When Angie Met Angie: Our Session with Angie Baxter

by | May 16, 2011 | PERSONAL AND FAMILY | 16 comments

Two Fridays back, we were racing from one side of Melbourne to the other. It was 3.15pm when we got in the car which gave us an hour to get where we were going. As usual, we had not left enough time. Peak hour traffic was no help.

So it was that at 4.30pm we arrived at Braeside Park for our photo shoot with family photographer, Angie Baxter.

Angie and I had not met before. I was flustered and apologetic. She was serene and welcoming.

And the other important thing to know about Angie; she smells AWESOME.

Now, I don't know about you but I'm all about the senses. And if someone smells good to me, well, they're one step off being my new BFF. In fact, I once fell in love with a Jetstar air hostess who was wearing Coco Mademoiselle. I still blush when I think of her. True story. 

So Angie Baxter smells amazing.  Big tick!

But Angie had a harder task than just being fragrantly lovely. She had to photograph four people – two of whom were probably heading into the feral hours known as 'almost bedtime'.

It had been an overcast day and I had wondered whether choosing a late afternoon shoot to capture that gorgeous setting sunlight might have been in vain. Without the sun, we might just end up with two kids who were in no mood for looking adorable and two parents who were in no mood to look like they enjoyed being a family. Like, AT ALL.

But wouldn't you know it, when we stepped from the car, the sun broke from behind a cloud and bathed the open field in the most beautiful glow.

Angie has an incredibly warm way about her and the boys both loved her instantly. Zee practically jumped into her arms at first meeting. That was a great sign.

Being late afternoon and the fact that we were now half an hour behind, Angie was mindful of working with what light we had left. To that end, she quite expertly took us through a series of poses as efficiently as possible but without us ever feeling rushed or under pressure. 

Hiding behind the trees that circled the field where we stood was an enormous and quite awesome playground. LD spotted it just minutes into the shoot. This was not good. He wasn't much interested in the photoshoot after that and it is a credit to Angie that we managed to get any shots with him in them at all. And open fields in general are an invitation to run so both B and I spent an inordinate amount of time chasing the boys.

When I look at the resulting shots, I have to say, I am amazed. The four people in those photos are NOT the four people I remember that day. We look relaxed, we look like it's all just breezy and fun, like there's nowhere else we'd rather be. Angie very clearly directed us and worked around the meltdowns and moments of which there were more than a few.

A family photographer needs technical know-how and an artistic eye in order to produce truly breath-taking photography. But a Fine Arts degree is good for nothing if the photographer has no people skills.

Angie's work is technically gorgeous. But it was her ability to adapt to the unique vibe of my little family that impressed me most.

By the time we wrapped up, it was well into dusk and getting cold. To her credit, Angie never once gave the impression of being in a hurry despite the fact that I know she had her own little family to get home to. 

The whole experience was a joy from start to finish.  

And the best bit? These incredible photos of my beautiful family. 

Click photo to enlarge.

Family  002

Family  003

Family  008

Family  013

Family  016

Family  018

Family  025

Family  031

Family  034

Family  036

Family  042

SPECIAL OFFER FOR READERS OF THE LITTLE MUMMA

Book a session with Angie before 31 May (can take place any time in 2011) and receive a free wall enlargement valued at $135.  Just remember to mention The Little Mumma when you book.

Check out Angie's website here.

And her blog here.

And Angie's Facebook page here.

Oh and just one more photo…

Airbrushed!

No, it's not a gratuitous attempt to stun you with my incredible beauty (although am I not cute as a button?) but rather to illustrate a very important point. People, my skin was SHOCKING on this particular day. And I mean, SHOCKING. But I think you will agree with me when I say that my face looks to have been made out of porcelain in the above pic.

Angie, for this and so much more, THANK YOU! xoxo 

Hello friends

advertisement

I’m Angie!  I mum. I write. I wife. My husband would say this is the correct order.  He’s so neeeedy. I live with my family in Melbourne, Australia, where I complain about the weather for 90% of the year – but I can’t imagine living anywhere else. Except maybe in Lake Como, waving to my neighbours George and Amal each morning.

Insta Love

16 Comments

  1. melbo

    Just beautiful … really imaginative shots and of course it helps to have subjects like yourselves.

    Thanks so much for putting them up. They are amazing.

    Reply
  2. Janeo

    Amazing photos love them all but especially one of B and Ld smiling just gorgeous… Also love the one of zee over your shoulder cheeky face 🙂 … Loved a couple if the family of 4 shots to hard to pick a fav.. Such a gorgeous family Angie 🙂 …

    Reply
  3. Galit Breen

    Yes. Yes, you *are* adorable!

    And your photos are pure gorgeous!

    *Love!*

    XO

    Reply
  4. Angie @ The Little Mumma

    Thanks, Jane!

    Those two are my absolute faves, I think. The one of B and LD is just gorgeous – there are a couple more of them together that are also lovely. I wanted to put ALL the pics up but there were 52!

    Reply
  5. MJ

    My favourite is the one of Zee peeking over your shoulder. Gorgeous!

    Reply
  6. Rae

    Shut up! They just keep getting better!

    The ones of B and LD…swoon! And Z in the air – awesome!!!! And hello Miss Flawless complexion. Love that shot of you, pretty lady.

    These pics make me wish i lived closer so i can soak up all that MG-goodness in person.

    And yep – totally agree. Angie DOES smell heavenly hey!

    Reply
  7. Angie @ The Little Mumma

    She smells SO DAMN GOOD! Ha!

    Oh Rae, how will I ever choose what to put on my wall? I want to wallpaper the interior of my car with this stuff. I want to wallpaper the inside of my eyelids so I can always see them.

    I wish you lived closer, too. Sad face.

    xxxx

    Reply
  8. Carol Townsend

    Have just saved to my desktop the one of B and LD, both with beautiful smiles, also saving the one with Z looking over your shoulder and the one following that of the four all smiling. All very natural love them all hard to choose.

    Reply
  9. Frume Sarah

    These are all pretty terrific. The one of you is the best. A great PR photo of a calm mommy. Might not be true, but you are the perfect picture of lovely serenity.

    Reply
  10. Angie @ The Little Mumma

    Ha! Yes, I am a great advertisement for motherhood in that moment. That ONE moment.

    Thank you.

    Reply
  11. Angie Baxter

    Angie, it was so wonderful to meet you and your beautiful boys – you are such a gorgeous family. There was no smoke and mirrors 😉 – the four of you like that, is just how you were. xoxo

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *