I have too much to say, and I need to sleep. So, for the moment, all I'll say is 'thank you' to the two people who trusted me to be there with them at a most sacred time.
A BIRTH STORY | PREVIEW
The last twenty hours of my life have been like nothing I've ever experienced.
I have too much to say, and I need to sleep. So, for the moment, all I'll say is 'thank you' to the two people who trusted me to be there with them at a most sacred time.
I have too much to say, and I need to sleep. So, for the moment, all I'll say is 'thank you' to the two people who trusted me to be there with them at a most sacred time.
KESH | 26 WEEKS
We didn't have a standard weekend.
I always work on Saturdays. It's the one day where I am definitely not at home. I'm off somewhere in the world, shooting.
Saturday we were heading up to Sydney when I noticed a noise coming from our car. We'd just had the thing serviced, so I wasn't loving life. I have an acute awareness of small things. It's a blessing and, rarely, a curse. Kesh has come to know this very well. The noise our car was making was so small, Kesh couldn't even hear it. But it grew. Louder and louder.
I made it to my shoot, right on time and with the car limping its way.
Kesh had planned to use the time I was shooting to prepare two big assignments she had for church the next day. Instead, she spent the next four hours on the phone, organising tow trucks, rental cars and the rest of our day (we were heading to the Central Coast for dinner with my family).
I finished shooting and Kesh filled me in. She would wait for the tow truck, while I caught a cab to the airport to pick up our rental car. The timing would be perfect.
Only thing is, the timing wasn't perfect. The car rental place wasn't communicating with our insurance company and were trying to charge me a bazillion dollars for something that was meant to be free.
By the time I made it back to Kesh, I saw something that made me happy and sad all at the same time. My beautiful wife, twenty six weeks pregnant, was standing on the side of the road, her arms full of our possessions - the things we'd left in the car and would need for our trip. She smiled and laughed when she got in our car. Her only complaint, that she was busting to go to the toilet.
We headed up the Coast for dinner and then all the way back down it. We slid into bed around midnight. When the alarm went off the next morning, it was like death. Kesh had set it extra early so that she could be ready to go for church. I literally knocked my bed side table over trying to silence our room.
Finally, I woke up (thanks for the phone call, Mum, haha) and started getting ready with Kesh. With the hair straightener in her hand, we both heard an enormous zap, followed by smoke and a big black mark on Kesh's hand. She was shaken but doing ok (baby is ok, too). Our house, on the other hand, was without electricity.
On the way to church, I realised that I'd forgotten to organise something crucial for the day. I dropped Kesh off and headed a little further down the Coast to grab it. It was on this drive, alone in the car, that I started thinking. I had this song playing.
I thought about Kesh giving birth. About me being there with her and the experience that will be. I thought about our child being born, coming into this world, having chosen to be with us. I thought about holding a life we created, in my arms. I thought about my wife, standing on the side of the road by herself, her arms heavy. And she stood there, happily waiting for me to return. I thought about my family and Kesh's, seeing this baby for the first time. I saw my Dad, holding our baby in his arms, his eyes blinking as they fill with tears.
It was the most beautiful drive I've ever taken. And if I had to go through what felt like a terrible weekend to have that experience, I'm ok with that.
Kesh will have a video and more images on her blog a little later.
I always work on Saturdays. It's the one day where I am definitely not at home. I'm off somewhere in the world, shooting.
Saturday we were heading up to Sydney when I noticed a noise coming from our car. We'd just had the thing serviced, so I wasn't loving life. I have an acute awareness of small things. It's a blessing and, rarely, a curse. Kesh has come to know this very well. The noise our car was making was so small, Kesh couldn't even hear it. But it grew. Louder and louder.
I made it to my shoot, right on time and with the car limping its way.
Kesh had planned to use the time I was shooting to prepare two big assignments she had for church the next day. Instead, she spent the next four hours on the phone, organising tow trucks, rental cars and the rest of our day (we were heading to the Central Coast for dinner with my family).
I finished shooting and Kesh filled me in. She would wait for the tow truck, while I caught a cab to the airport to pick up our rental car. The timing would be perfect.
Only thing is, the timing wasn't perfect. The car rental place wasn't communicating with our insurance company and were trying to charge me a bazillion dollars for something that was meant to be free.
By the time I made it back to Kesh, I saw something that made me happy and sad all at the same time. My beautiful wife, twenty six weeks pregnant, was standing on the side of the road, her arms full of our possessions - the things we'd left in the car and would need for our trip. She smiled and laughed when she got in our car. Her only complaint, that she was busting to go to the toilet.
We headed up the Coast for dinner and then all the way back down it. We slid into bed around midnight. When the alarm went off the next morning, it was like death. Kesh had set it extra early so that she could be ready to go for church. I literally knocked my bed side table over trying to silence our room.
Finally, I woke up (thanks for the phone call, Mum, haha) and started getting ready with Kesh. With the hair straightener in her hand, we both heard an enormous zap, followed by smoke and a big black mark on Kesh's hand. She was shaken but doing ok (baby is ok, too). Our house, on the other hand, was without electricity.
On the way to church, I realised that I'd forgotten to organise something crucial for the day. I dropped Kesh off and headed a little further down the Coast to grab it. It was on this drive, alone in the car, that I started thinking. I had this song playing.
I thought about Kesh giving birth. About me being there with her and the experience that will be. I thought about our child being born, coming into this world, having chosen to be with us. I thought about holding a life we created, in my arms. I thought about my wife, standing on the side of the road by herself, her arms heavy. And she stood there, happily waiting for me to return. I thought about my family and Kesh's, seeing this baby for the first time. I saw my Dad, holding our baby in his arms, his eyes blinking as they fill with tears.
It was the most beautiful drive I've ever taken. And if I had to go through what felt like a terrible weekend to have that experience, I'm ok with that.
Kesh will have a video and more images on her blog a little later.
Kesh wears Floral Double Layered Full Length Skirt by American Apparel
THE FINE ART WEDDING BOOK | ALBUM
Keshy and me, we're getting to know our local UPS/Fedex man really well. He's an older guy, super friendly and always travels with his wife in the van with him. I like that.
We talk about the weather and what is being delivered on each visit.
Today was a really special delivery.
This is the first of our new wedding books (which I'm also designing for family sessions). It lays completely flat and has no split down the middle. They are, for sure, the best quality fine art book I've ever seen.
And I think everyone should get one.
We talk about the weather and what is being delivered on each visit.
Today was a really special delivery.
This is the first of our new wedding books (which I'm also designing for family sessions). It lays completely flat and has no split down the middle. They are, for sure, the best quality fine art book I've ever seen.
And I think everyone should get one.
THIS MORNING
If you follow me on instagram, you'll already know that I shot at an amazing place this morning. What you won't know, is that I shot with amazing, beautiful and kind people.
THE PARSAKIA FAMILY | MELBOURNE
Tahnee is an amazing mother.
My flight had arrived earlier than expected and I knocked on the door just that little bit too early. I knew it was risky.
I was welcomed straight in while final preparations for Eliot's big day were taking place. I walked through each child's room and saw the love and devotion Tahnee had created there.
Each of them had their own space, lovingly crafted by Tahnee, unique to them.
The morning passed and I saw Tahnee bake, hug, braid hair, spend time and share her love with both her little ones and visiting family.
It was a beautiful thing to witness.
My flight had arrived earlier than expected and I knocked on the door just that little bit too early. I knew it was risky.
I was welcomed straight in while final preparations for Eliot's big day were taking place. I walked through each child's room and saw the love and devotion Tahnee had created there.
Each of them had their own space, lovingly crafted by Tahnee, unique to them.
The morning passed and I saw Tahnee bake, hug, braid hair, spend time and share her love with both her little ones and visiting family.
It was a beautiful thing to witness.
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