Hassan + Danika
Often we meet people for the first time, over a coffee, during a meeting, perhaps an adult drink or meal and whilst you can begin as strangers, it’s not too long and you’re far from that, you become connected in whichever of the infinitely many forms, connection comes. That thought today made me think. Each day we go out into the world, with the magic of space between us, greater or smaller, intimate or platonic, we all dance upon this delicate aether and there, magic is occurring each and every moment. Humans passing by one another in busy city streets, too congested to notice the pull of a love never yet born. Alternatively two hearts connecting their souls against odds so great, you feel God mellifluously orchestrating such serendipitous miracles is the only logical and romantic reasoning.
You know, I like it here.
Mountains have crumbled yet in this moment I don’t quite feel free.
Hassan was in Lebanon when Danika and I first started discussing this couple shoot. That was prior to having that drink at The European across the road from Parliament House in Melbourne, where I lived over a decade ago, yet I had never been and so it goes, that melody upon the aether, ships passing in the night, stretched over a decade. What could have been? How would it have been had I chosen to stay in Melbourne? Would I be in love with you?
There in that restaurant I met Hassan and Danika in the late afternoon of a recent winter’s day. Sitting in a gentle yet resolute aesthetic, the waitress floated over, a disarming smile pinching her cheeks, poured me a beer whilst I waited. Hassan and Danika arrived and I felt something strange, akin to simple comfort I guess. Two strangers. Again; strangers but the way Hassan approached with his eyes warm and his stride proud, it was as disarming as the smile of the waitress. Danika, beautiful, elegant in her movement sat down first, Hassan careful she was comfortable.
I’m just falling.
What transpired over the next 4 hours of talking, laughing, photographing, having drinks, sharing stories, warm embraces and ephemeral goodbyes made me realise. This. This is living, in whatever way it is. The beautiful, the raw, the crushing, the uplifting, the down right fucked. This is living and peppered amongst it. Well there is so much good.
Did you know that the inflation rate in Lebanon slowed to a five month low of 251% in July of 2023. Australia’s eased to 4.9%. Let that sink in. Nothing right but i’m still feeling my way some way. We all are.
All this is to say, Hassan and Danika, you have a beautifully warm spot in my heart and I can not wait to see you both again soon.
You know, I like it here.
Gwen + Sam
The lyrics repeating gently in the outro of the current song; “let’s stay like this forever’ has me left wondering if and when anything is truly coincidence or is it just some sublime orchestrated serendipity. Maybe it’s none of that and simply the type of music that I listen to.
Recently i’ve had some people reach out to me and ask about my writing and in a beautiful way it’s encouraged me to once again write more. It’s always been a seasonal type of outlet. Sometimes I so desperately need to put words down that it consumes me like that of a dog wagging its tail waiting to go for a walk. Other times I am empty of any words and trying would be an exercise in egotistical futility, one that would not be truthful to myself and truth to ourselves is one of the few tangibilities we have.
I’ve been shooting love for over a decade and when I say it like that it takes me back somewhat. Over the years I’ve seen photographers come and go, people shoot for the money and others for the accolades but I don’t care about either. We all need to make a living but I live within my means so that I can stop and feel. So that I can pour a whiskey when the time feels right, so that I can take that dog for the walk it so wants and so that where it’s needed, I can focus my heart. I’ve made promises in that heart, promises to myself and to people I love and so I know, one can only shoot rightly, if it does come from the heart.
Documenting love has and is, a beautifully poignant reminder that it’s ok to lose a day or two. Life is short but love, well, love lives on, sometimes in our hearts and sometimes reflected in those of us around us, those that we encounter. My promise to myself and to my couples is that the day I feel anything less than deeply thankful for doing what I do is the day I put down my camera and say goodbye to documenting love.
For the time being however I am completely here for it. I feel so deeply and connect so intrinsically when I see love in front of me and I am so darn thankful that is a blessing afforded to me.
Two days ago I met both Gwen and Sam for the first time. At the end of a winding road, nestled behind a hill in Clarendon, a beautiful property by the name of Maison de Moon. The owner Irene welcomed me alongside her twelve week old puppy. A smile and warmth that immediately resonated and made me feel a sense of home, the quiet sound of vintage French music in the background reverberating off the old stone walls. Inscriptions of children from previous families marked adjacent to the kitchen, stories no doubt that were filled with laughter and deep history and meaning. Now carrying on with a new family. Here Gwen and Sam chose to marry. Not in front of a large gathering, exuberant celebrations but rather alone, with myself and Irene and the celebrant only. Myself and Irene to witness and Gwen and Sam to make vows to last a lifetime, in front of whom mattered most. Each other. Love is deeply individual. Love is deeply unique and it’s moments like those, that I feel utterly and overtly thankful. Thankful that I continue to call this a job. The truth is though, it really is some type of beautiful serendipity.
Here below, is the incredible, lovely, quiet celebration that was the elopement of Gwen and Sam.
Rhea + Sidney
“So I guess all of this is to say that I vow to hold hope with you and with us.”
Words that could have been written by me, yet they weren’t. Ludovico plays loudly. Purposefully. I’ve cried this week more times than I can recall and I don’t say that to impress anything upon you. I write it because it’s a reminder that with tears now painfully filling my eyes, I know what love and hope is. I know how it grips you so tightly that you would do anything to feel it between your finger tips, to have that breath that only you know, caress your skin, to have that smile you love fill your entire soul. I write it because if all hope fails i’ll have this reminder that I held hope and I cry these tears because yesterday a friend married and the hope he held was fulfilled. In this lifetime sometimes we get one chance, sometimes we get many but those are not ours to decide, yet hope, hope is ours. It is yours and it is is mine and no one can ever take that away from you or I.
”So I guess all of this is to say that I vow to hold hope with you and with us. Whatever life brings us. Through the bad times that may lead you to never wanting to eat homemade pesto pasta again, to good times like these, with our favourite family and friends around us: I vow to spend these moments hopeful and believing in our love.”
These words were written and spoken by Sidney yesterday and delivered to his beautiful wife, Rhea. On occasion in life you find your souls counterpart in another but on other occasions you realise that a friend is so much more like you than you could have ever imagined. That he or she view life in a similar way to you and you think to yourself, how beautiful that this man shares my sentiments and how beautiful it is that his hope prevailed.
Listening to these words and watching Sidney’s face as he spoke them, I was awestruck with admiration and poignant nostalgia. I’ll never forget yesterday. For many reasons. I’ll remember the intimacy, the family members who had travelled half way across the world for Rhea and Sid’s wedding and the family members who couldn’t. I’ll remember the gentleness in Sid’s face and Rheas smile whilst they embraced. I’ll remember the friends who spoke of them, all in their own admiration of accounts they shared during the speeches. I’ll remember the heart felt laughter and joy each and every friend brought to the day. But. Mainly i’ll remember that I vow to hold hope with you and with us. I promised that long ago and that hasn’t changed.
Two days ago I thought I had lost all ability to write, yet here I am and it’s because of yesterday and the day I spent seeing a friend marry. To you Rhea and Sid, I am more thankful than words can express but my heart is in these photos and much of both yours, so I’m hopeful these images are the beginning of my gratitude. Thank you for your vulnerability amongst discomfort, thank you for your trust in me and above all thank you for being two incredibly wonderful humans.
I’m so glad I have met you ~
Tennille + Matt
Sometimes I am paralysed by my thoughts. Sometimes they consume me. Sometimes I wonder what it is about me that keeps them circling through my mind. Some would call it nostalgia. Others romanticism. Others still have suggested it’s a curse. Perhaps it is simply the way that I love, for there is no free key to my heart and only one I would come for in another life time to begin from the start.
So Mr. Moon, I love that you’re always there. Any winter. Any summer. Mr. Moon, you know i’ll always be there too.
I may not know where I am going or where it will even end or if I will ever see the sun in the morning kiss the moon, gently before she departs.
I do know what love is though. I know that I do.
I also know that no body lasts very long if they are afraid of change and few are able to change if they are afraid of making mistakes.
So if you ever get the chance to love. If you ever catch the slightest glimpse of it. Not the kind that pinches you. No, I’m talking about the kind that has you feeling your heart in the back of your throat and you lost in desire, hold on to that feeling. Let it soak through your soul until you are warm from the inside out because life is so short. It has so many surprises and not all of them good. What moments you choose to collect and take with you, well that’s up to you.
Hold on to the good Mr. Moon. Perhaps tomorrow you’ll have hope, another life time, one to make right.
~
