I just wanted one nice photo of them...

A job at Pixie Foto is not in my future and my respect for photographers has increased a further 100%.

A bump to remember: a preggo photoshoot

A few weeks back, at 37 weeks pregnant, I decided I wanted to have a maternity photoshoot. Nothing quite like deciding at the last minute, right? Considering I was actually "full term" I was super lucky that the photographer recommended to me by a friend was happy to squeeze me in within a few days of my "DO YOU HAVE ANY SPOTS LEFT I'M JUST ABOUT TO POP" email.

OH! If only we knew then what we know now. Hello 40+6 and still a-cookin'.

The photographer, Michelle at Dainty Stills, asked what type of shoot I would like.

"Nothing too cutesie. I don't want to be holding booties. Nothing too butch though, either. I don't want to be holding a rifle or anything." So basically my brief to her was nothing that could land me on the pages of awkwardfamilyphotos.com. Something plain and simple. 

I just wanted a record of what I looked like pregnant because I don't plan on being up the duff ever again.  But if that record could have nice lighting and a backdrop that doesn't include my wardrobe or the edge of a toilet seat like my selfies do, then that would be tops. 

Aunty Penny was meant to bring her white shirt for me to wear but she forgot. I told her not to worry about it, that I had one of Map Guy's and I would just do my best to rock the whole mens shirt look instead. But that wasn't good enough for Aunty Penny so she dropped in to the shops on the way there and bought me a shirt! We pretended she was my stylist and I was the model which of course meant we left the tags on and returned the shirt after the shoot. I think that means I'm going to fashion hell.

I spent half the time pushing my belly forward to look rounder because it was morning and my bump was one of those small in the morning, massive in the afternoon ones. My core muscles and posture would give out by around lunch time and all of a sudden I'd look a hell of a lot more pregnant than I did a few hours earlier. I certainly don't have to do that now. Now it is just ALL BELLEH, ALL THE TIME. With a waddle to match. Like a big ol' pregnant duck. Quack.

Note the pristine white shirt, worn for 4 minutes then returned.

Tricks was being entertained by Aunty Penny and refused to be part of the shoot. The closest he got was playing cars in the same room, but the second Michelle would turn the camera toward him, he would go shy and run off. To the point where he decided he'd like to play in Michelle's bathroom. As you do.

Despite Michelle being awesome with him and really used to working with kids, no amount of sweet talking was working. He was having a shy day and didn't want anything to do with it.

"You can bring the truck with you. I'm sure a truck would look OK in the photo." -No.

"You can sit on Mum's lap." -No.

"You don't have to smile. You could just give Mum a cuddle." -No.

"You don't have to even look at the camera. Maybe just give Bobbin a kiss?" -No.

I decided to pull out the big guns.

"I'll take you to McDonald's after for a burger!" -Still no. Shit. We resigned ourselves to the fact that this would be a solo photoshoot.

It wasn't until right at the end, after Michelle had put down the camera (of course!) that he ran in, without any warning, and started kissing my belly. Frantically Michelle is lunging for the camera, I'm trying to get him to do it again, Aunty Penny is calling out encouragement, saying what a good boy he is, and he is moving around constantly like a fart in a bottle while Michelle is snapping away hoping for the best.

I am so, so pleased that we got a few that were usable. And I even really like that I'm cracking up laughing in the one on the right - where it kinda looks like I won't let him go because, err, I wouldn't let him go. True to form, after about thirty seconds he ran off and refused to come back. Then started asking for his burger.

I feel incredibly vain for having these done but at the same time I know I would regret it if I didn't do it. I'm couldn't be happier with how they turned out. Proper photos of me and my almost two kids.

Next stop, our first family of four shoot... when Bobbin finally decides to arrive!

Did you get maternity photos taken?

Yellow Pages Capture The Cover Competition

This is a compensated post* 

I have all the apps ever created for taking photos, editing them, organizing them and sharing them. ALL of them. Sadly, the number of apps I have has absolutely no correlation to the level of talent I possess for photography. As a result, you lot are subjected to my "chuck a filter on it and it'll be fine" approach. Hey, it's working for me so far. The only problem is that when people meet for the first time they wonder why I don't have flawless skin and a permanent duck face expression.

But some of you lot are fantastic whether it's with your phones, a point and shoot, or with a fancy pants DSLRs. I don't even know what DSLR means, but I'm just going to assume it stands for Did Someone Let Rip? Amiright?

This year the Yellow Pages is running a Capture the Cover competition (say that three times fast) where you are invited to, well, capture the cover.

The covers of local issues will feature local images taken by local people. Local, local, local. If your picture ends up on the cover not only will your image be on the phone tables of thousands of households (or holding up computer monitors and acting as bookshelves in student accommodation) but you can win fabulous prizes including fancy pants cameras, iPads and cold hard cash. Ca-ching!

Tricky tried to get in on the action but had a little trouble... it seems when given a spunky blue toddler proof camera, he only takes photos of himself. He was all "What? My face is in my local area! Be more specific with your instructions, woman!" When I said it just wasn't gonna cut it, that he wasn't meant to show faces in his pics, he attempted to eat the camera in defiance.

I wonder where he gets that from?

First cab off the rank is Perth! Yay! So get snapping your local area now. Other cities are going to follow soon so you East Coasters can start prepping. 

To enter your pics and learn the Ts and Cs, head to the official website at CaptureTheCover.com. If you're a Twitter junkie, follow @YellowPages_au and keep an eye on the official hashtag #capturethecover and see how many places you can recognize. Alternatively, check out the Yellow Pages facebook page for more info. I'll be joining in on the fun but sadly, I dont' qualify for any of the prizes and with his stellar photography of his own face, neither does Tricky.

*I was not paid for this post. I received a toddler-proof camera from the Yellow Pages to help Capture The Cover

Tinybeans Baby Journal Review and $100 Giftcard Giveaway

This post is sponsored by Tinybeans

I am obsessed with taking photos. It comes with the Bloggy territory that you document everything that inspires you to write. Even more so though, I’m obsessed with taking photos of Tricky. He’s my first born and it’s a rite of passage for him that in this digital age there will be thousands upon thousands of photos of him, ready and waiting to be collaged embarrassingly for his major milestone birthdays.

For the last month I’ve been using the free Tinybeans app to create a baby journal of sorts for Tricks. Well, a toddler journal, really. And I’m loving it. So when I was asked to write about it last week, I was all “I already know all about it! For sure!”

The app lets you keep a day by day photographic record of your kids so you can really see them growing, track their milestones and notice all the tiny changes you might not pick up on day to day. You can have a separate profile for each kid so even neglected third borns like me can get in on some of the photo lovin’. If it just did that, it would be pretty cool, but it does a lot more.

Easy to add new profiles and see all your photos for the month

There are in-app filters to turn your ordinary photos in to fancy pants ones and a notification centre to remind you to take a pic every day so that your baby journal doesn’t become something you use half a dozen times then forget about… like your gym membership. But you don’t even have to have an iPhone to play along, because you can control it all from the website too – so all the Android peeps and those poor, unfortunate souls who don’t have a smartphone can have a slice of the action, too!

Filters make everyone look better

I’ve been tweeting out some of my photos using the #tinybeanskids hashtag as part of the launch challenge because I’m a social media whore, but I know putting your kids online isn’t for everyone. So my favourite part of the whole app is that it is completely private and only shares your photos with who you choose. Which is great for all the photos you want captured and shared with family but not publicly – you know the ones I’m talking about… nudie runs!

Tinybeans in App and Website form

I have it set up to automatically email Map Guy to give him a little mid-afternoon pick-me-up, and Tricky’s paternal grandparents who live five hours drive away and don’t get to see him as often as they’d like. Plus if I send them pictures they’re less likely to go hunting on the blog for them and find out I’ve been off gallivanting in Sydney with a man who isn’t their son!

Easy to navigate, set reminders and share photos with family

To help celebrate the successful launch of Tinybeans, I have a $100 Westfield voucher up for grabs! To enter, click here - it will redirect you to the Facebook entry form.

To create your own baby record download the free Tinybeans app from the App Store or head to tinybeans.com.

Did you keep a baby journal?

Full terms and conditions can be found here

Picture Perfect

Have you ever received a present that was so fabulous you cried tears of happiness? When Tricky was born a group of friends, led by the fantastic Nicole, got together to get us a voucher for baby photos. But they didn't just get any old photographer. Nicole remembered how much I loved (and ranted and raved about) the woman who captured our wedding day so perfectly two years ago, the divine Jen Regan of Anna Rose Photography.

After I stopped shaking, crying happy tears and thanking all the people who had contributed to such an awesome gift, it was time to go to the portrait session - they work best if the bub is under four weeks old so at when Tricky was three weeks and three days old he became a supermodel!

The studio was amazing - it was a bright, sun filled room that made me feel warm even on such a freezing cold day. A giant bed with a fluffy white doona was in the centre of the room and on the walls hung gorgeous bunting flags. If I took a photo with a bed and bunting it would be pathetic, but these simple props were all Jen needed to create some of the most beautiful images I've ever seen.

The session was so quick - it took just over an hour and some of that time was feeding Tricky to try and get him to go to sleep so we could get some of the gorgeous 'sleeping naked baby' shots - but it didn't feel rushed at all, just calm and relaxed, a testament to how professional Jen is. We had a variety of shots taken, some of the three of us, of just me and Tricky, just Hubby and Tricky and of course, my little Tricky by himself, asleep on the cloud of doona. Jen has a way of not just taking photos, but capturing the mood, the spirit and the essence of the day, so without even seeing the images I knew they would be fantastic. But when I did see them? Wow. Bring on another round of happy tears (yeah I know, all this crying is really getting old).

Looking a little bit like a carrot top!

I purposely didn't write about the session at the time because I wanted to wait until we had the images hanging up on the walls so I could compare how he looked then to how he looks now, a few short months later. The difference is staggering. He was sooooo little! I cannot believe how fast he has grown.

My little Gumnut Tricky

I am so glad we got the photos taken, and we will definitely be having some more taken by Jen as he groes up. And now you too can join in the Jen-worshipping because Anna Rose Photography is sponsoring Where's My Glow's first competition! Hooray! I know I said it would be last month but I had a few other things to deal with - ya know, like having Tricky's skull cracked open and Go-Go-Gadget Springs inserted! But better late than never! I told ya it was gonna be a good one! Could I possibly put any more exclamation marks in this paragraph?!


Up for grabs is a fantastic mini studio session for two children at Anna Rose Photography valued at $275! Entering is simple:

• Become a 'public' follower of the blog by clicking on 'Follow'. It should be just over to your right where it says "Get your Glow on" >>>>
• Leave a comment telling me why you'd like to win a studio session at Anna Rose Photography. Don't put it on Facebook, click on where it says "Post a Comment". Make sure you leave the comment as your Google Friend Connect ID so that when you win I'm able to contact you.
• Spread the word! Help me promote our fabulous sponsor by linking to this competition on Facebook and Twitter - your entry is going to be so great you won't mind others entering too! There are even little buttons just below that will link it for you, how easy is that?
• If you're having trouble please email glowless(at)gmail(dot)com

Remember to be creative with your answer (I'm a sucker for a limerick or two) and enter as many times as you like - it's a game of skill. Entries will be open for one week only and close at midnight AWST on Wednesday 27th October 2010. GOODLUCK!


To see more of Jen's fabulous work, visit her website or blog - If you go back through a few you can even see more of Tricky's shoot and *gulp* I'm in some of them.


The Fine Print

• The winner receives a half hour mini studio session for two children (must be siblings) at the Anna Rose Photography studio in Subiaco, Western Australia, and a 14 day online gallery valued at $275.
• Prints are not included in this prize, it is the winner's own responsibility to pay for any and all prints they wish to purchase.
• The voucher is valid until 31 December 2010
• The voucher is not redeemable for cash
• The entries will be judged by a third part who will be unaware of the entrant's name - basically this means I won't be playing favourites if a friend enters.
• The judge's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered in to.
• The winner agrees to have his/her first name published on the blog and is welcome to share their experience at the studio in a guest post.

Show a little bit Moore

I've always admired the shape of a pregnant belly. They're beautiful and quite literally bursting with life. Combine that with the supposed glow (which is still managing to elude me) and it makes for some very attractive women.

But now the shoe is on the other foot, or more appropriately the tum is on a different mum, and I'm not feeling particularly stunning... just plain old me. So when I was offered a free pregnancy photoshoot by a photographer friend, I was flattered but not thrilled with the idea. At this point I should mention that while some of the photos would be stock standard, others would be... *takes a deep breath*... NUDE!

I'll give you a minute while you get up off the floor... back on your chair now? Now where were we? Right, rudey nudey.

Plenty of women do nude maternity shoots. Demi Moore's photo on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine started it all off and the likes of Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears followed, as did a lot of “normal” women. Whilst considering the idea I was haunted by visions of English comedian Johnny Vegas when he parodied the famous Moore shoot. Let me tell you, that image is now burned in to my retinas forever, so it's only fair for me to share the joy.

The infamous Demi Moore photo on the cover of Vanity Fair

Slightly less infamous photo of Johnny Vegas

So far I've kept this blog pretty anonymous, and I don't think there is any risk in being “found out” by revealing that I don't actually look like Moore, Aguilera or Spears. I'm sure you guessed that anyway. And the people who do know me can vouch for this (although you all don't have to rush to comment saying what a minger I am, thanks). But there is one little thing that is keeping the idea in my head... photoshop. With liquify and blur my thighs and breasts will suddenly become taught and perky plus my tiny little crows feet with vanish! I will have smooth, flawless skin and I might even be made to GLOW!

Yet the notion that a strategically placed hand or the way a shadow falls could be all that distances me from “preggo porn” looms at the forefront of my brain. To be nude or not to be nude, THAT is the question, thanks, Hamlet.