Lyn Walkerden Photography

I Love my job {Sydney Family Photographer}

2012-01-10T00:38:00.002+11:00

I know I say it all the time, but I really do adore being a family photographer. I get to meet the most wonderful families and spend some time getting to know them. By the time we are waving goodbye at the end of the session we're often like old friends. The family you are about to meet were no exception, in fact they have to be one of the most fun families I've ever met. They are a family of 9 but the two big boys are living in other parts of the country right now so we'll meet up again soon to include them in some family shots. Maybe in the Autumn leaves Amanda?

Here's a tiny taste of the deliciousness of this session. It will be a hard one to top, but I'm willing to give a go!

The Morning Sunshine {Sydney Family Photographer}

2012-01-06T21:35:00.001+11:00

I have to thank this lovely family for getting out of bed early during the school holidays and meeting me in a gorgeous location for their family portrait session so we could catch the morning sunshine.

Thanks Steve for dragging the kids out of bed. They weren't even grumpy! I think you'll agree it was worth it. Here are just a few of the images we captured on that beautiful morning. I hope they bring you a lot of joy on your walls once you unpack from your upcoming move.

A sweet Little family {Sydney Family Photographer}

2011-12-29T22:54:00.000+11:00

I spent an afternoon recently with this lovely family. The special bond they share was immediately obvious and photographing them was a joy. Take a look at their wonderfully coordinated clothing. A photographer's dream really!

The recent Sydney rain held off for us ever so briefly so we could capture some special moments they shared. This little boy clearly adores his mum and big sister and the feelings are returned in spades.

Here are a few favourites from their gallery.

And Baby Makes Four {Sydney Family Photographer}

2011-12-03T22:09:00.001+11:00

This beautiful family is very special special to me. Loretta and I have worked together for many years and I have loved watching her family grow. She makes the most beautiful children's clothes that you can buy from here and Isabella is wearing one of her dresses in these photos.

Almost 2 years earlier to the day I photographed them when they were a family of three see here Now they have welcomed a beautiful baby boy and their home is overflowing with love. I was so happy to spend the morning with them and to record these memories for them to keep and to share with family and friends overseas. It was hard to choose just a few favourites, so I chose quite a few.

Introducing Caden....

Sister Act {Sydney Child Photographer}

2011-11-29T22:49:00.001+11:00

I had the absolute pleasure of spending a warm afternoon at the beach with two gorgeous girls who are great friends and just happen to be sisters as well. It was so lovely to watch them together, enjoying each other's company as they ran about the beach and paddled in the shallows. Now when I say ran, I really mean they ran and ran and ran. It was a whole lot of fun! Here are a few favourite images from the day to give you a sense of the crazy fun that was had in this beautiful setting.

Thanks for a fun afternoon girls. You are both beautiful inside and out.

Double the Fun {Sydney Family Photographer}

2011-11-23T21:42:00.001+11:00

The family session I am about to share with you was a very special one. I spent the most delightful morning with four adorable children and their doting parents in their lovely home. The bigger kids, Miss A and Mr P gave me a tour of their bedrooms and then introduced me to their new twin baby brothers who were just 11 weeks old. As you will see they all have the most amazing blue eyes. I had a great time with two babies to cuddle and their big brother and sister were loads of fun. Wrangling two babies and a 3 and a 5 year old for a family shot was quite a challenge but I think we did pretty well in the end.

Five boys {Sydney Family Photographer}

2011-10-30T16:40:00.000+11:00

When Lisa contacted me to arrange an extended family photo session I knew she would be lovely because she was referred to me by an all time favourite client. It is such a compliment when my clients refer their friends to me. It's the kind of advertising money can't buy.

As Lisa and I got to talking about her vision for the session I was really excited. You see, the main purpose was to get a lovely image of her boys with her brothers three boys as a 50th wedding anniversary gift for her parents. How special to be entrusted with creating a beautiful portrait for such a significant occasion.

After lots of planning and a couple of reschedules due to bad weather, we finally got to meet and I laid eyes on five of the most handsome boys I have ever seen. An age range of toddler to teen can be quite challenging but these boys were wonderful. It was a joy to watch them together and feel the love and experience the fun that close cousins have together.

Lisa thanks for trusting me to create a piece of art that your parents will be proud to hang on their wall. I'm sure they will love it. How could they not with those five gorgeous faces?

And a special thanks to my wonderful printer and framer Brent who went the extra mile to get the finished piece to me in plenty of time for the party. Framing is a new option on my price list and I'm so glad that Lisa chose a 16x24" framed print. It is stunning! The photos below don't do it justice but I wanted to show you the quality of the finish. I can't wait to deliver it this week and to hear all about her mum and dad's reaction when they see it.

Introducing Hunter {Sydney Newborn Photographer}

2011-10-30T15:29:00.000+11:00

One of the things I love about my job is the opportunity to spend 2 or 3 hours cuddling delicious newborn babies, all in the name of photography of course. The baby boy you are about to meet is so very cuddly and reminded me of my baby boy (who happens to be 5 now) as a newborn. He has the loveliest doting big sisters and he has completed this beautiful family.

Here are a few favourite images of our morning spent together. Be sure to check out the look on Hunter's face in the family photo. It's priceless

Congratulations Bel and Corey. He is divine!

Paying it Forward

2011-10-07T23:48:00.000+11:00

Every now and then I am reminded of the real importance of what I do for families with my camera. It's not just about creating beautiful pictures to hang on your walls and decorate your home. Photographs are a record of your family history and a permanent reminder of the love and the experiences you share together. They can be a great comfort to families who are forced to be apart, a way to travel back to a time when the family was all together, and feel connected again.

I live in an area with many military families and I see them face the challenges of deployment to the Middle East with such courage. Wives who don't see their husbands for months on end, children who miss their fathers and fathers who miss out on seeing their children grow and even sometimes being born. They make these sacrifices for all of us, to keep us safe and to protect our way of life. I am humbled by that and ever so appreciative.

So when I heard that a fellow photographer, Nicole from Hush Photography, was facing a 6 month deployment of her sailor husband to the Gulf and wanted to record the memories of the day his ship sailed, I jumped at the chance to give something back. I am in awe of the strength of this family of five and of the maturity shown by a beautiful 4 year old boy, so sad to see his daddy sail away. It broke my heart to see his bottom lip drop as he tried to be brave and I can only imagine how hard it would have been for Nicole, dealing with her own grief as well.

If your family, or a Sydney based family you know, is facing a military deployment and you think they would be comforted by complimentary photographs, please get in touch with me. I would love to continue to give back all I can.

I'll let the images speak for themselves and give you all just a taste of the emotions of the day. I must warn you that tissues may be required.

Nicole, I have so much respect for you! Don't ever forget how amazing you are. I'm counting down the days with you and I can't wait to be on that wharf beside you in March when we'll all be celebrating his return x

More Beautiful Faces {Sydney Child Photographer}

2011-09-17T19:45:00.000+10:00

Yesterday I was back at a very special kindy photographing more delightfully adorable kids. As exhausting as it was, I had the best time! There's nothing quite like a bunch of 3 and 4 year olds to keep a photographer on her toes but seeing their adorable smiling faces on my computer afterwards makes it all worthwhile. I can't wait for the parents to see their galleries on Monday.

So here they are, The Friday Gang.

So many beautiful faces {Sydney Child Photographer}

2011-09-10T13:23:00.000+10:00

What a week it's been! I had an absolute blast photographing the cutest kids at their kindy. It was my second year doing this so I got to see how much many of them had grown in size and personality. What a difference a year makes!

We were rained out on Friday so there's another instalment to come, but for now here's a preview of some of the shots taken on Monday and Wednesday. I hope they make you smile as much as me.

I love Autumn {sydney child photographer}

2011-08-06T21:50:00.000+10:00

Autumn is absolutely my favourite time of year. I adore the crisp mornings followed by the warm sunshine later in the day and then those lovely cool nights that make snuggling up in bed such a treat. Most of all I adore the colours of Autumn. I get so excited when I see the leaves begin to change and feel sad when I see the last of them fall to the ground.

When I fell completely in love with photography 4 years ago and started seeing life through a lens, Autumn became even more beautiful to me. I marvelled at the lovely soft light and the way those incredible Autumn tones made every image look so warm and inviting. That was also when I discovered my favourite Autumn tree. It is the most magnificent tree with vivid red, yellow and orange foliage in late April/early May. It stands high and spreads it limbs out wide, creating a stunning canopy of delicious Autumn tones. Over the last 4 years I have photographed my children beside this tree and they are some of my most precious images. Our yearly visit to the tree has become somewhat of a pilgrimage.

I'll stop rambling now and share with you a selection of my favourite images from this years visit to our special tree.

I even managed to be on the other side of the camera for a change. Thanks to my wonderful husband for capturing this beautiful image for me.

Perhaps next year you'd like to visit with me and we could create some beautiful images of your family to treasure always, complete with all that wonderful Autumny goodness. It's a bit of a drive so you need to pack a picnic, but trust me, it's really worth it.

Rain or Shine {Sydney Family Photographer}

2011-07-19T08:26:00.002+10:00

You know those days when the weather is completely unpredictable? One minute it's sunny and the next it's raining? Well Sunday was one of those days. Not being sure what Mother Nature had in store for us, I met up with a delightful family at Sydney's Centennial Park for some family portraits amongst the grand old fig trees. We managed to record some lovely memories in the light drizzly rain before the skies opened up with a proper downpour. Meet the Ross Family.

If you look closely you can see the rain falling in the background. This was just before the downpour.

Thanks for being such great sports about the weather. I hope you dried off quickly! I'll be in touch shortly about the rest of your gallery.

Young Love {Sydney portrait photographer}

2011-07-04T08:24:00.000+10:00

I spent Sunday afternoon with a gorgeous young couple who are very much in love. Meet my wonderful nephew Shannon and his beautiful girlfriend Adrienne.

Thanks for a fun afternoon Shannon and Adrienne. I hope you enjoy your preview. There are lots more to come. xoxo

One Perfect Day {Sydney Family Photographer}

2011-05-28T19:54:00.000+10:00

This week I met a wonderful family. They travelled from all over the country to be together for a university graduation ceremony. It had been planned for months and since all being in the one place was a very rare thing indeed for this big family, they arranged to have a photo session as a mothers day gift. What a fantastic idea! Trouble was, they got a phone call from their arranged photographer THE DAY BEFORE to say they were not available. Disappointed doesn't quite cover how they were feeling at this point so they began the search for another photographer. Thanks to the wonders of social media, namely facebook, I heard of their predicament and stepped in at the last minute to capture some family portraits for them.

I am so glad I got the opportunity to spend time with this lovely family. They were so much fun and up for anything. The weather was perfect with blue skies though a tad chilly and windy. We met at Luna Park which is full of fun and colourful places for photos. Here's a taste of our morning together before they jumped into their stretch Hummer which took them to the graduation ceremony.

Thanks for a great fun morning! I hope you enjoyed your limo ride and then the ceremony. I expect you're all home safe and sound by now. Enjoy this preview and I'll have your gallery ready for you very soon.

Close Cousins {Sydney Family Photographer}

2011-05-15T23:27:00.000+10:00

Today I had the pleasure of meeting two families, or rather two branches of the one family and we had a lot of fun wrangling 5 kids aged 2 - 9 for some group photos for Grandma. I hope she will be pleased with our efforts. Here's a small sample to whet her appetite. How gorgeous are these kids!!

Tracy I'll be in touch very soon with the rest of your gallery.

Mini sessions available {Sydney child and family photographer}

2011-04-27T20:54:00.001+10:00

Due to popular demand we are holding a second round of mini sessions on Sunday 15th May at Lambeth Reserve. See the details below and call 0414 618 397 to book your place. Places are limited so act quickly.

A Very Busy Family {Sydney Family Photographer}

2011-04-04T23:14:00.000+10:00

It seems that Autumn has arrived in Sydney and with it those glorious sunshiny days with just enough chill in the air to make being in the sun delightful. Sunday was a day just like that and I felt very lucky to be an on-location photographer soaking in the beautiful weather in a wonderful riverside location. Enter the Higgins Family with four amazing, active, funny and adventurous kids. My brief was to get a shot of the kids together and then just capture them being themselves. I had so much FUN!! Here is a sneak peek of what we got up to during our mini session.

Mini Sessions {Sydney Child Photographer}

2011-03-07T22:20:00.001+11:00

I am excited to announce a limited number of mini portrait sessions to raise money for my local preschool. Holsworthy Preschool is a fabulous centre which both of my children have attended so I am delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to their fundraising efforts

These sessions will take place on Sunday 3rd April 2011 at Lambeth Street Reserve in Panania. With Mothers Day just around the corner the timing couldn't be better. Photos make a wonderful gift for Mum and Grandma alike.

Mini sessions are a great opportunity to update your family portraits with a minimal investment of time and money. Your session can be just of the kids or can include parents too.

How does it work?

In return for a $50 donation to Holsworthy Preschool you will receive:

* an allocated 30 minute family photo session (up to 5 people from the one family) at beautiful Lambeth St Reserve.

* an online password protected gallery containing 10 -15 beautiful edited images

* one 8” x 12” print of your choice.

* No minimum spend requirement

* The option to purchase special mini session packages including:

- The set of 10 - 15 digital negatives including a 5x7" print of each image .............. $450

- A boxed set of 10 matted 5x7" prints ready to display on an included easel ........... $300

- A boxed set of 10 matted 8x12" prints ready to display on an included easel .......... $500

* Price list for other products available on request. Matted desk prints start at $60

How to book

1. Firstly you need to contact Lyn by phone on 0414 618 397 or by email lyn@lynwalkerden.com.au or via the contact page on the website to check the availability of the date and time you prefer. There is also a Booking Sheet on display at Holsworthy Preschool so you can sign up on the spot

2. You make your donation of $50 to secure your booking (Payment methods to be advised at time of booking. Credit card available).

3. You will receive written confirmation of your booking along with directions to the location and tips on what to wear.

With a strictly limited number of sessions available you will need to get in quick to secure your preferred time.

Terms and conditions

1. Mini sessions are only available on the 3rd April 2011
2. $50 donation constitutes your non-refundable booking fee. In the event of an illness the fee may be credited towards another session with Lyn Walkerden Photography. In the event that the sessions are cancelled by Lyn Walkerden Photography, all paid monies will be refunded in full.
3. Each mini session can include up to 5 members of the one family. If additional family members are to be included you will need to book and pay for two consecutive sessions.
4. Due to the tight scheduling of mini sessions, failure to arrive at your allocated time will likely result in your allocated time slot being forfeited. No refunds will be given for cancellations made within three days of your session or for missed sessions due to lateness.
5. Online galleries will be posted within 2 weeks of the mini sessions and will be protected by a password. Galleries will remain live for 7 days, in which time you must place any orders, including selection of your free print. If additional ordering time is required there will be a rehosting fee of $50 per week.

6. Special mini session packages are only available for 7 days from the online gallery going live. After this time only a la carte pricing will be available.

7. Orders must be placed by Monday 25th April to ensure delivery before Mother's Day.
8. Unordered images are purged 6 weeks after the online gallery goes live while ordered images will be archived for 12 months.
9. Due to the custom nature of photography, all products must be paid for in full before they will be sent for print.

January Photo a Day Project - Week Four {Sydney Family Photographer}

2011-01-30T12:38:00.001+11:00

Back again with week 4 of the project, the last week of the school holidays. They have flown by so fast and I'm not ready to ramp up the pace of our life again.

January 22 - Little Athletics
I took along the big camera to little A's today, such is my dedication to this challenge. I pulled it out to take a photo and found the battery was dead flat. Of course I didn't bring the spare because I was just after a few shots for the PAD. Not happy!! Now I had the lug the beast around all day in the heat as we trekked from one event to the next and without the benefit of a single PAD photo! In desperation I pulled out the iPhone to save the day! So here you have it, Molly's afternoon at little a's. She had a very successful day and I suspect she achieved a PB in discus and the 200m.

January 23 - Simple Pleasures
Not much happened today. We hardly left the house. It was a hot one so after dinner the kids had an iceblock as a treat. Max reluctantly agreed to a few photos while distracted by eating but was off before I could get anything I was really happy with. In the background you can see the cubby the kids have built from old sheets and garden furniture. It seems to have become a permanent fixture in the yard through these holidays.

January 24 - Down by the River
After a day of being cooped up inside I decided to take the kids down to the river for an ice cream after dinner. This place is 5 mins drive from our house and I have driven past it many times but never stopped there until today. The sky put on quite a show for us while the kids paddled and built sand castles. It was a lovely way to finish off a long hot day.

January 25 - An Evening at the Beach
It was another very hot day in Sydney so we decided to hit the beach after most of the crowds had gone home. It was so perfect there with a very gentle breeze and just enough warmth left in the sun to make a swim worthwhile. The sky could not have been more different to yesterday, cloudless over the beach but with a lovely pink hue as the sun began to set behind the Wollongong escarpment.

We explored the tidal pool and built some sand castles before a little paddle in the shallows of the surf. Molly was cautious but loved running from the waves. Max has entered what we affectionately call his "Captain Safety phase" and is very wary of any potential danger. He kept his floaties on to put his feet in the surf and was not keen to stay too long near the waves. Another great afternoon making the most of the last week of school holidays.

January 26 - Happy Australia Day!
We spent this afternoon at my mum's house in the pool, trying to escape the oppressive heat. The kids had a great time and continued their rapid improvement in swimming. I thought I might get the floaties off Molly today after she was happily diving and bombing into the pool when she had previously hated having her face in the water. We actually got to lie back and relax on a pool noodle while the kids swam today. This parenting gig is getting easier as they get older! Happy Australia Day to you all!

January 27 - Nanny's Birthday
Today was my mum's birthday. The kids spent the afternoon making her birthday cards before we went to the club for a birthday dinner.

January 28 - It's Contagious!
It seems the photo-a-day challenge is wearing off on Molly. For the last few days she has insisted on taking her camera everywhere we go and today when we headed to the park for a play and some photos, she decided to get her brother to model for her. She really is quite good and I think it won't be long before I hand over my first DSLR to her. I must confess to feeling very proud!

It's hard to believe the challenge is almost complete! I think I will really miss it but I am a realist and I know that after Monday, when life returns to it's normal busy state, keeping up would be near impossible. I plan to continue with M&M on Monday so I will have at least one shot a week to diarise our life.

January Photo a Day Project - Week Three {Sydney Child Photographer}

2011-01-29T11:29:00.000+11:00

Back with week three of the challenge and it has become more of a challenge with my subjects becoming more and more reluctant by the day. With that in mind I bring you week 3.

January 15 - Fresh Mown Grass
I left my run very late today to get my photo. After dinner we rushed outside to catch the last rays of light. Hubby mowed the lawn today so we decided to include it in today's photo. I was pushing the limits of shutter speed here so I was begging the kids to be still, I was amazed to see an in-focus shot when I downloaded them from the camera as my kids do not do still!!

January 16 - Officially Over It!
I guess you might call this hump day in the project - the halfway point. I have had a good run so far with the kids being cooperative but today marked the end of their enthusiasm. The expressions in the left image say it all really. I managed to get them to stay put for a few snaps with the promise that they could play with the wagon as they liked afterwards. That didn't last long because Molly got a little too enthusiastic, taking off quickly when Max wasn't holding on and he fell backwards onto the concrete and has a bump on his head to show for it. Looks like I will have to get more creative and a bit sneaky to complete the challenge.

January 17 - A Visit to Nanny's House
It started out HOT in Sydney today so we decided a visit to Nanny's house for a swim would be a great idea. The kids have become so much more confident in the water this year and have so much fun. Swimming is now a relaxing activity for the adults as well. This shot was taken while Max was reading a book to Daddy while a proud Nanny looked on, amazed at the words our clever 4 year old boy could read. It was such a lovely afternoon. Can't wait to do it again!

January 18 - Loose Tooth

Molly has had a loose tooth for a few days now and it reached that stage today where it felt weird and she was constantly feeling it. We were reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets together in bed tonight when the tooth finally came out. This will be her 6th tooth collected by the tooth fairy if you count the first two which she accidentally swallowed!

January 19 - Buttons the Cat
We seem to have been adopted by a black cat. After being almost killed with kindness yesterday by Molly and Max (but mostly Molly) she took off late in the afternoon and we thought that might be the last we saw of her. Molly was very sad to see her go because as far as she is concerned, Buttons (as the kids have named her) is her pet. Well Buttons returned late last night, crying at the door hoping to be allowed inside (never going to happen due to our allergies) and to Molly's delight she was still there this morning. I have to wonder where Buttons came from because she is very tame and obviously used to being around kids. A mystery to be solved!

January 20 - Mud Glorious Mud
Today got kinda messy! Max started out watering a pot plant and then a bare patch in the garden with a hole where he likes to dig. Next thing you know we have a huge muddy puddle and what boy can resist mud. You should have seen his face when I said "Well I guess you may as well have some fun with this mess you made!" For the first time this week he was happy to perform for the camera .... very happy!

January 21 - Hanging Around
Big day of shopping today including a trip to IKEA where the kids had an hour in the playland area. We were all exhausted when we got home and this was the best we could manage.

I'll be back tomorrow with Week 4.

The January Photo a Day Project - week two {Sydney Child Photographer}

2011-01-28T22:26:00.000+11:00

January 8 - Freeloader

Once the heat of the day had passed we took the opportunity to head out for a family bike ride to the lake. We are very lucky to live in a great place for cycling. We have several kilometres of bike trails running through our suburb and leading to a lovely lake. It's safe, relatively flat and starts outside our front door. If you look closely at the image on the left you might notice that Max's feet are not on the pedals of the tag-a-long bike. He is notorious for mucking around and putting his feet anywhere but on the pedals but when he does pedal he has really strong legs and he can propel the person on the front of the bike at a surprising pace. The image on the right was taken when we reached the lake.

January 9 - Birthday Party

Today M&M were invited to a 4th birthday party for Sophie (the little cutie in the middle). I had decided this morning that my photo of the day would be of the three of them together. Big mistake! I should know by now, never go into the PAD with a definite idea of what you want to achieve if my kids are to be in the photo. I picked this shot, snap shotty as it is, because it shows their personalities so well. Molly is talking as usual, Max is sort of cooperating but not looking at the camera and Sophie is hating that she's being squished between the two of them when I asked them to get up nice and close. It makes me laugh so here it is. My photo of the day!

January 10 - Movie Time

It was a rainy day today so after a spot of shopping this morning, we had a relaxing afternoon at home. Molly is crazy for anything Harry Potter at the moment and has watched the first 4 movies and read the first two books. Here she is watching the 5th movie - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. She made it about half way through before taking a break. The Harry Potter story lines get so much more complex as they go along and she is struggling to understand what's going on through most of the movie. Even so she loves it. I liked that this shot shows her varied tastes with the baby doll in the foreground. As much as she tries to be grown up she is still very much my little girl.

January 11 - Crazy Times

Madness descended upon my house today and it was FUN!!! No less than three sets of photographers' children and they all agreed to have their photo taken (with some persuasion). They played great together all day and boy were they loud! Molly was the number one culprit for lack of volume control. This was just before they put on a show for us complete with singing and dancing.

January 12 - Two from the Park

I cheated and chose two photos today. I was spoilt for choice after our visit to the park. I took this first image while asking Molly to tell me what she has enjoyed most so far about these school holidays and what is on her "must do list" for the time we have left. Her favourite thing was spending time with Mummy and Daddy and the must do activity was a visit to the aquarium.

Max is sporting his brand new bike helmet which I am pleased to say fits him so much better. Here he was hiding from his sister behind a tree.

January 13 - Kinectimals
We had a lazy day at home today so it was a good chance to break out the Xbox360 that Santa brought and play the kinectimals game. The kids adore it. Here Max is teaching his cub some new tricks.

January 14 - One Man's Trash ....
A quick shot this afternoon between work and errands. These Christmas cowboy hats were headed to the rubbish at Hubby's work so he grabbed them for the kids. Max was not at all in the mood for this photo but to his credit he did sit still!

The January Photo a Day Project - week one {Sydney Child Photographer}

2011-01-27T12:49:00.002+11:00

I love Summer holidays! The warm weather, the relaxed pace, spending family time together, the chance to catch up with people and the opportunity to watch my kids enjoy themselves. For the last few years I have participated in a project, a challenge of sorts, to take and publish a photo every day in the month of January to record this time in my family's life. Last year I couldn't keep up and I really regret not having that record to look back on. The project has been particularly rewarding for me this year as I have rediscovered the absolute joy of photographing my own children after a period of lacking any motivation to pick up the camera on my days off. I now have a beautiful collection of images recording a month in our life and I know we will always treasure them.

So I bring you week one of the January Photo a Day Project featuring my ever gorgeous Molly and Max.

January 1 - Hot Hot Hot
Today in Sydney was HOT! I think it got to 39 at our place so we headed over to my Mum's for a visit and a swim. The kids are getting so much more confident in the pool and it was a great way to spend the afternoon. This photo was taken by my mum so I could be in it for a change. While it's not completely within the challenge rules, it does satisfy another promise I have made to myself, that I will be in more photos in 2011 so my kids will have photos with their mum. I am being a whole lot more relaxed about a whole lot of things in 2011.

January 2 - iPhone Fun
Another hot day so we stayed indoors in air conditioned comfort. The kids spent some time in the afternoon playing Shrek Kart on the iPhones. I took quite a few but Molly's expression made this one the winner for today.

January 3 - The Cubby Under the Table
The unpredictable Sydney weather continues and today we had rain. I decided to turn our dining room table into a cubby for the kids with a few sheets and some pillows and it provided hours of fun. It's still set up now after they begged me to leave it for tomorrow. Today it's Max's turn for the awesome expression. He has the best laugh and I can hear it when I look at this shot.

January 4 - iPad Scrabble
After seeing a photo yesterday of a family playing scrabble I thought I would introduce Molly to the game. I am a long time fan and can't wait till I can play with both of my kids. To maintain the enthusiasm while she learns the game we played on the iPad. It is such a fun way to play. We used iPhones as the tile racks and you actually flick your letters off the iPhone and onto the iPad to play your word. Molly played really well and she beat me by 50 odd points. You can see Max in the bottom shot sulking becasue we were hogging the iPad AND both iPhones to play the game. Oh the injustice of it all!

My wonderful husband took these for me so I could be in the photo. I think he did an awesome job since I handed him the camera in manual, set to f/1.4 and with single point focus which he doesn't know how to toggle.

January 5 - Bobble Heads
We had some fun tonight with the ultra wide lens on the trampoline. The kids were in absolute hysterics when they saw these photos on the LCD screen. This was not at all what I had planned but I decided to go with the flow and this is where it took us. They look like a cross between aliens and Bratz dolls.

January 6 - Late Summer Afternoon
It was lovely to have the sunshine back again today. After dinner we ventured to the park across the road for a bit of bike riding and general fun in the playground. The light was lovely and the weather was perfect, warm with a gentle breeze blowing. If the sun hadn't set I think we might still be out there.

I took a lot of photos this afternoon. I am rediscovering the joy of photographing my own children during this challenge. I had forgotten how wonderful it is to download the images and fall in love all over again with your kids as you see them appear on the screen with their special individual expressions. The kids are enjoying it too (so far) because they haven't had a camera pointed at them much over the last year. When I had a break from client work, picking up the camera was the last thing I felt like doing. I hope I remember how enjoyable this is when I'm busy again. It's not work, it's therapy!

January 7 - Space Hopper Race
I left the photo a little late today so I asked the kids for a suggestion of what we could do. This was what they came up with. These space hoppers were a Christmas gift so it's good to see them get some use. Max thought it was hilarious to deliberately fall off halfway through every race. It seems he doesn't just stick out his tongue on the trampoline. I hope he doesn't end up biting it off with a heavier than expected landing!!

Stay tuned as I will bring you the remainder of the month over the next few days.

A Beautiful Baby Girl {Sydney Baby Photographer}

2011-01-15T21:13:00.000+11:00

I spent a lovely morning with the most delightful family yesterday. Beautiful little Mia is just shy of 7 weeks old which is such a beautiful age. She is smiling gorgeous gummy smiles and very aware of her surroundings. Watching this family interact was such a privilege and reminded me of how lucky I am to have this wonderful job. See for yourself how beautiful they are together.

Heidi and Rowan, thanks so much for inviting me into your home to record this special time in your lives. Mia is such a beautiful baby and there is no denying that she is completely adored by you both. I hope you enjoy your preview and I look forward to showing you all of the beautiful images we captured yesterday.

M&M on Monday Part 2 - Max's 2010 {Sydney Child Photographer}

2011-01-04T19:39:00.001+11:00

Ok, so it's not actually Monday but I didn't want to wait a whole week to share Max's collage of memories from 2010 so I'm back already. They're my rules so I can break 'em!

What can I say about my beautiful 4 year old Max? Well for starters he is an absolute joy! He has his own special way of looking at the world, he's been described as "marching to the beat of his own drum" and with that individuality comes an amazing sense of humour, a sharp intellect, creativity, and the best darn belly laugh you will ever hear. Max can melt my heart with a smile and gives THE BEST cuddles! So what happened in Max's world in 2010 you ask? Well it was a big year of firsts for him. Firstly, he started preschool 2 days a week and loved every minute of it. Watching his big sister doing her kindergarten homework, he decided to join in and taught himself to read. His obsession with the program Reading Eggs furthered his progress and he now reads anything you put in front of him with fabulous expression. It seems he cracked the reading code and there is no stopping him now. I can only imagine how good he will be when he starts Kindy in 2012. He just can't get enough of books. It is a joy to watch and as you can imagine makes his parents incredibly proud. 2010 also saw Max start Little Athletics in the tiny tots. We discovered that, while running is not exactly his specialty, he LOVES to participate. Max's talents lie in construction and computers for the moment and when you combine those two talents into a computer program involving constructing or creating, look out! We saw a few toy phases come and go and come back again throughout 2010. We began the year loving everything Transformers but later moved onto Kung Zhu pets. The Transformers have made a recent comeback after a room tidy but he is really enjoying Lego and Meccano now as well. Max adores his big sister and is never far away from her if he can help it. Their bond is so very special and we thank our lucky stars every day to have two kids who get along so well.

So here they are - Max's moments from 2010. I hope you enjoy them half as much as I loved putting them together.

Max my precious boy, you make me smile and melt my heart every. single. day! I am so incredibly proud of your amazing achievements and of the beautiful caring soul that you are. Don't be in too much of a hurry to grow up though! You are my baby after all!

M&M on Monday - Molly's 2010 {Sydney Child Photographer}

2011-01-03T23:05:00.001+11:00

It has been a very long time since I have posted photos of my own kids on this blog and as I look back over the year just gone, I have found some moments I'd love to share with you all. I have decided that Mondays will be the days I will share my family and specifically my kids Molly and Max with my readers. So without further ado I bring you the inaugural edition of M&M on Monday.

This collage is a collection of favourite moments of 2010 featuring my gorgeous girl Molly. Over the course of this year she has grown into the most delightful young lady who brings us joy every single day. This past year has brought us lost teeth, great achievements, exciting adventures, the discovery of new talents and a whole lot of love! 2010 was the year Molly started School and we discovered that it's not just her parents who think she is extremely clever! Molly adores school and, although a bit chatty at times, is excelling in all areas. She received the academic achievement award for her class (see December). 2010 was also the year Molly started Little Athletics and discovered she loves to compete. Molly is a very keen cyclist and has the strongest legs I've ever seen on a six year old. I can't keep up with her anymore! She is the most amazing big sister, loving and patient and incredibly cute to boot. Stay tuned for a future edition of M&M on Mondays featuring M&M together in 2010.

My darling Molly, I am so very proud of you. You make my heart sing every day. Thank you for being the perfect daughter you are xox

Family of four, or should I say five - Sydney Family Photographer

2010-11-15T00:04:00.000+11:00

It is always great when families bring things along to their photo session that are meaningful to their family. Props personalise a session and make it truly representative of who you are. Yesterday I met up with a delightful family in one of my favourite parks and they brought along the largest prop ever, a 1955 Chevy Bel Air. I am told this car is like an extra member of the family so it was only fitting that it feature in a family portrait or two. Here is a preview of the session. Enjoy!

M thanks for a fun afternoon. I really enjoyed meeting your family. I will have the rest of your gallery ready for you very soon.

The Love of Family - Sydney Family Photographer

2010-11-02T19:27:00.003+11:00

If you saw my last post then you will recognise two members of this gorgeous family. Mum and bub had their own special session recently but this time the whole family got in on the act.

You are about to see a lot of images. Many more than I would usually share as a blog preview, but I simply can't resist. This is my new favourite session and it seemed like the planets were all in alignment. Beautiful beach location - check, great weather - check, incredibly good looking subjects - check, fantastic co-ordinating but not matching clothing - check, great late afternoon light - check, fun loving kids - check, beautiful loving family - check. This truly was a family photographer's dream come true. Enjoy!

Thanks M and I for spending a fun afternoon with me and my camera. I can't wait to show you your whole gallery. There is a whole lot more fun and love to unveil!

All Smiles - Sydney Child Photographer

2010-09-25T22:57:00.000+10:00

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my job? Well you are about to see why. Yesterday I got to hang out with the cutest 6 month old ever! I have never seen so many smiles! This little boy would light up any room. He is an absolute delight! This shoot was all about K and the special bond he shares with his beautiful mum. Love oozes out of these photos and it was such a pleasure to spend a morning watching this special relationship.

M Thanks for choosing me to record these special memories for your family. Enjoy your little preview. I have so many more gorgeous shots to show you when you return from your holiday.

Brand New Baby Boy ~ Sydney Newborn Photographer

2010-09-10T23:35:00.000+10:00

Have I mentioned lately how much I love newborns babies? I love every little thing about about them so to have the opportunity to photograph two in a week was such a privilege. This gorgeous boy is a 4th child so, despite being just a week old he was quite used to plenty of noise and commotion and was a seriously chilled baby! With his good looks and relaxed attitude he was the perfect model!

S & N thanks for allowing me to record this time in your family's history. I hope you enjoy this little taste of the session and I can't wait to show you the rest of your images.

Ten Days Young ~ Sydney Newborn Photographer ~

2010-08-30T15:54:00.001+10:00

On Saturday I was a very lucky photographer! I got to spend the morning with a delightful family with three very beautiful girls and the youngest was just 10 days old. I was as clucky as could be!

Isn't she gorgeous! Smiling already, I swear it wasn't wind!

The girl talk has begun. I wouldn't be expecting too many quiet moments in the coming years!

Thanks Samm and Rod for inviting me into your beautiful home to capture some wonderful memories of this special time. Your girls are amazing and a real credit to you both. Enjoy your sneak peek, the rest will be ready very soon.

One more family to share - Sydney Family Photographer

2010-06-20T22:53:00.004+10:00

I finished my day of mini sessions with this delightful family. Today highlighted for me what custom photography is all about. All of today's mini sessions were at the same location but they all look completely different because each family is unique and they determine how our session goes. Custom photography is not a one size fits all approach, rather it's about capturing you being you. It's about the interactions and not just looking at the camera and saying cheese. This family's last experience with family portraits was with a well known "shopping centre" photography chain and it was not an enjoyable one. I am pleased to say they left this session with big smiles on their faces and telling how much they had enjoyed it. That's what it's all about, you have fun and I capture it for you to remember always. Thanks guys for reminding me why I do what I do. I honestly have the best job in the world!

Here's a sneak peek of this lovely session.

Another delightful family mini session - Sydney Family Photographer

2010-06-20T21:44:00.003+10:00

I had such a great day today meeting wonderful families and recording some special memories for them. The love in this family was so obvious. Two boys with very different personalities made this a very fun shoot. Here is a tiny taster of a really lovely session.

Catherine I hope you enjoy your sneak peek. I can't wait to show you the rest of your gallery very soon.

A mini session with a gorgeous family - Sydney Family Photographer

2010-06-20T20:50:00.003+10:00

Today I had the pleasure of meeting several lovely families during the fundraising family mini sessions, raising money for Holsworthy Preschool. Here are a few favourite shots from the first family.

These kids were just adorable and by the end A was directing the shoot. I might hire him as an assistant!

R and P I hope you enjoy your sneak peek. It was an absolute pleasure to meet you today.

Introducing Tiarah - Sydney Newborn Photographer

2010-06-06T23:24:00.004+10:00

This gorgeous little girl was just 13 days young when I photographed her. Her name is Tiarah because she is her Daddy's little princess, the long awaited girl after three boys. She was an absolute delight and, as you will see, incredibly beautiful! Here is a little taste of the session.

Here she is....Daddy's little princess!

Told you she was beautiful!

Amazing Autumn Colour - Sydney Child Photographer

2010-06-06T22:40:00.004+10:00

I simply adore Autumn. It is my absolute favourite time of year. I love the mild days, such respite from the heat of summer, the cool evenings, the soft light and of course the stunning colours of the falling leaves. I have a favourite place to visit at this special time of year to take in all of those delicious Autumn colours and I have been making a pilgrimage there for the last three years. This year I got to enjoy it with a wonderful family who won a gift voucher through a competition I held on facebook earlier in the year. I have known this family for over 6 years and love to photograph them. So here are a few of my favourite images from the day.

Thanks for a great day L, E & D. It was great fun catching up with you again.

Preschool Fundraiser - Mini Sessions

2010-05-19T00:14:00.009+10:00

I am excited to announce a limited number of mini family portrait sessions to raise money for my local preschool. Holsworthy Preschool is a fabulous centre which both of my children have attended so I am delighted to have the opportunity to raise some much needed funds.

These sessions will take place on

Sunday 20 June at Chipping Norton Lakes
Sunday 27 June at Garrison Point, Bankstown (off Henry Lawson Drive)

Mini sessions are a great opportunity to update your family portraits with a minimal investment of time and money. Galleries will contain a mixture of shots of the whole family together and individual portraits. Winter is a great time for outdoor sessions with clean crisp air, rosy cheeks, lovely soft light and the chance to rug up in your colourful, textured woollens. All of this makes for wonderful family portraits for your walls.

How does it work?

In return for a $50 donation to Holsworthy Preschool you will receive:
* an allocated 30 minute family photo session (up to 5 people from the one family) at a local parkland setting
* an online password protected gallery containing 10 -15 beautiful edited images
* one 8” x 12” print of your choice.
* No minimum spend requirement
* The option to purchase special mini session packages including:
- The set of 10 - 15 digital negatives including a 5x7" print of each image .............. $400
- A boxed set of 10 matted 5x7" prints ready to display on an included easel ......... $250
- A boxed set of 10 matted 8x12" prints ready to display on an included easel ....... $450
* Price list for other products available on request. matted desk prints start at $30

How to book

1. Firstly you need to contact Lyn by phone on 0414 618 397 or by email lyn@lynwalkerden.com.au or via the contact page on the website to check the availability of the date and time you prefer.

2. You make your donation of $50 to secure your booking (Payment methods to be advised at time of booking. Credit card available).

3. You will receive written confirmation of your booking along with directions to the location and tips on what to wear.

Terms and conditions

1. Mini sessions are only available on the 20th and 27th of June 2010
2. $50 donation constitutes your non-refundable booking fee. In the event of an illness the fee may be credited towards another session with Lyn Walkerden Photography. In the event that the sessions are cancelled by Lyn Walkerden Photography, all paid monies will be refunded in full.
3. Each mini session can include up to 5 members of the one family. If additional family members are to be included you will need to book and pay for two consecutive sessions.
4. Due to the tight scheduling of mini sessions, failure to arrive at your allocated time will likely result in your allocated time slot being forfeited. No refunds will be given for cancellations made within three days of your session or for missed sessions due to lateness.
5. Online galleries will be posted within 4 weeks of the mini sessions and will be protected by a password. Galleries will remain live for 7 days, in which time you must place any orders, including selection of your free print. If additional ordering time is required there will be a rehosting fee of $50 per week.
6. Unordered images are purged 6 weeks after the online gallery goes live while ordered images will be archived for 12 months.
7. Due to the custom nature of photography, all products must be paid for in full before they will be sent for print.

Alexander's Christening

2010-05-16T23:06:00.003+10:00

When I was first contacted by Katrina about photographing Alexander's Christening I had no idea of the scale of this special event. Not being of the Greek Orthodox faith I found this a fascinating ceremony and celebration to witness and to document. The warmth of this family and the love and support of their friends was a joy to behold.

I met the family at the church and when I drove up it seemed, from the outside, to be much like many other churches.

Well wasn't I in for a wonderful surprise when I stepped through the doors and saw this....

And it got even better when that amazing chandelier was turned on as the seats filled with family and friends.

The alter was all prepared for the ritual to come. The details were very special indeed.

Alexander was so relaxed as his Godfather took him from his mother's arms for the ceremony.

Big brother Pericles waited patiently to play his very important role.

Alexander continued to be very relaxed as he was undressed by his Grandmothers and then rubbed with oils and submerged in the water.

It was only as he was being dressed again that he cried, but only a little.

Later, at the reception, there were big smiles.....

.....and wonderful warm speeches.

Even big brother Pericles has a few words to say.

Katrina, thanks for choosing me to document your special day. You did an amazing job of creating an event to be remembered forever. Your boys are a credit to you both. Enjoy your sneak peek. Your full gallery is not far away. I will be in touch soon.

The sweetest family - Sydney Family Photographer

2010-04-28T23:10:00.003+10:00

Last weekend I got to spend a few hours with a delightful family. They recently welcomed a new baby girl into their family and she is just the sweetest thing! Unlike most 5 week old babies, D was very cooperative for her photos even though she was awake for the majority of the time. D's big brother G is not only very handsome, but the most doting brother I have ever met. D and G's grandmother is also visiting all the way from Brazil so she was able to join in the fun as well. Here are a few of my favourite shots from the session.

L and B thanks so much for a lovely morning. I really enjoyed getting to know your family. Enjoy your sneak peek and I am looking forward to showing you the rest of your gallery as soon as it is ready.

Three Generations - Sydney Family Photographer

2010-04-07T19:24:00.006+10:00

I love it when I hear from old clients and get to photograph them again. I love seeing how the children have grown.

M called me to arrange a session for her extended family including her mum and dad and her brother's family. M's dad has not been well and that encouraged them to get around to the family photos they had been meaning to have taken for almost a year.

We met at a gorgeous park across the road from the beach so we had the best of both worlds. The sun was shining brightly and the warmth and affection of this family shone through as well.

M thanks so much for the opportunity to spend a morning with your beautiful family. I wish you all well during your dad's recovery and hope to meet you all again some time in the future. Enjoy your sneak peek and your gallery will be ready very, very soon.

Great Neighbours - Sydney Family Photographer

2010-04-01T21:53:00.006+11:00

The gorgeous family in this set of photos are my wonderful next door neighbours. We have been planning this shoot almost since their youngest daughter was conceived. With their family now complete, K & L want to adorn their walls with a big family portrait. We headed to a local riverside reserve in the early evening in the hope of catching some of that golden light before sunset. We were not disappointed. Here are a few favourites from the day.

And my new favourite photo, full of that amazing golden light...

K & L Thanks for a great afternoon. Enjoy your sneak peek and I am looking forward to showing you your whole gallery very, very soon.

Kristen and Michael's Wedding

2010-03-25T22:45:00.005+11:00

Recently I photographed a very special wedding with Tanya Tindale. Kristen and Michael were the most relaxed couple I have ever encountered yet every little detail of their wedding was just perfect. The wedding was held at Carss Park on top of the hill and the weather threw everything at us. We had strong winds, cloud, sunshine and even a sprinkling of rain right at the end, but nothing could dampen the spirits of this wonderful couple, or of their family and friends.

Kristen and Michael have a beautiful one year old boy who, most conveniently, began walking just a week or so before the wedding. This meant he was able to walk down the aisle to perform his ring bearing duties. He was SO adorable! Here he is hanging out with Daddy before the ceremony and practicing walking the red carpet....

and here is the real deal, first down the aisle and then Mummy saying hi as she walked past.

The ceremony was beautiful and Kristen's parents were there in spirit. Sadly they have both passed away so Kristen was walked down the aisle by her three brothers. This photo of Kristen's parents on their own wedding day watched over the events.

I love this photo of Michael. He is so very pleased to have snagged this beautiful woman!

Here is the gorgeous bride surrounded by her brothers. They are such a wonderfully warm family.

The flower girls carried balloons, not flowers, so I guess that makes them balloon girls??

After the ceremony we gathered everyone together for a group shot in front of the historic Carss Cottage

Then we whisked the bridal party away for more photos in this beautiful park. Here is a small selection, OK maybe not so small, but I love them all and I couldn't choose just a few.

There were plenty of laughs as Michael revealed his cheeky side.

This beret had belonged to Kristen's mother.

As it started to sprinkle we had some fun with an umbrella

Kristen and Michael, thanks for allowing Tanya and I to be a part of your wedding day. It was beautiful, touching and a whole lot of laughs. We can't wait to show you the rest of your photos when you return from your honeymoon.

The website is live!!

2010-02-13T23:17:00.004+11:00

I am very excited to announce that after many late nights (more like early mornings) and many many hours of work, the new website for Lyn Walkerden Photography is finally live!

Come visit at www.lynwalkerden.com.au then come back here and tell me what you think.

Next on the agenda is a blog face lift, but I might just get a good night's sleep before I tackle that one.

Thank you to my clients for being so patient with me over the past few weeks. Now that it is done we will be back to business as usual. Keep your eyes open for some celebratory specials!

A different kind of family session

2010-01-26T23:03:00.003+11:00

Those of you who follow my blog will know that my sessions are usually made up of very young children and their families, with the occasional wedding or engagement thrown in. So I considered it a challenge when an old friend contacted me about photographing her with her two grown sons. My brief was to capture the fun family that they are without any forced posing. Hopefully I succeeded. Let me know what you think!

And lastly my favourite shot of the day showing the great sense of humour this family shares. I had asked the boys to sit in the background and be a little animated. This is what they came up with. It was all I could do to hold the camera still I was laughing so hard.

Thanks for a fun afternoon guys! Liz I hope you enjoy your sneak peek and I'll be in touch soon with your full gallery.

An adventure in the park

2010-01-20T17:30:00.005+11:00

On Sunday I photographed a beautiful family. I knew going in that there were three children aged 7, 6 and 2 so I expected to have my work cut out for me. Well I was VERY pleasantly surprised to encounter my most cooperative child subjects so far! They did everything I asked of them with huge smiles on their faces. We had a blast! Here are a few of my many favourites from the session.

Master 2

Miss 6

Master 7

These kids loved climbing trees.

Master 2 is a big fan of creepy crawlies and was delighted to find a rather large beetle. He instantly adopted it as his new pet and set about collecting grass and leaves as food and standing guard to make sure no one sat on it. Isn't that adorable?

S & N thanks for a wonderful morning. Your children are absolutely delightful! Enjoy your sneak peak and I'll have your gallery ready for you when you return from holidays.

A family of girls

2010-01-18T23:54:00.006+11:00

The eldest girl in this gorgeous family dances with my daughter. Her mother is a photographer so she spends all her time behind the lens and has no family photos with her in them, an occupational hazard. So my mission on Saturday was to get a portrait of the whole family together worthy of being hung on the wall. Sounds simple? Well actually it was quite a challenge thanks to one very active 18 month old, but a lot of fun. Here's a sneak peek of the session.

The girls thought I was completely mad here lying on the ground asking them to walk towards me. I love their expressions, like they aren't sure if it is safe to approach the crazy lady with the camera.

I think this is my favourite shot of the day. A friend who saw it called it a "Marilyn moment" and I thought that was perfect.

Fiona I hope I have managed to complete my mission and you will be hanging a portrait of your beautiful family on your wall very soon. The rest of your gallery is just a few days away.

A marriage made in heaven

2010-01-16T01:45:00.004+11:00

Sunday was a very special day. It was the day that Tanya Tindale and I had the privilege of photographing a truly beautiful wedding of two of the sweetest people we have ever met. I have to confess to shedding a tear or two as I proofed the photos from this wedding and saw the obvious love Tim and Emily have for one other. They really are a very special couple and truly made for each other.

Now I loved this wedding so much that I can't keep to the small number of images I would usually post in a sneak peek. I just can't help myself. So sit back and enjoy a glimpse of Tim and Emily's special day.

I started the day with the boys who were such great fun and handsome to boot!

Then onto the ceremony which was held outside in the very hot sun. Here comes the bride....

I love how excited they both were...

....and look at the love on Tim's face. He can't believe how lucky he is!

Celebrations all round

Tim and Emily, thank you so much for choosing us to be a part of your special day. It was an honour and a privilege to witness you celebrate your marriage. Enjoy your honeymoon! Tanya and I are really looking forward to showing you your whole gallery soon after you return. xoxo

From the other side of the world....

2009-12-31T10:59:00.004+11:00

On Sunday I had the pleasure of photographing a lovely family visiting from Austria.

Our dear friend Anna fell in love with an Aussie bloke who just happens to be my husband's best mate. They were married almost 6 years ago and now live in Australia.

This Christmas her family came here to visit. They have rented the most gorgeous house in Newport for their two week stay. I could have happily stayed there forever! The warmth of this lovely family, combined with the stunning surroundings and water views was really something special.

Here are a few of my favourite photos from the day.

I hope these photos bring back fond memories of your visit to Australia in years to come. I also hope you get some great beach weather before you have to fly home. Thanks again for allowing us to be part of your Christmas celebrations.

And the winners are.....

2009-12-31T10:48:00.004+11:00

The Favourite Faces of 2009 Competition was a great success with over 100 new fans of the Lyn Walkerden Photography facebook page joining in the fun. In a close finish the winner of the 20x30" gallery wrap canvas was..... drum roll please ......

Just for voting the following 5 people won a $150 print voucher to use at their next custom photography session with Lyn Walkerden Photography...

Mell Moulin, Rachel Keyte, Keryn Salzman, Heidi Dawson and Daryl O'Brien.

Congratulations to you all!

Favourite faces of 2009 Competition

2009-12-23T00:02:00.004+11:00

Today the facebook fan page for Lyn Walkerden Photography was launched and to celebrate we are holding a fun competition with some wonderful prizes to be won. Below you will see a selection of 40 photos from sessions held over the last 12 months.

To vote for your favourite photo, visit the facebook fan page here and become a fan. If you double click on the photo you like you will be able to leave a comment below that particular photo. You can vote up to five times, but only once for each photo.

The photo with the most votes will win a 20x30 gallery wrap canvas of their favourite photo from their session or a $300 credit towards their next photo session with Lyn Walkerden Photography.

Everyone who votes goes in the draw to win one of five $150 print voucher to be redeeemed at their next photo session with Lyn Walkerden Photography.

Invite all of your friends and get them voting for your photo. The voting closes at midnight on 27 December and the winner will be announced on the evening of Monday 28 December.

If you are one of the few people left without a Facebook account you can leave one vote in the comments of this blog post making a note of your favourite photo by number. If you vote via the blog and not Facebook, be sure to leave your name and check back to see if you have won. Voters on Facebook will be contacted via the Facebook message system if they win a prize.

Now get voting and best of luck!

So sweet

2009-12-21T10:23:00.005+11:00

Yesterday I had the absolute pleasure of photographing Elise and Cain. This lovely couple are getting married in February and Elise's Aunt, my dear friend Di, arranged for them to have this session as a wedding gift. As you will see they are gorgeous and very much in love. They were also willing to indulge me in an idea I have been wanting to try out for a while.

Thanks so much Elise and Cain for being so much fun. Enjoy your sneak peek and I'll have the whole gallery to you soon. Enjoy your last Christmas as single people!

Things are hotting up

2009-11-29T22:24:00.004+11:00

Yesterday Tanya Tindale and I ventured out into the soaring heat in Sydney to meet up with Tim and Emily for an engagement shoot. This gorgeous couple are getting married in January and Tanya and I will be photographing their special day. They are so much fun!! Firstly they showed up despite the temperature reaching 41 degrees and then were up for anything including lots of wardrobe changes. Here is a taste of the session with lots of laughs, lots of kissing and lots of fun! In fact I enjoyed the session so much I had trouble choosing just a few favourites.

Thanks for a fun afternoon Emily and Tim. Enjoy your sneak peek and I'll be in touch VERY soon with your whole gallery.

Beach Baby

2009-11-24T23:02:00.005+11:00

Saturday was a scorcher in Sydney but this lovely family were still up for a walk to the beach for our session. I'm so glad they were because we have some wonderful family portraits to show for it. Here is just a taste.

Tough work this modelling....

Glad to be home and out of the heat, there were plenty of smiles on offer.

L and R thanks for a fun morning and for the yummy home made biscuits. The kids have eaten most of them already! I can't wait to show you the rest of your gallery. xoxo

14 months of cute

2009-11-03T21:31:00.004+11:00

On Sunday I had one of my favourite sessions yet. We had been planning this for the last 6 months so by the time we finally met in person I felt like I knew this family already. According to her mum, Miss O is not always too keen on strangers so we wondered how she would react to having a big black camera in her face. Fortunately she seemed to like the look of me from the outset so it didn't take too long to coax a smile out of her. Once we did she was she was like a super model, performing for the camera.

This was one of the first shots of the day when she was still sussing out me and my big black camera. Check the face!

All it took was a few tickles from mum and dad and we had smiles!

and more smiles.

Look at those eyes! They would light up a room!

We were hoping to get a nice shot for the Christmas card and Miss O did not disappoint! Talk about a performer!

An absolute delight to the end!

J and F thanks so much for a wonderful afternoon. Enjoy your sneak peek and I'll be in touch very soon with your full gallery. I can't wait to share it with you. There are so many lovely photos.

A Beautiful Wedding

2009-10-14T12:59:00.005+11:00

Last Friday I had the absolute pleasure and privilege of working with Tanya from Tindale Images to photograph an absolutely beautiful wedding. Hayley and Pete looked amazing and their love for each other was obvious to all. They really are the sweetest couple. The weather was no very cooperative on the day so the planned garden wedding had to be relocated to church just a couple of hours before the start of the ceremony. The bride took it all in her stride and the day was no less perfect because of the venue change. Here are a few images from the day.

I love the anticipation on the boys faces as they wait for the girls to arrive at the church.

See what I mean... how in love are these two!!

We were almost blown away while taking these photos under the bridge. They were all such great sports braving the cold and gale force winds.

Pete carried Hayley across some muddy ground for just a few more photos.

See the rain in the background? Poor Hayley was freezing!

The reception was beautiful as well with a gorgeous cake!

Thanks so much for allowing us to be a part of your special day Hayley and Pete. I hope you are enjoying your honeymoon and Tanya and I can't wait to show you your whole gallery when you return.

Five Beautiful Ladies

2009-09-27T00:47:00.003+10:00

Today I had the pleasure of photographing five lovely ladies at Camellia Gardens. This session was arranged by Tanya Tindale of Tindale Images and had two purposes. The first was an opportunity to explore the gardens before Tanya and I photograph a wedding there in 2 weeks time and the second was to get some shots of Tanya and her 4 best girlfriends.

These girls were so much fun and great sports, posing as bride, groom and bridal party so we could find the very best places to shoot during the wedding. We almost had to break out of the gardens when we overstayed our welcome by 15 minutes.

Thanks so much girls. I hope you enjoy seeing these photos as much as I did taking them. You are all absolutely gorgeous!

Look who's getting married in 6 weeks

2009-08-23T19:55:00.004+10:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of photographing Hayley and Pete who are counting down the days to their wedding in October. Tanya Tindale and I worked together on this engagement shoot as we will also be photographing the wedding together. It was a wonderful opportunity to get to know Hayley and Pete. They are fun, adventurous and, as you will see, extremely photogenic! My favourite kind of clients.

Thanks for a great day yesterday Hayley and Pete. I hope you enjoy your sneak peek and Tanya and I will be in touch soon with the full gallery.

A Tiny Baby Girl

2009-07-21T10:57:00.002+10:00

This beautiful little girl was in a big hurry to meet her parents so she arrived 5 weeks early. When I got to meet and photograph her it was still one week before she was due to be born and she weighed just 2.5kg (5lb 10 oz). Here is a sneak peek of the session.

Newborn session take longer than others because we will always stop for a feed or a cuddle when needed.

Which allows us to capture moments like this one where baby E is milk drunk.

Michelle Thank you for allowing me to photograph your beautiful baby girl. The cuddles were very special. I hope you enjoy your sneak peek. I'll be in touch shortly with your full gallery.

Learning about Light

2009-07-08T23:10:00.004+10:00

A couple of weeks ago I was fortunate to attend a great workshop about lighting in photography run by Alex and Alicia from Savvy Studios. We learnt about using different forms of artificial light to enhance photos, specifically off camera flash, video lighting and making the most of what is around like downlights in hotel lobbies, street lights etc. It was a real eye opener for me and I now see light quite differently knowing what is possible. Alex and Alicia arranged for Mell to model for us. It was a wonderful experience. Here are a few of the images I took at the workshop.

You can see more by clicking on the wedding tab in the navigation bar. While you are there have a look at all of the new gallery slide shows.

In spite of the weather

2009-06-15T01:04:00.004+10:00

I had the pleasure of photographing a great bunch of kids today. The weather really turned on us with rain and cold but that didn't dampen the spirits of these four cousins. They were up for anything. The most frustrating part was the sun came out as I drove home!

I told you they were up for anything!

I really enjoyed spending the afternoon with you all. I hope you enjoy your sneak peek. I have plenty more to share with you in the next few days so I'll be in touch.

Look who turned three!!

2009-05-23T08:49:00.003+10:00

I'm not sure how the last three years have managed to slip by so quickly, but I can tell you that they have been a wonderful three year! Our beautiful boy Max turned three on the 11th May. Unlike last year he was VERY into the cake and candles this time around and was pretty impressed with the presents too! Here are a few family snapshots from the day.

First the cake. We re-lit the candles several times because he loved it so much.

Then came the presents including his beloved Spiderman, a new bike helmet and a great tool bench.

He loved the Bob the Builder card Nanny gave him too.

Welcome to three my beautiful boy! I love you to bits!!

Blue Eyed Boy

2009-05-11T23:35:00.003+10:00

On Saturday I had the pleasure of photographing a beautiful little 9 month old boy and his adoring parents. We met up at my all time favourite gardens and the weather was glorious! C was reluctant to look at the camera but when he did his beautiful eyes would absolutely sparkle.

I hope you enjoy your sneak peek M & D. I really enjoyed meeting you and I will be in touch soon with the rest of your gallery.

A Day out with Thomas and Friends

2009-05-10T21:10:00.002+10:00

Last weekend we headed out to Thirlmere for a special event. Thomas the Tank Engine and several of his friends were in town and we had tickets to ride on Henry the steam train. This was an early birthday present for Max who turns three tomorrow. Here are a few shots from the day.

They are doing it all again in September and we have already booked our tickets.

Three Boisterous Boys

2009-04-26T23:10:00.002+10:00

These boys were such fun to photograph in this beautiful Autumn setting. Thanks Karen for a great day. Here are a few favourites of mine from the day. I'll have the rest to you very soon.

Autumn Colour

2009-04-26T21:53:00.004+10:00

Have I mentioned how much I love Autumn? Here's why.

If you are interested in having some photos like these of your own family then take advantage of the Amazing Autumn Special. I'll take you to a great location and capture your children as they play in those gorgeous golden leaves. You'll need to act quickly because those amazing Autumn leaves won't last forever.

On the Move

2009-04-21T00:30:00.003+10:00

This little beauty has been up and walking for about 2 weeks now making her a moving target. I still managed to capture a few shots of my favourite little model.

That was her first ever iceblock. A and P I'll be in touch with more photos for you soon. Enjoy.

The Golden Light

2009-04-19T23:36:00.003+10:00

I love Autumn. It is my favourite time of year. I love the colours of the leaves, the beautiful mild temperatures and the gorgeous golden light you get for about an hour before the sun sets. I especially love that the sun sets early enough that I can get out with the kids and enjoy that golden light. On Friday I did just that and M&M and I wandered over to the local playing fields to run around and enjoy ourselves. Here are just a handful of the photos I took that afternoon.

If you would like to have your own photo session in this beautiful Autumn light then contact me to take advantage of the Amazing Autumn Special.

New Hats

2009-04-18T11:25:00.002+10:00

We went shopping this week for the kids' winter wardrobes. Hundreds of dollars later we had lots of clothes and a couple of really cute knitted hats.

...and my new favourite photo of the kids together which I might just get printed big on canvas

Current Specials

2009-04-16T22:39:00.007+10:00

Autumn is a beautiful time of year to have your photography session with Lyn Walkerden Photography. The light is beautiful and in the right setting, the colours of the falling leaves make for stunning images that you would be proud to display on your walls. To make the most of this beautiful season, Lyn Walkerden Photography has a very special limited offer. The offer applies to any session booked before June 1 2009. Rather than being offered just one special bonus, you have your choice of three. Find the one that best suits your needs. Choose from:

Print Credit

An additional $50 in print credit. This brings your total print credit to $100. You can spend this credit on prints, canvases, digital negatives or anything offered in the product list.

Storyboard Design

A custom storyboard design to display up to five of your gallery images, to your specifications, at no charge. This is a saving of $50. Please note that this offer does not include printing.

Gift Voucher

A $50 gift voucher for a future session with Lyn Walkerden Photography. You may use this yourself or give it as a gift to friends or family. It would make an ideal Mother's Day gift. The voucher would be made available to you as soon as your $100 session fee is paid in full. You could even pay to upgrade the gift certificate to a higher amount. The voucher can be mailed or emailed to you or directly to the recipient. Vouchers are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.

If you would like to take advantage of this amazing offer please contact call Lyn on 0414 618 397 or use the contact tab at the top of this page to leave a message. Get in early to reserve your place as sessions are limited.

Our Sailing Adventure

2009-04-16T12:09:00.003+10:00

Day two of our family weekend and we climbed aboard Uncle Graham's sailing boat for a trip around the bay. It was threatening to rain the whole time and there were a few spots as we returned to the dock. Not much wind to speak of either but that didn't stop the kids from having a great adventure.

Max was a natural and immediately grabbed the rudder and proclaimed "I'm driving". We have no idea how he even knew what the rudder was for.

Not one to sacrifice fashion for function, Molly insisted on wearing her bright spotty skirt.

I'm see more sailing in our future! Thanks Captain Graham for taking us on our maiden voyage!

A Family Weekend

2009-04-15T23:32:00.004+10:00

After the fun of Easter morning we packed up the car and headed north to catch up with M&Ms Uncle, Aunty and cousin who have had a recent sea change.

We visited a local adventure playground where the kids had a great time playing with all kinds of things that clanged and banged.

Showing off his first lost tooth

tickets anyone??

Stayed tuned for the big sailing adventure.

The Easter Bunny has been

2009-04-15T23:14:00.003+10:00

Children have this uncanny ability to wake up so incredibly early on Christmas and Easter morning. This Easter was no different and Molly was awake before 6am. YIKES! So I jumped out of bed with the camera to try and catch those moments of excitement and surprise as they saw what was inside their home made easter baskets. Due to Max's severe cow's milk protein allergy, our Easter was dairy free. The baskets held marshmallow bunnies, dairy free chocolate bars and a fun magazine for each of them.

The kids were way too quick for me to get the settings right on the camera so I clicked and hoped for the best. Sometimes a snapshot will suffice!

They wasted no time tucking in.

Max was soon wired on sugar....

....while Molly was feeling the effects of her late night and early morning in anticipation of the bunny's visit.

Anyone want some dairy free chocolate? Max is good at sharing!

I hope you all had a safe and happy Easter.

Catching Up

2009-04-14T22:41:00.005+10:00

This poor blog has been a little neglected of late so this post is a bit of a catch up. A few weeks ago we visited our favourite park where a beautiful little girl who features in my babies gallery, was having her first birthday party. Unfortunately she was asleep when we arrived in the latter stages of the party so I didn't get a photo of the birthday girl herself but I did manage to catch her big sister and cousin who are both adorable.

Here is the big sister, a most reluctant subject!

and her cousin who was quite the opposite. This gorgeous blondie was very fond of having her photo taken.

Molly and Max made the most of the playground and all the park has to offer.

Last but not least this is my favourite photo of the day.

The Green Green Grass of Home

2009-04-02T21:39:00.002+11:00

With all of the rain we have had lately our back lawn has grown thick and lush green. The kids have been enjoying the backyard on these lovely mild Autumn evenings and I jumped at the opportunity to take a few photos of my own kids. It had been a while!

Max looking very grown up doing a tough guy act.

And one more of Max because he now smiles for the camera when I ask him to!!!

Party Time

2009-04-02T21:11:00.000+11:00

A few weeks ago now we were invited to a 4th birthday party for young Mr R. The theme was Hawaiian and the backyard had been turned into a giant beach with piles of sand. There was a lady teaching the hula, the limbo, coconut smashing and pineapple bowling. It was all happening. I ran around like a mad woman trying to capture all the action while the kids had a blast. Here are just a few images from the day. There are lots more in your online Gallery Dani. Enjoy!

The birthday boy himself looking particularly handsome!

His beautiful sister all dressed up for the occasion.

and some of the delicious food.

The C Family

2009-03-02T18:38:00.004+11:00

I had the pleasure of photographing a lovely family last week. The last time I saw this family, was more than two years ago and not only have the children grown but there has been a new addition. Isn't he gorgeous!

J I hope you enjoyed this sneak peak. There are many more to come. I will have your gallery ready for you by the end of the week.

Weddings/Engagements

2009-03-01T17:24:00.001+11:00

Families

2009-03-01T17:23:00.000+11:00

Big Kids

2009-03-01T17:17:00.000+11:00

Little Kids

2009-03-01T17:16:00.000+11:00

Babies

2009-03-01T16:45:00.000+11:00

Baby X

2009-02-27T22:28:00.005+11:00

This beautiful baby boy is five weeks old. Even though he was not very interested in sleeping he was the perfect little model.

S, I hope you enjoy your sneak peek. I will have your gallery ready for you next week.

Benny's Cake Smash

2009-02-20T23:30:00.002+11:00

Well I've been at it again, feeding cake to 1 year olds and photographing the proceedings. Yesterday it was Benny's turn to smash the cake and he proved to be quite the expert. See for yourself.

In the beginning......

Not wanting to waste any time, he was straight into the cake almost before Mum had put him down.

Happy Birthday Benny!

Cake Smash

2009-02-19T02:08:00.003+11:00

This gorgeous little boy is about to turn one

so he got a birthday cake all to himself.

Let's see what he does with it shall we?

We had a blast and I'm doing it all again today with another soon to be one year old!

If you would like your own cake smash session then please use the contact button to get in touch with me.

Baby A

2009-02-17T13:31:00.004+11:00

This beautiful boy is 2 weeks old and was such a delight to photograph. He was so relaxed and prepared for anything. He also has the cutest big sister ever. Here is sneak peak for you Karen. I hope you enjoy it. There are more to come.

And my favourite shot of the day was when G planted a kiss on her baby brother's cheek and I managed to catch the surprised look on his face. Priceless!

Thanks for letting me photograph your beautiful children Karen. I'll have more photos for you by the end of the week.

She's Back!

2009-02-11T15:34:00.002+11:00

One of my all time favourite "models" has returned from an overseas holiday. It was wonderful to see her (and her parents of course) on the weekend and marvel at how much she has grown. Here are my favourite photos of the day.

I hope you like the photos P & A.

31/31 - Jumping for Joy

2009-02-02T21:51:00.002+11:00

Well we made it. 31 photos in 31 days and all of my kids. Unlike this time last last year the kids aren't cringing when the camera comes out but I'm sure they won't be sad to see a little less of it. It's been fun but the last few days it has become a bit of a chore so it is time for this challenge to end. I look forward to sharing Jan 2010 with all of you. ;o)

This was taken at the end of another long hot day in Sydney (though not as hot as Melbourne or Adelaide). After dinner a coolish breeze blew up so we grabbed the chance to get outdoors. The kids were very late to bed tonight but it was worth it to see them have so much fun in their own backyard.

30/31 - It's all about the trains

2009-01-30T21:46:00.000+11:00

Max seems to be getting some molars and has been pretty miserable as a result. His trains are a good distraction and get his hands out of his mouth for a little while.

And earlier Max was surfing the net, flickr to be specific!

29/31 - A Day at Home

2009-01-29T21:38:00.000+11:00

Molly and I had some fun creating today's photo of the day. We hope you enjoy it.

And the runner-up

28/31 - Back to Pre-school

2009-01-28T21:30:00.000+11:00

Molly started back at pre-school today. This year she will be attending 3 days a week. Most of her friends from last year have gone on to "big school" so she will have lots of new friends to make. Here she is all dressed and ready to go.

27/31 - My Beautiful Girl

2009-01-27T22:38:00.000+11:00

I discovered a new way to get Molly to stay still for more than a fleeting moment for a photo. She will "pose" for me if I let her take a few photos with the camera afterwards. Looks like we may have another photographer on our hands.

I told you she was beautiful!

26/31 - Happy Australia Day

2009-01-26T22:33:00.000+11:00

25/31 - dinosaur robot?

2009-01-25T23:43:00.000+11:00

Max watched a monster truck video clip on YouTube with his Daddy today and there was a huge, fire breathing, dinosaur robot eating cars. This is Max recreating that. He would put that huge purple bucket over his head and run through the house roaring and yelling "Dinosaur Robot". To be honest I am not seeing the resemblance but the roaring was pretty impressive!

24/31 - Cool Change

2009-01-24T23:55:00.002+11:00

Another scorcher in Sydney today but thankfully a cool change came through in the very late afternoon. We could finally get outside and enjoy the beautiful, fresh, cool breeze.

23/31 - A Visit to Goobs

2009-01-23T15:12:00.000+11:00

Today the kids and I headed South to visit Goobs. Kris and the kids came too. Goobs made us a yummy lunch of lasagne and her famous potato salad. The kids played very happily together and Kris and I drove everyone mad with our cameras. Actually there were some very keen models in the bunch so you get to see some different faces today. Lots of colour too!

Little Miss E

her big sister Miss S

The devilish Mr D

his cheeky sister Big Miss E

Max made some moves on Little Miss E but was soundly rejected. She literally gave him a brush off, much to his surprise.

Who could blame him though. She is gorgeous.

And last but not least a more unusual shot of Big Miss E. I almost deleted this one because it was very overexposed but her eyes compelled me to do something with it instead.

22/31 - After Dinner

2009-01-22T14:56:00.000+11:00

The last few days I haven't even thought about taking a photo until dinner time. That leaves very few photo opportunities. Now I have done dinner, bath and sleeping, there isn't much left. The photo a day challenge is becoming challenging!!

I seem to have been in a bit of a black and white mood lately so here is a litle colour for you - just a little.

That's enough! back to B&W.

After their bath tonight Molly decided she would read a story to Max. No complaints from me! As you can see, Max didn't mind either ;o)

I wonder if next January will see these two getting along so well. I really hope so!

21/31 - Peaceful

2009-01-22T14:46:00.000+11:00

I just made it today with 13 minutes to spare! I didn't have the camera out all day. so I snuck in while the kids were asleep to get my photos for the day. I was busy working on a new logo for the business ready to launch some marketing materials during February. Keep an eye on the blog for upcoming special promotions including portrait parties and fundraising opportunities for playgroups.

20/31 - Dinner Time

2009-01-20T14:25:00.002+11:00

Dinner time is always a little crazy at our house, but tonight the craziness went up a notch when I climbed up onto the table to take a photo of the kids eating their dinner. Yes Mum has lost her mind!! The things we do for a photo a day challenge in an atttempt to keep it interesting!!

Later, at bathtime, Max was contemplating his navel.

While Molly was trying to see the focus light coming on in camera

19/31 - Just Sublime

2009-01-19T14:15:00.000+11:00

Today the kids and I went to Sublime Point to catch up with some EB/Flickr friends. We had a great morning and among other things we went on a mini bushwalk through beautiful lush greenery. The kids loved it. It was such a great adventure for them. Here are a few shots from the day.

Going on a bear hunt perhaps?

I think Molly was a little intimidated by the paparazzi - three photographers at once!

Molly has very protective instincts when it comes to her little brother. She took his hand without anyone asking her to. Max doesn't mind at all. He would follow her to the ends of the Earth!

18/31 - The Beach

2009-01-18T14:11:00.000+11:00

We took advantage of the beautiful weather this afternoon and made the most of Dave's only day off this week and hit the beach. We had fish and chips for dinner and the kids had a play on the sand and a swim. I wish every day could end that way.