Leanne Stamatellos Photography

anthony + barbara + peter + daniel + timothy

2012-01-26T17:45:00.014+10:00

When Barbara asked me if I'd take some photos of her family this year, it really meant alot to me.

You see, I've known Anthony since I was a young kid.

We used to go camping during school holidays as kids and we've got so many stories about tobogganing down sand dunes, horseflies, campfire birthday cakes and so much more - seriously some great memories.

So when I met Barbara and saw how fabulous she was, I knew that had to meet.

The rest they say is history!

I'm also Godmother to their second son, Daniel.

And my boys simply love hanging out with theirs.

On top of all that, Anthony's father is an incredibly skilled photographer.

He spent endless time with me when I wanted to print my photos to create my own Wedding Album

- and that was in the days of film in his very own darkroom.

He's always been so encouraging and giving with his advice.

Anyway, it was a pleasure for me to take these photos.

Enjoy!

Welcome 2012 !

2012-01-23T22:11:00.059+10:00

Today I slowly started to get back into the swing of things after enjoying a fabulous break with my boys and husband over the summer holidays.

I spent some time looking at last year's shoots and wanted to share with you some of my favourite images.

Grab a drink and get comfy !

I can tell that 2012 is going to be a great year!

I'm keen to get to know some new families along with catching up with some gorgeous families who I've known for quite a while.

There are also some stylish weddings on the horizon and of course some incredibly cool parties to photograph.

All in all, I can't wait!

Christelle's Christening Day

2011-12-20T21:51:00.014+10:00

It was a beautiful day for a Christening.

Melissa and Chris had asked me to photograph their daughter, Christelle's, special day and I was honoured too.

I love Greek Christenings and the traditional ceremony that the Priest performs.

It's a pleasure to capture all the little details too that make the day so memorable.

Here are a few of my favourite photos from Christelle's Christening Day.

She is such a little doll!

Wishing you and your Families ....

2011-12-20T21:06:00.004+10:00

With just 5 sleeps to go until Christmas Day,

I want to wish everyone a beautiful Christmas

filled with love, laughter and happiness!

May the New Year bring you all that and so much more.

Take care and Best Wishes,

Leanne

lily's 1st birthday

2011-12-14T21:34:00.014+10:00

I love photographing beautiful parties ... let's face it, who wouldn't?!

I was in heaven when I arrived at Rachel and Chris's home to find the most delightful party styled down to the last detail for Lily,

their daughter's 1st Birthday party!

Rachel had done a fabulous job carefully selecting the prettiest vintage papers and props to create a High Tea Party that was simply perfect!

Delicious sweets filled the dessert bar and the cake was too good to cut ... until of course they did and it was even prettier inside!

The cake was made by Rachel - isn't it delightful!

And did you notice that Lily's necklace was a mini replica of the the little wooden cake topper - oh yes!

And that mini bunting on the cake ... yes Rachel made that too!

She did it all - fabulous hey!

The children all had a ball playing on the jumping castle, in the dress up area, at the photo booth and even decorating their own crown.

Enjoy this small selection of some of my favourite photos from the day.

I especially love the beautiful dress that Lily wore along with the most devine hand made shoes I've ever seen.

ablo + susie + jamila + saleem + gary + ann + ben

2011-12-04T21:10:00.016+10:00

I know I shouldn't have favourites , but this family had me at 'hello!'

Not only did they look effortlessly stylish and co-ordinated but they were great to hang out with.

Susie contacted me a little while ago about her session and asked if she could bring along her parents, Ann and Gary, and her brother, Ben, as well.

What a fabulous family!

We managed to stroll around the gardens, dodge frilly necked lizards, chat, take some 'cool boys-only shots', then some 'fabulous family shots' and all-in-all have a lovely afternoon together.

I have to say that Jamila and Saleem are two of the loveliest kids I've ever had the pleasure to photograph - so incredibly well mannered and kind to each other and their family. Of course, they are super gorgeous too with the most stunning smiles - to be expected of course with parents like Ablo and Susie.

Anyway, please enjoy this collection of some of my favourite photos.

2 beautiful families

2011-11-11T20:43:00.015+10:00

I've known these 2 families for quite a while,

so when they asked me to photograph them with their beautiful children I was so excited.

It was a fabulous afternoon as we wandered around this pretty location finding new and interesting places to photograph.

And how amazing do they all look?

Beautiful styling thanks to Maritsa and Helen - thanks girls!

Enjoy your sneak peek and I have so many more images to show you soon!

annette + charlotte

2011-11-08T21:20:00.011+10:00

Remember Charlotte?

A year ago I had the pleasure of photographing her as an almost 1 year old.

She was adorable.

Well, a year later and she's still absolutely delightful.

This session was particularly special since Annette and Charlotte have had a tough year.

Their home and pretty much all of their possessions were destroyed and lost in the January floods - it's been a rough year for them.

One of Annette's close friends contacted me to tell me of the news.

This gifted session was the least I could offer to help Annette and Charlotte rebuild some very happy memories of the two of them together.

Enjoy this little sneak peek, Annette - the disc of images should arrive to you this week.

I hope you know what an amazing person you are!

maddison's semi formal

2011-11-03T22:02:00.012+10:00

What a beautiful occasion this was.

I was so happy to be asked to photograph Maddison before she went to her Semi-Formal this year.

Along with 10 of her friends and their families and partners, they had the loveliest pre-party at their waterfront home

then they head off to Gianni's at Portside to celebrate.

I absolutely loved photographing Maddison.

She's incredibly beautiful and has the most flawless skin I have ever seen.

Her makeup was applied by the talented Rebecca Watson - rebecca.watson93@hotmail.com

Enjoy a very small handful of photos from this glamorous afternoon,

including images of some of Madison's friends - be sure to check out all of the incredible shoes!

william's wild west showdown party - The Album!

2011-10-28T21:06:00.006+10:00

Albums are definitely up there as one of my favourite products.

I love that you can enjoy so many images and see a story unfold as you turn the pages.

I love that you can have it sit on your coffee table to be enjoyed by friends and family.

And I love that the pages are so thick and sturdy and even the clumsiest little hands won't damage it.

This is William's Wild West Showdown Party Album.

You may recall his party that I photographed not that long ago - it was incredible.

Well I was so excited when the album arrived that I managed to take a few photos to share before it was sent off - enjoy!

I just had to share!

2011-10-27T22:04:00.003+10:00

I just had to share this photo of this striking black frame - isn't it just perfect for the photo!

You may remember Sandra, who modelled beautifully for the first Photography workshop I held back in August this year.

She chose this photo to have printed - which is definitely a favourite of mine and hers.

It was made even more special when she found this photo frame.

I loved that she was so excited to show it to me - I just had to share!

charlotte + isabelle

2011-10-24T20:18:00.010+10:00

These two stunning sisters came along to the Workshop I held for Beginner Photographers and were simply fantastic models for us all.

Happily, they did anything we asked and believe me that's no easy task when you have a half dozen photographers clicking away with their cameras.

Thank you Charlotte and Isabelle for making the day so lovely and a

special thank you to their beautiful Mum, Kerri, who kindly jumped into the photos for us at the last minute

... yes, that's right ... unprepared and she looked that gorgeous!

Enjoy the photos!

darren + daneve + tahlin

2011-10-22T20:51:00.010+10:00

Imagine my delight when this family of three arrived at my Photography Workshop looking this amazing.

Not only was I excited, but those who attended the class were just as eager as I was to start taking photos of them.

To make things even better, our handsome 3 year old model, Tahlin, was in perfect form.

He was incredible from start to finish and was happy to pose endlessly for us.

Thank you so much Daneve and Darren for making our day so lovely and for bringing Tahlin with you - he was an absolute delight.

Oh and some of you may know Daneve from her fantastic online business called Ah-Tissue - selling the best tissue pompoms you'll ever see.

If you haven't already checked it out, you must!

I hope you enjoy the images.

I had to share this photo of everyone in action - thanks for making this such a great workshop!

For those interested in future Workshops, please send me an email and I'll be sure to contact you when 2012 class dates become available - leanne@leannestamatellos.com.au

john + despina + amelia + ella - xmas mini session

2011-10-17T21:13:00.010+10:00

It was a gorgeous morning for a family xmas mini session but it was made even lovelier that I got to catch up with this family once again.

Some of you may remember Ella at her Christening that I photographed early in the year - take a look here.

Well she's grown heaps and so has her adorable sister, Amelia.

On top of that, John and Despina are expecting baby number 3 soon too - it's a really special time in their life right now!

Anyway, here are a handful of images from their session - I hope you enjoy them.

Oh, and I must add ... how festive and beautifully co-ordinated do they look!

I love it when families make such a great effort.

classic, simple and beautiful framing!

2011-10-13T21:25:00.015+10:00

I'm passionate about having your favourite images on show to be loved and enjoyed rather than stored on a computer for the occasional glance.

It's amazing how much joy a single image can bring and what beautiful memories return to us when we look at photographs.

Quite often, I'm asked what type of frame looks best for a certain photo or a certain style of home.

I'm a fan of classic, simple and beautiful framing,

and while many of my clients choose to have their most special images custom framed,

there is a real need for affordable and beautiful ready made frames.

So, I'm thrilled to be introducing 2 frames to my range of products.

They are beautifully made and will compliment any photo whether it be colour or black and white and will look great in any home.

The best part is, they are affordable and a great way to show off your favourite images in your home or as a gift to someone special.

Introducing ....

ZAVIER - deep sided timber frame with clear glass insert

- 2 sizes available

- white or coffee coloured timber

$45 - to fit a 5x7 inch photograph

$60 - to fit an 8x10 inch photograph

LUKE - timber frame with a generous white matting around the image

- white coloured timber

$45 - to fit a 5x7 inch photograph

Enjoy these images of the beautiful ZAVIER and LUKE frames.

Left to right - ZAVIER 8x10 white, ZAVIER 5x7 coffee, ZAVIER 5x7 white

LUKE frame - 5x7 white

A little something to say thank you ...

for giving me the opportunity

to photograph and meet so many incredible families and couples this year.

I really hope you love these frames as much as I do.

They are available for immediate delivery* or pickup but I do have limited supplies,

so if you're thinking of Xmas gifts then email me as soon as you can.

leanne@leannestamatellos.com.au

* cost of delivery is additional

And just because I love beautiful interiors,

here are a few more photos!

Thank you to my fabulous neighbours who kindly let me use their homes to showcase these frames.

matt + cassie + charlie + holly - xmas mini session

2011-10-11T22:17:00.007+10:00

Last time I photographed this family, Charlie was just a baby, so it was great to catch up and see him again as a big 3 year old!

It was even lovelier to see the family's newest addition ... the adorable miss Holly!

Charlie had me pulling out all the tricks with peek-a-boo and chasey and lots of other games.

He's a gorgeous little boy and I couldn't get enough of his playful nature.

Matt and Cassie, I hope you like this small sneak peak of images from your family session.

mark + simone + william - part 2

2011-10-09T21:23:00.007+10:00

This is the 3rd time that I've photographed this gorgeous family

and I love seeing how much William is growing from a little baby to a handsome young boy!

He certainly had me on my toes but I'm pleased that I have some very special photos to share from this session. There are so many more but since this is just a sneak peek, I'll keep the other images as a surprise!

It was so lovely to see you guys again !

jason + michelle + zac + ella - part 2

2011-10-08T21:39:00.006+10:00

I love it when families ask me to photograph them again - this was the second time for these guys and we really had a lot of fun.

They booked in for a 30 minute xmas mini session to get some crazy 'photo booth' style pics for their xmas cards this year but before we started we managed to grab a handful of lovely family shots.

Those of you who are on their xmas card list are in for a treat - you're going to want to keep this year's xmas card.

I won't be spoiling any surprises by sharing those images but I have chosen a few of my favourites from their family shoot instead.

I love how much Zac and Ella really care for each other.

mark + simone + william - xmas mini session

2011-10-05T22:42:00.003+10:00

I had a very quick peak through the images from this family's session and this photo really made me smile.

William is one adorable little 3 year old and I just loved his playful nature.

I promise to have more from this session over the next week or so but had to share this favourite today!

stunning!

2011-10-04T22:36:00.003+10:00

There really isn't much I can say about this girl ..... except stunning!

I promise to have so many more images in the next week or so but this one caught my eye tonight as I was sorting through and choosing my favourites from this session.

jason + michelle + zac + ella - xmas mini session

2011-10-03T21:22:00.006+10:00

I've photographed this family before,
so when they said they wanted to be part of the Xmas Mini Sessions 'photo booth style', I knew it would be a heap of fun.

I had a good old laugh with all the props and funny faces they were pulling.

This was the last pic of the session and I love it.

richard + claire + hamish - xmas mini session

2011-10-01T21:24:00.005+10:00

Today marked the first day of the Xmas Mini Shoots and I met the coolest family who wanted to go all out with a 'photo booth' style shoot this year.

I knew Richard and Claire would be great fun when they turned up with their very own 'singing rudolf' for the shoot. Of course, baby Hamish got into the action as well, happily wearing the occasional moustache for a photo.

Thanks for a fun morning and I can't wait to see which images you choose for your Xmas Tags this year!

Little One Kids Magazine - In the Media

2011-09-27T16:16:00.007+10:00

It's always exciting to see my images in print and it was no exception when Amy Doak, the Editor of Little One Magazine, asked to feature some of my favourite shots from Olivia's Mary Poppins Party. Some of you may recall the party - it was magical to say the least. Styling was done by the super talented, Sharnel Dollar.

This is the first time that Little One Magazine have produced an issue for older kids and not just babies and it's absolutely a delight to look through. So many pages filled with beautiful images of families, parties, bedrooms and children's spaces. There are gorgeous fashions and even DIY projects.

It really made me so happy to see my photos included in such a high quality magazine.

So if you spot it in the news agency, go take a look - you won't be disappointed.

Thanks to Sharnel Dollar for these images of the magazine !

Queensberry Press Printed Albums

2011-09-13T21:17:00.010+10:00

When you think of beautifully hand-made and crafted albums, many photographers think of Queensberry.

The workmanship is second to none and their exquisite range of products are truly beautiful.

When Jan asked me to create an album to remember her 50th Birthday celebrations,

I mentioned that Queensberry had recently launched and added Press Printed Albums to their collection.

These albums are a wonderful addition to the Queensberry range.

What I love is that they are not only gorgeous but the pages are wonderfully thick and sturdy with the photographic print actually mounted onto solid base pages.

Tangerine leather with custom embossing covers this adorable 10x7 inch album.

Take a look and see what all the fuss is about!

chris + terry-anne + jarrod + aaron + jacinta

2011-08-30T21:46:00.010+10:00

Meet the Fisher Family!

I had the pleasure of hanging out with them for a couple of hours and getting to know them.

In between swapping jokes, telling stories and playing a few tricks on their Mum and Dad,

I managed to get some of my favourite photos from a session.

I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

The picture on the left below has to be my all time favourite family photo - not sure I could have planned that if I had tried - haha!

Thank you Chris and Terry for asking me to take some photos of your beautiful family.

Most of all I will remember how kind and loving Jarrod, Aaron and Jacinta are, not only to each other but to me.

I felt like I'd known you all forever - thank you!

Photography Workshop for Beginners - Brisbane

2011-08-29T09:28:00.007+10:00

I woke to hear the rain on my tin roof but I made the decision that a little rain wasn't going to stop the Workshop that I had planned. I had cancelled the previous weekend's workshop due to rain and then of course it cleared up not long after.

Of course, it rained ... and rained ... and rained.

We all had a great time working inside for the first half of the day.

I explained what the features on our cameras meant and how to use them to get the type of photos we wanted.

After lunch, we ventured outside with our gorgeous 'Mother and son' models, Sandra and Josh.

Yes, that's right - Sandra is Josh's stunning mother.

And Josh was the stylist behind their outfits, choosing what he wanted them both to wear.

Seriously, how great do they look !

They were fantastic and braved not only the rain at times but also our mini paparazzi group who kept snapping away at them.

Here are a few images that I took from our day!

It was so wonderful to share what I know about photography with such a great group of people.

I'm loving the images that they've been sharing with me - keep them coming!

The second workshop has been booked for Saturday 8th October, 2011.

If you'd like some information, please contact me - I have limited positions available.

leanne@leannestamatellos.com.au

olivia's 7th birthday party

2011-08-26T14:16:00.029+10:00

I'm not really sure where to begin with this post,

except to say that you are always in for a treat when Sharnel Dollar styles and hosts a party.

And this party was exceptional - beautiful in every way and an absolute pleasure for me to photograph.

Mary Poppins was the theme for Olivia's 7th birthday party.

She was pretty as a picture and so was William her younger brother.

Their outfits were perfect!

Enjoy a handful of my favourite images featuring the most beautiful details ever.

Styling - Sharnel Dollar Designs

Cake - Sharnel Dollar

Invitations and Printables - Loralee Lewis

Catering - In a Pickle

Penquin making - Ted E. Boutique - 0415 049 499

Macarons - Authentic French Macarons

Flowers & Chair Hire - W.Edding & Co.

a lovely family session

2011-08-25T10:36:00.003+10:00

I met a lovely family on the weekend, and got to spend a bit of time walking around, taking some photos and getting to know each of them. Here is just one photo from their session - but I promise there will be a big share of my favourite images soon.

jan + family + friends

2011-08-22T21:23:00.010+10:00

I met Jan a couple of years ago at a celebration that I was photographing for another client.

Jan was in the kitchen cooking up a storm and provided beautiful food for the guests.

Jan owns and runs Jan's Fine Food & Catering - you must check her out!

I still remember how warm and genuine she was.

Not long after, she booked me for her 50th birthday celebration - not due for almost another 2 years.

Jan's been so excited about celebrating her 50th birthday party with her family and closest friends and the evening crept up before we knew it.

What I love about Jan is that she's kind and giving and real.

What was just as lovely was that Jan's son, Russell, organised and hosted the entire birthday party! When we chatted, it was so nice to hear him speak about her with such love and admiration.

Anyway, this party was a blast and like no other I had photographed before.

It was held on board the most fantastic timber cruiser that departed from Southbank and then took us on a beautiful scenic tour of the Brisbane River by night.

The crew at River City Cruises were so terrific and accommodating!

The guests were wild!

... and I mean that in the most wonderful way.

They made me feel right at home and to be honest, I felt like part of the family.

Thank you Jan and Russell and all of your friends ...

I hope you enjoy these images and I hope you had the most memorable birthday party ever!

How cute are these minis?

2011-08-14T21:43:00.004+10:00

I recently ordered some Mini Moo cards ... just for fun.

I already have really lovely business cards but there's something so irresistible about cute little cards, don't you think?

The fun part was that I could have my logo on one side of the card and on the other side, I could have any photo I wanted.

So I chose a heap of favourite images and now I have 100 of the cutest mini business cards with an assortment of images on them.

I'm so excited to share these with you, so if you'd like me to send you some in the mail, feel free to email me your name and address - leanne@leannestamatellos.com.au - you'll love them I'm sure!

For now!

2011-08-12T22:21:00.004+10:00

I recently photographed the most fantastic Mary Poppins themed birthday party.

Olivia celebrated her 7th birthday.

She is the daughter of Sharnel Dollar, the fabulous party stylist from Sharnel Dollar Designs.

To say this party was 'supercalafragislisticexpieladocious' is an understatement.

I promise there will be more photos to follow .... but for now, this is my favourite.

50 and fabulous!

2011-07-31T08:44:00.003+10:00

Jan celebrated her 50th with friends last night on a fantastic private boat cruise down the Brisbane River. I just wanted to share a quick sneak peek to show her how wonderful she looked even though she had butterflies in her tummy!

Looking forward to sharing more with you and your friends soon Jan!

Photographic Workshops - 2011

2011-07-26T19:26:00.005+10:00

For a while now, I have been receiving emails about holding a Photographic Workshop.

I'm so pleased that I have set 2 dates next month, in August, to hold

Beginner Workshops for Digital SLR users.

There are 2 dates available - either Sunday 21st August or Saturday 27th August.

The workshop will go from 10.30am until 4.30pm.

Class sizes are limited to 8.

The morning will cover the theory behind using settings on your camera other than AUTO as well as understanding ISO, shutter speed and aperture,

while the afternoon we'll have time to photograph children and families and practice what we learnt earlier in the day.

Its' going to be very hands on ... and heaps of fun!

Email me if you would like some more information - leanne@leannestamatellos@hotmail.com

And because I can't do a post without a photo,

I have to share my one of my favourite images from this year!

xmas mini sessions

2011-07-22T21:05:00.012+10:00

The most magical time of the year is slowly sneaking up on us.

Before too long, we're going to blink and we'll be decorating our Christmas trees.

I love Christmas!

I love hearing my children talk about Santa ...

I love the big family get togethers ...

I love our beautiful Christmas tree ...

and I love receiving real xmas cards the old fashioned way, in the mail, from family and friends.

To celebrate this wonderful time of the year, I'm offering my xmas mini sessions.

There will be limited sessions so if you're keen to update your family photos,

then email me at leanne@leannestamatellos.com.au

add a disc of high resolution images - 175

add a deep edge frame for your print - 60

Last years mini sessions were a huge success and an absolute hit with the families and friends that received them. The photo-booth styled sessions were so much fun that I'll be offering those again with some extra props that you'll be sure to love!

My kids had so much fun with last year's xmas photos that I'm tempted to do it again!

Some of my clients chose to upgrade their mini sessions and opted for a folded card. Some chose the flat postcard style. And quite a few simply wanted a family session 'mini style' rather than the over-the-top photo booth pics.

Whatever's your style, I'd love you to have some beautiful images to enjoy this Christmas.

william's wild west showdown party

2011-07-22T16:50:00.031+10:00

I'm so happy to be sharing some of my favourite photos ever in today's post.

When Sharnel, from Sharnel Dollar Designs, called and asked me to photograph William's (her son) 5th birthday party, I knew it would be a great event. Every occasion that I've ever had the pleasure of photographing that Sharnel has been involved with, has been styled impeccably. She has such fantastic taste and genuinely loves to create a party that you'll never forget!

This was no exception!

Take a look at these gorgeous invitations created by Anna from Invite with Style.

What a way to set the scene for a party!

It was a beautiful and mild winter's day and as each child arrived they were given a cowboy/cowgirl hat to wear and enjoy the surrounds.

There was a saloon set up and stocked with mini glass bottles filled with chocolate milk complete with a mini bandana and old fashioned paper straws!

This candy bar was heaven!

I was wishing I was 5 years old again so I could dig in and eat as much as possible.

Then there was the birthday boy - William!

He is just too cute for words and we really got to have a bit of fun together before the party started!

There was an animal farm set up for the kids to enjoy and pony rides too!

Party games included Sack Races, Sharp Shooter and my favourite, Find the Sherif Badge in the Haystack!

Then I met these 3 adorable brothers and I couldn't resist taking their photo. Not only were they super cute, but the 2 eldest brothers entertained the kids and adults by 'cracking their whips!'

Yes ... these boys were amazing!

So glad I took Olivia, William's older sister, away for some photos of her alone - how beautiful is she?! And then some of both William and Olivia together.

This stunning cake was made by Sharnel.

It was just as lovely inside as it was outside!

And to end the day, the best lolly bags ever!

I hope you've enjoyed the images that I've shared.

It was so much fun and so refreshing to see something as fantastic as this for little boys!

jodie + sidda

2011-07-13T16:48:00.003+10:00

This little series of images makes my heart sing!

Jodie is simply gorgeous

and she just glows when she's with her daughter, Sidda.

How beautiful are they together!

Some of you may know Jodie from W.Edding & Co.

She's an incredible wedding and event stylist - you must check out her work.

ella + lara

2011-07-12T20:55:00.007+10:00

I'm very keen to share some more images from the Birthday Party that I photographed on the weekend for William. At this stage, some of the images are top secret and can't be shown for a little while yet.

But, I was given the go ahead to share a few photos of these gorgeous little sisters - Ella and Lara - who were guests at William's Wild West Showdown!

How cute is Lara riding the pony?

It must be every child's dream to have one in their backyard.

Ella went to kindy with William and the two of them are inseparable.

They tell me that they'll be getting married when they're older - seriously cute!

william

2011-07-10T16:48:00.003+10:00

I've just returned home from photographing one very adorable Cowboy Party.

Since I know that William's mum, the ever amazing party stylist - Sharnel Dollar,

will be excited to see a little sneak peek, I just had to share this shot!

Be sure to check in over the coming days to see a very special party!

Don't hesitate !

2011-07-08T20:53:00.006+10:00

As I was walking to the car with my two boys yesterday, I remembered this favourite photo location that was nearby. I'm so glad that I didn't hesitate and took out my handbag camera and snapped a few shots while we were there.

Nothing is as lovely as capturing real love - don't you agree ?

mark + rachel + blake + jonah + kaden + aria

2011-07-02T08:16:00.030+10:00

I photographed my dear friend, Rachel Richter, last weekend !

Rachel is a talented family photographer.

This was important to me not just because she's a great photographer - but Rachel was the first photographer whose work really caught my eye and inspired me.

Almost 8 years ago, I phoned Rachel to tell her how lovely her photos were. I had seen them often in a craft magazine and simply opened the phone book, found her surname and took a chance and called. She wasn't a professional photographer at the time but by the end of our conversation, I had booked her to photograph our first child's Christening day - I was , in fact, her very first client. The rest they say is history.

Over the years, we have formed a lovely friendship - sharing photos, critiquing each other's work and photographing together at weddings.

Almost 1 year ago, Rachel had a health scare. You can read about it on her new blog here. Since then, with the guidance of her Doctors, she has lost more than 40kgs. She has been an inspiration to so many on her journey to good health.

When she reached a weight loss of 30kgs, I emailed her and said I wanted to celebrate with a photo shoot - of her and her family! I'm so pleased she was as excited as I was to do this.

The photos document the love she has for her family and that they all have for each other.

Rachel, I hope they bring you as much happiness and joy as you have brought to so many others through your photos.

liz's favourites

2011-07-01T20:06:00.016+10:00

Liz and I went to university together.

We found each other again on facebook and that's where I learnt that Liz had changed direction and had studied Human Movements not long after the years we spent together studying Pharmacy.

She has a great story and you'll want to know all about her weight loss and the road she has taken to good health. She inspires so many people with her Personal Training, her lifestyle eating advice and also the exercise classes that she teaches.

Take a look at her blog if you get the chance - Last Chance Training

When Liz mentioned that she might like some photographs of herself, I hesitated initially - thinking of the traditional 'body building' images that I had often seen. But she was excited to try something new and fresh - she wanted images that were fun and happy and showed she was fit and in great shape. I think she looks amazing and so much younger than she is.

We had so much fun!

Lots of posing and laughing in those adorable 50's bikinis

followed by heaps of beautiful Lorna Jayne clothing changes and a workout shoot.

There were so many images that I loved - these are Liz's favourites!

The options are endless

2011-06-26T09:15:00.004+10:00

Those of you who know me, will know how passionate I am when it comes to having something to show from your Photo Session.

I love discs of images and this is definitely the most popular item that my clients request but .......... there is nothing lovelier than seeing your images in print. The options are endless - whether you choose your favourite image and make a statement with a massive canvas on your wall or if you can't choose just one image then create a collection of photos that hang together as a cluster.

I love albums - they can tell an entire story showcasing all the best images and they can be left on your coffee table to be enjoyed or even on a book easel open on a different page each week.

I'm a huge fan of custom framing.

It's classic and timeless and it tends to have an art gallery feel to it. I found these photos taken late last year using one of my favourite classic frame mouldings. It's lovely and deep and the image has a generous white matt surrounding it.

So next time when you're thinking about what you want from your session, I promise you will never regret choosing something in print. It will bring a smile to your face each time you see it!

the perfect imperfect photograph

2011-06-25T08:40:00.003+10:00

So one photo is sharp, in focus and shows Ethan's sensitive side.

The other is a blur, out of focus and technically needs to be put in the trash

.... but I love it - it's my boy to a T and it's not going anywhere!

You must have photos like these that are perfectly imperfect - I can't help but embrace them!

Happy photos

2011-06-23T22:38:00.003+10:00

These photos make me smile.

I simply adore their happiness!

5 minutes of loveliness

2011-06-20T11:24:00.005+10:00

I love impromptu photo shoots with my boys - 5 minutes is often all I'm given.

I simply want that one image that tugs at my heart strings.

Last weekend, during the last few minutes before the sun set, my boys came outside with me for a quick giggle and play - so glad we did.

More photos to come over the next few days.

a party!

2011-06-12T14:41:00.018+10:00

The years are just flying by and Ethan, my eldest son, has just celebrated his 8th birthday at Laser Force with a few school friends.

I love a good party and it's a pleasure for me to really get into the theme of things with invitations and food and goodies for the kids. Before too long, my boys will be all grown up and it won't be cool for me to do these things ..... so for now I'm having some fun and enjoying it.

Here are a few photos from his party captured mainly with my new compact camera (Canon G12 - which sadly has turned out to be faulty and has been sent away for repairs).

Anyway, enjoy!

Many thanks to -

Hello Naomi - Naomi Henderson - for the fondant laser designed tops for the cupcakes

Just call me Martha - Leoni Jena - for tips on how to make the chocolate shards and spoons

more to come !

2011-06-06T21:15:00.002+10:00

I absolutely can't wait to share so many more images from the photo session I did today, but I just couldn't help myself and post the first image that caught my attention.

I promise there will more to come over the next couple of weeks!

the boys !

2011-05-24T11:11:00.010+10:00

On the weekend ...

2011-05-16T18:55:00.002+10:00

Thought it might be nice to share a photo from my weekend.

We spent Sunday at the Christening of my cousin's darling little baby, Ava.

Some of you may recall some of her sessions with me - here and here and here.

She's such a little doll.

Anyway, here are my boys all dressed and ready for this Special Day.

A piece of art

2011-05-15T08:49:00.005+10:00

Some of you may recall the session I did with the Anning Family not that long ago.

It was a modern shoot for a modern young family and so when Karen and Mark decided to go ahead and choose one of my favourite images to be printed as an Acrylic Wall Mount, I was thrilled.

While visiting yesterday, I had to snap a couple of quick images to show you how great it looks on their wall of their newly renovated Queenslander. It compliments their home and looks like a piece of art ... featuring their beautiful boys and Gracie, their Boxer.

Melbourne - August 2011

2011-05-08T21:45:00.004+10:00

The year is just flying by and I can hardly believe that in just a couple of months I'll be back in Melbourne for my annual visit. It's such a beautiful city and even though I'm from sunny Brisbane, I have to say the weather is always good to me in August - it's crisp and fresh!

If you're keen to book a session with me while I'm there, please send me an email and I'll forward some details to you.

Here is one of my favourite images from last year's session with The Bradford Family!

Cake Appreciation Society

2011-05-07T15:05:00.015+10:00

A little while back I had the pleasure of photographing Adrianne - I knew it would be a great shoot since Adrianne represents the Cake Appreciation Society and it would be all things pretty and sweet!

If you're not familiar with the Cake Appreciation Society, they're a fantastic group who are on facebook and represent Cake Makers from all over the world. Adrianne shares images of the most incredible cakes you'll ever see and she'll have you craving for these amazing creations. Of course, you don't need to be a cook or chef to be part of the group. Adrianne simply loves cakes and doesn't actually bake herself - she just wanted to get together people who had a love of all things cake.

So this shoot was for Adrianne and her new website which I believe will be up and running pretty soon. I've chosen just a small handful of my favourites - enjoy!

Special thanks to :

Jodie Randolph-Birch from W.Edding & Co. - for using her beautiful store as the location

Rebecca Anthony - for the amazing hair and makeup - Creme de la Creme Brides salon

and

a really nice guy from French Twist at James St. Markets who convinced me to buy a pomegranite and sprinkle it over the sweets to make them look pretty!

Something special for Mother's Day !

2011-04-16T11:05:00.003+10:00

Where does the time go?

I was just trying to get my head around Easter almost being here and then I noticed that Mother's Day is just 3 weeks away.

I'm so excited to be offering some wonderful MINI SESSIONS this year as a very special gift for your Mum or Grandmother or GreatGrandmother (if you're that fortunate).

Take a look at what's included below and feel free to send me an email if you'd love to purchase this for your Mum this Mother's Day. I promise you it will be presented beautifully and I can't imagine a Mother not loving this very special and thoughtful gift.

leanne [at] leannestamatellos.com.au

Take care and enjoy a safe and Happy Easter,

Leanne

doogan + verity + millie + jack

2011-04-15T09:07:00.011+10:00

It had been raining on and off all week but my trusty iphone kept showing sunny weather on the screen. I kept kept my fingers crossed that the TV and radio reports were wrong and thankfully it turned out to be the most glorious afternoon.

We met in the carpark, and I knew from the start we'd have a great session. Doogan and Verity are very much in love with each other and their 2 beautiful children, Millie and Jack. There were smiles galore, cuddles, kisses and lots of fun.

Thanks for a great afternoon. It was so tricky to choose just a small handful of images from your session - I loved so many. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did taking them.

Flood 11 Silent Auction Art Show

2011-04-13T19:23:00.002+10:00

Soon after the devastating floods that occurred in Brisbane earlier this year, I received an email asking if I would like to donate my photography services to a fundraiser. I definately wanted to help.

This Friday evening from 6.30pm at Juggler's Art Space in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, there will be a great selection of artworks and other items that will be part of a silent auction with ALL OF THE MONEY going to the Flood Appeal.

I have donated a LIFESTYLE SESSION - a one hour session on location including all images fully edited and presented on a disc for you to keep - valued at $600.

You can choose to bid online or come along if you like to this 3 days free art show. It's a great chance to purchase a Lifestyle Session at a bargain price and at the same time know that you are helping the people of Brisbane who were affected by the Floods.

Bidding is currently at $200 and will continue until Sunday afternoon. The Lifestyle Session is valid for 1 year so you have heaps of time to use it.

There are more details below
and here -
http://www.andrewcosti.com/

Flood 11 Silent Auction Art Show
Celebrating the time Brisbane became a community

Love, loyalty and friendship built this Art Show. People automatically donated their time, products and services at the instant they heard about it. Over 100 items have been donated to the value of over $40 000 and have been uploaded to www.andrewcosti.com where you can bid now! During the Art Show in April you will be able to see the items and anyone who has not placed a bid can do so at the gallery.
Items donated …

ART ART ART photography SCULPTURES Greeting cards VOUCHERS: personal training SAND SCULPTURE WORKSHOP hair/beauty THERAPY art supplies and more!

JUGGLERS ART SPACE
103 Brunswick Street Fortitude Valley
15-17 APRIL 10AM-2PM
ART SHOW OPENING
FRIDAY 15th APRIL 2011 6.30PM
ALL WELCOME! ENTERTAINMENT FOOD WINE FUN

presented by www.andrewcosti.com

Featuring

Aaron Holloway
Andrew Costi
Andrew Tsakas
Anna Saroglou
Beth Keane
Cass Allen
Chris Skarparis
Chroma Hair Studio
Claire Byrne
Daniel Reweti
Dave Edney
David Chan
David Hinchliffe
David Parker
Discount Art Warehouse
Elzunia Rejmer
EMD Jewellery Emily Michaelides
Eveline Fennelly
Father Dimitri Tsakas
Gemapplelle Designs
Graham Hare
In Harmony Beauty & Massage / New Look Hair & Beauty
Leanne Stamatellos
Lin Stanton
Lisa hung
Louise Wruck
Michaela Kloeckner
Michelle Tsakas
Monika Traby
Olga Theodore
Peter Papamanolis
Phillippa Carnemolla
Ross Lee
Sarah Low
Tiff Lane
Trent Everitt
Wayne Van Eyk

AND MORE!

So right !

2011-04-12T21:21:00.001+10:00

Everytime I take a look at this image, I can't stop thinking how perfect it would be for the cover of a Family Photo Album - it just feels so right, don't you agree?

Most times

2011-04-11T16:37:00.002+10:00

Most times when I photograph a family, I love to share a quick sneak peek of their children or sometimes of the entire family .... but when I had a glance through the images from the session I did last Saturday I just couldn't resist posting the very last image that I took.

Thanks Doogan and Verity for a lovely afternoon. I will be sharing heaps more soon.

mark + karen + jack + jo + henry

2011-04-09T20:54:00.019+10:00

I had the pleasure of photographing this gorgeous family last Sunday morning.

I've known Karen forever - we spent many school holidays camping together when we were children.

Now we each have our own families and it's lovely to catch up and spend time together when we cross paths at the beach on our own holidays.

I hope you enjoy this sneak peek of some of my favourite images.

There are so many more and I hope you love them like I do.

The image below was the very first photo I took. I can see it on the cover of a family photo album - kids on the front and parents on the back!

This image is my absolute favourite!

I've cropped it long and skinny and I love the bold architecture as the backdrop to the boys walking their dog.

It would look amazing framed behind glass and printed on some fine art metallic paper!

Credit goes to Mark for this 'super cool' shot!

I love it when families get involved - this is just too cool!

Gracie, is the family's newest addition - a gorgeous boxer.

I'm so glad she was included in the shoot - she's really part of the family.

I thought it might be nice to get a couple of romantic shots - thanks to Jo and Jack who helped pose their parents for me - not sure I could have done it without them!

And a really special photo that I think captures this family at their best - love these mini polaroid photos so much!

Thanks again for a lovely morning - look forward to showing you the rest of your family photos.

a quick favourite !

2011-04-03T11:15:00.002+10:00

I spent an early morning with these 3 gorgeous boys and their boxer, Gracie.

I just had to share a quick favourite that caught my eye - I love it and hope you do too!

little miss Ava

2011-03-30T21:41:00.003+10:00

Some of you may recall previous sessions I've had with little miss Ava - both before she was born and also when she was just a few days old. Well, she is growing so fast and such a beautiful and happy baby.

I was so excited when Kylie, her mum, asked if I would take some photos of Ava for her Christening Invitation. She was a doll and she couldn't have looked sweeter in her adorable pink pettiskirt. This image was just one of my favourites.

Arriving soon should be the loveliest custom designed cards/invitations that I designed for her - stay tuned and I promise to share photos over the next couple of weeks.

The prettiest thing!

2011-03-26T15:31:00.000+10:00

It's always a joy when I know that Sharnel from Sharnel Dollar Designs is going to be involved with either styling or creating a beautiful candy bar display for a special occasion.

It's even lovelier when I know that I'll be photographing these pretty things.

Here are just a handful of images to show you her incredible work and her attention to detail. You must keep her in mind when you plan your next celebration!

Of course, she has her own online store should you decide you must have some of these devine pieces to enjoy yourself.

Eternally grateful

2011-03-22T21:26:00.000+10:00

The title to this post is nothing short of an understatement.

You see, some time ago, I casually mentioned to my friend and workmate, Eliza Lu, that I was thinking it was time for a website (not just a blog). Excitedly, she told me how she loved making websites in her spare time when she was a student studying at school ... who does that?

And so the website plans began!

Before too long, thoughts of a new logo seemed necessary to compliment the new website. In a blink of an eye, logo designs were created and I was in love!

Eliza, got it right from the very first design. It summed my photography style up perfectly ... it was simple, contemporary and timeless .... and it made me smile when I saw it.

I can't even begin to tell you the endless hours that Eliza put into this new Branding for my photography. She passionately would email me with ideas wilder than my own for creating something beautiful and unique for me. She is so incredibly creative and I can't thank her enough for all that she has done to make my new look so beautiful - I will be eternally grateful!

I also would like to thank Netra Chetty for helping me to 'see' how I wanted the business cards to look like and creating the files for print. She embraced the logo design and a beautiful repetitive pattern that Eliza had made, and created the final design of the business card which I adore.

Up until now, all of my work has come from word of mouth. It's a powerful thing and I wish to thank my wonderful clients and friends for sharing my details to their friends. I would love to send out a handful of my new business cards to anyone who might like them

- please send me your details and I'll get them out this week.

Anyway, please enjoy a handful of photos of the bits and pieces that make up just some of my branding.

It will be such a pleasure to package up my client's parcels.

oh, and don't forget to pop over to my new website and see what all the excitement is about.

Turn the speakers on, grab a drink and enjoy -

click here - www.leannestamatellos.com.au

The Style Est. Wedding Showcase

2011-03-21T13:20:00.001+10:00

Although there was rain, it didn't stop last Saturday from being a lovely day.

I spent most of it at The Style Est. displaying my Wedding Photography at an exquisite Bridal Showcase, held by Jodie Randolph-Birch, the talented Wedding Stylist from W.Edding & Co. I met so many new faces ... gorgeous couples, bridesmaids, Mothers-of-brides and so many incredibly talented vendors. It was a pleasure to be part of such a special day.

There are so many people I'd like to thank ...

Jodie Randolph-Birch - for asking me to be part of this Showcase

My Australian Suppliers - who had my sample album, my acrylic print, my signage, my black easel and my professional prints ready within a tight deadline

Lauren from Valiant Hire - who supplied me the most gorgeous Tapas bar and side table to showcase my work

Rafael from Authentic French Macarons - for the best macarons anywhere in the world

Eliza Lu - for working endless hours to brand and create my beautiful new logo and website

Netra Chetty - for creating the final business card design.

My husband - for lifting, carrying, displaying, packing and unpacking everything

My friends - who sent good wishes or came to support me

Anyway, please enjoy a few images of my display.

It's all happening !

2011-03-11T21:29:00.000+10:00

Many of you will know that I have been spending a lot of time organising a new look and branding for Leanne Stamatellos Photography. It certainly takes longer than I expected and with more hard work than I ever thought possible to get it looking just right - and that's with the incredible help from some amazing friends!

Well, the best thing that ever happened to make me finalise everything and put a deadline on this new look and website, was when the gorgeous, Jodie Mae Randolph-Birch from W.Edding & Co. asked me if I'd like to be part of a very special 'Wedding Showcase'.

Jodie has a beautiful eye for all-things-gorgeous. Her taste is impeccable and when it comes to planning a Wedding, you can be sure it will be more than memorable!

So, the 'Wedding Showcase' is on Saturday 19 March, 2011 and held in the beautiful old stone building - The Style Establishment - on 249 Lutwyche Rd, Windsor, Brisbane from 10-4pm.

You are all welcome to come along and see some displays from the best vendors in Brisbane to help make your Wedding Day more than you ever dreamt it could be.

Be sure to drop by and say hello - I'll be there with albums and prints and a gorgeous new acrylic mount from one of my recent couple's wedding.

Oh, and keep an eye out over the next week for the launch of my new branding - I'm excited to say the least!

bob + 10 grandchildren

2011-03-02T21:57:00.000+10:00

You may recognise the faces of some of these children. Their images have been slowly featured these last few weeks on the blog and I just had to share my favourite photo from the day.

Bob, their Grandad, was about to celebrate a big birthday and he simply wanted a photo with his ten grandchildren. I love this idea so much!

So, everyone came together looking simply beautiful and we had a lovely session.

This was the image chosen to give Bob on his birthday on Boxing Day - he loved it and it hangs proudly in his home now - beautifully matted and framed.

billie+joe+rosie

2011-02-22T08:09:00.000+10:00

I've woken to another miserable day of Brisbane weather and I thought it might be nice to simply share a couple of photos taken late last year .... to make the day a little brighter!

Meet billie, joe and rosie - how sweet are they!

And one of my favourite pics of rosie with her mum, monica.

Turning 5!

2011-02-20T21:42:00.000+10:00

Our youngest son, Joshua, is turning 5 tomorrow so we celebrated with a family get together today.

It was a blistering hot afternoon so the adults stayed inside (thank goodness for airconditioning) and the kids had a terrific time cooling off in the pool.

Just before everyone arrived, I took the boys out for the traditional 'special photo'.

I love these three of the 2 of them. It's so them - giggling and laughing and being adorably cheeky!

I can't believe he's actually 5 - doesn't seem that long ago that he was a baby.

And can I just say, that this photo is my new favourite - now to decide whether I love the colour or black and white image more.

And then the party began!

Thanks to Mia, my sister in law, for taking over with the camera and grabbing the 2 photos below for me (and a whole heap more too).

I decided to make CAKE ICECREAM cones this year instead of cupcakes. Yes, you read that right, they have cake inside them and then they're dipped in melted chocolate and decorated. Best part is, they don't melt and I thought they looked super cute.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend too!

What I love most!

2011-02-16T20:39:00.000+10:00

When I really think about it, the thing I love most about taking photos for other families

is knowing that they are enjoying them as much as I did taking them.

I received a lovely email yesterday from a beautiful family that I photographed last year.

They had chosen one of the packages that included a disc of images, a 10x10 Magazine Album and also canvases. Jillian kindly sent me through some photos of the 3 canvases hanging on her wall in her home - now that made me feel so good.

I know alot of clients love to purchase the disc of images, but seriously,

how amazing is it to have these beautiful big canvases on your wall to make you smile every day.

I was really impressed when Jillian included the photo of their 10x10 Magazine Album which she shows off on a wrought iron book stand. I love this idea!

Thank you Jillian for sending me these photos - you made my day!

ella

2011-02-14T20:14:00.000+10:00

Some of you may have seen the images taken at Ella's beautiful Christening last weekend. It was a wonderful occasion !

Today, Ella came and saw me for some Portrait photos dressed in her gorgeous christening gown and bonnet. I'm so glad she did because I have so many photos that I love from this session. I had to share this one as a sneak peek for her family and friends to see.

Isn't she just like one of those porcelain dolls!

tommy+georgia+hamish+sam+elle+harry

2011-02-12T20:53:00.001+10:00

It's been almost 3 months since I photographed this session late last year. I was holding off posting some of my favourites until the images and a beautiful Custom Framed Print were given as a 70th Birthday present to Bob, the children's Grandfather.

Some of you may recognise the faces of Tommy, Georgia and Hamish who have been featured on my blog before in an earlier 2010 family session. We had a lot of fun with all the cousins as well as proud Grandparents, Bob and Pat. I have so many more favourites that I'd love to share some time soon - enjoy!

Thanks for dropping by and don't be shy to let me know you visited by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post.

Greek Christening - Ella

2011-02-10T20:47:00.000+10:00

When Despina and John asked if I would photograph their youngest daughter's Christening Day, I was thrilled. Having been to many Greek Christenings I knew how full the ceremony would be of detail and meaning and that Ella's special day would be celebrated by family and friends who adored her.

Please enjoy just a small handful of my favourite photos from Ella's Christening Day.

Isn't this the prettiest Christening cake! The lady beetle theme was simply adorable. The red watering cans were the centrepieces for each table and were filled flower shaped biscuits covered in fondant - such a 'sweet' idea.

This is Ella's older sister, Amelia, who was one of the first to taste the flower biscuits. How cute is she!

I managed to get a couple of minutes alone with Ella and couldn't resist her beautiful big eyes.

Thank you John and Despina for asking me to be a part of Ella's Day -it was a pleasure.

Hair of The Dog 2011

2011-02-04T21:19:00.000+10:00

Tomorrow is the start of a 3 day conference that I'll be attending called Hair of The Dog. It's held by AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photographers) and promises to be filled with inspiring Australian speakers as well as some International photographers.

This is my first time at this annual event and I'm looking forward to soaking in as much as I can while I'm there as well as catching up and saying hello to some fellow photographers.

So, in case you drop me an email during these hectic 3 days, I will do my best to get back to you early next week if not earlier. I'll be sure to let you know what exciting things I have in store when I get back.

Take care,
Leanne

Photo-a-day Project - Day 25 - 2011

2011-02-03T14:44:00.000+10:00

Day 25 - First day of school for 2011 as well as Joshua's first day ever at school. Ethan is so proud to have his little brother with him and what I love most about this photo is that I turned around to find them genuinely hugging each other with excitement - what more could a Mum ask for?

Love is in the Air!

2011-02-02T22:22:00.001+10:00

February is definately 'the' romantic month and with Valentine's Day not that far away I thought some Valentine Sessions would be perfect.

What nicer gift could you receive than spending some time with the person you love most and then choosing your favourite image to keep in an 8x12inch Art Print?

Drop me an email if you'd like to surprise someone special in your life and I can send out a beautifully wrapped Gift Voucher*

to help you celebrate the most romantic day of the year.

leanne [at] leannestamatellos.com.au

* To be purchased before 14th February 2011 and Valentine Session to take place within 6 months.

Photo-a-day Project - Day 17- 2011

2011-01-31T21:38:00.001+10:00

Day 17 - Much concentration and accuracy was needed for this new game that the boys had thought up to play on the front footpath. A box full of wooden blocks formed the city that they would destroy with their mini Nerf guns - a gift from friends this Christmas.

Photo-a-day Project - Day 14 - 2011

2011-01-30T17:17:00.000+10:00

This is where I seemed to lose a few days when it came to the photo-a-day project ... quite a few days actually. Not sure what happened but here is Day 14.

Day Fourteen - This was the month that Joshua really 'got it' when it came to swimming. He was trying new things and daring to take a chance in the shallow end of the pool. He found out today that two boogie boards were so much more fun that one.

Photo-a-Day Project - Day 3 - 2011

2011-01-29T15:13:00.000+10:00

Day Three - We started our holiday at the Gold Coast on January 3rd and as I looked around I knew this photo would be a regular sight while at the beach. Several times a day, the wet togs would be rinsed and hung outside to dry waiting to be worn a couple of hours later.

Photo-a-day Project - Day 2 - 2011

2011-01-28T20:14:00.000+10:00

Day Two - Ethan needed a photo of himself for an art exhibition he had been asked to be a part of. I asked him how he might like to have his photo taken and this was one of his favourite images. Who doesn't love a good jump shot of themselves?

January Photo-a-Day 2011

2011-01-27T21:55:00.000+10:00

I had good intentions this year of participating in a fun challenge called Photo-a-Day or PAD to those in the know! It's designed to get you to photograph simple things in your daily life and certainly not meant to be difficult.

With one thing and another, it never happened every day but I thought you might like to see the days that I did take photos.

January 1 , 2011 - my kids had never played with a hose or the sprinkler due to the water restrictions in Brisbane, so on New Years Day when the neighbours called out to 'get your togs on', they were out in a flash. Light rain and the odd squirt of Morning Fresh detergent made this the best 'slip and slide' ever.

- 2011 -

2011-01-21T13:49:00.001+10:00

It's been a very sad start to 2011.

Major floods affected many parts of Brisbane and Queensland while we were holidaying with our family at The Gold Coast. It has been so upsetting to watch on the TV but even worse to see the devastation when we returned home. We are so fortunate to have personally not been affected but know of many who have. My thoughts and prayers are with those who suffered any loss and I hope that with all the incredible help and support that has been shown, life will return to some sort of normality as soon as possible.

On a happier note,

I'm excited to say that my new website and blog will be launching over the next couple of months. I have a new logo and I can't wait to show you how it looks. I have my talented friend, Eliza, to thank for it all - she is seriously one incredible girl.

The year haa started to fill with bookings already. There will be lots of images to see so please drop by and stay in touch.

And because it's no fun to have a post without a photo,

here are the canvases that arrived before Christmas for one of my lovely families - I can't wait to see how they look on their wall.

Thank you for a wonderful 2010!

2010-12-31T10:33:00.000+10:00

Thank you for the incredible support that I have received this year at Leanne Stamatellos Photography - I am quite overwhelmed!

I'm so thankful to have photographed so many gorgeous families, incredible parties and stunning weddings this year. It's been even lovelier to share my favourite images with you and read the encouraging and kind comments on my blog and Facebook.

It's been a big year and I'm thrilled to have had some of my work featured in Brisbane News Magazine, Peekaboo Magazine and so many beautiful blogs - I truly want to say thank you!

I wish you and your families a fabulous New Year for 2011 !!!

Take care and best wishes,

Leanne

photo taken by Tara Morris - thank you, thank you , thank you!

tommy + hamish + georgia

2010-12-23T14:03:00.001+10:00

Take a look at three of the most gorgeous kids - of course I may be a little biased since they are my cousin's children, but they really are! I recently had the pleasure of photographing them along with their 7 cousins and their granddad. It was a gift for Bob, to celebrate his 70th birthday and all he wanted was a photo with all his grandchildren - don't you love that!

There are so many photos to share from this session but I will leave you with this one of Tommy, Hamish and Georgia - I just love it so much!