Celebration of Freya

A year ago I met a beautiful soul named Freya.
She was in her mama's belly at the time, and we made friends with each other through skin - I would tell her stories, and she would wave at me making Angel's belly ripple. She is growing into the most precious, soulful little one. Her laughter has evolved into a loud chortle and her eyes shine love and truth and beauty.

To celebrate her birthing day, we gathered to eat and watch a puppet show and bless and photograph Freya, her mum Angel and brother Connor...

I hope these photos make you giggle, gasp and make beauty flowers blossom in your heart.




Looking all Hepburn-ish :)






Connor is going to be a photographer...
Here he takes a picture of me taking a picture of him...



And photographing his mama...




I think I need shoes like this.


Miss Freya and her gorgeous grandma

Now that you are one, you can put your own hat on...


almost...


there!





"The happiest moments of my life have been
the few which I have passed at home
in the bosom of my family."
~ Thomas Jefferson



"You don't choose your family.
They are God's gift to you, as you are to them."
~ Desmond Tutu

Shannon and Paul Wedding

Earlier this year, I had the delicious pleasure of photographing the wedding of my dear friend from high school, Shannon, and her dream-come-true Paul.

The wedding was held on the beautiful cattle property of Shan's family: picture meadows of long grass with slender eucalypts, magical riverbeds, a lake brimming after recent rains and red dust roads to walk on at sunset. They were surrounded and supported by good people - SUCH good people - all with their own gifts, all with warm smiles and huge hearts. I spent a week out there, mostly alternating between huge gaspfuls of laughter and deep conversations with the myriad of lovely souls who were there. (A special shoutout to the River Girls, Magnificent Moira, Hot Bachy and Shan's parents for the most precious times possible).

Paul and Shan promised to love each other for this lifetime and more by the lake near sunset. Shan rode in to the sweet, emotion-filled ceremony on a palamino stallion, looking every bit like an etheric fairy princess coming to find her fairy prince.

I hope you delight in these photos... I hope they document the joy, love, magic and light that was there that day and always.




Fairy Shan and her fairy cousin...


The bride's dad




































Their first dance...
just as they will dance for the rest of their lives...


Rings on table decorations...

And my favourite image of the day...

The lovely Paul - rough, funny, country boy Paul - broke down in tears during the ceremony and couldn't finish his vows. Shannon would wrap him up in her arms, and they would giggle together as tears streamed down his face...





You know you are in love
when you see the world in her eyes,
and her eyes everywhere in the world.

- David Levesque

Connor Beauty

Dear my little friend,

May you always remember your beauty as you grow into a man, and into yourself.
May you remember the magician in you, who holds crystals in his fingers, memories of his spirit brother in his mind, and a fierce intent to heal and know others in the curl of his palm.
May you remember the fairy in you, who wears wings on his tricycle, who dances under rainbow umbrellas, who makes the world a song and dance.
May you remember the joy you create with your golden eyes and hilariously insightful one-liners and cherub lips.
May you know just how deeply you are loved from all who are around you.
It is an honour to know you, to dance with you, to watch you take in the world with your sensitive, sweet soul.
Thank you for teaching us.

Love,
your friend,
Leonie