Motherhood storybook session: Shelley and Lola

A lifestyle portrait of a mother and daughter hugging on the rocks at a beach in Sydney on a cloudy day. The drama of the sky contrasts to the softness of the moment of motherhood. 

As mums, we are great storytellers. We remember everything from birth weights, to first words, to funny stories. We are often the official family photographer, and many of us fall in love with photography at the same time. It becomes our creative outlet. We enjoy being behind the camera and capturing the moments that fuel our soul. Recently, I asked Shelley to swap sides and get in front of the camera. She is a photographer whose creativity I admire, but more importantly, she is a Mum who loves, adores, and respects her children. Motherhood is a beautiful mess, and we should celebrate how imperfectly perfect it is. That is why I created these motherhood storybook sessions, to celebrate motherhood and what it looks like for you. Every story is different. 

Shelley and Lola love to explore on the beach, and we organised this session on a cloudy day. Many of us enjoy a sunny day at the beach, but both Shelley and I love cloudy beach days. Thankfully, the weather played along, and we met on a grey overcast day at Sandon Point, Bulli. The ocean was rough and tumble, so we walked around to the old boat sheds and played in a rock cove. I didn't ask Shelley and Lola to pose. Instead, I asked them to play. I love real and authentic portraits with the wind in their hair, giggles from tickles, sandy toes, and wet skirts from jumping waves. 

A bold and colourful portrait of a mother looking at her daughter. The focus is soft and adds to drama of the photo. Her red hair is the highlight as it frames her face while she sits at the boat shed on the beach in Sydney. 

While Shelley and Lola played, I saw the real story evolve, the love story between a mother and daughter. I saw the hands touching one another. I saw them reaching out to one another. I saw them connecting in a way that unique to each of us. I saw the calm moments in the chaos. Motherhood is a new kind of love, and it is this emotion that I long to capture. I hope that is what you see when you dive into this series. A mother who loves her daughter.  

One last thing, if you are inspired to be in the picture and celebrate your motherhood story, I would love to colloborate with you. Send me an email and let's connect

To read Shelley's kind words about her session and portraits

Cindy Cavanagh1 Comment