Let's Celebrate Family

Earlier this year I celebrated my 40th birthday. Upon reflection, I can confidently say that life has been pretty good to me. I may not have everything I want but I certainly have everything I need.

My family and I arrived in Australia in 1983 after being granted refugee status by the Australian government. I was 4 years old. We had with us nothing except a few items of clothing and a handful of photographs my parents managed to arrange during our 18 month stay at a Malaysian refugee camp. They had lost absolutely everything in their quest for freedom and a chance to give my brother and I a safer future. The few photographs they do have, they cherish deeply.

From a family of four, we soon became a family of seven. With each milestone or special occasion or for no occasion at all, my dad would make us all pose for that family snapshot. Then he would run down to the local chemist to put in his film and with what little money we had, he would develop those memories and put them into frames and albums. Over the years, we often look through these old albums and reflect on how far we have all come (and laugh at the many bad hair styles and outfit choices along the way).

Deep down, I know this was what inspired me to give up my 12 year marketing career and start up Egg Photography. I wanted to celebrate the milestones and the memories but most importantly, I wanted to celebrate "the family". They are what shape us into the person we are today. I am so blessed because I know I am safe, I am loved and I belong. THIS is what I want every child who stands in front of my camera to feel. There has actually been research done regarding this very topic (click here to read)

OK, let's go back to me turning 40... I didn't have a big party. Instead, I booked a photographer for a family portrait session. I then reshuffled my living room to create some wall space. A design consultation (with myself) followed and as a result, I came up with the perfect wall display concept and mocked it up to scale on an image of the chosen space. I would say the process went pretty seamlessly, from design concept to final display. I chose to have our memories printed on a beautiful new Wood Print product (which I am very excited to now offer my clients) and now I am totally head over heels in love with this space!

So here are some parting words for a newly wise 40 year old:

"Live in the moment; cherish the connections; invest in your memories, then DISPLAY those memories for all to enjoy!"

If you have my USBs sitting in your drawer and you're thinking "I MUST get those images printed!" then please use this post as a little nudge to do so. If you need a little creative helping hand, you know I'm the lady to call. I have some pretty exciting new product samples in the studio and I would love to show them to you. Don't be shy and call or email me now. I offer a full service business, so nothing is too big or too small a request. I look forward to hearing from you!

**A special thanks to Love Lives Here Photography for capturing our family memories so perfectly!**