Hello everyone!
I thought it was about time I jumped on here and started blogging, so let's begin with the obvious question. Who am I?
I thought I'd keep it simple. I'm a country girl, born and bred right here in Alexandra, Victoria. I've farmed and fenced, tedded hay, baled silage, delivered calves and raised all sorts of beautiful animals. While I'm not doing those things these days, I am raising my own little girl, who is somehow already 10. I honestly have no idea where the time has gone!
Now, you might think I got into photography because I became a mum. Well, you couldn't be more wrong!
I've always loved a camera. I used to waste entire rolls of film taking photos of the most random things on my parents' camera. Surely I'm not the only one who did that?
After the huge shock of losing my mum when I was 18, photography became a kind of therapy for me. It gave me something to focus on, and I went on to university to learn everything I could about it.
Then life happened.
I was burnt out, living in Melbourne (which I hated, if I'm being honest), and I had no idea where I wanted to take my photography. So I let it go for a while. And by a while, I mean a few years.
Eventually, we moved back home, and people started asking me if I was still taking photos. Those conversations brought something back to life in me, and before I knew it, I was finding my feet again.
I worked hard to find my style, figure out what I wanted to focus on and build something that felt right for me. And here I am, capturing beautiful families, mums-to-be, new parents and their little babies.
So, why photography? Why does it matter so much to me?
I love what photography gives people. It's not just a moment captured on a particular day. It's a piece of your family history.
Of course, we all have our phones and take hundreds of photos, but there's something special about having professional photographs of the people you love. Images you can print, hang on your walls, put in albums and pass down through generations.
They're something your children can look back on. Something you can sit down with your grandkids and show them what you looked like when you were younger, what your family was like and how much you loved each other.
I think that's pretty special.
I love photographing real people. Down-to-earth people who want to have a bit of fun and don't take themselves too seriously. People who want photographs that feel like them, rather than a perfectly posed version of themselves.
I want to tell your story. I want to capture who you are, how you connect and all the little things that make your family yours.
And then there's women, particularly during pregnancy.
I absolutely love photographing women during this time in their lives. I believe we are incredibly strong beings who carry so much, often without giving ourselves much credit for it. We juggle so many things day to day, and somewhere in amongst all of that, we can forget to stop and appreciate ourselves.
I think we deserve to be celebrated. Not because we look a certain way or have everything together, but simply because we're here, doing our thing and figuring it all out as we go.
I want women to have photographs that make them feel beautiful, strong and empowered. Photographs where they can look at themselves and see something worth celebrating.
My biggest goal is to help you feel comfortable in front of my camera.
I'm not really one for having everyone stare straight into the camera all the time. Don't get me wrong, there's absolutely a place for those photos, but I love the moments in between. The way you look at your partner, the way your little one reaches for you, the laughter, the cuddles and the moments when you forget I'm even there.
To me, those photographs feel more like real life. They show the connections between you and the people you love. They show the things I see when I look at you.
And I want you to feel comfortable enough to let those moments happen.
My sessions are relaxed and as stress-free as possible. You don't need to know how to pose, and you certainly don't need to have perfectly behaved children.
I mean, some parenting is still required! But kids will be kids, and I'm not expecting them to follow every instruction or smile on cue. I'm here to photograph them as they are, in their own little worlds, whatever that looks like on the day.
I want you to walk away from our session having made memories, not feeling like you've just ticked another stressful thing off your to-do list. I want you to feel loved up, empowered and free to be yourselves.
Because that's what it's all about for me. Creating photographs that mean something to you, of the people who mean the most.
So, if I sound like your kind of person, I'd love for you to stick around!
Have a look through my work, follow along on Facebook and Instagram, or get in touch and tell me about the session you've been dreaming of.
Whether you're expecting a baby, welcoming a newborn or wanting to capture your family just as you are right now, I'd love to hear from you.
Paige x
Paige Elise Photography
Maternity, newborn, motherhood and family photographer in Alexandra, Victoria, and surrounding areas.