Centennial Park

When you find yourself on the side of the majority

by Israel · Sep 17, 2014

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” – Mark Twain

It sounds trite – as some of Mr Twain’s quotes can – but the deeper message here, for me at least, is to reflect when you find yourself marching to the same drum as everyone else.

Not that it’s a bad thing to march to the same drum. Great music, for example, touches many people.

I think it’s more about intention. When you are being intentional, and still find yourself on the same path, then great. But if you are simply getting carried with the tide, maybe time to pause and reflect.

Have a great day!

With love,
Israel. xo

Family Portraits: Centennial Park with crazy kids

by Israel · Aug 26, 2014

A few years back we first met Nita and Damien’s family, and shot some great family portraits at Coogee Beach with their son when he was about a year old. I recently had the chance to catch up with them at Centennial Park for some updated family portraits with their one-year-old daughter!

I could honestly say this was one of my most fun shoots in ages. Nita and Damien have such a fantastic bent sense of humour, that we all get along brilliantly. I actually had to stop talking so much and remember to take some pictures!

We started at the duck pond on a morning where the sun had just poked out after a day or two of rain. The kids were really excited about feeding the ducks, and I simply adore the expression of wonder and love on Nita’s face as she helped them out:

What was really beautiful about this shoot was the energy of the kids, and the fact that Nita was happy to encourage their zany behaviour!

It’s easy – and common – for many parents to start asking kids to settle down, subduing the kids excitable personalities because they fear it will ruin the portraits. It’s quite counter-intuitive, but sometimes encouraging the kids to have fun and play results in better, more real family portraits.

This is only a small selection – Nita and Damien chose something like 18 or 20 portraits, and in a trend that seems to be occurring more and more, they opted for a larger number of smaller prints. To them, it was more important to have the best story of their kids across a wide range of portraits, instead of a narrow selection of images printed larger for wall display.

Either way, I loved this shoot, and am really proud of the finished images. I hope you enjoyed them too!

Remember, there’s only a short amount of time left to book in a family portrait session with me before we leave Sydney. Call Dorothy or myself on (02) 9665 0800 or email us on info@israelsmith.com.

Connect.

by Israel · Aug 23, 2014

“Connect.”

Occasionally we get opportunities to connect with others. Fortunately for me, in my work and in my personal life, I get these opportunities almost daily. And since connecting with other people gives me energy and vitalises me, I do my best to make it a regular habit.

Sometimes, I want to withdraw. Sometimes we all do. This is normal. But connecting can give us so much. I noticed this yesterday through two events which were almost next to each other.

I chose not to go to Fluro Friday at Bondi yesterday morning, even though I had everything laid out and ready from the night before. I chose to sleep in, be lazy, hang with my kids. I chose not to connect, not to move out of my comfort zone.

I also chose to connect with a new friend yesterday, which was immediately after the Fluro Friday event. It was a risk, as these things often can be, but a worthwhile and rewarding one.

Late last night, I regretted missing Fluro Friday, as I realised how much fun everyone had, and how special it would have felt to be part of their Robin Williams tribute event. I also felt uplifted at having taken the risk to meet with a new friend – a sharp contrast to the regret I felt for having withdrawn.

Occasionally I withdraw because it’s essential for my headspace. I know that if I push any further, I’ll fall apart. But yesterday I withdrew out of fear and laziness, and I have to accept the consequences of that choice.

So ironic that these choices and their consequences were right alongside each other. It’s almost like the Universe wanted me to have this lesson reinforced.

Have a wonderful day, and do your best to CONNECT with others at every opportunity. We’re all in this together.

With love,
Israel. xo

Meditate

by Israel · Aug 20, 2014

“Meditate.”

I’ve written about meditation before, here, here and here.

What’s interesting about meditation, is that I know the value it can bring, yet I struggle to make it a regular part of my daily routine – like yoga, actually.

While on holiday in Cairns (Far North Queensland in Australia, near the Great Barrier Reef), Bel and I went into a spirituality/herbs shop near the night markets. We’d both been a bit stressed/strung-out about the extended family holiday, and were given a child-free night to go space out. In this shop, Bel showed me a bowl of “Oracle Cards” on the counter at the register which said “take one”. So I pulled one out.

It said “Meditate”.

I almost died laughing at the synchronicity of it.

I also realised that the Universe was sending me a strong message to finally take my own advice and start meditating regularly. I started last night, by just sitting still and listening to everything I could hear around me.

I also signed up for the newsletter at Happy Momentum, a wonderful website by yogi Caren Baginski, who has become an online friend, and has a story of how yoga literally saved her life from depression and suicide. Caren’s newsletter signup comes with a bonus guided meditation download, and also comes with a weekly dose of insight and wisdom about life, and how our yoga practice can mirror and reflect what we need in our life.

I highly recommend you signup and get the guided mediation, along with getting Caren’s wisdom every week.

I hope you have a beautiful day, and find 10 minutes to sit still, breathe calmly, and just listen. It will change your day, I promise.

With love,
Israel. xo

Help

by Israel · Jul 27, 2014

“Help.”

– a friend.
– your family.
– an old lady cross the street.
– your partner.
– the poor.
– those in need.
– a work colleague.
– your children.
– a stranger.
– I need somebody. (Thanks guys.)
– your country.
– the community.
– yourself.

It doesn’t matter what comes after the hyphen. Helping will always add enormous value and satisfaction to your life.

With love,
Israel. xo

It takes courage to grow up

by Israel · Jul 2, 2014

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” – E. E. Cummings

I wholeheartedly agree. There are few things scarier than confronting who you really are.

In extremis, the mask slipped from the face…

In Year 10 English, I studied a brilliant play called “The Real Thing” by Tom Stoppard. It is largely a discussion around love, fidelity, and the nature of relationships. That line comes from it. The full monologue is pretty heavy, but that phrase – “In extremis, the mask slipped from the face.” has always stuck with me.

I was reminded of it as I thought about the courage needed to be truly ourselves. It is, in essence, opening ourselves up with all our flaws, all our vulnerabilities, all our doubts and all our aspirations, for the world to see. Obviously there is a bit of wiggle-room as to how far we open up, but I feel that truly, truly being who we are takes a courage not unlike sharing ourselves – love handles and all – with someone physically.

The passage in that play is all about physical intimacy, but I believe courage to become who we really are is almost like a mental, emotional intimacy. And what’s more, it starts with ourselves, before we share it with the world.

———–

Sometimes I simply post one of these IQs with not much additional banter. Sometimes one of them will strike me differently, and almost force me to write more. It doesn’t mean they are worth any less if I don’t write much – just so you know.

———–

The full monologue from “The Real Thing” is here. It is spoken by Henry, the lead male character. It is one of my favourite parts of the play, and is beautiful in its depth, despite the angst. Actually, the angst suits Henry perfectly, and suited me perfectly at the time in my life when I fell in love with this play.

It’s to do with knowing and being known. I remember how it stopped seeming odd that in biblical Greek knowing was used for making love. Whosit knew so-and-so. Carnal knowledge. It’s what lovers trust each other with. Knowledge of each other, not of the flesh but through the flesh, knowledge of self, the real him, the real her, in extremis, the mask slipped from the face.

Every other version of oneself is on offer to the public. We share our vivacity, grief, sulks, anger, joy … we hand it out to anybody who happens to be standing around, to friends and family with a momentary sense of indecency perhaps, to strangers without hesitation. Our lovers share us with the passing trade.

But in pairs we insist that we give ourselves to each other. What selves? What’s left? What else is there that hasn’t been dealt out like a pack of cards? Carnal knowledge. Personal, final, uncompromised. Knowing, being known. I revere that.

Having that is being rich, you can be generous about what’s shared – she walks, she talks, she laughs, she lends a sympathetic ear, she kicks off her shoes and dances on the tables, she’s everybody’s and it don’t mean a thing, let them eat cake; knowledge is something else, the undealt card, and while it’s held it makes you free-and-easy and nice to know, and when it’s gone everything is pain.

———–

Have a beautiful day, and please be courageous. Growing up is totally optional, but becoming who you really are is, in my opinion, mandatory.

With love,
Israel. xo

That best portion of a good man’s life

by Israel · Jun 29, 2014

“That best portion of a good man’s life;
His little, nameless, unremembered acts
Of kindness and love.”
– William Wordsworth

I think this quote says it all, really.

With love,
Israel. xo

Family Portraits: Sporty Kids at Centennial Park

by Israel · Jun 26, 2014

Liz wanted her family portraits to be taken in Centennial Park. I met her for the first time when I turned up to meet her at the start of the shoot, which is what usually happens. We often speak once or twice with each family before the shoot, but the first in-person meeting is at the shoot.

Liz’s kids each brought their own favourite sporting gear – a cricket bat, and a soccer ball – which is pretty unusual for my family portraits, although cool when it happens, one of them even dressed up completely with soccer cleats and equipment from http://ohpsoccer.com/. More unusual, however, was the fact that Liz’s hubby had just gotten off a plane from a kite-surfing competition in Melbourne! Fortunately, although he was tired, he was in great spirits, and the kids had plenty of energy for their family portraits.

We started the shoot with plenty of nonsense, laughs, and a group family portrait (shown above). As sometimes happens, this one captured the most raw, genuine side of the family, and had all the elements right for Liz and her family. I tend to shoot a large variety of family portraits – sometimes four or five setups – to ensure I get plenty of great expressions and diverse “looks” for my families to choose from.

After all, the family story is the hardest one to capture well, and usually the first request I receive from a client looking to have family portraits.

Despite their ability to fight tooth and nail, the kids were actually pretty well behaved at the shoot. The individual portraits capture something beautiful about each of them – and although the shot of both kids together made Liz laugh, “That’s so rare for them to hug like that!”, she wanted to have that memory of the kids to hold onto.

I’ve said it many times before, but the family unit begins with a couple meeting and falling in love. Some parents find it a bit corny, but I truly believe that the couple is an important story to capture when shooting family portraits, so I make a strong point of shooting Mum and Dad WITHOUT the kids. As you can see below.

Finally, I used the props – the cricket bat and soccer ball – as the light was fading, to get some really striking individual portraits of the kids. There’s something powerful and timeless about the family portraits I captured for Liz, and she was really really happy with them.

Do you have sporty kids? Are you keen to tell their stories of youthful energy and vigour with some stunning family portraits?

Drop me a line through the contact form here or call myself or Dorothy on 02 9665 0800 to make a booking for YOUR family. I can’t wait to meet you, and help you capture some energetic, loving, connected family portraits for you to hang with pride in your home.

Updated Family Portraits at Centennial Park

by Israel · May 26, 2014

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I met with Michelle and her family for some family portraits at Coogee Beach. Her kids were going into Kindergarten and Year 4 at school, and the shoot was great fun. Michelle and I kept in touch on and off over the years, even training at the same gym in Randwick for a while.

While unfortunately Michelle’s first marriage didn’t work out, fast forward a few years, and she is now uttery blissed out and happy again with a charming man, creating a new chapter in her family’s story with him on board. The kids are now in Year 7 and Year 11 respectively, and I nearly fell over when I met with them at Centennial Park for these updated portraits.

My favourite thing about photographing families again after many years, is seeing how everyone has changed, and simply chatting, laughing and catching up with them. I build such a strong rapport with most of my clients, that even 7 years later, we’re still good friends and can chew the fat like it was yesterday. Of course, the risk with shoots like these, is that we end up chatting non-stop, so I need to constantly remind myself that I have a job to do in creating some actual family portraits for these beautiful people!

I love seeing the special bond Michelle shares with her kids – it’s clearly evident in these images:

And, to their credit, the kids are still (mostly) the best of friends. At least we have some photographic evidence of the “nice” moments for Michelle to reflect on, when the kids are arguing…! ;)

I tell you, it really gobsmacked me to know these kids as young primary/infants-school-aged kids, and then seeing them all grown up, looking every bit the maturing teenagers they are.

Something else I love about families is the embarrassment that parents can so easily dish out to the kids. This was one of Michelle’s favourite images from the shoot.

And, to finish, a happier-than-normal ending. Michelle has just gotten engaged to her new man! Hooray and Congratulations!

Michelle had some absolutely beautiful words to say to me about her portrait experience:

These latest portraits mean so much to me. They symbolise a new beginning as well as capturing the fun and love l experience every day with my children. I love the colours and the way you were able to capture the happiness, beauty and love we all possess. I want to thank you for making me look nice and natural in the shots. I was so surprised that I actually loved all the photos that I was in and didn’t have the desire to delete them straight away like I usually do with photos of me. You have such an amazing talent.

Thanks so much Michelle!

A thousand words

by Israel · May 16, 2014

“A thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as one deed.” – Henrik Ibsen

I love this shot. It reminds me of Renoir. (I think it’s the water lilies…)

Impressionism … impressions … and hence today’s quote by Henrik Ibsen. Coincidentally / serendipitously, this quote also beautifully plays on the notion that a picture paints a thousand words.

What one deed? What one deed, indeed?

With love,
Israel. xo