While I was up the Hunter Valley for David & Katie’s wedding + holiday, we took the family to a vineyard just outside of the resort we were staying at and grabbed a few shots. I don’t take much family photos and even rarer, shots of Naomi! Here’s a few quick edits from today… heading home tomorrow.

you wouldn’t have guessed it, but Sam was so tired and grumpy just minutes before…

forever my delight… Naomi…

I love the colours and vibrancy you get from shooting in the middle of the day with sun out!

April was a pretty big month for us. We had 7 weddings along with e’sessions. Files we collected from April totalled just over 500GB. In fact, April was so daunting that Naomi took the boys up North for a week holiday without me, leaving me to tackle a triple-header (3 weddings in a weekend: F,S,Su) and cut into the editing by myself. Smart wife

We are happy to say we’ve made it through, look forward to showing you some of the images in the coming weeks and winding down in the winter for workshops, sleep, friends, family and more sleep… perhaps even hibernation.

& a few images of the c-monster (Caleb)

bark beard!

When people talk to me and find out I have 3 boys as well as photograph for a living, they tell me I must have lots of beautiful photos of my children. I shake my head. Much to the disgust of Naomi we have far and few photos, especially of our latest – Caleb. So much so, that Naomi woke up the other day and exclaimed she was going to buy a PnS camera (or as I call it a PoS camera) so she could have photos. And much to my embarrassment, she did.

I guess its like a painter’s own house… unpainted. I call it occupational neglect, Naomi calls it$%^& lazy I am reminded that they don’t have to be perfect photos… they just have to exist!

So here is to more existing of Caleb, on my harddrive and on our walls…

Usually when the phrase ‘like a kid in a candy store’ is used in our household, it is referring to me in a camerastore. This time it was Josiah in a party-store!

Two day before Josiah’s 5th birthday I took him to All Things Party and let him go nuts choosing anything red he wanted for his party. Pushing a small child-sized shopping trolley around he was very selective -

‘that one… um… that one and…. that one’,
‘Ah… THIS one!’ ‘… and balloons – lots of balloons!’

With a car boot full of red – and a credit card seeing red we went home and started preparing.

We had decided ahead of time to have a colored theme for his party. At the time his ‘favouritest’ colour was red. That afternoon he stated very-matter-of-factly that red was no longer his favouritest colour and it was green. I told him in no-uncertain terms that red was the new green, the shop wouldn’t take back half a dozen filled helium balloons and we had already made a red cake. Not to mention all the guests coming were told to wear something red.

‘umm… ok I like red now!’

- don’t you love the effect of rationalisation on a 5 year old!

Anyway – he’s a few happy snaps from his big RED 5 party…

Pinata time first – this sucker was tought to break… Daddy to the rescue!

about 2 seconds later… out masterpiece was decimated…

weeks later – Josiah’s scalp is still red… we have to explain to everyone it’s not sunburn + neglectful parents

and of course why not some crazy photos as well…

Happy birthday Josiah – our lives are forever blessed and enriched with you as our son. We love you heaps!

Ben & Sarah are great friends of ours from Brisbane. And by great friends I mean seriously great friends. Friends who will play poker with you in hospital until the nurse kicks them out. Friends who’ll go on holidays with you and your 2 toddlers, friends who will turn up on your door with thai/gourmet pizza/cheese & wine and a packet of cards just when you need it. We seriously miss them now that they’re living in Brisbane! A couple of months before Caleb was born Ben & Sarah welcomed their gorgeous son Levi into the world. On our recent holiday to Kingscliff, Jonathan took the opportunity to take a few snaps of their little guy and new family.

We headed down the beach and the sky was just beautiful…

Ben is seriously one of the most attentative and doting dads around…

Aww… we miss you guys & love you all lot’s  xx

On Thursday, the 13th of August, we welcomed the arrival of our 3rd son! Beautiful Caleb Joel joined our now-complete-family at 8.20am at Wollongong Hospital, weighing 4kg (8lbs 13) and at 51cm long. We even got to take him home on the same day he was born so it was a very whirlwind-affair leaving us feeling like something happened, but we weren’t quite sure what! I managed to actually bring my camera to the birth this time – although I was specifically told what was unphotographable by Naomi so I will add a few more (sensored) photos soon!

Recently my good friend Steve Conti and I exchanged family photos with each other for christmas. It was strange being infront of the camera – Im usually behind it so I was going – ahh so this is what it feels like! We grabbed some great photos and here is one of Steve’s in one of my favourite secret locations…

How major hot does Naomi look…. !!

Just a quick post to let you know that we’re off to Brisbane for 9 days – Yay! We will probably only be able to check emails every few days so please forgive if we are a bit later than usual replying. If there’s anything urgent, feel free to call Jonathan’s mobile – 0408 491 682. The blog will also be neglected but rest assured we have lot’s to post when we get back! If you’re feeling blog deprived, check out photographer friends of ours that we’re meeting while on holidays blog – www.jordanphotography.com.au/jpblog We may even make a guest appearance Jonathan & Naomi

This afternoon I touched down in Christchurch ahead of Glen & Leila’s wedding in Lake Wanaka on Wednesday! After a quick flight, a slap on the wrist from customs (you apparently need a carnet / declaration when you carry $$$$$ worth of camera gear with you internationally) and a delayed flight which had Glen & Leila standing in the same queue as me to check-in to NZ it was time to have a look around Christchurch. I didn’t have enough time to make it up the famous Gondola (cable car lookout) so the trams, botanic gardens were next. Wow – the botanic gardens were amazing – the colours were something else! I really wished I had a couple to photograph there!!

Tomorrow I am flying down to Wanaka and I have a few days before the wedding to relax (scout for locations) and take a little break (sleep)

Anyway… here is some happysnaps from today. The first is my hotel – the tram goes right through it!

We were creating an invite for Sam’s upcoming 2nd birthday next month and we found this photo I took on the Manly ferry for a day-trip we had out with the boys… had to share it!