+ a note from the girl behind the camera

A little soul-searching between sessions

21st October | Dysart, QLD

I’ve wanted to start sharing more of the real moments, not just in my photos, but my words, too. The thoughts that usually stay tucked away behind the lens. I didn’t quite know where to start, but now, with this new space and a fresh season for barefoot + ember, it feels like as good a time as any. So, here it is, something a little more real, a little more raw...

Sometimes, I still get nervous before a session

Not because I don’t believe in what I do, but because I care soooo much about getting it right. I care about you loving your photos. I care about how they make you feel. I care that they become something you’ll want to hold onto forever!

These last few months have had me really thinking (a bit of soul-searching, really). I’ve been building, refining, and rebranding; pouring myself into my business in every possible way. And while I’ve been so excited to share this next chapter, there have been moments where I’ve quietly wondered if it was the right thing to do

Rebranding doesn’t take away the doubt. In some ways, it makes it louder! Because when everything starts looking like it’s coming together, when people tell you it’s beautiful and professional and “so you”, there’s suddenly more pressure to keep it that way. More pressure to make sure every session, every post, every edit continues to live up to what people now expect

I know I can take good photos (not blowing my own horn or anything), but I often find myself battling that quiet voice that says I’m not as good as others (queue 'Imposter Syndrome'), that my edits aren’t consistent enough, or that I still don’t know how to pose people the way “real” photographers do. There are so many out there who seem to have it all figured out, and sometimes, I feel like I’m still finding my rhythm

The truth is, posing makes me nervous. I never want you to feel stiff or unnatural. I love the in-between moments more than the staged look, the laughter, the quiet glances, the things that unfold when no one’s trying too hard. I’m happiest when I can just step back and be a fly on the wall, catching the light as it spills through, and letting people be themselves

That’s why I started photography, after all. I wanted to show people how beautiful their small, ordinary moments are. The way a child’s hand curls around yours. The way your partner looks at you when you don’t even realise it. The way sunlight settles in your hair after a long day

I’m incredibly self-critical, which means I don’t always share as much as I should. Sometimes, I hold back because I worry the response won’t match the excitement I feel, that it won’t be received with the same giddy joy that I poured into it (I’ve learned that words of affirmation might just be my love language). But then there are days when I can’t wait to share, when the colours and light feel too alive to keep to myself!

This business means everything to me. It’s become the place where I pour every bit of my heart and curiosity, always learning, always growing. I’ve spent late nights chasing light on a screen, reworking galleries, fine-tuning the tiniest details (that most people probably wouldn't even notice), all because I want this to last. Not just as a business, but as something that feels like home

A few months ago, I photographed a wedding that shook my confidence. It made me question whether I was good enough, whether I was cut out for this. But it also became a turning point, a quiet reminder that I need to be clear about how I want to run my business, who I want to work with, and how I want my art to feel

And right now, with my Christmas Minis coming up, I can feel those nerves again. I shared a little “before” photo of the indoor space, and so many kind people commented saying they can’t wait to see it finished. I’m excited, but also terrified 😬 what if it doesn’t live up to what they imagine? What if it isn’t perfect?

But maybe that’s what this whole journey is about, learning that it doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful. Maybe it’s about showing up, nerves and all, and trusting that the warmth I pour into every session will be enough

So, if you’re reading this, thank you! Thank you for being here, for supporting this dream of mine, and for reminding me that imperfect things still carry magic 🤎

Warmly,

Kelly x

“Here’s to the warm, the wild and the wonderfully real...”