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Beautiful Moments Photography bio picture

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to my blog!  My name is Cathy Crawley and I am a Natural Light Photographer based in Sydney Australia.  I run a Modern Boutique Studio in the Hills District of NSW, but I am available for travel interstate and overseas. I absolutely love capturing memories for my clients that I know will last a lifetime and be treasured for generations to come.  It is a thrill and an honour to be invited into the lives of so many wonderful people, I couldn't think of a better job!

This blog is where I post my recent work and also talk about my friends, family and loves.  If you would like to chat with me about a Photographic Session or about your Wedding please email me at info@beautifulmoments.com.au

Thank you for stopping by!



All images are protected under Australian Copyright Laws, it is illegal to copy, print or reproduce without permission.


Office hours are Tuesday - Friday 9.30am - 5.00pm

Valentines Day Competition!

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner I thought it was a perfect time for a competition!  And what better type of competition than one that my loved up recently married wedding couples can enjoy!

Here are the details, simply vote for your favourite Beautiful Wedding Moment and the couple with the most votes will win a 16×24 inch canvas of the winning image valued at $595!  Now that is one reason to celebrate Valentine’s Day :)  Voting ends at midnight on February 14 2010 so get voting!

In no particular order here are the couples:

Leigh & Kristan in the Hunter Valley:

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Jessy & Matt in the Blue Mountains:

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Stephen & Natalie in the Southern Highlands:

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Ingrid & Nathan in Wollongong:

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Kate & Michael in Sydney:

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Kerri & Andrew in the Hunter Valley:

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Rebecca & Jake in the Blue Mountains:

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Candice and Anthony at Observatory Hill:

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Danielle & Ross in Newcastle:

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Kaari & Sean in Sydney:

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Simone & Damon at Bonny Doon:

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Gloria & Allan in the Botanic Gardens:

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Kellie & Christopher at Curzon Hall:

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Kattie & Daniel in Narrandera:

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Kylie jones - Beautiful pictures all round but this is by far the lovliest

Nikolas’s Family

It feels like a long time ago that I shot this family session, I’ve been rather snowed under in the last few months and I’m just now trying to catch up.  I was supposed to do this session last year, but litte Nikolas came down with the Chickenpox, poor little man!  I can’t imagine how painful that must have been for him, I have never had the Chickenpox.

Nikolas was a little serious at first, I quite like serious shots, they have just as much personality as laughing shots do. Actually some of my favourite shots are serious shots, they are the ones I enter into competitions anyway!  Towards the end of the session Nikolas warmed up to me and my big black camera and we got some magical moments, I particularly love the shots with him at the fence, classic!

Enjoy!

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oneshotbeyond - cute cute family!

February News

Wow, it’s February already!  Who knew?  So, with so much going on I thought I might do a regular post with monthly news.  This is the best way for me to communicate any new changes or any upcoming events that I want you all to know about.

Firstly, I wanted to let all my clients and prospective clients know that I am going to be out of the office for the majority of the next 6 weeks.  I have weddings out of town every weekend in February, as well as a family holiday to the Gold Coast. Needless to say I have no appointments at all for February, in fact I won’t be taking on any more new clients until April.  I will be away attending WPPI in the US for 2 weeks in March and then I get back into weddings the weekend I return home.  If you are after a session in April please contact me in the next few weeks as spots are limited.  Also, in case you missed the last announcement on Newborns I am not currently taking on any Newborn work until my Wedding work winds down over winter.

Over the Christmas/New Year break I implemented a strict working week, I was finding that I was spending more and more time in my office and working ridiculous hours without spending any quality time with my family.  I no longer work at all on Sundays or Mondays.  Office hours are Tuesday – Friday 9.30am until 5.00pm.  Emails received outside of these hours will be returned the next business day. I am only shooting twice a week, either on Saturday or through the week on Wednesdays or Thursdays.

For my brides who haven’t sent through their selections for their wedding albums, I wanted you to know that due to my work schedule and current design orders all newly received album selections will be taken care of in April & May.  Please remember that there is a 6-8 week turn around for your album once the final design has been approved.  If you wish to be first cab off the rank please get your selections to me as all albums will be designed in a first come first served basis and one album a week.  Also, please make sure that all selections are chosen through the shopping cart as this is the most efficient way to let me know exactly what images you have chosen.  Of course if you find it all too hard I am happy to design what I feel is the best representation of your day.

Also, since I have met my quota of weddings this year I have decided to open up one spot for November or December.  I will be in Mexico and Peru for 2 weeks of November attending Jose Villa’s Workshop and visiting Machu Picchu (two things ticked off my Forty goals before 40 list – Yay!) so I only have one place available in the last weekend of the month.

Photographers, after the success of the Jasmine Star workshop I have been approached to host another brilliant US photographer later this year.  The details will be coming later this month so keep an eye out.  This workshop will be mostly about business and marketing, and will be in a stunning rural location. Watch this space!

Lastly, it is time for me to hire my ‘Girl Friday’.  I am not good at managing my paperwork, and I do not enjoy doing my BAS statements so if you have good clerical skills, understand Quick Books and have an ABN please send me your resume.  Ideally I am after someone who has children at home who needs a few hours work a week.  I am not after another photographer, or someone who is thinking about starting a photography business, but I do require someone who is way more organised than I am and who is a whiz at keeping track of invoices and orders and is happy to come and work in my home office.

And since I never got around to posting any of my family images from Christmas I thought I’d share this little snapshot of Ben, Steven and Daisy that I took while on our family holiday over Christmas.  It makes my heart sing!

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Christine Pobke - Love it! You deserve some time to yourself and the boys - good for you! :) And Mexico, Vegas, Machu Pichu - JEALOUS!!! AND TELL ME WHO IS COMING!!! :) :) :)

Andrew Follan - Good for you. Sounds like 2010 is your travel year!

s h e r r y - :) Wow, sounds like you're going to be busy ALL year! :):) I'm pretty jealous you're doing the Jose workshop! AND hosted Jasmine's... Haha, come to Vancouver and organize workshops for us?? :):) That photo is super sweet too! Love it in b/w.

Matt Ebenezer - Wow! You're going to Jose's workshop in Mexico? That is so awesome!

jen berry - law down the law. you need to!!! you're too busy not to do that. Help me make a 12 sec film so i can go to mexico with you. btw this photo is timeless and precious.

Jo-Anne Kyle - ooooh ooooh ohhhh - I think I know whose workshop you are hosting next - but I'll keep it a secret :) Sounds like you are going to have an amazing year! Wish you lived in Canada (or even better, I lived in Australia) so we could share your Girl Friday. I soooo need to get organized.

Melissa Koehler - Look at you girl! You are so busy. I want to go to Mexico too :) Excited you are so busy!xo

Melanie - ohhhhhh, would love to know who you are hosting next!! Jose's workshop will be amazing

Sally - Beautiful image - I can imagine that blown up on your wall! You go - getting super organised - I would love a girl Friday, maybe one day!!

ohana photographers - can't wait to catch up cathy girl!

Karissa - Congrats Cathy for putting in to place suggestions from Jasmine Star workshop. Way to go Miss Organised!!!Your family will love you...Im sure mine will too as put similar plans into action! Enjoy Mexico....YUM Margaritas

Brianna Phelan - 2010 is going to be a great year for you - congrats!! p.s. beautiful shot :)

Taylor & Vicki ~ Engaged!

When Taylor and Vicki met with me several months ago I didn’t know what to expect.  They were not referred by another couple that I had shot, in fact they found me by accident – a nice accident I think!  During our conversation there were two things that struck me about them.  Firstly, how in love they were and secondly how fun Taylor was going to be to photograph.  It’s not often that a groom looks forward to the day he gets to be in front of a camera, men normally hate it.  But not Taylor.  Taylor is a fun kind of guy, he has is groovy haircut and loves to sing Karaoke, while Vicki is his sweet anchor.  She is level headed but a joy to be around.  Together these guys are dinomite and I can’t wait to photograph their wedding.

A few weeks ago we set out to do their Engagement pics at Balmoral Beach. Taylor and Vicki had never been before and I was thrilled when they selected this location, only a few weeks earlier I had by accident stumbled across a few spots that I hadn’t noticed before so I immediately knew where we were going to go and explore the love they feel for one another.

Taylor and Vicki, it was so much fun hanging out with you, can’t wait to see you in a few weeks time!  xx

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Brandi - They are a gorgeous couple. I love how relaxed and happy these photos are.

s h e r r y - Aw, they're super cute! Love the set with the ice cream cones. :) Mmm.

oneshotbeyond - so much love in these!

Robert J. Trenske - I really love the colors throughout this session and how incredibly sweet it feels, really nice work!!

marie - very cute couple

Rachael Kidson - LOVE LOVE LOVE the black and white photos and all the giggly ones! What a gorgeous, fun-loving couple - you captured them beautifully Cathy!

Amanda Donaho - Gorgeous shots! What a fun couple!!

Kerri - I can't wait for the wedding pics! They are gorgeous!

Fallon - That blue door is sensational!

{15:51} photography - Ha ha...I can't believe that your couple is eating ice cream in their pictures {insert green with envy here!}!! My iPod froze on the walk home from Starbucks this morning!!!!!! Oh Canada...why must you be so cruel to us sometimes?!?!?

Deyla Huss Photograp - Truly beautiful couple, you did an amazing job on capturing their love for one another!! Congrats to them!!

Stephen & Natalie’s Bavarian Wedding

Natalie’s Grandparents moved to Australia from Bavaria in Germany several decades ago and settled in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales.  Over the last 20+ years they built their home by hand. Natalie’s Grandfather built every window frame, every door and every piece of beautifully handcrafted furniture in their home, while her Grandmother hand painted every piece of timber with her traditional folk art.  To say this house was unique was an understatement! It was like being in the storybook of Hansel and Gretel, even the beds were hand painted and the attention to detail was amazing!  When I drove down the perfectly manicured driveway it was like driving into my own Grandparents home.  You see, like Natalie’s Grandparents my Grandfather hand built his home with his bare hands and kept his gardens in pristine condition too, so I fully understood why Natalie and Steven had selected this as the venue for an important part of their wedding day.

Natalie and Stephen are two of the nicest people you could ever meet, and once you meet the rest of the family you understand why.  Natalie’s father nearly burst into tears every time he saw his little girl that day, and her mother and grandparents were filled with so much pride it looked like they would burst.  Stephen’s family were just as proud and just as beautiful.  In fact, it is because of Stephen’s mother that I ended up shooting their wedding, she has been following my blog for almost a year now and when Stephen proposed to Natalie she immediately rang me to see if I was available.  To say I was looking forward to this wedding was no exaggeration, I couldn’t wait to meet this wonderful family in the flesh.

The ceremony was held in Mittagong, one of the most quaint little country towns in the region, I saw so many amazing photo opportunities it will most definitely be somewhere I go again.  The day itself was hot, like over 40 degrees celsius and I’m sure I drank my body weight in water and coke.  After the ceremony the bridal party returned to the gorgeous Bavarian cottages for some portraits, the driveway had the most amazing light and I could have shot there all afternoon, but we needed to move on and get out of the sun so we headed off to Mittagong for a few portraits before arriving at the reception at Howard’s Lane Vineyard, the perfect place to finish the day.

Natalie and Stephen, thank you so much for having me be a part of your day, I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed capturing them for you.  Enjoy!

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Lastly, thanks to my friend of 12 years Zurina for coming along and giving me a hand, I would not have been able to cope in the heat without you!

Ricki Ford - So Beautiful and they are also magazine ready!

Lauri - SO gorgeous! Your portraits are just stunning as usual. :) You completely captured how in love they are. They must be so thrilled with their photos! Beautiful!!!

Deyla Huss Photograp - Gorgeous work Cathy!!! Stunning shots of the bride & Groom!

s h e r r y - AH! Beautiful. It looks SO sunny and warm there... I love the ring shot, with the grapes (??) Very vineyard-y.

Lyndal - These are sooo beautiful! What a gorgeous couple

Kellee - Simply stunning! My fave is the headshot before the garden path...if that makes sense?? Just dreamy.

Vesna - Such a unique setting! Stunning bride, stunning images. V

janine kaye - stunning images as always Cathy! Love the ring shot!

Hayley - Amazing photos Cathy! Love Love Love the slideshow!

Katie - Wow Cathy - these are great. What a gorgeous bride :)

Christine Pobke - Love these Cath! Such a beautiful wedding and a stunning couple. Brilliant shots friend!

ohana photographers - as always my friend stunning images. when i get caught up i need to ring ya!

Robert J. Trenske - I really love the bride and groom shots especially the ones on that pathway, seriously awesome!

Kerri - Loving the shot of the rings in the grapes... how do you come up with something so unique each time? Amazing... BTW, the couple look fantastic, what a great location.. You've done it again..

Mark Brooke - Rad shots!!! Love the rings in the grapes :D

Forty goals before 40!

So I’m sitting at my desk looking at the mountain of work that needs to be done and it’s occurred to me that my life is just passing me by as I spend every waking hour trying to keep up with my client’s needs.  Whilst being busy is not a bad thing, it is tiresome sometimes.  I’ve blogged before about my need to slow down and select the areas I want to spend working on and today I thought that it was a great time for me to make a list of things to do, a list of things to do before I turn 40!  While I may have been asked for ID last weekend at a pub and while most people assume I’m somewhere in my 20’s I am indeed 38 1/2!  So with just 18 1/2 months until I turn 40 I know completing this list is a grandiose plan, but I’m going to give it a crack anyway!  Besides, isn’t it good to have a few pie in the sky dreams?!?!

Some of these things are dreams I’ve had for a long time, but others are new.  In no particular order I would like to achieve the following before I hit the big 4 0 :

1) Holiday in Bora Bora (yes this is top of the list for a reason)

2) Change someone’s life for the better

3) Build my dream house on 5 acres

4) Take my family overseas with me to Canada staying at Banff Springs Hotel

5) Find a grey hair (cheeky I know – but I’m 38 and still natural!)

6) Find a wrinkle – hey while I’m being cheeky!

7) Swim with Dolphins

8 ) Visit New Zealand

9) Take my Mum to a concert

10) Photograph for charity

11) Have one of my photos in a photography exhibition

12) Drive a car on the wrong side of the road in the US

13) Host a child photography workshop

14) Indulge in my first love, wildlife photography by doing a photo safari to Africa

15) ‘Ditto’ above but to Antartica

16) Visit Machu Picchu

17) Attend a Jose Villa Workshop

18) Host another photography workshop

19) Buy a 600mm f4 lens for personal wildlife projects

20) Shoot a celebrity wedding

21) Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge

22) Book Destination Wedding to Tuscany

23) Loose 10 Kilos

24) See my Father turn 71

25) Get a wedding published

26) Take Benjamin camping

27) Book a Destination Wedding in Fiji

28) Get my wedding photos put onto disk

29) See Melissa Etheridge in concert again!  Even better, photograph her!!!

30) Surprise Steven with a romantic weekend

31) Buy a new car

32) Enter the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition

33) Design and sell something

34) Shoot a wedding for free

35) Buy a king size French Provincial bed

36) Get a massage! (I’ve never had one) or Facial or Pedicure!

37) Fly in a hot air balloon, even better if it’s in Tuscany after shooting the wedding ;)

38) Ride a horse

39) Photograph a Green Tree Frog – I love them :)

40) Raise awareness to endangered animals – especially Whales :)

Clare Day - no grey hairs!! UNFAIR!!!! yeah they look like awesome goals. I so need to do this. Oh and id DEFINITELY come to one of your child photography workshops!

Christine Pobke - BRILLIANT. I love your list! :) You can do all of this and more, Cath, easy peasy. (Except maybe the 'find a wrinkle/grey hair' one.) :) xoxo

Lyndal - Oh Cathy, I can help with a few of those!!

MichelleB - Your list is such a great idea. I turn (dare I say it) 40 in (gulp) 20 months. One of my dreams since my teens has been to have a white christmas in Banff, and I am happy to say that is what my family and I are doing Christmas 2010. What is your secret to having no wrinkles or grey hairs at 38? Have fun fulfilling your list. :)

{15:51} photography - Oh Cathy...you've never had a massage before?!?! This must end! I fully support your visit to the Banff Springs Hotel as it is a.ma.zing. (being a Canadian, I've had the pleasure of being able to visit on a couple of occassions). Better yet, you could drive there from Vancouver (on the other side of the road!) and then get your massage in their spa!!!! There...three things checked off your list :)

s h e r r y - Fabulous list! Is it too early for me to start mine? :D I am SO with you on #15 and 17 though... Especially #17. And Banff is GREAT, you would LOVE it! :):)

Vesna - Great list Cathy. I've been following your blog for a little bit...my list of goals before 40 includes commenting on more blogs. I just got an email update about Jose Villa's Mexico workshop this year. You must go, it looks fabulous. V

jen berry - so #17. i'm very jealous

caspix - ooh, I help run a great organisation for your charity photography wish as you know ;) I could help you achieve that one for sure!

talei - Love the list honey but we have had a lot of treasured moments never shared.......... we are lucky You will tick all the boxes i have no doubt but I hope I am there for a few LOVE YOUR STUFF TALEI

Ckmetrophotos - I hear you !! - inspirational list indeed, Love Bora Bora will have to add this to my bucket (hope you dont mind) LOL ! best of luck completing it and look forward to the updates :)

Mel - Love the list, have fun getting them all ticked off. Look forward to hearing how you are going with it!

Jeannine - If you do come to Canada...please come by my way in Vancouver, British Columbia and I can set up a shoot for us...Canadian style!

Lanne@me.com - Here is plan. When you are up... we go and get some massage/therapy stuff done, grab a coffee and laugh our silly heads off. ... and tick off #2 Mine is better for knowing you :)

February News » Beautiful Moments Photography - [...] November attending Jose Villa’s Workshop and visiting Machu Picchu (two things ticked off my Forty goals before 40 list – Yay!) so I only have one place available in the last weekend of the [...]