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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

Jeannie Inspired Shoot

When I was a little girl my favourite tv show was I Dream of Jeannie.  I used to sit and watch it everyday, I loved the relationship between Jeannie and Major Nelson and all the trouble Jeannie created for him, but it was Jeannie’s bottle that really captured my imagination.  It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, all those bejewelled walls and plush pillows were what a little girl’s dreams were made of.  If I were stuck in that bottle for a thousand years I think I could be quite happy.   So, I had a dream – that when I was a grownup and I owned my own home I would have a room that was exactly like the inside of Jeannie’s bottle.

Alas, I have never made that dream a reality but about a year ago I came up with the idea of doing a Jeannie inspired shoot.  I lye awake at night unable to switch off my brain, it’s in these times that I come up with my favourite ideas.  One night I was awake thinking about the details of a Jeannie shoot and I came up with a tent, sand, lots of plush pillows, a persian rug and loads of pink and orange flowers. The only hick-up was that I didn’t have any clients that suited this style of shoot.  Then a few months back I met Anne-Marie & John, I immediately thought of them when I started to revisit this concept but it wasn’t until I read their answers to my questionnaire that I knew they’d be the best candidates for this shoot.  You see John & Anne-Marie have visited the Middle East together, and have experienced the exotic wonders that I wanted to create in this shoot!  Once I knew that piece of information I told Anne-Marie about my ideas and she immediately lit up with excitement.

Over the last few months I’ve been collecting the props for the shoot.  I found the old rug in my garage, a hidden treasure that had been long forgotten.  I bought the fabric for the cushions and tent and set about working out how to sew them to match the visual I had in my head.  I mentioned to a client of mine who owns a boutique that I was after some Moroccan lanterns and asked if she knew where I could get some, she immediately pulled out a catalogue and sent me home to pour over the products inside.  It was difficult to decide between all the gorgeous products available but I finally settled on some hanging lanterns, some table top ones and 20 stars that would light a path to the Jeannie tent.

I searched high and low for the tea glasses and finally found them at my local shopping centre, while Anne-Marie collected the platters, teapot, drum and arabic pipe from her mother and a friend of hers.  Between the two of us we had almost everything that we needed.  The last element was the flowers.  I had planned on going to the markets again and making my own bouquets like I had for my vintage shoot. I knew exactly what I was after as I’d had planned on using this bouquet for the Jasmine Star Workshop but it didn’t quite turn out as planned.  At the last minute my friend Victoria suggested that I get in touch with a new florist who was opening up a store just a few minutes up the road from me.  I will admit that I was hesitant, I had already experienced the disappointment of having a florist not connect with my vision, but Victoria had such faith in this new florist Sally Thompson so I decided to let go of my control freak tendencies and trust a new kid on the block.

The days leading up to the shoot were frantic, I don’t think I can work any other way actually.  The artist in me runs on adrenalin and zero sleep, much to my own detriment at times.  But having a friend like Victoria who is a frustrated stylist like myself to bounce my ideas off helped.  While my husband, my rock, is wonderful at doing the manual labour I often feel like I have to express my grand ideas to another kindred spirit.  That kindred spirit is Victoria, and while we are working on a new and exciting venture together it was very generous of her to offer up solutions to my roadblocks.  Thanks Victoria!

People often ask me why I bother doing sessions like this and outlaying my own money for them, and the answer is multi faceted.  I love to be creative, when I was in school my elected subjects were art, drama and photography.  Over 20 years later those 3 subjects are still part of my everyday life.  I love to decorate, draw, photograph, landscape, and sew – basically I love to express myself creatively.  I used to write and direct and act in short films and submit them to festivals like Tropfest so I love to create a good ’story’ when ever I can.  My other reason for doing these sessions is to inspire my clients to think outside the box, to express themselves on their wedding day in a unique way.  But another part of me likes to break the mould, likes to come up with new and innovative ideas and push the boundaries.

The day of the shoot was perfect, I couldn’t have asked for a better day to capture this session.  The light was amazing, the location was sparse with visitors and everything came together perfectly.  Steven, Victoria and I put everything together while Ben played in the sand a few feet away.  If I wasn’t so busy making sure everything was perfect before the light disappeared it would have been a moment to savour.  Anne-Marie and John where such troopers, it was the first time they’ve had professional photos and I know for a fact that John was nervous about the session.  We moved quickly and captured as many shots as we could before the light left us and I had to photograph the glow of the lanterns before the last rays disappeared over the horizon.  Ann-Marie, John, Steven and I ran around lighting candles as the wind started to whip up and blow them out, it was a mammoth effort to keep everything alight and at one point I came close to catching my hair on fire!  A price I am not willing to pay!  LOL.

But when all was said and done and we had packed up the cars in the dark I felt a huge sigh of relief.  The shoot was exactly how I imagined it in my head, down to the very last details.  And never one to lye idle for long, I have already started planning the next concept with Victoria feeding my craziness!  Now if only I can convince her and Steven to travel to the outback with me ;)  Stay tuned for more ideas soon!  LOL.

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Anne-Marie & John, thank you so much for trusting my vision for this shoot and for being so easy to photograph.  Steven, thank you for being the muscle on the set!  Victoria thank you for helping out with setting up and hooking me up with the Florist.  Helen, thank you for ordering the lanterns especially for me, and Sally & Catherine thank you both for doing such an amazing job on the flowers!  You are all fabulous and I couldn’t have done it with out you!  xxx

Jessica R - WOW Cathy, that one teaser photo I saw from the other day was just the beginning of an absolutely incredible set. The story behind your very creative shoot just makes it that extra special. I love how there are photos from when the sun is still shining to the dark settings with the beautiful lanterns!

Tracy - Blown away by your effort and enthusiasm to get such amazing shots for your clients and your portfolio. You inspire me to want to be a better photographer. Thank you for that :)Love everything about this post.

Sally Jones - I just cannot find the words, which as you know after our hour and a half conversation yesterday is huge!!!! Totally amazing, your talent is endless, your vision beyond reality. You rock Cathy. Love your number 1 fan always Sal -xx-

Rachael - Absolutely, totally and utterly incredible! What an AMAZING, photo shoot! The theme is SO cool and SO different! Your talents never cease to amaze me.

Vicki - Breathtaking Cathy. I am a huge I Dream of Jeannie fan to so I LOVE your styling for this shoot. Congratulations on an amazing job :)

Vesna - Haha! I had the same fantasy as a kid. I even tried convincing my dad to build me a jeannie bottle in the backyard! These images are gorgeous Cathy. Lovely details.

Alina - Breathtaking!!! Its all in the details. Suits the couple perfectly!

Bella Taylor - Cathy, Cathy, Cathy oh my goodness how do you come up with this stuff! Just amazing! I can't even imagine how much time and effort this would have taken to set up. Can't wait to see what you come up with next I love it! XO

Debbie - always loved I Dream of Jeannie too, but this is just amazing! your visions and what you create for clients is extraordinary, can't pick a fave pic or item - it's all SO beautiful

caspix - cathy, i almost expected a GENIE to pop out - you are the queen of details hands down om em gee xxxx

Nicole Landgrebe - Ohhhhh Cathy, so gorgeous.... such a lucky find, to find your perfect couple for the shoot and they suit it so so much!! amazing talent you have!

Melissa McClure - Absolutely breathtaking my dear! You continue to amaze me with your creativity and unique eye! Love ya!

Kerri - How do you keep outdoing yourself likes this? What could possibly be next?

natt - stunning cathy...awesome effort...it's such an amazing shoot...i reckon my fav of yours to date!! love love it! =)

Jenn - Beautiful detail that makes your shoots amazing to look at! You have your own wonderful style

Julie Ann - Absolutely stunning session Cathy! You are always offer such refreshing and creative ideas. This shoot fits the couple perfectly. Amaaaazing!

Darren - It is an amazing thing when people "Get" your idea. Cathy this is beautiful congratulations and let me say well done for having the energy to style this shoot you should all be very very happy with the results - A-Mazing !

Bec - i'm so in love right now. I also 'get' when you are laying awake at night with ideas whizzing by.... you are so lucky to be able to find such awesome and gorgeous clients to help you make them a reality! Beautiful shots.

Anne-Marie - I am speechless Cathy. Thank you so much for allowing us to help bring your dreams to life. It was most certainly a magical experience

Jo-Anne Kyle - Wow!! It must be so fulfilling to see your vision become a reality. Perfection.

Rebecca Axon - Awesome. Amazing. Love the night ones esp. Such an inspiration! :D

Naomi - TO......DIE.......FOR - You are certainly my most fav photographer EVER.

Lisa C - Oh my goodness, Cathy your images are just stunning!! And you had just the perfect couple for that amazing photo shoot!! You are an absolute artist!

Jodie Greck - B.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l.l.y....beautiful ;)) soo romantic & captivating xx

Diana - Stunning, Amazing, Gorgeous OMG

Brandi - So gorgeous and romantic. They are a beautiful couple!

The Nuts & Bolts Workshop

For the last 2 years I’ve been getting requests to do a workshop or mentoring sessions.  Given that I only got my first client just over 2 1/2 years ago I have held off on doing any kind of teaching.  I think it’s really important to get experience under your belt and learn on the job before you can even consider telling someone else how to shoot or run a business.  I also think it’s important that if you are going to teach others you are teaching them your information, not information you’ve learnt at other workshops. Unfortunately re-workshoping other photographers ideas does happen and that doesn’t sit well with me at all.

Over the last few months I’ve had a steady stream of requests from photographers and I started to question them what it was they wanted to learn from me.  What it is that I am doing that they want to know how to do?  One of the things that kept coming up was how I’ve managed to grow my business while being a working Mum at home.  How do I juggle family life and handle a steady stream of clients? How do I sell from my home?  How did I get to shoot magazine covers in my first year of business and how did I start to get my weddings featured in magazines?  And surprisingly what mistakes have I made in my journey and how would I do things differently. So I started to consider that I might actually have something of real value to teach other photographers who are just starting out.  After all, I do like to have a bit of a gas bag and I’m really bad at keeping anything in!  LOL.

I started putting together my ideas for a workshop when my friend Victoria, who has had experience as a marketing manager at Pacific Publications, approached me about coming on board and helping my workshop attendees with their branding.  Not just what branding means, but actually workshopping someone’s brand, what’s good about it, what is bad about it.  And thus the ‘Nuts & Bolt’s Workshop’ was born.

Victoria and I have been working hard on getting our programme and notes perfected and have put together a website with all the information about the workshop.  In the last few weeks we have booked our first attendees for the workshop via word of mouth, but thought it would be amiss not to announce it on the blog.  We have a few spots left so if you are interested please visit the site and get in touch with us soon.

The first workshop will be on the 12th & 13th of October and will be held in my home studio.  This is a workshop specifically designed for the emerging photographer with less than 2 years experience.  And while we’ll be teaching about running a home based studio and how to get yourself out there, we will also be doing 2 styled shoots to help with your portfolio.

As an added bonus we have secured some fabulous giveaways from our sponsors Shootsac, Finao & Raw Ink!  We are really excited about meeting our first attendees and can’t wait to show you all what we have in stall for them!

A Beautiful Workshop Website

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{15:51} photography - Never underestimate what you could offer to other photographers Cathy...you're great! If I weren't on the other side of the world...I would be there in a second!

Tracy - OMG I so want to be able to do this. I've been researching people to teach me the business side of things. Off to check it out now. Id love to learn what you know and for you to share it with us is just wonderful.

Kristen - ooh I'd LOVE to be able to do this!

Sally Jones - I just look at the time you posted this, go to bed girl!!!! You rock and your talent will help others to achieve their goals. You are a true star for sharing your experiences and talent. Enjoy -xx-

Vesna - How exciting. I can only imagine the fun you'll have styling the shoots!! So, fellow Castle Hill-ian, I'm surprised I've never bumped into you at the towers, lol.

Kellie & Yannick’s ‘In Love Session’

It’s funny how you evolve.  When I first started out on my photography journey I wanted to photograph everything.  If you had a dog having a birthday party right after your first child’s christening I was your girl.  If you were shopping with a newborn baby I wanted to go up to you and offer you a newborn session for free.  I wanted to do it all, the grungy locations, the cityscapes and the beach.  But as I’ve grown as a photographer I’ve subconsciously honed into my own little niche market and signature style.

Gone are the days that I am interested in taking head shots, gone are the days where I would battle the parking dilemmas of the City.  I no longer need a cool backdrop with interesting buildings and textures that I see other photographers using, it’s the natural elements like a long grassy field and the soft glow of the sun just before sunset that beckon me.  I get caught up in the natural beauty that surrounds me.  I could be driving down the road and see a sweet pocket of light and say to myself ‘darn it, I wish I had a loved up couple in there’.  Life has become about light, specifically about backlight.   I could care less about covering a wedding in the city which sees me lining up to take photos with the other 60 newlyweds in town that afternoon.  I delight in the rural wedding, the wedding with the elegant country flair that I long for in my personal life. Growing up on acerage has left me with a deep love of the country environment and grass roots Australia, so whenever I get an opportunity to spend time with my clients in an area that allows me to freely focus on my subject in a beautiful location without distraction I’m in heaven.

And no better example of that love and passion for great light and beautiful subjects is this engagement session with Kellie and Yannick that I did several weeks ago.  We had stunning weather and sunlight that afternoon so we ventured into long grassy fields that I’d only dare to enter in the winter months, I might love the bush but I don’t like the snakes that come with it!  Kellie and Yannick are tying the knot in one of my favourite parts of New South Wales later this year, the Hunter Valley.  Yannick is possibly the tallest of my grooms so far, not only is he handsome but he’s also Canadian *swoon*.  I make no secret of having a love affair with Canada, actually just last night I had a dream that I made a last minute visit to Ontario.  Perhaps that’s because I found out a friend of mine is over there now, or perhaps it’s because my Canadian friends Brianna & Ewan just celebrated their wedding anniversary yesterday, or maybe because I heard that Melissa Etheridge might be touring there in February, I don’t know but I love all things Canadian!

Another thing that I’m excited about this wedding for is that my beautiful bride Kellie is the cousin of one of my very first brides :)  I love that I’ll be able to create some beautiful photos for another member of this family, and hopefully get to catch up with my previous clients at the same time.  Who could ask for more as a photographer?!?!

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Jo-Anne Kyle - I can see why you love this light and location. Stunning photos of a gorgeous couple. Yes, please, work on making your dream a reality. I'd love for you to visit me in Ontario!

Erin McFarland - You never cease to amaze Cathy! Luuuuuuuuv the light in this session! Absolutely gorgeous!

Nicole Landgrebe - amazing light..... and so in love..... your style is just your own, and its gorgeous.

{15:51} photography - Cathy...I just love how you used the light in these...it's amazing!

Paige Elizabeth - Adorable photos!! You definitely captured the feeling in these!!

Kristen - what lovely light, the last shot in particular is great!

Rachael - I totally get what you mean about the country, and what a cute couple! These photos are so natural and earthy - love your style :)

Linda Pearson - You'll see the previous clients and the mother , you lucky girl!

Cathy - I am a lucky girl Linda, looking forward to seeing you all!

Cindy - DELICIOUS light and that signature style completely rocks. Beautiful Love session

Erin - Love these shots, and love that you LOVE Canadians. :)

I’m back!

So I was sicker than I thought and I didn’t return to work last week as expected, but I am feeling much better and will be back in the office tomorrow.  I have a tonne of blog posts to get through and about half a dozen sessions still to edit before wedding season officially kicks off this weekend.  It’s going to be a busy one yet again, a wedding every weekend in September and October and then a trip to Mexico in November.  My head is spinning just thinking about it!  LOL.

And here is a little something special that I will be sharing on the blog later this week, a Jeannie inspired engagement session in the sand.  Love!

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Julie Ann - Glad you're feeling better Cathy! I can't wait to see the rest of this shoot. This image here is divine!!!

Kristen - Wow, that's a gorgeous setup!

Rachael - Um...WOW! Cannot WAIT to see the rest! Glad you're back! I've missed your blogs!

brianna phelan - Yay, do come visit :) We can't wait to have you!! beautiful images - amazing lighting!!

Erin McFarland - SO creative and beautiful!

Debbie - OMG WOW! that's just magical, excuse the pun ;)

Out of the office

Every year  my family and I go to the snow for my birthday week.  Unfortunately this year I’m sick so we have decided to avoid the cold conditions of the snowy mountains.  Over the last two weeks I’ve had quite possibly the worst flu I have ever had.  I always avoid using the term ‘the flu’ because I usually get a head cold or a bit of a chest infection and I don’t want to be one of those people who go around saying they have the flu when they don’t.  However, this time I have the nastiest case of hot temperatures, aching bones, aching head, stuffed up sinuses, tiredness and relentless cough – I’d rather a cold any day than this!  I really thought I’d be feeling better by now, I feel so tired and I have no energy at all.  So my week of snow fun has turned into a week of rest instead.  I will be going away for a few days, but not with my ski gear.  I hope to get a massage and perhaps visit the hair salon (it’s been over 6 months since my last visit!) and spend copious hours on a couch watching DVD’s. And I still plan on eating cake, it is my birthday week after all!

I won’t be answering email or the phone at all next week so leave me a message and I’ll get back to you when I return.  In the mean time here is a favourite image of a family session that I haven’t blogged yet.  I have so much blogging to do when I return!

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Sabrina - It's been too long since I've been to your blog. Beautiful image above! Happy birthday week (I myself go for the "birthday month") and here's to hoping you feel better soon!

Susy - Hope you're feeling better... take care of yourself. :)

Kerri - Looking forward to more posts when you are back on deck!

Wedding Albums

I had all good intentions of blogging a truckload of family sessions this week, but after spending some time in a doctors surgery I have contracted a nasty case of the flu. I ache from head to toe and my chest and sinuses have seen better days. But since it’s been over a week since my last post I thought I’d share some recent albums that have come into the studio.

A few months ago I made the decision to change the albums I was offering clients, most importantly I have stopped offering the traditional albums that I previously offered. The reason for this is two fold. The matted albums take a lot more time, effort and have more room for error. The other big reason is because I was constantly frustrated with the designs of these albums not reflecting my shooting and designing style. I love a clean, fresh, uncluttered album. I love to incorporate pages with lots of details and compliment them with big panoramic pages that make a statement. The only way to do this while reflecting my brand is to do it with a gorgeous flush mount album which has laminated pages for protection. But I certainly didn’t want the album to be boring or fit a cookie-cutter mould because my clients aren’t all the same. I’ve chosen an album supplier who has a variety of leathers, fabrics, colours and materials that are sure to please each and every client.

When I’m designing an album I’m conscious of the fact that this in an heirloom piece, that this is the one item a person will run into a burning building to retrieve, it’s that special.  It will be passed down to children and grand children and will be a treasured piece of history for that family. So with that said every double page I design tells one story from the wedding day, I don’t mix stories together and I make sure that every photo compliments the others. The majority of the time my designs reflect an editorial style that you would find in a high end glossy magazine.  I also want the album to stand the test of time, you’ll never find photos layered on top of another, you’ll never see faded images, word art or scrapbook elements. All those things are fads that will only serve to date an album, just like a scrapbook album from 2004 or your aunties fabric and lace covered album from 1982. *eeek*

Album design is an art, and I give it my soul.

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janine kaye - gorgeous! totally. xxx

Rachael - Gosh you're good, Cathy! Your efforts certainly pay off. Beautiful album designs.

Ewan Phelan - Beautiful albums Cathy. Love the shot of the bride laying on the stairs.

Beth - Absolutely GORGEOUS albums!!!

Gavin Wyatt - Your efforts with your albums pay off. Absolutely stunning!

Tiffany Doman - Cathy - these layouts are beautiful! x

s h e r r y - :D:D I LOVE how your albums look.

Jo-Anne Kyle - Your new albums are gorgeous. You must be so thrilled with them. I love your designs. So well thought-out and timeless.

Danielle French - Stunning.. We have had some many comments on how gorgeous our album is xxx

James Day - These are damn good. Love reading your blog Cathy! Catch up time again real soon I reckon!

Nicole Landgrebe - I hope you have ordered one from Ben's Circus Party!! Im sure you have! Love them Cathy

Antony Hands - Gorgeous and classic style - these are really lovely.