Tag Archive for portraits

2016 – the year of authenticity

January 26, 2016 in News • 1 Comment

You know, when you start a business, information comes from so many places. Social media and the Internet in general have created this massive explosion of knowledge and opinions. There are hundreds, probably thousands, of online articles about starting a business. I stumbled upon one last night while looking for a sewing pattern. It was about starting a craft business, something like “8 easy steps to starting a business selling things you make”. I took a squiz just to pass the time and it made me laugh with how ridiculous it was. The steps were things like get a better sewing machine. Make things that people want to buy. Change what you are making to something that is currently fashionable. There wasn’t a single point that mentioned loving what you do, or working with what you already have, or running a business with your whole hearted passion. How sad is that?

It got me thinking about my own business and how I do things. I have always been a photographer, in as much as I have always loved taking photos. I decided to start doing it as a job because I enjoy it. I love it. There is something magical about capturing someone’s essence in a photo. About documenting their spark to be remembered for all the years to come, even after they have left this world. I could spend hours looking at old photographs in second hand stores. Those glimpses into someone else’s life just make my soul feel alive.

When I started my business I did what most people probably do and gathered as much information as I could. Now my dad has been self employed for as long as I can remember. He has always used his own name for his business, and has always just gotten on with things. He didn’t have social media or the Internet. He used to advertise when work was quiet, and not worry about it when he was busy. He had a really good reputation and most of his business was word of mouth. It was built on years and years of hard work and a wonderful work ethic, as well as making sure that his customers were always happy with the job he did. It wasn’t built on Facebook likes or Instagram followers.

All the reading I did about building a business focused mostly on creating an online presence, gaining followers, Google ratings and so on. A completely different ball game. There is so much focus on making your website and social media pages include content that will reach more viewers. Facebook algorithms change at the drop of a hat. All these business coaches and social media masters tell you that your posts need to include a, b & c to get seen. Pictures get more views. Videos even more. There is never any emphasis on actually being you. On being authentic. On doing everything with love or passion or genuine intentions.

So many times I have found myself staring at that blinking cursor. I’ve had something to say, share, something that made my heart happy. But then all that information on SEO and the ever changing landscape of social media would crowd my head and I’d end up struggling to write anything in case I did it “wrong”. In case it didn’t reach enough people or help my online presence. Sometimes I didn’t write anything at all. Sometimes I would manage to piece something together but often it wouldn’t feel like me writing it. I love writing. I used to love nothing more than being able to spill out whatever was on my mind onto a page. It helps me sort through things. To be sitting there unable to write is such a strange and unsettling feeling.

The start of 2016 had me thinking about change, as the start of a new year usually does. I decided that I don’t want my business to feel like hard work. I love photo shoots, I love editing, I love giving a box of gorgeous prints on the most amazing paper to people and knowing how much they love them. But the constant drag of trying to sell myself online was starting to get to me. I decided that I want this year to be the start of a new shift in my business. I want to be more authentic. I want to share what I’m feeling, things I love, the reality of me. Because this business is me. It bears my name, it is the realization of years of loving something and wanting to share it with the world. It’s not a sterile, impersonal corporation. This is my love, my joy. So why shouldn’t it reflect that? My dad never worried about if he was getting Facebook hits. He just went out and got on with it, and did what he did with passion and commitment. And that’s what I’m going to do. I’m totally aware that it may not do anything for my social media presence. I don’t particularly mind. It’s more important to me that someone associates Rachel Baker Photography with me as a person and my work, instead of worrying about how popular my website might be.

So welcome to a new year and a new, more real version of me. I will probably be writing more blog posts, and sharing more of my own photos. Less of the “life in the highlight reel”, more of the reality. I do hope you’ll stick around to see the changes, but I understand if it’s not really what you are looking for from me.

Much love to you all,

Rach xxx

Old habits…

August 16, 2015 in Uncategorized • 1 Comment

You’ve probably noticed that I bang on a bit about body image, and how important it is to love yourself. It sounds so easy when you read someone else talking about their own journey to positive self image and their achievements. It’s not though, in reality it’s a fluctuating road and can be really difficult at times.

So I want to share with you what happened when I first saw this photo.

This was taken at an exclusive launch party that I was invited to, for a lovely friend who is embarking on a new venture. I was chatting with the photographer about something, I can’t even remember what, but it was funny and while we were laughing and chatting she took this.

It popped up on my facebook feed yesterday. The VERY FIRST thought that popped into my head was “ugh I look so fat”. Then I flicked it off my screen and tried my best to forget it. And then a friend of mine shared it to a networking group which I am a member of. I felt anxious to be completely honest, because I didn’t want anyone to see me looking “so fat”. Then another friend commented how happy I looked. I realised that I was letting that nasty voice in my head, the one that is trained to take over how we feel about ourselves, talk me down. So I opened the picture and sat with it for a bit.

I tried to stop seeing my flaws, and start seeing me the way other people do. Because even though that photo does not look like how I feel on the inside, that is the way that other people do see me. That is the face my children look to for reassurance and love. That is the face that my husband sees first thing every morning and last thing at night. That is me, happy, enjoying life. Being at a function with a phenomenal group of women, who are all successful business women. Making a connection with someone I’d only just met that night. That is the face that my clients look to for reassurance that they are beautiful. And most importantly, that is the body that allows me to wake up every morning, get up, and enjoy life. It may not be the prettiest, I may not be about to grace the cover of a magazine (not that I particularly want to), but I am healthy, I am strong, and I am alive.

Rachel x

Almost 31: a reflection

May 21, 2015 in ramblings • 1 Comment

Tomorrow is my 31st birthday. Hip hip hooray! I’ve been thinking over the last week or so what this birthday means to me, and what the last year has brought for my life.

When I was in my early 20’s I’d see magazine articles saying that your 30’s are the best years of your life and so on. I used to think ‘pffft they are just reassuring themselves that they aren’t too old yet’. But you know what? It’s true. Turning 30 was no big stress for me. I don’t really think that your age has all that much to do with what you can fill your life with. But it was the start of an amazing year. We had only recently made our ‘tree change’ to the country so this year has been filled with all the adventures around that. We have made a new home for ourselves, planted an orchard, started growing our own vegies, are caring for goats (who are hopefully pregnant, fingers crossed!), sheep, chickens, getting ready to have a beehive, generally being more self sufficient. Our eldest daughter has started at school and it is going splendidly. This year, and being 30, has been about focusing on the important things. I suppose what is important to me has changed.

I discovered Taryn Brumfitt and the Body Image Movement during the last year. If you haven’t heard of it, please do yourself a favour and look her up. I don’t know if it’s turning 30 or something else, but I have ditched my negative mindframe about my body. I have been running (say what?!!) and seeing a personal trainer. And it’s not to lose weight, my focus is to be strong. I want to be fit and healthy for as long as possible so that I can continue enjoying my life and being here for my children. The size of my body and what it weighs is nothing to do with anything. If I can run around with my children, and swing them into my arms, and be here for them – that is what matters. I participated in my first ever City to Casino fun run, I walked most of the way but did run for a few short sections and am happy with the time it took me. I am sorting out my minor health issues. I have the most debilitating periods that leave me with low iron levels and wipe me out for at least 2 days a month and I have always just dealt with them, but I have realised that actually I don’t have to. I am looking forward to getting those under control!

My business has continued its journey to focus on mostly women’s beauty portraits. I love, love, love helping women see how beautiful they are. I am starting to spend more time on creative portraits as well – I think that working on personal projects helps me to find inspiration in all kinds of places which I can then use in my other work.

I’m pretty excited to see where the next year of being in my 30’s brings! But for now, I have some editing work calling my name 🙂

Rach x

Barbara – the Hope project

February 28, 2015 in personal project • 2 Comments

Barbara is terminally ill.

That’s such a horrible statement to hear, isn’t it? Hearing that kind of news about a loved one, an acquaintance, or someone you barely know – it’s always uncomfortable.

Recently when I was studying palliative care at Uni we covered a whole unit about hope. The simplified, basic message of the unit was: being close to dying does not mean the person has no hope, or feels hopeless.

Just let that sink in for a moment.

Even people at the end of life, with days to weeks left, are not necessarily feeling hopeless. They still have hope.

This struck such a deep chord with my soul that I knew straight away it was something I needed to explore.

How many times have you noticed people avoiding talking about the future with someone who is seriously ill? I’ve seen it a lot. I’ve also seen lots of friends of the unwell person pulling away, because they simply don’t know what to say and are so very scared of saying the wrong thing.

And I get that, truly I do. When my grandfather was dying I was working in a hospital ward not far from his. I visited him every day after work and we had some of the best conversations I ever had with him. And I am so glad that I had that time with him. There was no need for any kind of small talk, we just connected and talked about everything, as much as he could.

But I don’t remember specifically asking about his hopes, and what they were at that time.

I know he had a wish list of things he wanted to still be here for. The only ones I know of from the list were my graduation and my sister’s wedding, and sadly he didn’t make it to either of those.

But were they his hopes? Or were they something different? Do your hopes change when your future has become shorter? Do they have a different focus?

That is what this project is about for me. Discovering what hope means to someone who has a life limiting illness.

Thank you Barbara for welcoming me in to your beautiful home and being so open in your conversation with me. I am truly honoured to have spent that time with you, hearing your story.

Barbara is preparing an explanation of what hope means to her which I will add to this post when I can.

R x

10 on 10 – January 2015

January 12, 2015 in lifestyle, personal project • 0 Comments

A while back I was doing a personal project called ’10 on 10′. On the 10th day of the month, I would take 10 photos of whatever we were doing. So roughly one an hour throughout the day. I found it easier than the photo a day challenges because I never last more than a couple of weeks with those! But I did get a bit slack and stopped doing it a few months ago… However, new year, new attempt! Let’s see if I can remember to do it every month 🙂

I love looking back on previous ones as a glimpse of what our life was like with little babies and compare that to now. I hope you enjoy the little peek into our daily lives too! R x

The Diamond Collection

November 25, 2014 in Session information • 0 Comments

Sometimes I think it’s easier to see things visually than just read them on a page. Especially when you are deciding whether or not you want to buy something!

You may remember the winner of my relaunch giveaway, Alex. Her prints and album arrived today! Her prize was a Diamond Collection photography package, worth $1000. So you can get an idea of what that money gets you, I took some pics of her completed package!

The Diamond Collection includes seven 6×8″ prints, six 8×12″ prints in a keepsake box, one 11×14″ print and an 8×8″ album including all images from your session, as well as a high resolution digital copy of each of the prints. All of the prints are printed on fine art paper and matted ready for framing.

Six of the seven 6×8″ prints (wrapped in plastic, sorry for the low quality pic!)

The 11×14″ print (also wrapped in plastic!)

Six 8×12″ prints in a keepsake box

8×8″ layflat album, including all images from your session

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All stacked up ready to wrap, and hand deliver!

I hope that helps you to have a better idea of what you have in your hot little hands after choosing the Diamond Collection. As always, if you have any questions just send me an email or give me a call!

Rachel x

Exist in photos

November 23, 2014 in ramblings • 4 Comments

There are many reasons why I am so passionate about working with women. I could go on and on about it, but rather than drown you in all that info at once, I will just pick out single reasons and write about those in individual posts!

So today, the reason I want to write about, is ‘to exist in photos’.

We are part of the selfie generation. I can remember getting my first phone, I was about 16. It was a Phillips Savvy. Do you remember those? We thought we were so awesome with those things. Didn’t even dream that one day we’d all have smartphones with inbuilt cameras, and the ability to take photos at any moment. At that time I was studying photography at college – on black and white film. But back to the point!

These days, a lot of us take photos daily. I do. I have almost 3000 photos on my phone (much to my husbands frustration, he is not as sentimental as I). But until recently, scrolling through those photos, none of them are of me. Yes, it’s my phone, so logically I would be taking the shots. There are hundreds of photos of my children. Some pretty landscapes. Things I don’t want to forget. Even pictures of clothes that I want to remember to go back and buy, tags with codes from Ikea so that I can order them later, photos of playdough creations my children have lovingly crafted. But where was I in all those photos? Where is the proof that I was there? That it was me shopping at Ikea, or me in those landscapes, or playing with my children? That it was me who made the playdough that the kids were creating with? I just wasn’t there. I didn’t do selfies, because I didn’t like the way I looked.

Then, over time, I realised. What if my time is suddenly up. What if tomorrow I am hit with some devastating news, and my whole life is turned around. What if I no longer look how I do now. Yes, I am overweight. I’m just stating a fact here. It’s one reason that I avoid being on the scary side of the camera as much as possible. My children don’t see me like that though. And I am healthy. I am well. I am not sick. What if all of a sudden something happened to me, and I no longer looked how I do today? Where would be the proof that I existed, as I am? Where would the photos be for my children to remember me by?

So from then, I decided to let my dislike for my body go. It wasn’t an easy overnight thing, and I am not all the way there yet. But I am in the process of loving myself. Because this is who I am. This is what I look like. It has absolutely zero importance on my life whether other people see me as beautiful or not. Because my children do, and my husband does. And these days, most of the time, I do. I notice the best parts of myself in the mirror and the ‘worst’ parts barely register. And I do my best to exist in photos, regularly, so that my children will have something to remember me by if and when I am gone.

They don’t have to be professional portraits, it can just be simple phone selfies. But please, for me, for you, for your family, exist in photos.

And to prove that this isn’t all just a load of waffle, here I am in various selfies with my littlest loves.

Rachel x

Kylie – Hobart lifestyle session

November 14, 2014 in lifestyle, Session preview • 0 Comments

A couple of weeks ago I visited Kylie and her family at their home in Dodges Ferry. She had asked me to document their family just doing what they do, a lifestyle session, so they could get some relaxed portraits.

We played in the garden, rode bikes to the beach and played in the water. The boys laughed and splashed, ran around with a friends dog and found treasures in the sand. Then we wandered back to their home, up a secret pathway laden with gorgeous flowers, to the smell of freshly baked banana cake.

The afternoon was beautiful, their family is full of love and kindness for each other, and I hope you enjoy looking through these images as much as I loved taking them.

Rachel x

Alex

October 11, 2014 in Session preview • 0 Comments

I have known Alex for years, since we were in Primary School. She has been best friends with my sister since they were both about 8 years old. When I was doing my undergraduate degree in Launceston, Alex and I lived together. We’ve been through a fair bit together really. The fun and stress of being uni student flatmates, all the random things that life throws up at you when you least expect it, she has always been there.

Alex is a gentle soul, she is so sweet and kind. She is funky and strong, independent, courageous, loving, funny and intelligent. I could write pages about how much I adore her and all her wonderful qualities. I won’t though, instead I hope that you can see her beautiful personality shining through her photos.

I was so excited when I pulled Alex’s name out as the winner for the giveaway at my relaunch. It was really awesome being able to connect with a friend in a different way, as photographer and muse. It is a whole different experience to just a normal catch up with a friend. The camera between us changes the dynamics in a lot of ways. We had so much fun though, it was a really great morning!

I hope you enjoy the images!

Rachel x

Kate

September 24, 2014 in Session preview

When I think of Kate, I think of rainbows and fairy wings. Honestly. There’s a bit of a back story to that, but the short version is she is a good friend of my sisters, and they both used to spend a lot of time pretending to be faeries.

She also has this magnificent light about her, like she is connected to the universe in a different way, full of love and light. I suppose you could call her a ‘free spirit’, there’s just something about her. You can’t help but smile and feel like everything is okay when you are around Kate.

She is also very creative and open minded, so when I asked her to help me out with an idea I had, she was up for it. Chloe came along too for a bit of support. Two very brave girls considering it was winter in Tasmania and we were working outdoors. In a creek. In the shade. (Thanks girls, you seriously rock!)

I really hope you enjoy these photos. They are a bit different to the ones I’ve been sharing so far, but these come from the heart, from that creative space deep inside my soul. Personally I love them, so I truly hope that you can see what I see. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think. And if you would like to have something a little bit different for your own portrait session, get in touch, I’m always happy to do things outside of the square.

Rachel x