amy mergard photography + design

Introducing "LL"

2011-08-19T10:00:00.004+10:00

I'm so excited about this series of images, that I'm throwing my "post in order of shooting" routine out the window, just so I can keep even MORE attention on Val and that baby bump of hers!

So, after 3 DAYS of labour, and with hubby (Jon) & best friend (me!) by her side, Val welcomed little Jacob into the world a few weeks ago.
This is one sweet little guy who I hold very dear to my heart; not only because I witnessed his arrival, but also because I've been given the honour of being named his Godmother. Bless.

It's been wonderful to be able to document this season in their lives, and I've been grateful that they have trusted me to capture such a precious time. They were even happy to let me experiment with a few different concepts on them, which I very much appreciate - One of which was a "Time Lapse" shot, where I placed Val in the exact same location and photographed her pre-baby and post-baby, the results of which are shown below. This is definitely a concept I'll be using for any clients who book a maternity & newborn session with me in the future!

I could talk for days about this divine little family, but instead I'll let my images speak on my behalf...

a future Sydney Swans supporter

look at that tiny little foot in mum's hand... awww!

Dad is as smitten as ever with his little man - can't half tell though, can you?!

sleepy family cuddles

kisses from mum

bonding time

one loved-up family

that expression... priceless x x

The Time Lapse image - taken 6 weeks apart.

A Loved-Up Baby Bump Session

2011-08-18T10:00:00.001+10:00

In my last post, I mentioned that you'd be seeing more of Val and her newborn in upcoming blog posts...

Bet you didn't think it'd be this soon, huh?!?

Well, we figured that, seeing as I was in Sydney to photograph her baby shower, it's be an opportune time to photograph her beautiful baby bump, which has been fondly named "LL" (for Little Longmire - awww!).

Val & Jon have been married for 10 years (can you believe THAT!?!?), yet they are just as in love, and happy to display it, as the day they were married. I should know, I saw these two exchange vows all those years ago!
It was a beautiful location for the session as well - I'd never been to Carss Park Reserve before, but it's now one of my favourite Sydney locations for photo shoots. The best find was a stunning seat carved into a rock on the side of a hill (I'm sure Val appreciated that spot too, after I dragged her halfway around the park for all her shots - sorry Val!!!)

So here's just a sample of what I was able to capture on the day...

Lean on me...

That's one smitten soon-to-be Dad right there...

I'm sure Val would have been happy to sit here all day!

*insert witty bump pun here*

The Love Seat...

Kicks & Giggles

Lots of love for the little bubba...

It's raining Babies!

2011-08-17T09:14:00.000+10:00

...well, not literally, but I do find it somewhat peculiar (in a funny way) that we celebrate an impending birth by throwing a Baby Shower! what does that mean, anyway?!?

But, I digress...

My good friends, Samantha Pouzet (Party Planner extraordinaire) and Lyndal Cook (Digi-Scrapping & design genius) teamed up recently to put on one helluva spread for Mum-to-Be Val. And of course, I was there with the camera to document the day!

You'll see Val (and her newborn!!) feature in upcoming blog posts, but for now you should take a look at how the baby shower unfolded...

one of two dessert tables, tastefully decorated (pardon the pun!)

punch, glorious punch!

for those unsure of the jars contents...!

cupcake-y goodness...

the party area...

Mumma Val mingling with the guests

Not only can Sam plan a great party, she's also great at teaching kids how to blow bubbles!

gift time!

A beautiful new family

2011-08-16T10:00:00.007+10:00

Firstly I must apologise for my lack of blogging lately - I promise I'll make up for it by getting myself completely up to date within the next 2 weeks. Be prepared for a blog blast of sorts!

Ok, so now onto the subject at hand... and what a beautiful subject it is.

I had the joy of photographing 5 week old Aliza back at the start of June. She was (and still is) such a little cherub. I arrived just as she had awoken from a big sleep, so she was ready to play, pose, and basically do whatever it took to look as gorgeous for the camera as possible. Little Boo became Boo-lander by the end of the session, even getting the 'Blue Steel' look happening in some of the shots!

So, without further ado, I give you Boo-lander. AKA Aliza :)

How blue are those eyes?!?!

There is something so adorable about the wrinkly skin of a newborn baby...

She seems so interested in what Dad has to say!

I adore the juxtaposition of dad's ruggedness against the fragile frame of a newborn...

The happy family, complete with a blue steel pose!

Chilling out with Mum xx

Ten little toes...

Autumn Leaves are Falling

2011-06-17T09:00:00.000+10:00

Over the years, I have driven past Glebe Park in Canberra in the Autumn months and thought to myself "that looks like a magical place to have a photo session" - it's luscious, green, and bursting with deciduous trees that drop the most vividly coloured leaves you could imagine.

So, when the Scott family booked me for a session at the end of May, and requested the shoot be Canberra based, I knew the exact location. And it didn't disappoint.

It was a brilliant afternoon for it as well - just as we started our session, the clouds parted and the sun cut it's way through the trees, creating a gorgeous autumn glow, and a stunning backdrop for the images taking place.

Young Josie was up for a laugh too - we had her trotting along with the help of Mum & Dad, being covered in leaves, stuck in boxes, and thrown in the air - all for the sake of a good photograph.

Not long after we wrapped up our session and went our separate ways, the sunshine made way for a massive rainstorm that lasted well into the evening. It was truly like someone held the weather for us!

Kathleen, Richard & Josie - thanks for an entertaining afternoon. I can't wait to see how some of these will look on the walls of your living room!

a beautiful daddy/daughter moment

How smitten do these parents look?

Look Mum! I can walk!

snuggle time with the dolly which was mummy's favourite as a child...

wheeeeeee!

A Mother's Day Family Shoot

2011-05-12T09:00:00.021+10:00

My family is a wonderfully close-knit bunch.

When it comes to events like Mother's day, it's unspoken tradition that, if we're not going somewhere or doing something else, we all congregate at a family member's house, eat far too much food, spend some time dozing in the sunshine, and generally just soak up each other's company.

It's a tradition that I've come to love and appreciate.

Since moving back to my home town, it seems a new family tradition has started... that of family portraits taken on Mother's Day.

Last year, the entire family got in on the act. This year, as my brother and his family were away, I thought I'd focus my efforts on just one family, the Rowans.

This was always going to be a fun session - Elden is right at the age where he wants to show the world what a tough boy (ahem, I mean MAN) he is. He is 7.
Amelia, on the other hand, is an aspiring comic - I've not seen a 4 (sorry, almost 5) year old with such expressive facials!
It's no surprise that they are the way they are either, especially when you see their parents, Sarah & Steve. They really play off each other in a shoot, and it takes all of my efforts not to fall into a heap of laughter when I'm photographing them!

So, in amongst the scones, and the cheese, and the chocolates, and the BBQ, and the subsequent bloated bellies, we threw ourselves into a family portrait session. Here's what we came up with...

Look at those eyes...!

my favourite pic of the session

the true personalities come out...

Mr Handsome...

In amongst all the silliness we did manage to get some serious family photos

The serious photos were short-lived. Yes, Sarah & Steve, your kids ARE for real!

Piggybacking through the countryside...

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T23:00:00.000+10:00

I'm sneaking in a quick post before Mother's Day officially ends in Australia (in 1 hour - if you're in NSW!)

Happy Mother's Day, from my family to yours.

The Mergards on Mother's day, 2011. Yep, Jemima is too cute for her boots.

As Mr T says, if it weren't for your mother, you wouldn't be here, so treat her right.... (and enjoy watching some truly hideous 80's fashion! what's with the socks?!?)

Just like Grandma used to make...

2011-04-21T09:00:00.008+10:00

When it comes to my family, I don't wear the cook's crown. That title belongs to my sister, Sarah.

I guess you could say I'm not blessed with culinary skills - unlike my sister, I have no idea how to create gourmet meals at the drop of a hat using only the ingredients of the cupboard. I lack imagination when it comes to preparing meals for my family. And don't even get me started on cooking meals so that everything is ready at the same time... I always put the veggies on too early, rendering them either ice-cold, or just plain mush. It's a skill that, even after many years and many attempts, I still fail miserably at.

There is one thing that I take solace in, however...

Our late Grandmother, Bessie McKay, was a genius in the kitchen. Baked goods were her specialty, and her scones were renowned in the region as being among the best. When she baked them, it wasn't just a dozen at a time - a true caterer at heart, her scone making sessions would always end up producing at least 15-20 dozen scones (count that out in single units, and you'll see what I mean!!)
Her recipe was a trade secret, yet Sarah managed to guilt her into sharing it with us (I mean, don't you want your scone legacy to live forever, Nan?)

The whole family thought, given Sarah's abilities in the kitchen, that she'd be the one to carry on the name of Bessie by way of the scones. But it wasn't to be..

Why?

According to Sarah, the mix "always ended up too tough".

At a time where I was trying to find my place as both a young woman and a wife, I decided to give this scone recipe a go. After all, there were no expectations on me to succeed, so there'd be no disappointment if it failed.

But it didn't.

Instead, I appear to have taken the scone making crown. The crown that our family thought would rest upon my sister's head, now sits upon mine. And I like that.

(It's not that this feeling is comprised of any form of sibling rivalry, it's just that it feels good to be able to do something that no one else in my family can. Kinda makes me feel indispensable...!)

So that invincible feeling I now experience every time I bake scones has propelled me to try my hand at other home-made goods.

Last week, after pulling a bunch of lemons off our lemon tree, I decided that I'd take a shot at making Lemon Butter.

The end result was a bitter-sweet one.

Sweet, in the sense that everyone in my family that tried it, told me it was the BEST that they'd ever eaten (and if you knew my family, you'd know that they don't just say these things to placate...)

Bitter, in the sense that I've now set the bar very, very high, for subsequent batches. (everyone expects the first attempt to be a little rough around the edges, and for improvement to come with each respective batch)

Never-the-less, I was still quite proud of my achievements.

Looks like the baking skills aren't just limited to scones anymore!

The maiden jar of Lemon Butter

Scones like Nana K used to make - all served up on her Royal Doulton China...

Fashionista

2011-04-20T10:44:00.000+10:00

Just a quick little post for today...

was trawling through some happy snaps taken around the farm in the last week and came across this pearler...

We bought this Country Road dress for Jemima back in the summertime, hoping that she'd still be able to fit it by the time the weather turned. When I pulled it out to show her what she was going to be wearing that day, she squealed with delight, and, unlike the usual routine, was very co-operative in putting it on.

Here, she's looking at dad as he tells her something, but I just love the attitude she's pulling, even at just 19 months old.

I think we're going to have a young diva on our hands...

Just another beautiful session on the Farm...

2011-04-19T02:00:00.000+10:00

A few weeks ago now, I was fortunate enough to have not just one, but three beautiful families converge on the Farm, all for a family portrait shoot.

Of course, all three families were related, the three siblings had decided that updated family photos would make for a wonderful birthday present for their mother, who turns 70 this year.
Problem is, when the 3 siblings and their respective families all live in different parts of NSW, how do you arrange it so that it's fair on everyone?
Simple. Find the most central location, do a google search to find out if there's a photographer in that area, and make some enquiries. (this is where I'm thankful I tidied up the metadata on my website not so long ago!!)

So, from various locations in NSW, the 3 families came. The older cousins, who hadn't seen each other in a while, were very eager to show just how photogenic they all were, happily striking poses at whim and offering their own suggestions for portrait setups. The parents did the best job though - pulling faces behind my back, and pretending to be trains, to get the younger ones smiling... If only I managed to grab a picture of that!

All in all it was a wonderful afternoon. Sure, we may have been smoked out by a nearby farm neighbour burning off the leftover wheat stubble in his paddock, but thankfully that happened at the tail end of the session.

Thanks for a memorable afternoon, and for all being such great sports - I sincerely hope the photos do all of your efforts justice!

The one they all came for - the big group photograph!

This little man was so adorable, albeit a little shy...

Individual family photos were also in the mix

the super-stylish sisters

the cheekiest of them all... and bucketloads of fun!

A revamp of the Photo Nook...

2011-04-11T09:00:00.004+10:00

Since reading Krystal Sultana's "Printspiration" Blog Post, I've been thinking about how I can make some pretty adjustments to my own farm cottage.

Obviously, like most houses, the Hallway is the first point of contact for any guest entering your home. So I think it's very important to set a good first impression right there. It sets the expectation for the rest of the house, really!

One of the wonderful features of our house is a traditionally wide hallway, which gives us room for both of our IKEA Expedit bookshelves without feeling closed in.

The bookshelves also give a lot of space to display my images. I don't think I need to explain how important it is for a photographer to have their best images on display, and displayed well, do I?!

Well.... when we first moved in to our farm cottage almost a year ago, that was the last of my priorities. So for a little while there we had a random mix of snapshots that didn't really say anything about us as a family, nor did they complement each other in any way. I won't even talk about the frames!!

It's a completely different story now though (Phew!).

A lot of our decor revolves around recycled & repurposed materials (paricularly cardboard & natural fabrics) so I selected the paper frames from Typo to complement that. I also trawled through a whole bunch of images that I've taken over the past year and printed up ones that hold some kind of meaning to our family, and that serve as a portfolio of sorts. As you'll see from the images, I still have a few frames to fill - I'm waiting for just the right image!

Expedit bookshelves & inserts from IKEA - I absolutely adore these. Best. Purchase. Ever.

Images are, from left-right: Jemima @ 6mths old (one of many images on a digital photo frame); Entryway to Palazzo Versace (see my recent blog post to learn why this holds significance); our nephew, James; Jemima at 17 months old; our nephew Joshua; Jemima reading a book with her Grandpa, Lance; a 3 day old cow that almost became our poddy - taken in our backyard.

Paper Globe from Pentimento, Newtown; gift bag from Colour Your World Women's Conference 2011; our neice, Talia

The paper frames from Typo are simple and understated, like much of our decor.

Versace for Tea, Versace for Me!

2011-04-09T09:00:00.005+10:00

My mother-in-law recently celebrated a milestone birthday, so, knowing she is a woman who appreciates the finer things in life, and time with her family, we saw it only fitting to present her with High Tea at the Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast. We also surprised her with a few nights accommodation at the 5-star resort.

Although the gift was for her, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience as well.

I'm a sucker for all the refineries of High Tea... the dainty collection of sweet and savoury morsels, the impeccable selection of teas gathered from across the globe (Russian Caravan being my usual pick!), and the opportunity to behave like a true lady should.

The Versace is an amazing display of opulence. Every single item in the place is embellished with the Versace logo, including the carpet! It felt natural to be there, as though I should experience this kind of extravagance every single day (I know it would wear thin after a while, but one can at least dream!!).

While I didn't get to stay there myself, I at least got to check out the rooms, and enjoy the scrumptious buffet breakfast that is served there of a morning.

Perhaps when hubby has finished his Uni studies, we might take a romantic getaway here *hint hint*. In the meantime, I'll just have to be satisfied with drawing on my memories, and the wonderful set of photographs that I took. Here are just a few:

Mum LOVED her birthday present, as much as we loved sharing it with her!

Mum, Dad & Jemima test out the luxurious beds; that Chandelier

If you look close enough, you can see me in the teapot; scrummy treats

Hip Hip Hooray!

2011-04-07T02:00:00.000+10:00

How many folk out there have bought into the whole 'Designer Party' fad?

I know I have. Personally, I think it's a wonderful concept - rather than just throwing a mish-mash of snacks on a table and letting the kids go for it, I like the idea of being creative and theming everything, including the food being served.

My friend, Samantha Pouzet, is among many masters in the Party Planning field. Just recently, she called upon my design skills to personalise some elements for a 1st Birthday party she'd been commissioned to prepare. In the mix was the invitation, cupcake toppers, and a bunting for the birthday boy's high chair. Of course, I was only too willing to help!

Special thanks to Sam for supplying these images:

Cupcake toppers designed by yours truly

High Chair Bunting

The Party Table - see, I told you she does an amazing job!!

Who steals a wedding album?? Honestly?!?

2011-04-05T02:00:00.000+10:00

My dear friends, Paul & Kirsten, recently returned from a holiday to find their home had been ransacked.

Not a single item was left unturned.

What a horrible welcome home.

So the task began of piecing everything together again, all the while jotting down the things that were missing. In amongst the stolen items were a number of personal effects. And I don't just mean jewellery. I'm talking journals they wrote in for their 2 year old son, and their beloved Wedding Album.

Who steals stuff like that?!?

While the journals can never fully be replaced (unless Paul & Kirsten have photographic memories, and can recall every single word they wrote down...), at least their wedding album was covered by insurance, and the thieves didn't take the disc containing all the high-resolution images.

The original photographer of their wedding was unable to assist with the replication of their album, so that's where I stepped in.

Without dis-crediting what they had just been through, I was thrilled to be able to help them out. You see, their original album was a Jorgensen Album, which, in the photographic world, is like owning a Tiffany & Co Necklace, or a Rolls Royce. They are masters in their craft, and their albums have class & elegance written all over them.

(For the record, I too have a Jorgensen Wedding Album...)

After a few minor hiccups in the initial stages, I'm finally in possession of an almost exact replica of the original wedding album. The only difference being the Acrylic Photo Cover, which Paul & Kirsten had umm-ed and ahh-ed over when they were first planning their album, and decided against (a decision they later regretted... so in a way, the theft was a blessing in disguise!). To say I'm blown away by the end result would be a gross understatement. See for yourself:

The finest details - Presentation Box

*insert gasp of awe here*

beautiful imagery should be topped off with beautiful presentation

the stamp of quality

The acrylic photo cover is perfect for display on a coffee table, or somewhere else equally as prominent.

Genuine leather, professional binding, and a classy cover - this album has it all!

In a way, I'm sad that this baby has to leave my possession. After all the work that's gone into it, it really does feel like my baby. Even now, I just want to sit and gaze upon its beauty. But, all along, I've known that this baby is not mine, it belongs to a couple that I'm sure will love and adore it as much as I do. So it's being placed in the capable hands of a courier today, leaving my sight forever, for it's new home up north.

God Speed, young Jorgensen Album... I'll hold you forever dear in my heart, and will look upon the images I took of your first few days with gladness.

My Virtual Pinboard

2011-03-10T23:55:00.000+11:00

I'll be the first to admit, I'm not the world's most organised woman.

I'm the one that executes an organisational plan, only to find that a couple of days later, that plan doesn't quite work. Especially when it comes to cataloging... "but that item could be classified under TWO different categories!" I reason with myself....

And so at that point, my cataloging criteria simply follows the "I'll just pop it in this folder for now and work it out later" school of thought.

This is particularly noted with my bookmarks.

I regularly trawl the net, sourcing inspiration, cool new products, and general other goodness that can be discovered online. Sometimes something is so good that I want to come back to it again. Most of the time it's just one thing that I've found deep in the recesses of someone's blog. I don't necessarily want to bookmark the entire site, but I do want to document somewhere that little trinket that I've discovered.

Enter Pinterest.

Since discovering this little gem, my internet world has been revolutionised. Forget those dull old bookmark lists, this site totally appeals to my visual leanings, and gives me the opportunity to gather those little trinkets into collections that I'm gathering at any point in time. It also gives me the opportunity to show off my 'coolness' (or lack thereof) to the rest of the online world. It says "this is me - this is what I'm into".

Sure, you need to request an invite to join Pinterest, but it usually doesn't take too long for them to realise what an amazing contribution you'll make to their community (did I mention that you can share your collections with others, and vice versa?!?!). Once they open the door to you, I can guarantee you'll be trawling the net with a renewed vigour and purpose - to find the coolest, most obscure things online so you can be the first to pin it on your Pinterest board. Then, you'll grade your level of coolness by the amount of re-pins that occur from your boards.

If, after reading this, you decide to join, look me up and add me - I promise I'll do the same :)

The Joy of LOVE: 02-How They Look.

2011-02-11T20:41:00.001+11:00

january2011-209-Edit.jpg, originally uploaded by amy mergard.

Today's Joy of LOVE session has us focused on the expressions that make our loved ones uniquely them.

Since birth, Jemima has been an alert, effervescent, gregarious, and very expressive girl. Watching those traits develop as she grows has been nothing short of amazing. Almost brings me to tears just thinking about it!

I snapped this during a giggling session brought about by me squirting her with a water bottle on the mist setting. I think it truly captures the fun & engaging side of her personality.

Want to know more about the Joy of LOVE? visit www.willettedesigns.com

The Joy of LOVE: 01-what they do

2011-02-01T23:04:00.001+11:00

january2011-241.jpg, originally uploaded by amy mergard.

I'm always on the lookout for projects that can help me to keep my photographic skills well polished while there's a little downtime between paid jobs, so I recently signed up for Kelly Willette's online class, The Joy of LOVE.
The course encourages me to document a loved one for the month of february, focusing on specific things each day.
Today's subject is my much-loved daughter, Jemima, and the focus is on what they do.
Seeing as I take plenty of pics of her at play, I thought I'd document another of her favourite pastimes.... eating!
The above is one of many images captured today, but by far one of my favourites.

You can find out more about The Joy of LOVE at www.willettedesigns.com

Love & Soul

2010-11-26T16:41:00.000+11:00

I had the joy of attending one of Love & Soul's first Sydney workshops over the weekend.

Granted, the workshops are primarily focused at amateur photographers (mainly mums), however I still got a lot out of the 4 hours spent with Tanya.

Tanya has an unbelievable way with kids, and a large chunk of the workshop was teaching us those same skills, to get kids to engage with us when we have a camera stuck in front of our face.

But the best part of all was the practical element at the end. 2 gorgeous little models were brought in for us to test drive all the skills we'd learnt during the workshop, as well as to let us see Tanya in her element.

Here's just one of the many cute pics I was able to capture of Clancy, one of our obliging models.

Workshopping

2010-11-17T16:17:00.000+11:00

It's been a great couple of months here in Harden - photographing weddings, travelling to shoot birthday parties, covering local events, creating some precious family memories, as well as some off-the-cuff design work for the local Chamber of Commerce. Phew!

I must admit though, it'll be nice to head back to Sydney for the weekend. Nice for a number of reasons, most of which is to take part in a Love and Soul Workshop.
I've been a fan of Tanya Love's work for a little while now, so I'm very excited to not only meet the woman that I've befriended online, but to also glean some sweet camera and post-production skills from her as well. She has a real knack of styling for her shoots that I adore, and love the way she uses composition, depth of field and light to create images that literally pop. Like this beautiful picture, for example:

image courtesy of http://www.lovebytes.com.au/

To have an opportunity like this come my way is just brilliant - how often can you say you've had the chance to be mentored by someone who's work you admire?

Such a Cow...

2010-11-01T23:32:00.000+11:00

As a photographer, one thing I love to challenge myself on is the ability to see the every day stuff as art, and to create art from the every day.

Seeing as my every day no longer consists of all the funky street art of the inner suburbs of Sydney, my photographic work has changed somewhat. Granted, I'm still photographing my 'every day', but that now consists of rolling hills, patterson's curse and aloof cattle that occasionally stick their head over my front fence to munch on the potato vine.

I'd like to share with you one such 'every day' moment.

This heifer was as intrigued by me as I of her. We spent quite a while in this exchange, neither of us moving for fear of spooking the other. I was fortunate to get this shot before she trotted off to join the herd as they made their way to their evening resting place under the tree in the back part of the paddock.

Brenden & Jennifer - 2nd October 2010

2010-10-18T22:33:00.000+11:00

It's not every day that you get to witness your only brother get married. It's also not every day that you are given the responsibility of capturing that event. But what a privilege it was to be able to do that for my big brother, Brenden.

You couldn't have asked for a better day - mild, overcast, and a lot of family history in the mix, with the ceremony being held in the church that our family's ancestors built, and the location shoot being held at our ancestor's homestead. All these ingredients made for a wonderful canvas for me to work with, not to mention the subjects themselves...!

A complete set of images from the day are available to view for 1 month from today on my website, www.amymergard.com, but for my loyal blog readers, I'm going to post some here too. Hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed taking them!

Talia/Bessie

2010-10-06T23:54:00.000+11:00

When I took this portrait of Talia at her parent's wedding, I had a clear vision in my mind - to rework it into a timeless piece of art reminiscent of a bygone era.
What I didn't realise at the time, once the post production was done, was that it would remind the entire family of Talia's late great-grandmother, Bessie McKay.
So in one image, I've managed to capture the spirit of two beautiful ladies - a gift the whole family will cherish for a long time.

Tomas' First Birthday

2010-09-29T22:03:00.000+10:00

I had the joy of photographing the ever-adorable Tomas' first birthday party a few weeks ago.
His mum, Sandra, went to a lot of effort for the event, even hiring a musical play pen for all the children to enjoy.
While he wasn't in much of a party mood to begin with, a mid-day nap helped to boost the birthday boy's spirits, and allowed me to capture some really beautiful moments.
Here's a selection of images from the day.