Bookings now closed. A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who participated!

2020: The Year We Stayed Home

It’s no secret that in-home family sessions are my favourite! There are SO many everyday memories that happen in your home that I love to capture. However, given the current situation, going inside client’s homes now proves to be too risky. But your home and your family still need to be documented so you can always remember the year we all stayed home.

During this unprecedented time, full of a lot of fear and anxiety, I’ve also seen a lot of good! Communities rallying and cries for help being answered with enthusiasm. People offering their services for free from art, education, food and workout classes. This is my attempt to do my part and continue the collective good with my gift.

I’m working on a personal project called #theyearwestayedhome. While this time may be stressful, it’s also a unique time of closeness for families. My aim is to capture that closeness at your home. I’d love to come to your home and take a portrait of you and your family on your front porch, front steps, in your front garden, or just next to your building so you can remember this time together.

I will gift you this session and 2-5 digital images for free in exchange for you signing a model release and to committing to do at least one act of kindness to pay it forward.

All people are welcome and encouraged to participate - individuals, couples, families, pets. Sessions will be very quick, 5 minutes at most, and I will remain at least 4 metres away.

I love photographing people in their natural environment, so feel free to keep it causal, stretch out on your steps, bring out your favorite outdoor activity, or kick back with your favourite beverage. You can dress up if you wish, or you can just hang out in your pjs and slippers. Active wear is more than acceptable and if kids are only half-dressed, that’s fine by me. Like I say for all of my sessions, just be YOU!

It’s my hope that you’ll look back at these portraits in the years to come and remember this year, the year we stayed home. Remember how difficult it was, yet how communities came together to get through it, how families were given the opportunity to stop what they were doing and spend quality time together. To remember that closeness you felt in your home.

How it works:

• In order to serve my immediate community, I am limiting this offering to people who live within 20 minutes of Mornington.

• Once you complete the form, I will schedule your session. In order to get to as many homes as possible, I will schedule you based on your location.

• If you not available on the afternoon I’m in in your neighbourhood, I will put you back on my list and get back to you when I next visit your area.

• All sessions will be completed by the end of May.

• I will text you when I arrive so you’ll know when to come outside.

• Your session will be no longer than 5 minutes long, and I will remain at least 4 metres away.

• After your session, I will email you a link to your gallery to download your images (between 2-5 images). Prints will be available, but you are under no obligation to purchase anything.

• I am not asking anything in return for these sessions, except that you sign a model release and commit to doing at least one act of kindness for someone else.

• I will be posting these images on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #theyearwestayedhome.  Please share these posts and help spread the word!

Act of Kindness:

An act of kindness can be anything from making a donation to a local charity, making a purchase from a local business, ordering a meal from a local restaurant and tipping your delivery driver generously, saying thank you to those working in the grocery stores, checking in on an elderly neighbour, shopping for someone in need, passing along a roll of toilet paper, or anything in between.

If you are interested in participating in this project and having your family photographed from a distance outside your home, please complete the form below. Any other questions? Feel free to contact me.

This project was inspired by Cara Soulia, a newborn and family photographer of Massachusetts, USA, who along with a friend started the #thefrontstepsproject.

Jenny is a natural light, lifestyle and documentary photographer and specialised newborn photographer, maternity photographer and family photographer. She services all areas of Victoria, including inner Melbourne suburbs such as Richmond, Northcote, Fitzroy, Collingwood, Malvern East, South Melbourne, Elwood, as well as outer south eastern subrubs, bayside areas such as Morntington, Sorrento and Red Hill. She also services the west of Melbourne and will travel to Geelong on request.