We managed to get a fabulous parking spot and checked out the Cruise Bar side of the harbour, finishing up with nice glass of vino and a pizza and watching the lights – a fab way to spend a few hours on a warm autumny evening!

Opera House in all its Vivid glory (all taken hand-held).

enjoy!

this one might be my favourite…

…or this one….

loved the animal prints ones – had to wait for two full rounds of lights to get them cause I kept missing it!

which one is your favourite?

if you like these images, please do like the post and share!

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thanks for reading! I help families to create long-lasting, natural and beautiful memories to pass down to their children and grandchildren.

Inspired by my cheeky nephews, niece and godchildren as well as Sydney’s stunning urban and beach locations, I am so happy to have managed to turn my life-long passion into my work through Your Life Through a Lens Photography.

I also help mums learn how to take better photos of their own children via free weekly classes you can get here. I recently launched life through your lens: in-home photography workshops for busy mums, where all of the profits are going towards funding a life-changing trip to Kenya in June.

Please do come join me over on Facebook or Twitter or sign up to receive posts straight to your inbox, so you don’t miss a thing. I have lots of exciting things planned for my return, and updates from my trip will be posted here :)

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have a great day,

You can read the original blog post here: the changing scenes of sydney opera house and vivid 2013.

here are some of my images and behind the scenes from the day:

as you can see we had a more than willing model on the day!!

and these are a couple that the girls took! how great are they! so proud of them :)

I am holding one more workshop in Sydney on Sunday 16th June – venue still to be decided but thinking Coogee. If you would like to attend, please send me an email at clare@yourlifethroughalens.com.au asap and let me know. Again, all profits will be going to the final funding of my Kenya trip, nearly there :)

Still deciding about whether to attend a workshop? listen to what these attendees had to say:

“From the start Clare created a relaxed fun atmosphere! She was full of great practical tips for improving my photography that I hadn’t heard before. She was so patient in explaining photography concepts and took the time to answer all my questions. Because of this workshop I am now exploring new ways of using my camera and was able to capture the ‘kids in the tub’ shot! I met some great people and had a great day topped off with a glass of champagne! Thanks Clare for sharing your story and knowledge!” Lara, Canberra

“I recently hosted a “life through YOUR lens” workshop presented by Clare and I am so glad that I did. Clare presented the information in a non-technical everyday way that you didn’t need to be a photographer to understand and grasp the elements that she was teaching. The afternoon was very relaxed and Clare made everyone feel comfortable no matter their level of photography experience. Clare spent the time to explain the use and benefits of light and the best way to harness this to get the “sparkle” in people’s eyes. She showed us that you can get fantastic photos without having to do lots of editing. I would have no hesitation in recommending this workshop to anyone wanted to learn how to get the most out of the DSLR camera and their photos.” Tammie, Goulburn

Don’t forget that the introductory pricing ends on 31st August 2013, so make sure you take advantage of the discount before then!

I have so many client sessions to share as well with you guys, I am going to get organised before I head off and make sure you have lots of blogs to read while I am away :)

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thanks for reading! I help families to create long-lasting, natural and beautiful memories to pass down to their children and grandchildren.

Inspired by my cheeky nephews, niece and godchildren as well as Sydney’s stunning urban and beach locations, I am so happy to have managed to turn my life-long passion into my work through Your Life Through a Lens Photography.

I also help mums learn how to take better photos of their own children via free weekly classes you can get here. I recently launched life through your lens: in-home photography workshops for busy mums, where all of the profits are going towards funding a life-changing trip to Kenya in June.

Please do come join me over on Facebook or Twitter or sign up to receive posts straight to your inbox, so you don’t miss a thing. I have lots of exciting things planned for my return, and updates from my trip will be posted here :)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

have a great day,

You can read the original blog post here: a beautiful redhead and another fabulous photography workshop!.

I remember I discovered Brand Camp Blog on Facebook one day back in early 2011 – Kristen’s writing just really resonated with me – it was no nonsense, practical help that made sense to the self-taught, set-up-entirely-on-her-own newbie photographer and business woman that I found myself to be at that time. I followed her blog religiously and subscribed to her RSS feed. Every single thing she wrote, seemed to come at EXACTLY the right time for me, and I would try to implement her little tips as best as I could when I had the time.

As she would say, I am definitely one of her “people”. Her book Circus Circus is the very reason that I have so many clients tell me that they booked me primarily because of my About Me page. Her customer service experiences documented in Lux Undercover, prompted me to really focus in on my client communication and the little details of my customer service. The journalling and the Very Serious Tasks in her 9-week Becoming course kicked me into action, forced me to declutter my workspace and my mind, helped me to really think about my goals and my “why” and coincidentally also streamlined my client workflow and made my life a whole lot easier!

I was also blown away by the amount of free information and help she provided. After I listened to her free recording of Sales Without Shame, I held my first in-person order session the next week and made my biggest ever sale of $2,400 (double my previous biggest sale) – and all I did was go to my client’s home, have a cup of tea for an hour or so, took some product samples and helped them choose their images so they weren’t overwhelmed.

I remember in August 2011, Kristen bought out yet another product that I loved and wanted to buy that was only out for a limited time (I had FOMO!)… but at the time, I was conscious of buying lots of e-books and courses and not actually completing them in full. So I emailed her to find out if it would be available at a later time. Her response was this (I wonder if she remembers!):

Clare —

Hugs,
K

Her email prompted me to stop. Calm down. And actually DO the tasks and implement all the fabulous teachings from Circus Circus, Lux Undercover and Becoming.

the reason I say she won’t know who I am, is because I am a passive internet user.

I am generally NOT a Facebook or a blog commenter. I am part of many private Facebook business groups and have NEVER, NOT ONCE, commented or posted. Unless I have met you in person or at least had a fair bit to do with you, it is VERY unlikely I will comment on something on Facebook – and seemingly, especially if “you” are a business woman that I look up to! I kind of feel like I don’t want to come across as a stalker or something (?). Which is so silly, because I know how much I love it when my blog followers and Facebook fans like and comment on my images and posts, even when I have no idea who they are ‘in real life’.

So anyway, the reason I am mentioning this, is that about two years ago, I remember seeing Kristen post something about wanting to organise a trip to Africa or Nepal or somewhere and I remember thinking what a great idea that was to be able to fund a trip through her business (she used her course, Becoming, to do this). I passively took it on board, and filed it in the back of my mind with all the great ideas I was seeing and hearing about, but I wasn’t at the right stage of my business or my life to do something like that.

….enter Suluhisho Trust….

Suluhisho Trust is an organisation set up and run by Jacinta Ojwang and her husband Antipas who are based in Kisumu in Kenya. Jacinta (nee Conroy for you Goulburn kids out there) and I went to school together and we reconnected when I photographed her and her husband, their daughter and their FIVE foster children in Goulburn in 2011.

Over the past 12 months, I have been seeing more and more of Jacinta’s selfless charitable work on Facebook.

In February this year, I remember having an ah-ha moment, and I called Jacinta to talk to her more about what she was doing, and talk about a possible trip to Kenya to help raise awareness of the work of the trust through my photography and my storytelling. For those who know me, I am not really the type to want to travel to a dangerous, third-world country all by myself, without all my creature comforts. I am that girl, who during my five years of living in the UK, (proudly) referred to myself as a Gucci backpacker :)

I am also not really the type who wants to ‘change the world’.

But the fact that I KNOW Jacinta, I have seen how much she cares, I trust her work and her charity, that she would be there with me as a familiar face, that my gifts for telling stories through my photography and my words, could actually REALLY help her and the beautiful children that she is trying to give a better life, it just all seemed to make sense to me. It is something that I NEED to do…

….re-enter Kristen and Brand Camp back into my life….

you know that saying ‘when you decide you want something, the universe seems to make it happen’ (or something like that?). After that conversation in February, serendipity was again at play, when in early March, I received an email about Kristen’s new book, “Change the World, Damn-it” – with a free chapter to download and see what it was all about. A book entirely devoted to how to integrate life-changing projects into your business – exactly like my trip to Kenya that I had been thinking about but wasn’t sure how to make happen.

I bought this world map for $13 on etsy and had it mounted for inspiration – cool hey – and TOTALLY goes with my black and white decor :) (iPhone pic as my camera is getting cleaned)

I devoured the free sample and bought the book. It covers everything from how to find a project that resonates with you, to lessons Kristen learned on her trips, to getting down to the nitty-gritty of funding the project through your business. The ideas in the book helped me to formulate my plan for HOW to do this. Step by Step. From budgeting EVERYTHING to really thinking about the timeline you need, to lots and lots of ideas for how to generate the money needed to make it happen. Plus the reality of the less glamourous side of doing a trip like this (including little anecdotes such as curling up in a ball and crying on her first night in an awful, dirty, dodgy hotel in Nairobi – eek I think that might be me…!). But mainly, the book prompted me to stop THINKING about the Kenya trip and start MAKING KENYA HAPPEN.

I didn’t want to ask people to sponsor me. I thought about doing the Climb for Kenya, but thought that my limited time would be better spent on the ground, with the children, with the families, hearing their stories and telling their stories.

So I decided instead to launch my life through your lens: photography workshops for busy mums a little bit earlier than anticipated. With introductory pricing to encourage my peeps to do it sooner rather than later. And to use 100% of the profits from these workshops to fund my trip. I was petrified. I didn’t feel ready to launch the classes yet (I wanted a new website! new Facebook page! a sparkly new logo! for everything to be perfect!). I was also scared that I now had to tell people about the Kenya trip and what if no-one bought anything and then I couldn’t afford to go anymore and how embarrassing would that be.

As always has been my motto, I decided to feel the fear and do it anyway.

Five weeks after I tentatively announced my Kenya trip and three weeks after I launched my new photography workshops, the base cost of my trip was already 47% funded. My confidence soared.

A week or so ago, I announced that I was bringing my trip forward to June, and to help make a final pitch to funding the trip, I was going to work like a crazy woman for the whole of May, including my MAKE KENYA HAPPEN up to 50% off sale (which ends midnight tonight if you don’t want to miss out!).

Thanks to you guys, I am now 80% funded for my Kenya trip (and you know the finance girl in me loves a good chart!)

I am heading down to Flight Centre to lock in the flights I have held, as soon as I hit 85%. Which I reckon will be tomorrow :)

For the support, the kind words, the encouragement – thank you all. I could not have imagined only two months ago that I would be in this position today. Thanks to Kristen to always putting stuff out for me at the exact time I need it, and for Jacinta for all the fabulous work she is doing and inspiring me to want to help. And of course for the Universe for putting it all together at the right time :)

Clients, please do take advantage of the MAKE KENYA HAPPEN sale that is ending tonight at midnight. Up to 50% off digital negatives, prints and wall hangings (plus new session fees for shoots when I return!)

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thanks for reading! I help families to create long-lasting, natural and beautiful memories to pass down to their children and grandchildren. Inspired by my cheeky nephews, niece and godchildren as well as Sydney’s stunning urban and beach locations, I am so happy to have managed to turn my life-long passion into my work through Your Life Through a Lens Photography.

I also help mums learn how to take better photos of their own children via free weekly classes you can get here. I recently launched life through your lens: in-home photography workshops for busy mums, where all of the profits are going towards funding a life-changing trip to Kenya in June.

Please do come join me over on Facebook or Twitter or sign up to receive posts straight to your inbox, so you don’t miss a thing. I have lots of exciting things planned for my return, and updates from my trip will be posted here :)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

have a great day,

You can read the original blog post here: why and how I am Making Kenya Happen | personal.

one of the shoots I had the pleasure of holding was a commercial shoot for Goosey Gander on the Gold Coast – a designer online clothing and gift store for children (you should definitely check out!).

we had five families with six children under five :) only slightly chaotic (but you know that’s how I roll anyway!) – you have to agree the combination of beautiful children and gorgeous clothing (plus a fab location!) makes for some beautiful images!

if you are based in the Gold Coast or Byron, I am thinking about a possible trip up there in the first week of June, as a final push for my Make Kenya Happen campaign :) – so if you were thinking about booking a photoshoot or holding a photography workshop, I may be able to accommodate that!

I will only make the trip if there is enough demand though, so definitely let me know if you might be interested :) As you know, I will be travelling to Kenya in June so I am not sure if I will be back up again this year (as when I get back it will be straight back into spring and Christmas season!!)

as always, if you know these gorgeous creatures, or just like these images, please do comment and like the post and share with your friends :)

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are you a VIP?

As a VIP, you will be the first to hear about exclusive content and discounts that I only share with my VIP readers – plus every month someone wins a photoshoot valued at $505! Will it be you in June? become a VIP here :) what are you waiting for!

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You can read the original blog post here: six of the most GORGEOUS kids you’ll ever see! | gold coast portrait photographer.

It is not too late to have a gift voucher emailed to you! whether it is a voucher for a space to attend a life through YOUR lens: photography workshops for busy mums so she can learn to take beautiful portraits herself using her camera (buy here), or a voucher for a fun and relaxed photoshoot (with bonus pampering gifts!) to capture the whole family, as they are right now (buy here) – you can purchase both online right now and receive the voucher on email today :)

If you are on my VIP list, you would know that all profits from all work and vouchers purchased in May, are going towards funding my trip to Kenya in June, to document the children and the work of the Suluhisho Trust. Thanks to all who have supported this cause, I will be giving an update on where I am at next week!

in the last seven days, I have held two photography workshops and four family photoshoots, I’ve edited three galleries and posted or delivered eight client’s prints and products. I love being this busy!

It means I have been a bit slack again on the blog though, so here is a quick wrap from last weekend’s photography workshop :)

As usual, we started with the theory of the camera and metering and the basics, then after lunch, we moved onto the best places to shoot in the home with our models.

Again, I was so impressed with the girls and how quickly they understood and learned! here are a couple of images they took – fabulous hey!

I quickly decided that the baby’s bedroom was the best place for us to base ourselves – nice and light – and also decided that if we were going to do that, then nude and nappy was all we required. How GORGEOUS is this little fella :)

during the workshop, I may or may not make you get into a bath (or a cot) to show you what I mean…

this little munchkin was VERY excited to have so many people photographing her… I find that sometimes when that happens, it is best to take them quietly away from the chaos and have 5 mins quiet time, and you get some beautiful images :)

as the host of the workshop you will receive all the full sized images that I take of your children as well :)

and finally, the workshop girls :)

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are YOU feeling frustrated that you can’t get the shots that you want of your own children at home? do you have a camera that you haven’t taken off auto mode? are you interested in learning but need a more hands on approach than an online course or classroom lecture?

book your own fun & relaxed photography workshop and take your photos from “meh, they are alright” to “wowsers!!“.

Read more about the details of the course and what you will learn here.

the next Goulburn course is Saturday 18th May 2013. There are available spaces, if anyone would like to join this course, just send me an email for details.

Alternatively, sign up to receive my free weekly photography tips and tricks here. What are you waiting for :)

You can read the original blog post here: behind the scenes from last week’s photography workshop and a last minute mother’s day pressie!.