Michelle Wrighton Fine Art and Photography

The highlight of last week for me was a wonderful session that I had on Saturday with Mitchell and Kaden, two gorgeous little boys who were loads of fun and had me cracking up all over the place with their antics!

I know their lovely mum is anxious to see their sneak peak, so here it is – thanks so much Jackie for letting me photograph your beautiful boys, I hope they had as much fun as I did:)

Perth Childrens Portrait Photography ©2009 South West Photography

Perth Childrens Portrait Photography ©2009 South West Photography

Perth Childrens Portrait Photography ©2009 South West Photography

Perth Childrens Portrait Photography ©2009 South West Photography

Perth Childrens Portrait Photography ©2009 South West Photography

Perth Childrens Portrait Photography ©2009 South West Photography

Perth Childrens Portrait Photography ©2009 South West Photography

Perth Childrens Portrait Photography ©2009 South West Photography

Perth Childrens Portrait Photography ©2009 South West Photography

Portrait photography session information is available on the portraits section of my South West Photography website.

Please note: Free photo sessions finished in August 2009! Current Child and Family Portrait Photography information and prices can be viewed on my photography website South West Photography

Are you interested in a Free photo session for your child, aged from newborn to teens?  I am currently building my portrait portfolio and I’m looking for enthusiastic Perth parents who would like a Free Portrait Photography Session of their child.

In exchange for use of photographs from your child’s session in my portfolio and for promotional and advertising purposes (print and internet)

You will receive:

FREE Photo session of approximately 1-2 hours (time required depends on child/children)

FREE online private gallery (password protected) to view all final images (between 20-35 images)

Two FREE 6″x8″ professional photo lab prints of your choice selected from your private gallery plus web resolution (600px @72dpi) copies of these two images for sharing by email, facebook etc)

You are under absolutely No Obligation but may purchase prints at a heavily discounted rate (Christmas presents for Grandparents?) and will receive web resolution digital images of any additional prints that you do purchase.

Location: Portrait sessions will be held on location at a local park, garden or playground – a nice location where your kids will feel comfortable, can have some fun and be themselves  rather than posing for the camera.  Locations SOR/hills preferred due to time constraints.

Day/Time: Most weekdays are available for booking up to two weeks in advance, limited weekend sessions left at this time. Flexibility may be required due to inclement weather.

Portrait style: Natural light/lifestyle/candid/casual style (not formal studio shots)

If you are interested in having a Free photo session, please send me an email with your child’s details, the most suitable times/days for you and a contact telephone number.

I particularly require baby, toddlers and pre-schoolers and can accommodate a portrait ‘party’ for larger groups of children.

For additional information and to view galleries, please visit my South West Photography website.

Cheers

Michelle

Gorgeous three year old Tatum was a joy to photograph, and was particularly helpful when Dora and Boots were hiding inside my camera lens;) I will have to work on reducing the number of final photos to somewhere between 20 and 30ish, but as a mum myself, I found it really difficult to not include all the really cute ones!  We did this session at a local park which provided a lovely range of backgrounds…and dozens of ducks to keep Miss Tatum amused!

Children's Portrait Photography © 2009 Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © 2009 Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Or should that be “I am Facebook Clallenged”?

I’ve finally decided that I need to give these social networking groups a go, so I have joined Facebook and Twitter.  I guess it would be showing my age and number of years online if I said that I really prefer the old discussion forums (which of course still exist, but there seems that there has been a mass exodus away from the ‘old fashioned’ discussion boards and now everyone spends more time Fan and Tweeting).   And I will grudgingly admit that it looks like a better way to actually get to know the people you are talking to online, so I guess it can’t be all that bad!  I don’t need any other distractions though, so I am not going to be dragged into any food fights or barn yard antics;)

I’m actually thinking that it might be a good way of instantly notifying friends and in particular clients when photos from events are uploaded to the proof gallery…at least in theory, and this is where the challenge comes in…I’m not quite sure that I am using Facebook properly, well no, thats not what I mean, I have figured out (mostly) how to use it, but everything new that I want to add to my busines page seems to be adding to my personal page instead.

For example, my photo albums…I wouldn’t have thought that I needed to add them to both, but maybe I do.  And I can’t figure out how to favourite pages from my business page.  LOL I am sure a few more hours playing with Facebook should improve my skills;)

In the mean time, this is the Facebook Page that I have started for South West Photography andyou can find me at SouthWest Photo on Twitter

And this is a little logo that I made up this morning.

South West Photography Logo

Bailey was my first session with a child that I have never met before. He is only two years old, very well behaved and was an absolute delight to photograph.

These are a few of my favourites from the session.

Children's Portrait Photography © 2009 Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © 2009 Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © 2009 Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © 2009 Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © 2009 Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © 2009 Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © 2009 Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © 2009 Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © 2009 Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © 2009 Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

JChildren's Portrait Photography © 2009 Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Children's Portrait Photography © 2009 Michelle Wrighton, South West Photography

Boys Will Be Boys Storyboard © South West Photography

Classic Black & White © 2009 South West Photography

If you would like to arrange a portrait photography session for your own child or children, additional informtion is available on the portrait section of my photography website South West Photography.

Its hard to believe its nearly the middle of the year already, where does the time go?

I have recently decided to expand my photography business to include people portraits – and in particular children’s portraiture. Of course, as with any new endeavour, its a huge learning curve!

I am really enjoying the challenge, not only the technical side of the photography, but the biggest thing is engaging and interacting with the subject, and when they are young toddlers that you have never met before, that can be a really challenging task indeed!

So this week I have had my first two photo session with a gorgeous two year old boy and a lovely little three year old girl. Both were so well behaved and although unrelated both had the most gorgeous blue eyes, and there parents have graciously allowed me to use the photos in my portfolio, so I can post a few here in my blog.

At some stage in the not too distant future, I will have a section for portraits on my http://www.southwestphotography.com.au website as it is significantly different to the event photography that I do, but until then I will just be posting some images here from time to time.

In the meantime, I am still building my portfolio and would love to hear from anyone in the Perth area interested in having a photography session (free session fee for areas 20 minutes from myhome!).

The Standardbred Pleasure and Performance Horse Association of WA held the annual Winter Gala at the Perth Horse and Pony Club grounds in Herdsman.  I am totally biased towards the breed (having two of my own) and I strongly believe that they are *the* most under-rated breed in the horse world.  Thankfully more people like those that turned out for this show are seeing the incredible possibilities with this versatile breed as pleasure and preformance horses.

And I have to say that the presentation of these Standardbreds is absolutely impeccable and puts alot of other ‘fancy’ breeds to shame!

Coloured Standardbred © South West Photography

Standardbred Breed Show © South West Photography

Standardbred Breed Show © South West Photography

Standardbred Breed Show © South West Photography

Standardbred Breed Show © South West Photography

Standardbred Breed Show © South West Photography

Standardbred Breed Show © South West Photography

Standardbred Breed Show © South West Photography

Part bred Standardbred © South West Photography

Standardbred Breed Show © South West Photography

Standardbred Breed Show © South West Photography

Standardbred Breed Show © South West Photography

Standardbred Dressage © South West Photography

All of the proof images for the In Hand, Ridden and the Dressage tests can be viewed and ordered online at South West Photography.

Well after getting a taste of Cutting action at the last bit of the Ian Francis Cutting Clinic that I saw after the Paint Horse Champs back in February, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to watch two days of cutting on the 16th and 17th May.

Cutting Horse © South West Photography

Cutting Horse © South West Photography

Cutting Horse © South West Photography

Cutting Horse © South West Photography

Cutting Horse © South West Photography

Cutting Horse © South West Photography

All images from both days events can be viewed and prints purchased online at South West Photography

I received a very distressed phone call today from a client, her daughters much loved elderly Rhodesian Ridgeback had been diagnosed with an inoperable tumour, and unfortunately the only thing that could be done was to humanely put her to sleep.  Like so many people, Lady’s owner didn’t have many good photos of her, and my client asked me if I could go down to the vet’s surgery and take some photos before Lady was laid to rest before the end of the day.

I know what its like to loose a treasured companion, and I also know how important good images are to help heal the pain of their passing, so I was more than happy to help.  Luckily there was a small garden outside the vet surgery so I was able to get some beautiful shots of this grand old girl that I hope will keep her memory alive for her family forever.

Rhodesian Ridgeback Portrait - © South West Photography

Rhodesian Ridgeback Portrait - © South West Photography

Rhodesian Ridgeback Portrait - © South West Photography

Rest In Peace Lady, you were loved and will be missed.

I wonder if any other photographer else has an unusual subject that they photograph for no good reason whatsoever, with no care for composition or technique, just grab shots for the sake of…well I dunno, collecting maybe?

I collect country road signs.  Well, no I don’t collect road signs, but I do collect photos of road signs.  Specifically country road signs.  LOL ok so I am weird.  Maybe I just don’t know where I am going so I like to have a record of where I have been?  I won’t go scan any film photos that I took in Europe many years ago, but here are a few from my ‘weird photo’ collection.  Most are grab shots taken out the window at 100km per hour.

Blackwood River Valley

Boyup Brook © 2009 South West Photography

Blackwood River Valley

Williams Wagin Perth Kojonup Albany

Dardanup Boyanup road sign

Bunbury Road Sign