE TOO MANY FOR ONE POST***

Oh my golly gosh, this blog post would have been up earlier today if I had not had to sort through over 500 files from the last part of the Ironbark Hill bridal shoot! Basically the day before the shoot was planned I had a brilliant idea whilst washing my hair in the shower, I now I have my best ideas in very strange places. Stacey, a great friend and next door neighbour who I am training up to be my assistant agreed to come along and hang out with me for the day. She and Chris had their own wedding only about six weeks ago and their adorable daughter Miss Leila was a flowergirl, can you see how everything is falling into place.

Some people would think I was absolutely crazy for adding a two year old into the mix during a fashion shoot, not me I thought it was just perfect. I have to say a huge thank you to Stacey’s mum Bev for first babysitting and bringing the star model out to us after she had had her nap. The other thing that was so funny was that our lovely model Danielle had not much experience with modelling, let alone a two year old child. After Leila’s initial tantrums we started to have some real fun, if you think that these shots were posed in anyway you clearly have not worked with an independent two year old!

We just went with the flow, and I gave loose direction along the way, that Leila promptly ignored but I was in my element just capturing events as they happened. I has so many favourites there will be another blog post coming of more of the two of them together as the interactions between the two of them were just priceless. I guess this part of the shoot you can get a good feel for how I capture a wedding day too.

Take care, talk soon.

Kristin
xxx

***REMEMBER SCROLL DOWN TO SEE PART I & PART II & ALL OF THE AMAZING SUPPLIERS WEBSITE LINKS***

No words tonight, just another location around Ironbark Hill in the Hunter Valley! I will come back in the morning and update the words.

Guess what, I have no shoots tomorrow so that means I can put another section up tomorrow. Next will be outside of this amazing venue, including the vines, then after that our beautiful flowergirl made her appearance.

Thank you all soo much again for your support and fantastic messages I have been receiving about this shoot.

Kind Regards

Kristin
xxx

I am still on an absolute high from Monday’s promotional shoot at Ironbark Hill Barrel Room and Gallery. If you scroll below this post you will see that I have updated the first post now with all of the supplier information so you can see who made all of this possible. The first summary of images that I posted were to provide an overall sneak peek from the shoot.

It makes sense to me to post groups of images in different blog posts – here are some detail shots of hair and make-up from Blush Brides (profile of Blush Brides to come).

More to come very soon.

Kristin
xxx