In Spaces Between

Drumroll please…

I’m so excited to introduce to you the incredibly talented lady that will be photographing our wedding day, Ali Mitton. We seriously could not be happier!

I mentioned here that changing our wedding venue meant changing our wedding date – which also meant that the photographer we’d booked was unavailable to shoot our Big Day.

I’ve had a picture in my head for so long about how I wanted our wedding photos to look, and the words that kept popping up for me were things like “dreamy,” “summery,” “magical.” It’s always been more about a feeling than a style – I wanted the photos to represent both the lightness and depth of our love, while distilling the essence of warm summer days, soft afternoon light, a touch of whimsy and daydreamers with hearts in their eyes.

I think you’ll agree we’ve found our perfect match.

Ali – who’s possibly the most humble person I’ve ever spoken to – has this magnificent way of capturing beauty so effortlessly and with a sense of honesty that completely blows me away. Her portraits are nostalgic and wistful and I don’t know about you, but I’m left wanting more each time I pore over her beautiful work. Every image has a story to tell.

Gleaming Credentials

 

Undoubtedly cementing herself as “one to watch,” Ali’s work has been featured in magazines like Peppermint, Monster Children, Antler, Astonish, Culture and Cake, as well as in her own sold out exhibition at the Retrospect Galleries which the Spell and The Gypsy Collective girls wrote about on their blog.

She also was selected as 1 of 5 national finalists in Projections, ‘Australia’s Best Emerging Photographer’ award, and joined the Element Eden family to shoot their Summer 11, Hi Summer 11 and Winter campaigns and the stunning Element Eden Inspired By Daydream Lily collection.

Google her name (make sure you check out her pretty site Afternoon Dreams) and you’ll find a bunch of her images to swoon over. She’s been featured around the web, including a write-up on Oracle Fox, which is one of my favourite fashion blogs. I’m telling you, the girl is a star!

To give you all a little bit of an insight into the master behind the magic, I sent a few interview questions Ali’s way and here’s what’s she had to say…

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m a photographer and daydreamer. I’m 26 and, at the moment, I’m on the Gold Coast.

What age did you start taking photos? Are you self-taught or did you study (and if so, where/ what?)

I’ve taken photos for as long as I can remember! I think I got a camera from an op shop when I was very small, and chased my cat around with it. I studied a Diploma of Photography, and then went to Griffith University.

When did you start to feel photography was your “thing?”

In high school I did photography, and that was pretty much all I did. I didn’t care about much else.

What was it that drew you to a career in photography?

That is still something I’m trying to figure out to be honest. I’m a very sentimental person, I attach a lot of meaning and feeling to imagery and memories. I’m pretty overwhelmed with life most of the time, and photography allows me to express that.

What are your tools of the trade?

I shoot Canon 5D, 7D and the 50mm 1.4 is my one and only lens – my true love!

Current inspirations?

Ohhh India! Travel and summer time. Freckles and beards. Northern New South Wales. Ryan McGinley.

If you could do a shoot anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Hmm that is such a hard one! Iceland… or the Sahara.

What do you wish you knew five years ago?

I wish I knew my own worth and what it meant to truly love someone. I wish I reminded myself to experience each moment completely, instead of worrying about the future and feeling bad about the past. I wish I was more patient. Oh the list could go on!

Quick tidbits

I’ve always wanted to… shoot on the top of a tall building.

If I could raid anyone’s closet, it would be…I  should be able to answer this, but I’m not terribly fashion savvy! Yours? You have pretty clothes! (haha, thanks Ali!)

I’m obsessed with… fairy lights, pretty coloured smoke, film photography.

All-time favourite book… too many! The Source, Shantaram, The Power of Now.

Photographers/ artists/ creative I admire… lately I’ve been loving the work of Tamara Lichtenstein. Ryan McGinley is my all time favourite photographer, and I also love Sally Mann.

Words to live by… Be here now.

Big thanks Ali!

+ Now over to you guys – what do you think? I’m dying to know!

… over the random inspiration I’ve been fortunate enough to find on my recent travels around the web.

Internet, have I told you lately that I love you?

1. Travelling Tea Parlour: Hello, amazingness! I could imagine having something like this (or a take on this, at least) at a gorgeous bohemian-style wedding. Divine.

2. Favourite things on display: Love the rustic, thrown-together look of this apartment, but particularly loving the bell jars and the vintage photos.

3. Bohemian Rhapsody: This photo has me reminiscing about our trip to Sayulita, Mexico. Such a cool, laidback, surfy town (with the best fish tacos in Mexico!)

4. DIY wedding arch: How incredible is this! So colourful and cute!

5. French and fabulous: Seriously in awe of this natural, rustic outdoor space. I’d love to host a dinner party here - thinking I’d drape white chiffon from the rafters and have candles and lanterns scattered all over the ground.

6. Elephants: I’m obsessed with them. Also: rad photography.

7. Creative bike wheels: This bike would look awesome on a wall rack as a statement piece of ‘art’ in a room.

8. Arty spaces: How amazing is this home in Copenhagen!

9. Swedish style: So, everyone in Sweden is perfect, right?

10. Casual nonchalence: Yep, you are rockin’ it girl.

11. Bed: I want to be on you.

12. Wedding favours: Cake in a jar! Perrrrfect.

13. Draping: so pretty. Love everything about this picture!

Last weekend: The day started with a surf check at Tallebudgera. The conclusion: no surf. Me: hooray! Ramai: sad trombone.

And so the road trip adventure began, but before we got our adventure boots on, there was a quick stop at the new Miami farmers markets to drool over organic goodies and to pick up a few bits and pieces.

See…

It was literally an in ‘n’out mission, so once the shopping was done, we hit the road for our day down south. Next stop: Bangalow (then Broken Head!)

We left our phones at home which was the smartest thing we’ve done in a long time, and with all the extra time that wasn’t being taking up checking Twitter/ Facebook/ AFL scores (me, not Ramai – obviously) (haha… AS IF!) we had the funniest conversations, talked about our big dreams for the next year and rocked out some major air guitar epicness.

My favourite moments with my fiance are when we are both in fits of laughter. It might sound funny, but I love looking at him when he’s laughing those deep, belly laughs – that sparkle in his eye gets me everytime!

Of course, like pretty much everyday, when I glanced at the clock it was 11:11. It haunts me! In a good way. I use it as a reminder to make a wish or focus on something positive in my day. 11 is also my lucky number so, to me, seeing 11:11 means “The rest of the day will be amazing.” And it was.

I snapped these shots at an amazing antiques shop in Station St, Bangalow (I believe it’s called Vintage, Retro, Antique & Collectables). The wares are a little on the expensive side, especially if you are a hardcore op shopper and you’re used to picking up your treasures for next to nothing, but there was definitely some cool stuff in there that I’m going to go back and look at for our wedding. Also, the guy that runs the place obviously has great taste, or knows a woman who does – would you look at those Manolo’s perched upon that leopard print chair!

Handy resource: If you live on the Gold Coast or Northern NSW and you love secondhand/ antique/ vintage collectables, add this Local Trail guide to your Favourites. I know I’ll definitely be using it for our next visit down that way!

Heath’s Old Wares is overflowing (literally) with trinkets, collectables and recycled bits and bobs – everything from tools to typewriters to glass bottles. It’s fair to say my eyeballs were popping out of my head when I saw this place. Actually, I can’t quite believe I’d never stumbled across it before (it’s tucked away up a lane off Station St if you’re looking for it).

Little known Rach fact: I have a small obsession with animals doing funny things. Seriously. It’s become almost a hobby of mine to email Ramai a silly picture of a dog pulling a face or a cat with a mohawk. Or dressed in superhero costumes. Captions or commentary? Even better.

Anyway, I spotted these cheeky girls on the drive from Bangalow to Broken Head (where all the pics below were taken) and I couldn’t resist getting a few happy snaps. How funny is the last one… she’s like ‘Excuuuuuse me, girlfriend, but what the HELL do you think you’re doing?!’ If she could wave her hand/ wag her finger, she so would.

The last series were all shot at the beach at Broken Head. You might remember me saying that we were going to go camping last weekend at Broken Head? Well, although we didn’t camp we still made it down there… the pull was too strong obviously! We read magazines and chilled out on the sand, then went for a wander around the headland to snap some beachy shots. How cute is the natural archway along the track!

All in all, the day was perfection – and just what we both needed. There’s something so rejuvenating about getting outside and embarking on a creative mission. Grabbing a camera (or notepad), letting go of to-do lists and just rolling with the rhythm of the day is an amazingly freeing experience. It might sound simple, but it unlocks the parts of us that get pushed down and ignored when we’re caught up in (supposedly) more important day-to-day tasks. I know I always come home from days like this feeling like any feelings of overwhelm have instead been replaced with clarity and a healthy dose of motivation. It’s the best!

+ I hope you enjoyed seeing a little insight into our day, we had a ball!
+ I’d love to know: what’s your favourite way to ‘get creative’?
+ Tell me in the comments below about how you unleash a bit of your creative spirit onto the world!

When three of my favourite things combine – the great outdoors, photography and inspirational words – you can bet I’m going to get ridiculously excited. Which is precisely what happened when I discovered the work of photographer and graphic designer Julian Bialowas, who has taken the ’365 project’ (snapping a photo to document each day of the year) to a whole new level, adding powerful, motivating words alongside his stunning imagery.

I’ve got itchy feet to take off on a travel adventure at the moment and finding these photos has totally amplified that. Looks like I might have to live through these gorgeous shots for a while!

+ For more of Julian’s awesome work, check out his site here.