Life Portraits has Evolved: A New Brand Chapter for LP

Say HELLO to the NEW Life Portraits brand!

We're thrilled to unveil our fresh brand identity, a reflection of our evolution over the past 9 years. Our new look is more aligned with our values and embodies the vibrant, dynamic spirit of our clients and the LP team.

A huge thanks to Megan Designs for bringing our vision to life! She is a very talented lettering artist, muralist and designer. And to our amazing videographer Melinda for capturing the essence of our brand.

Our new brand identity is more than just a visual refresh; it's a powerful statement of our commitment to you. Over the past eight years, we've had the privilege of capturing countless moments, helping individuals feel confident, proud, and comfortable in their own skin.

Our new look embodies our core values:

  • Empowerment: Inspiring confidence and self-belief through every image.

  • Wellness Focus: Promoting physical and mental well-being through photography.

  • Health and Customer Service: Prioritizing client care and well-being.

  • Professionalism: Delivering exceptional quality and service.

  • Innovation: Continuously pushing creative boundaries.

  • Quality: Our unwavering commitment to excellence.

  • Inclusivity: Celebrating diversity and representing everyone.

  • Trust: Building lasting relationships based on reliability and integrity.

This rebrand is a testament to our growth and our dedication to providing you with photography that not only captures your image but also empowers your spirit. We invite you to explore our new website and social media channels to experience the vibrant energy of the new Life Portraits.

We're excited about this new chapter and can’t wait to continue creating stunning imagery that reflects your unique beauty and story. See rebrand video below!

Director Em rocked the chop for Cancer for the Ponytail Project ✂️💗📷

Inspired by my Dad's bowel cancer recovery, I grew my hair for 2 years with the intention of donating it as a wig for Cancer Council’s Ponytail Project and to raise funds to support people impacted by cancer.

Thank you to all my friends, family and even our LP clients for your donations and for your ongoing support.... I surpassed my fundraising goal and this money along with my hair will make a difference to someone’s life! 

Could your hair become a wig for someone in need? I hope my journey can inspire others to #rockthechop too!

If anyone wants to do a last minute donation, please feel free below, it's for a wonderful cause 🙏🏼 #chopforchange #PonytailProject #CancerCouncilQueensland #CancerCouncilAustralia

Em x

https://www.ponytailproject.com.au/fundraisers/emilymacdonald/qld-2023

Get Familiar with the new Life Portraits studio!

Come create with us at the Life Portraits Studio, Brisbane!

At Life Portraits, we believe that every person's journey or brand is unique and deserving of celebration. We understand that finding the ideal location is crucial for bringing your vision or brand to life.

Our photography studio space in Albion, Brisbane, has been thoughtfully designed to inspire and elevate your beauty, fitness, social media or branding imagery, bringing them to life.

We are excited to now offer a space to our clients that allows us to uplevel our service offering of high-quality and professional photography services.

The LP space has a number of incredible features you’ll love including:

  1. A range of coloured, vibrant backdrops

  2. Curated, customisable spaces

  3. Hand-chosen props

  4. Finished walls for a more rustic vibe,

  5. An open kitchen area to show off you’re culinary side, great for nutrition

  6. Couch areas and interesting walls for a number of different looks in one space

  7. Intimate corners for a moodier vibe

  8. A space for us to train other photographers in professional photography, lighting and posing

    From maternity photography to branding shoots, we have the perfect space to fulfill your needs. With parking nearby and access by public transport, you can arrive refreshed and make magic with us. See some examples of the work we’ve created below.

A Dose of Photography Inspiration at the Sydney Aperture Australia Conference

It was a first for Andy & I to be in the crowd at a conference, usually we’re the event photographers haha. At the start of the year when setting our goals, we made knowledge, development and training a priority to benefit ourselves and the business. After some research, I found the Aperture Australia Photography Conference in Sydney and with it’s incredible line-up of speakers I didn’t hesitate in booking our first photography conference.

In addition to attending the event, I also won the VIP competition including VIP front row tickets, dinner with the speakers and sponsors and guaranteed spots in the breakout workshops! What an incredible experience….


The event was hosted by renowned journalist Ray Martin with speakers across a number of fields including: Ray Collins - Oceanic Photographer; Tamara Dean - Photographic Artist; Jasin Boland - Film Stills Photographer; Christian Fletcher - Aust. Landscape Icon; Stephen Dupont - Conflict Photographer; and Ami Vitale - Nat Geo Photojournalist. We were ever inspired by the different genres and really took us back to our roots of photography, the passion, the story, the emotion, the reason why we started in this world - to create art, stories and emotional imagery.

See some of our captures taking in all the amazing speeches in the front row and a little behind the scenes vlog of our experience over the weekend. What a way to finish the financial year!

Em x

Merry Christmas from Life Portraits: Reflecting on 3 great years of business and many laughs!

With the Christmas and New Year period just around the corner, Andy and I wanted to say a huge thank you to our clients, friends and families for your support in making 2018 a successful year for us. We hope you enjoy the festive season with your loved ones and we’re looking forward to what’s to come in 2019.

Every year we like to reflect on the past 12-months and celebrate our successes. 2018 saw us:

  • Being named in the top 5 and a finalist in the Queensland Telstra Business Awards - Emerging & Energised category

  • Being commissioned to travel to Japan for a week to photograph new Suntory whisky and gin products to be launched in the Australian market

  • Successfully capturing the Australian Commercial Radio Awards and Radio Alive Conference for 2018 and booked again for 2019

  • Growing the LP Fitness Brand to a new level with double the amount of bookings than the previous year

  • Bringing on a host of high profile new clients including one of the biggest brands in the global hotel industry, Accor Hotels, and a major South Pacific civil Engineering and construction company Fulton Hogan. 

We treasure our time with every one of our clients from our individual private photoshoots to our campaigns for large multi-national brands and thank every one of you for being a part of our journey in 2018. It's been a busy and enjoyable year with a lot of hard work and a lot of laughs along the way. We look forward to working with you all again in 2019

Thank you for being an integral part of Life Portraits’ success. See some of our behind the scenes fun below.

Andy & Em

Brisbane Portrait & Commercial Photographers: Life Portraits

You're never too old to play! Brisbane Portrait Photographers at Sugar Republic

Being a HUGE lover of everything colour, I had to attend the colourful art installation Sugar Republic that is currently in Brisbane. A pop up museum with rooms full of installations, a ball pit, ice cream tasting and a huge cake!

My best friend Jesse and I had the best time! A must for the kids (or big kid adults hehe). Check out some of the fun below.


Life Portraits is a top 5 QLD finalist at the 2018 Telstra Business Awards!

It is with great honour that we announce that Life Portraits was named one of QLD's top 5 finalists in the Emerging & Energised category at the Telstra Business Award for 2018. Even though we didn't take out the big win, it was an unforgettable night for us and this recognition is an indicator that our hard work, passion and vision is paying off. This in-depth and thorough process of the Telstra Awards application has been an amazing learning experience for us and helped us refine our processes.

See our full gallery of the awards here. 

We want to take this moment to thank YOU, our clients, for your support during this journey, without you, there would be no Life Portraits.

We were so overwhelmed by your support on your testimonials that we wanted to share with you part of our submission for the awards. We were asked to provide a video showing how we are unique to our customer, so we asked..... and this is what you all said!

Our Story
Our business success rests on a solid tripod consisting of 3 brands;

Each leg stands alone in it’s own right, but together they support our future growth.

We pride ourselves on providing high quality, creative imagery; in teaching the best photography practices and mentoring those new to the industry; and above all, delivering fun, personalised and memorable client experiences.

Being a finalist in these awards is momentous to us and is recognition of our hard work, dedication and passion for the photography industry.

Andy & Em 

Brisbane Portrait & Wedding Photography
www.lifeportraits.photography
Brisbane Commercial Photography
www.lpcommercial.photography

When the roles are reversed: Em in front of the camera...

I thought it was time for an update of some portraits of myself for social media and our marketing. I wanted to portray my personality, my style and me as a professional woman.

I love colour, this reflects in my photography style and my fashion. So I wanted to showcase myself in the same way - vibrant, enthusiastic and fun.  

Em x
 

What's in my camera bag? An insight into my photography equipment

The minute I picked up a camera at university, I was hooked! I wanted to know everything about the world of photography, I wanted to understand manual mode, how to take aesthetic control of my images and what equipment I needed to achieve this. I would research for hours about other photographers' work and always wondered what lenses they used, what camera, how did they achieve that look and feel in their images etc.

After many years of personal research, reading articles, producing case studies with worldwide photographers and my own trial and error I can now reflect back on my knowledge and offer my readers something of value.

I know how overwhelming it can be making the decision to pursue your passion/hobby for photography. One of the most asked questions is 'What equipment do you use?'. So I thought I would give you an insight into my beautiful collection that I have invested in over the last 7 years. Each piece bringing back memories of a certain time in my life, from a beginner photographer at university to my now full-time photography career.

Firstly, I am a Canon user - sorry to my Nikon friends! I used Nikon at university but I went down the Canon road and I've never looked back. My first camera was a Canon 50D that came with the typical 18-55mm general lens and a it also came with a 50mm f1.8. This lens changed my life! I began using the 50mm lens, oblivious to its potential and capabilities. For those that don't know, a prime lens is a superb lens for portraiture. At it's wide apertures (1.8 in this case) it created a beautiful blurred background and created the most stunning bokeh effect (the effect of a soft out-of-focus background) in my images. I couldn't get enough of this lens! I have since then upgraded to its much more expensive f1.2 L series family member and it's my favourite lens for portraiture. 

See below for an insight into my kit and what I love about each item:

- My main camera is a Canon 5D with battery grip: Amazing full frame camera, video capability and great ISO capabilities (100-6400). 

- Canon 80D Camera: A recent purchase in the last year, mainly for it's amazing capabilities in video. It has track focusing which means when you move the camera keeps focusing on it's subject, unlike with prior cameras that didn't do this and you had to manual focus. Features a 45-point hybrid AF (autofocus) system, which really helps your focusing and video, 24MP sensor, touchscreen, weather-resistant body, pull out screen and lightweight. Find out more here.

-Canon EOS M5 Camera with the 15-45mm EF-M Stabilised Lens: My most recent purchase and I'm in LOVE! I've been admiring this camera ever since Canon released the promotional videos for it. It has only recently come out in Australia and I had this camera on my wish list. It is a 24MP mirrorless camera with a built in electronic viewfinder (meaning you see the exposure of your end image on your viewfinder or screen) with spectacular video capabilities (full HD video), particularly amazing built in image stabilisation, touch screen, a small design (easy to transport and carry), lightweight and came with a Canon EF adapter to allow for other lenses to fit the camera. I am still trailing the camera but already in love with its features and video image stabilisation. This camera is now my everyday shooting camera for families and children, travel and pleasure. It is so small and compact that you go unnoticed sometimes and capture some unbelievable moments. Apparently the M5 is producing sharper images than the 80D and the quality of the images are remarkable. Read more here. 

-Canon EF 50mm f1.2 USM Lens: My favourite lens, unbelievable effect for portraits with it's beautiful bokeh backgrounds at wide apertures such as 1.2/1.4 (beautifully crisp images at 1.4 or more). This lens really took my photography to the next level. An alternative less expensive lens to this is the 50mm f1.8 or the 50mm f1.4 Having owned an used both, the f1.4 was a beautiful lens to use and I highly recommend it. Read more here.

-Canon EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM Lens: This lens is an amazing wide angle that fits on both the 5D Mark II and 80D. It is my go to lens for landscapes, creating unique journey images that give a different type of perspective and it's just a great lens for video. Find out more here. 

-Canon 70-200mm f2.8L IS II USM Lens: This lens is my second favourite and can be used in so many ways. This has been a staple lens when photographing weddings, enabling me to stand back from events and zoom in to capture prescious moments - journalistic style images. It's a beautiful lens for portraiture, particularly fully zoomed to really seperate your subject from the background. It can also be used in landscapes to compress your image and give a different feel to your work.  Find out more here.

-Canon External Flash - Speedlite 600EX II RT: Previously I owned the 560EXII and loved it (leaving me due to it breaking) and moved onto the 600 and I've never looked back. Great flash gun that's been used on a number of huge event jobs without fail.  Find out more here. 

-Pocketwizards - MiniTT1 Transmittor and FlexTT5 Receiver: I use my Pocket Wizards for most portrait shoots to take my flash off camera and create a whole new dimension in my imagery.

  • The MiniTT1 Transmitter is used on camera to trigger remote E-TTL speedlights or studio flashes attached to FlexTT5. Learn more here. 

  • The FlexTT5 works with the MiniTT1 to control single or multiple off-camera E-TTL speedlites. Put the TT5 under your flash and the TT1 on the hotshoe of your camera and take control of your lighting.  Learn more here. 

-Gary Fong Lighsphere: This is the perfect tool for creating a soft spread of light from your flash. This diffuser creates flattering, studio-quality lighting and is great for events and portrait shoots where you need an even coverage of light. It's small, compact and easy to use.  Find out more here.

-Other items: Sekonic light meter, wireless triggers, lens cleaner and Sandisk SD cards.  

Keeping up with the newest and best gear is sometimes impossible and sometimes not necessary. It's great working in a partnership as Andy and I swap our gear on a regular basis, meaning we can easily fill any gaps on our shoots. Andy is armed with 2 x Canon 6D's, Olympus OMD EM5 and an assortment of lenses, in particular his favourites the Canon 85mm f1.8 and the Canon L Series 24-70mm f.2.8. However, I can't stop him stealing my 50mm f1.2 all the time! Sharing is caring haha. When specialist work is required of us, we have lots of great camera hire businesses in Brisbane that we can hire in gear on a case by case basis.

If you have any further questions about any of the above please feel free to email us at info@lifeportraits.photography. We give this sort of information all the time on our subscription based online training portal - LP Training. This portal will be launching in the near future. For more information please contact us.

Em  

Life Portraits Celebrating 1 Year in Parternship

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Today marks a special day...

Today we celebrate one year since Andy and I joined forces to establish what is now our successful photography business, Life Portraits. Having previously been sole traders, as Andy would say in his case 'for donkeys years' haha, coming together as a partnership was a new world for us. Looking back, we've had some unbelievable experiences, loads of fun, overcome some large roadblocks and come out as a stronger business and more motivated individuals. 

Reflecting over the past year I can honestly say I've changed as a person. I now have direction, measurable goals, clear career aspirations and I have created a work/life balance. When your time = your income you look at what you do in a different way. If you don't put in the time, you are not rewarded with the benefits, a liveable income.  What began as a risky journey, has now rewarded me with a wealth of knowledge, skills and an unbelievable friendship with Andy (not to mention what he has taught me about photography that university doesn't). 

Some of our proud achievements for the year include:

  • HM (Hotel Management) Magazine covers

  • Event Photography for the Australian Liquor Awards in Sydney

  • Event Photography for the HM Awards

  • Event Photography for the Australian Commercial Radio Awards and Conference

  • Event Photography for the On Show African Showcase in Brisbane and Melbourne

  • Mantra AGM and Management Team Commercial Portraits

  • Event Photography at the UFC Fighting event in Brisbane

  • Launching the bodybuilding experience packages and travelling interstate to photograph/video a team of athletes

  • Event Photography at the AHICE (Australian Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition) in Melbourne

  • Videography for an internal project with Fiat, Chrysler, Jeep (FCJ)

  • Commercial stills photography on a week long crowdfunding project as well as a real estate development

  • Official portrait photographers for Victorian Government Mayoral Advisory Board

  • Launching the LP training and workshops to photography groups in rural communities

And on top of this, we have met some amazing clients and been a part of some fantastic stories through our family and wedding photography work. 

Amid all the work one of the most amazing things is no matter how stressed or difficult or hard we have worked there has been so much laughter and enjoyment throughout. The next 12 months look to be even more exciting as our client list continues to grow and the Life Portraits family increases in size as we begin working with more creative souls and like minded people. 

Let's create something beautiful!