Wednesday 29 February 2012

meet the chogleys*

Hubby and Toby went to uni together. They were engineering nerds. Only Toby took the nerdiness to a new level and became a lawyer as well. Who I ended up working for. Small world. At the time hubby also worked for the same big corporate monster, on a very well known, very pricey, major construction dispute that spanned many years. No hubby isn't a lawyer. His engineering smarts got him into the tech side of the legal firm until it bled him dry and he quit. Best thing about working there? He met me, of course.

Toby stood beside hubby at the alter when we said I do. Lucy was very new at that stage. From memory they had had a little misunderstanding a few weeks out from the big day, when I was trying to finalise the seating plan. Calls were made to Toby. Was she coming or wasn't she? She came. I remember her beaming smile and chic black dress. We met for the first time in the loo at our reception. A few short years later they were married, in a beautiful, big, colourful, loud, Chinese celebration. Ruby was eight weeks old. I remember it so vividly. They had the Chinese dancing dragon in the street in Chinatown out the front of the restaurant where the reception was held. It was beautiful. And deafening. Through the glass it was deafening. Then they came inside. And Ruby? Slept through the entire reception. I have never heard drums that loud. I have never heard anything that loud. It was an awesome wedding. Of course. For Toby and Lucy are awesome.

Liam is the eldest. A happy, vibrant, gorgeously chubby little guy. Bilingual of course. His little personality just bursts out of him. Declan is seventeen months his junior. A quiet little soul from my observations (though his mum would tell you otherwise). He likes mum to be close. And likes to make some noise about it should she disappear. He takes squeezable to a new level. Those cheeks and rubber band wrists. This time Lucy got a look in. Liam is a mini Toby, Declan a mini Lucy.

These photos were taken for Declan. When Liam was eight months old, Toby and Lucy had some professional shots done and they weren't overly happy with the result for the price they paid. They wanted some photos done of Declan at the same age, but weren't confident in going with another photographer they knew nothing about. So they asked me to do it. I was blown away when I opened Lucy's email. I was rapt. Instantly I wanted to reply, yes! Then the wave of fear washed over me. I just take photos for fun. A hobby, something I really enjoy. No pressure if every photo you take in a day is rubbish. But to produce decent shots for beautiful friends, and be paid for it? A whole other story.

Toby and Lucy were rapt with the nearly 600 shots I took. She told me she wanted the crap ones too. I gave her the semi-crap ones. The really crap ones went in the little waste paper basket.
















































































I had just bought my prime lens the week prior to this shoot and I wish I had more time to play with it beforehand. I feel like my photos are so much better now, just three short months later. When Tim was here, he told me I should shoot with a prime lens all the time. Forget about the standard 18-55mm, and it will change your photography. Being the good student I am, I have followed his instruction. I think it makes you work harder to get a good shot, because you have no zoom and it takes some getting used to. And perhaps your standard of good changes too. And makes you want more lenses.

I had a ball doing this for our dear friends. But then they did all the work for me. It's quite easy photographing beautiful souls. Thankyou Toby and Lucy x

*affectionately known by their family and friends ~ their surnames smooshed together.

19 comments:

  1. Brilliant photos Tahnee! No wonder they wanted all of them! I'd be so nervous to do a shoot like that - though at least there isn't the pressure of a not to be repeated event like a wedding or christening involved!

    I do love shooting with a prime lens - though 50mm is a bit short on my camera for inside photos in my little house. I think when I come to upgrade I'll look at a new body and two primes! Lots of saving to do first!

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    1. ahhh you could go a little nuts in the camera shop, huh?!! but I think if you use your camera a lot - which you do - then it is absolutely money well spent. x

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  2. Thanks Tahnee. Your words are like your photos. Amazing !!

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  3. Absolutely beautiful. Just do it. Become a photographer of people. You are insanely good at it. I would have wanted the bad ones too..even the bad ones would have been good. I think you could be much more critical of your own work than others are. I know i am. Love my 50mm. Don't think i've taken it off since i got it! xx

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    1. I agree, I think we are always more critical of our own work and definitely don't see it the way others do. there are so many awesome photographers out there, I guess you just wonder if you have something new or different to offer, that would make people want to hire you? plus, your bias. you have to say nice things about me ;) x

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  4. Aha a Nikon girl! Nice work...and yes prime lenses are the only way to go! In my opinion anyway... Watch carefully for an expensive obsession;) xxt

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    1. haha yes I can see my christmas list is going to be the same every year.. a new lense x

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  5. Fantastic, brilliant, wonderful photos Tahnee!!! Love the way you've captured your friends in their everyday. Am so hoping to get something like this done of our little family one day soon.
    And also hoping to learn to use my SLR better one day too. The aries in me, means I'm always rushed and impatient to get the shot and instead of taking many to get it I take 1 or 2 and give up ;) I will learn one day I'm sure. Can I ask what program you use to edit your pics?

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    1. absolutely worth doing sheridan, we had tim coulson come last month to capture us. I would absolutely do it again. I just use iPhoto on my iMac but am looking at getting Lightroom x

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  6. You have a talent there, my friend!
    What prime do you use?

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    1. thanks lovely, it's a 50mm, 1.8. I think I have been bitten by the prime bug.. there is no doubt I will have to make a collection! x

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  7. Gorgeous Tahnee. You do have a great eye. The photos are amazing and it was great to see Toby with his beautiful family. You are a true talent young lady!

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  8. Great pics. I love my 50mm lens.

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  9. Um, Tahnee!!!! (yes there are lots of !! Because I am shouting this) your photos are AMAZING!!!!! All of them. Just beautiful. And I loved your memory of how you came to meet this lovely couple - and what a beautiful family.

    I would hire you in a second....and after I sign off here I am off to google "prime lens".

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    1. oh teresa, I loved getting your email notification for this comment! I think I may have even blushed.. aren't you a doll. I have a good friend to thank for opening my eyes to other lenses. I think I really need to do a photography course to understand all the aperture and exposure palava. thankyou for your kind words x

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  10. Woah Tahnee, I hadn't seen these, they are awesome!!
    That is my favourite lens too, I just need more practice using it. Can I ask which camera you are using?
    Really so beautiful. xx

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  11. thanks lovely. I need more practice too - but you know what they say, practice makes perfect.. thought I don't think there is such a thing as a perfect photographer. I have a Nikon D3000 x

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I love to hear from you, thankyou so much for taking the time to leave a comment x

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