Ever see a photographer who starts out with a 365 day project, or even a 52 week project and never finishes? Yeah, me too. Well, I recently joined a group of a few other busy photographers who decided to commit to a 12 month project! If we fail this, we’ll be taking donations for a time management seminar. The best part is that it will be totally candid, lifestyle shots of each of our own families/lives. We don’t even have to dredge up random people or make our kids pose for us. We’re calling the series “The Story of ________” and we’ll each be filling in our own blanks. At the end of this post is a link to another photographer who participated and she’ll be linking to someone else. It’s a whole big circle of stories in pictures. So just click through – its fun!

This month its the story of ….Rory, the bush, the dog and a hammock. Ok well really its not a story at all. Truth be told i didnt get my act together this month. I’ve had issues with my website and blog and only yesterday i managed to get the blog back up on line but the website is still MIA so these are a collection of photographs taken on at the same event, plonked on my page and called a story!

Every year we go to this arts festival about an hours drive away from home. Its a chance to camp, get dirty, listen to great music, catch up with friends and indulge your hippy side. Rory and Shaggy (the dog) both adore it. They have a freedom out bush that they dont get at home where they can run a bit wild, free and have mountains of fun. This is childhood! We have our caravan, a camp fire and make a little home away from home and if i knew i was going to make a story of these images i would of photographed it but i didnt! We also have our hammock set up to one side and this provides Rory with hours of fun and a little relaxing time.

Might get this one big even though Marty does have crazy hair and a weird beard!

The nighttime ritual of marshmallows around the camp fire

BFFs at the camp in stylish camping attire

Just because i think she is to cute for words!!

Are you done yet? This is the look i mostly get when photographing her.

So thats my total non story this month. If you want to read a real story from a super talented and amazing photographer click on Azure Marie’s blog and she’ll come up with the goods. Dont forget to keep clicking through to read all the amazing stories!

Ever see a photographer who starts out with a 365 day project, or even a 52 week project and never finishes? Yeah, me too. Well, I recently joined a group of a few other busy photographers who decided to commit to a 12 month project! If we fail this, we’ll be taking donations for a time management seminar. The best part is that it will be totally candid, lifestyle shots of each of our own families/lives. We don’t even have to dredge up random people or make our kids pose for us. We’re calling the series “The Story of ________” and we’ll each be filling in our own blanks. At the end of this post is a link to another photographer who participated and she’ll be linking to someone else. It’s a whole big circle of stories in pictures. So just click through – its fun!

This month is the story of…my transformation it’s an intensely personal post so I’m a bit nervous, but also proud of myself as this has been a big part of my life for the past 12 months. This was me  -

I’d put on weight with my daughter Aurora  - 25kgs to be exact but after her birth i also stacked on another 10. I was like that for 4 years but i was also sad not active, not participating in life. I had some pretty low moments, not accepting invitations because i felt so rotten about myself, brushing off friends and family. Not accepting invitations for my daughter. Not being friendly to other Mums i met through things for my daughter. I all around hated myself. My partner and i used to fight – he is so social and i turned into a recluse hiding out in the house so no one would see me. Of course that all didn’t compute in my head. I didn’t realize i was engaging in behaviours like this due to my weight it was always someone else’s fault or i was too busy or to this or to that but looking back i do now know it was cause i felt so horrible.  I was in the extreme obese category on the BMI charts.

The photo above is the only photo i have of that time. In 4 years i don’t have a photo of myself. I have none with my daughter bar one at her birth and i went on many holidays where it doesn’t even look like i was there. I either avoided the camera or deleted the evidence. Somehow the above photo snuck through but it’s a bit sad i have hardly any photos of me in the first four years of my daughter’s life.

I knew things were bad but i deluded myself. People tried to be nice and say hey look maybe we should exercise together or tell me about some diet they had tried no one ever came out and told me i was endangering my health until i had a doctors check up with a new doctor and the proof was in the tests. My cholesterol and blood pressure was through the roof and i was a diabetes risk. My waist far exceeded the risk rate and i tipped the scales at almost 100kgs and i am only 157cms tall. It was bad.

So i started Tony Ferguson then Weigh Watches then Jenny Craig then Lite N Easy which i finally had some success with and lost 9kgs but i stopped and put it almost all back on again. Then i stumbled upon the 12wbt (www.12wbt.com). Its run by Michelle Bridges who is a trainer on the Australian Biggest Loser.

I signed up not knowing what it was about but desperate to be skinny and not knowing this was about to change my life. It’s basically a program where she gives you meal plans, exercise plans but the most amazing thing about it is she has ‘mind set’ lessons which deal with the mental side of why you are overweight. For me i have binge eating issues and through these lessons i have now overcome them. No one is perfect especially me so my issues still raise their ugly head from time to time but i have control now and i can reign them back in.

Another amazing aspect of this program is the support you get and the groups you form. I am lucky enough to have the ‘Mishfits’ a group of women from all over Australia who have a facebook page where we can discuss the ins and outs of this program and life in general. The program is done in rounds of 12 weeks with a 4 week preseason to kick it off and at the end of the round they have a large group work out and then a party to celebrate the success. It’s amazing and a heap of us ‘Misfits’ got together for the first time and had an amazing weekend. Each and every one of them is amazing and i had a ball. Also Lucky for me my sister Leigh who features heavily on this blog is also a 12wbter so she was there with me too and looks amazing.

This is us (with a few ring ins in the white hats we don’t know cause you had to have groups of 10 or more and a ring in mascot who completed every exercise by our sides and she is only 4!)

At the work out -

The top photo is just horrible we had been working out in the worlds biggest workout and then got a picture with Mish. This is how awesome they all are, they are letting me post this to my blog – double chins, sweat and all! They are all just awesome and having wonderful people like this around you (and those who didn’t make it to the workout!!) are the reason why this program works so well for me.

Then we partied! So much fun!! Thats the Mishfits and then my sister and i on the red carpet (thats a shadow on my arm by the way everyone asks me if its a tattoo. No just a werid looking green shadow!)

Michelle Bridges (or Mish! ) is just awesome and being in this program you kind of form a girlie crush on her (or is that just me  ) she is genuine and she is changing the women of Australia. For her and her program i will be forever grateful. I’m a mega groupie!! I even lined up for ages in a shopping center to meet her thats how much i love her!! (Worst photo ever but its all i got!)

So what’s happened to me with the 12wbt? I was a couch potato who ate and drank too much and was a health risk. I am now a gym member who exercises 6 times a week, eats clean and have just had a 4 month hiatus from drinking. I can run (ignoring the pelvic floor ) and I am fit. I can lift weights and I no longer want to be skinny i want to be strong. I also have normal blood pressure, am no longer a diabetes risk and my cholesterol is all good. I’ll be around to watch my daughter grow and be a good role model for her. I also no longer fight with Marty, i have made amazing friends, strengthened the bonds with existing friends and family and i now participate in life. Its not only my body that has changed but also my mind and my attitude.  As of next week i should be able to say i have lost 40kgs and i now look like this -

(thats me on the way to the finale party!!) I’ve done three rounds of the 12wbt (so no the changes didnt happen in 12 weeks it takes longer then that to undo years of body neglect) and i have just signed up for my forth where i am going to complete the lean and strong program to do some body shaping and toning. If anyone is thinking about doing her program – JFDI!

Next in line is my awesome partner with The Wedding Birds Lee Bird Photography - click here!! 

 Ever see a photographer who starts out with a 365 day project, or even a 52 week project and never finishes? Yeah, me too. Well, I recently joined a group of a few other busy photographers who decided to commit to a 12 month project! If we fail this, we’ll be taking donations for a time management seminar. The best part is that it will be totally candid, lifestyle shots of each of our own families/lives. We don’t even have to dredge up random people or make our kids pose for us. We’re calling the series “The Story of ________” and we’ll each be filling in our own blanks. At the end of this post is a link to another photographer who participated and she’ll be linking to someone else. It’s a whole big circle of stories in pictures. So just click through – its fun!

This month i am doing The story of making Anzac biscuits. If your not an Aussie or not from NZ Anzac day  is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at  Gallipoli during  WW1. It now more broadly commemorates all those who served and died in military operations for their countries. Source and more reading —–> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac_Day

We had plans to go to a BBQ but woke up to this -

Now thats just crazy weather especially after a week of temps at about 25 degrees and sunny! So we bunked off the BBQ and stayed home in the warmth and in our PJs instead and decided to commemorate the day by making Anzac bickies. These biscuits have a history too they were sent by wives to soldiers abroad because the ingredients do not spoil easily and the biscuits kept well during naval transportation (and they are yum!) source and more reading —-> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac_biscuit

For those that dont know i dont bake and i have lost a decent amount of weight recently so i dont eat biscuits much anymore either……. solution….Teresa Cutter’s Anzac biscuits at only 89 cals a biscuit. Perfect! Recipe here ——> http://www.thehealthychef.com/2011/04/anzac-cookies/

As i said i dont bake so my use of utensils leaves a lot to be desired. Food processor? Mixing bowl? A hand held mixer and a plastic container had to suffice but we did have delicious orange blossom honey all the way from Daylesford which is amazingly divine!

I did tell my assistant that i thought her health and safety skills left a lot to be desired with all that finger licking but she didnt seem to care!

The finished product served with a steaming hot mug of tea got the seal of approval from my troops!

Next in line is the amazing Anelle http://anellerichardsonphotography.com/blog/ Dont forget to keep clicking through the circle. Its lots of fun trust me!

Thanks Cimon and family for spending the morning with me xx

Once again i photographed this session with Lee as The Wedding Birds and when we first met up Mel and Damo told us that they were not photogenic but i am sure like me you’ll disagree. You can see their love shine through and the amazing way they look at each other and i think these photos perfectly reflect their love and amazingness! We had so much fun and are really looking forward to capturing the wedding.

My Princess Aurora….

Roman and Luisa met a few years ago when Roman worked in the Real Estate industry and was showing Luisa an apartment she wanted to rent. She didn’t take the apartment, but she did accept his request for a date and the rest, as they say, is history.

Luisa has been good for Roman. In fact, she has been great for Roman and has kicked him into shape and has shown him the healthier side of life. He is  so happy, vibrant and full of life… Roman also happens to be Lee’s (the other half of The Wedding Birds) husband’s cousin.

Luisa – well Luisa is just stunning. And her beauty isn’t just skin deep – she is truly genuine and beautiful on the inside too. Lee told me the story of when she first met Luisa and how it was a Jewish festival (New Year I think) and Roman had brought her to meet the family. She was amazing and just embraced the culture wholeheartedly… so much so that she even included Jewish elements in her wedding, which was really heartwarming to see.

Vendor credits

Photography: The Wedding Birds

Hair and make-up: Studio 2

Ceremony: St kilda Botanical Gardens

Reception: Rasputin Receptions

Ever see a photographer who starts out with a 365 day project, or even a 52 week project and never finishes? Yeah, me too. Well, I recently joined a group of a few other busy photographers who decided to commit to a 12 month project! If we fail this, we’ll be taking donations for a time management seminar. The best part is that it will be totally candid, lifestyle shots of each of our own families/lives. We don’t even have to dredge up random people or make our kids pose for us. We’re calling the series “The Story of ________” and we’ll each be filling in our own blanks. At the end of this post is a link to another photographer who participated and she’ll be linking to someone else. It’s a whole big circle of stories in pictures. So just click through – its fun!

This month i decided to do The story of four things that made me smile today. I say things not people as i often work alone at my home plowing my way through the editing or doing other photography related things like today i was getting organised for the expo Liat and I are going to on Sunday as The Wedding Birds. On Fridays my family leave around 8am in the morning and return at 5.30 –  so i see no one!

So what made me smile today?

New shoes!!

Recently i had a foot injury. A weird thing happened where this bone dropped down and um yeah well i really dont understand whats happening but it hurts. A lot! I had to get orthopedics made and i also had to get new shoes to fit them. I love new shoes. I work out six times a week so these puppies are my best friend. Nice new shinny gym shoes made me smile today.

My Baybliss!

Oh how i love thee. My sister is a hairdresser and of course always has rocking blow dried hair. Me never! I have watched countless youtube vids and tried for hours to get that nice sleek shinny hair do to no avail. Then i found the Baybliss pro. Wash hair, add bio silk, let your hair almost dry naturally then Baybliss it. Magic! Ok so it dosnt look as silky smooth as my sisters and i still have a tonne of fly aways but its as close as i am going to get with little effort.

Winning tickets!

I won tickets to a comedy show for kids. Yeehar! I love the comedy festival – Melbourne comes alive at this time of the year and even though the weather is getting pretty bleak there is so many fun things to do in the city. You just have to rug up extra warm to see them!

Port Royal!

This is a public service announcement for anyone over the age of 16. Do not walk into a young hip jeans store and ask for maroon jeans. The young hip shop assistant will just look at you like you have sprouted two heads and slowly ask you  like you are three  if you mean ‘Port Royal’.  After i purchased my new ‘Port Royal’ jeans i was walking out the store and my sister phoned. She asked me what i was doing to which i replied buying jeans and she goes ‘Oh Yeah i want a pair of maroon jeans!’ Lucky i could save her from the embarrassment of a massive fashion faux pas.

So thats the story of four small things that made me smile today. I did smile more then four times however these were the highlights!

To complete the circle click onto Taryn’s blog   and dont forget to keep clicking to see all the amazing stories from so many talented women!