The Trinity College session was a loooong day…….

And as usual with this man, Brendan Waters from Mudhouse Studios, in charge you know it’s going to sound amazing…..

On a dreamy, hazy winter afternoon the beautiful Norton family came together for an afternoon. I suspect they get together quite a bit………

From Bill & Ros a life’s work was here for all to see

In the looming grandeur of Nimbin Rocks……..

With the ageless 96 year old Edith …….

To Gracie & Todd, cousins, who could be easily be brother & sister…..

Matt, Seth & Todd………

Sylive & Lorien with Nana Ros……

The biggest kid, Mal with his four beautiful girls

To Oscar, the youngest & baby of the family

As we start out own family I enjoy these shoots more & more & the intimate dynamics & untroubled approach to life….& of course the love.

Thank you all,

Ben xoxo

PS Sorry for the delay!

” My favourite place is me & you “

Kate Miller-Heidke

Yesterday the rain eased & the clouds thinned for just enough time………. Bek & Michael laughed, cried, told stories, kissed, hugged & exchanged vows in the glorious Rosebank sunshine. The countries of Canada &  Australia have never felt so close as the warmth of the Day family of Vancouver was embraced by the wonderful Warnock family, previously of Canberra but now residing here in the Northern Rivers of NSW. In a day of great beauty, where staggeringly beautiful friendships &  family collided like two atoms meant for each other, this was one of my favourite moments. Bek’s brother Jono, the biggest, toughest softie in the whole place, could not get over how much he was crying from the time he woke, til now, when he told his sister how much he had been crying &. I suspect, how much he loved her.

Beautiful symbolism had begun with a massive rainbow at dawn, followed by the birth of ducklings ……new life & new lives.

The preparations had begun at different ends of the spectrum…….

Sierra & Jada waiting, waiting, patiently…

The Kissing Tree was well patronised…..

That beautiful red soil at Rosebank had become treacherous………the walk to the dunnies was fraught with danger

Speeches that brought the house down.

Shaun & Carmel

Sue & John

Sally, Elisha & Bron

Mike’s sisters Louise & Alison made a presentation to remind Mike of what he would miss & who will miss him, now that he is living in Australia. It was one of the the funniest & heartfelt things I have seen at a wedding……

I will never forget Mike crying out “These are my sisters” , the proudest brother on the planet.

Beautiful Bron…..

Thank you for your time Bek, Michael, the Warnock family & the Day family & for having me. I was truly humbled to bear witness to the day. I look forward to putting together your album. Love Ben xoxoxo

Barry – The Iron Man

I have begun a huge personal portrait project which will examine the psyche of the Northern Rivers through the stories & deeds of some of our most endearing & loved residents. Hopefully it will culminate in an exhibition next year.

Stay tuned as I will be calling for nominations & the input & stories of everyone, as this is about you as much as it is about me.

81 – {Silver} !!! Family Category

77 – Wedding Photojournalism Category

75 – Family Category

71 – Wedding Open Category

This was my first year as a member of the AIPP, so my first chance to enter the APPA’s, the most prestigious photography awards for Australian professional photographers. And widely regarded as one of the toughest in the world, with a staggeringly high standard.

A score in the 70’s is expected from a professional, 80 & above is starting to display exceptional quality. I think I have a long way to go!

As well as being a proud member of the AIPP I am also proud to be a part of a great collective of photographers living in this part of the world.

If you are interested go & check out the AIPP website to see some of the winners from this year & past years.

Paul & I spent a few hours together one morning last week. Talking, listening, laughing. We share the same view on some things. On others we are diametrically opposed. We have a routine that is similar in ways, but indescribably different in others.

Paul lives under a house owned by a friend of his, here in Lismore.

Like Paul, I am an early riser. Both of us are up before the sun. I like the peace & the quiet & the fact that I can work & think for a few hours  without phone calls & emails to distract me. The gentle onset of day simultaneously stirs & focuses me & I am at my most productive in this time. Of course good quality coffee helps……

Paul starts his day the same way he ends it. Drinking. Before dawn he has started on the first of what is, most days, two four litre casks of white wine.

I enjoyed chatting & joking with him & I know he like my company. He has a lot to say but, I suspect, no one who will listen. I hadn’t known him to this point so have no history to influence my opinion or perception of him. Even accounting for the effects of a few litres of wine he is a gregarious, non threatening person. He was relatively comfortable with me photographing him in what is essentially his home

Bella, the Italian greyhound

Every so often as we spoke, a look would come across Paul’s face. Sometimes it would pass laterally, like a ripple, other times it burned me from his eyes & lingered. It was like a realisation, perhaps buried or half forgotten. I was searching for some kind of clarity into what had been Paul’s life until this point, & how he had come to where he know was, both in a physical & psychological sense.

As a people photographer I am always searching for visual metaphors & ways to illustrate what I am seeing & feeling. Paul, surrounded by rubbish, just blended in with the squalour. We live in a disposable society, in which we are encouraged to discard things we no longer want & move on, buy more, buy new. We also discard human beings, the ones we don’t want & move on. This is essentially Paul’s lounge room.

That look, penetrating the fog.

I left & went home. I have always been acutely aware & deeply grateful that I have a family that loves me, parents who always encouraged me & gave me the self belief that I could do whatever I wanted. I have a beautiful wife who tells me she loves me everyday & wants me to be the best me that I can. Soon we will have a our first child, whom we will love unconditionally no matter what they say or do.

But I just had this nagging thought, & maybe you do too…………..that under the right (or wrong) circumstances, with a couple of 50/50 calls going against you or a bad decision made you or someone you love could NEVER one day wake up & realise you are just like Paul.

” Hi Ben and Jodie,

I can’t thank you both enough for such gorgeous photos. The slideshow brought tears to my eyes, the music selection was great and photos stunning. I am especially grateful for the shots of my eldest son Nick, having never got around to professional photos before I’m sure this was going to be my last chance before he moves out of home, so thank you very much.

You both have a passion and very special talent for what you do and that shows through in every shot you take, I  wish you all the best for the future and look forward to seeing more of your beautiful work on your blog.

All the best to you as family as you await the arrival of your first child, as I’m sure many have told you already, a very special time, but I would also say enjoy these last few months you have alone together as your life will be turned upside down, in the best possible way:) “

I don’t need to justify to myself or anyone what I do, or why I do it . But if I ever did, yesterday would spring to mind as a perfect example of why taking a couple of cameras to work with us on a saturday afternoon is the one of the most enriching & life affirming things to do……..

So what’s all the fuss about then? This is when the girls first saw their Aunty Anna in her stunning dress….

Special mention must go to Tim, the hardest working man in Ballina, yesterday. Just when you thought you had seen all the strings to his bow………Nail Technician!

In total there were ten flower girls & page boys!!! I am sure they all thought Anna was a Fairy Princess for the day, the way they kept looking at her.

Jacynta & her Aunty Anna

Zahara was perhaps the most smitten with Anna.

Anna & Sarah

The long procession to the front.

Jules & the girls straining to get a look

Boulder’s Beach headland at it’s glorious, golden best. I always feel blessed to live where we do whenever I come here, rain, hail or shine. Time seems to stand still & you feel as though you can breathe life in through your lungs.

How much do you think he loves her?

Josie & Josh

Sarah & new brother in law, Craig

Back at By The River, as dusk gently faded.

A true honour this was. We hope the two of you have a wonderful honeymoon. Thank you for everything, especially the laughs & for being yourselves. See you soon, love Ben & Jodie xoxoxo

I am going to stick my neck out & say that on Saturday, the day Anna will marry Paul, the weather will be spectacular. Such a gorgeous couple with an intimate, spiritual connection & unabashed affection for each other.

Best friend & future sister in law Josie, all the way from NZ

Like two lovers falling for each other for that first time, over & over again – Josie & Josh

Ethan & his sisters, part of the bridal party next Saturday

Susan & Paul

See you all on Saturday , Ben & Jodie xo xo