We spent the Easter long weekend in Lennox Head with family, kicking things off with a sunrise at Pat Morton Lookout and some of my favourite photos of the year so far. Between coastal hikes, black-and-white family moments, and a 13km walk to Ballina, the weekend was equal parts creative and restorative. We wrapped it up with one last beach sunrise, a farewell photo of my grandmother, and a scenic drive home via the Gwydir Highway.

I was invited to help Amy from Temptations Boudoirs at the New England Wedding Expo, my first time attending the event. While I brought my camera along, my biggest takeaway was just how great the venue at the Armidale Showgrounds is. It sparked a heap of ideas for future shoots that I’m keen to explore.

I try to get out at least once a month for a slow, sunny walk around town, usually to photograph trolleys and whatever else grabs my attention. This time, I set myself the added challenge of composing shots to be cropped into a 2.7:1 XPan aspect ratio. It’s incredible how much impact a heavy crop can give an otherwise ordinary image, and I’m keen to explore it further.

Armidale’s annual Autumn Festival returned with perfect weather after last year’s rainout, and I managed to grab some sneaky black-and-white street shots before the parade and Freedom Flyover. Shooting planes proved more challenging than expected, even with a 300mm lens, but it was a fun challenge nonetheless. The streets were packed for the parade, with plenty of colourful, creative floats bringing the town to life.

8 spectacular performances by Armidale’s Stars and their incredibly talented dance partners.

I kicked off the month with one of my favourite projects of the year: a test shoot with the incredibly talented Lisa Goldzieher. While I can’t share much yet, it has the potential to grow into a much larger art project. Despite some initial nerves, the perfect afternoon light and flowing water at Yarrowyck Crossing Reserve made it all come together beautifully.

Come along for an evening of expert talks and community connection, where you’ll learn about the challenges facing koalas — from habitat loss to climate change — and what we can all do to help protect them.

A warm sunny morning spent in the garden.

A promotional image shoot for Moved Armidale across two very, VERY different locations.

When asked one afternoon if I was available to photograph a fashion shoot for a local retailer, I couldn’t say no. What an opportunity to try something new and push myself out of my comfort zone!