The silent treatment

The Chinese Embassy is at the bottom of my crescent and everyday on the footpath directly opposite, protesters silently meditate towards the huge red flag whipping about in the Wellington breeze.

Sometimes there are lots of people sitting on the street, sometimes just one, but everyday, they're there, and have been for the whole time I've lived here (that's over two years).

I have a lot of love for the Chinese people, but the Chinese government has a history of being very dangerous, especially to groups who do not share their view.

I've always thought these silent - but very public - Falun Dafa protesters are very brave. I'm not sure I'd have the guts to do what they do. In fact, even sitting on a public street for an hour with my eyes shut would be pretty daunting ... (although that said, Tinakori Rd has to be one of the safest places in Wellington, what's the worst that could happen? ... licked to death by a poodle!?)

This man was sitting here when I walked into town and still sitting here when I walked back past about three hours later, I love his peaceful, earnest face and shoes so neatly placed beside him.

Sweet shot

Little boy blue

I walked into town today to meet a client and then walked back home through the botanical gardens with the intention of perhaps a sweet shot appearing and .... hello!
The gardens were PACKED with people all swarming to see the spring flowers, budding trees and other assorted greenery. Right at the entrance to the gardens there are two quite cute little-cheraby-boy statues standing about a metre or so high and this dad had popped his little boy up to hold onto the statue so he could take a cute photo of little cheruby boy/little son/yellow tulips behind, which was a super cute pose.
Halfway through though, the little tot found the height a bit much, bless his wee face, and had to be rescued .... awwwwww sweet shot ....

I just had to put this shot up too.
You tell 'em tree! Just because you're a tree you don't have to be green!

Noice one Paul and Meeegs

My friends Megan and Paul have just got engaged and last night we went to their house for dinner and to watch Paul wrestle with his fancy pasta maker. On this occasion the pasta maker won ... but next time ... watch out pasta machine! Paul will be all over you!

Paul and Megan are both those kind of people that photographers love so much - the kind that 'hate getting their photos taken'.
I quite like people like this because it gives me the opportunity to say outrageous things - just to make my subjects laugh and relax - of course.
Otherwise I wouldn't do it normally at all. At all.

I got lots of fab photos of Paul and Megs (at the dinner table between courses) - which was quite easy really because they're both cute and photogenic.
Most of them were smooogy ones (that's a very complicated technical term).

But, my very favourite shot of the night was this one...caught off guard and naturally engaging each other. Which was kind of perfect. (Note the mirroring for the psychologists amongst you...)
Sweeeeeet shot!

My fav

I put up a few behind the scenes photos earlier in the week from a photoshoot I did last weekend...and here is one of the end products.

As we're getting to the business end of the photo editing I think (of over 800 photos!) it is my my favourite shot...
Love to know what you think...

Sweeeeet shot!

All images © cat brown photography

hey baby!

Welcome to the world little Toby George Randall ... This little fellow has only been on our planet for a very short time and I was lucky enough to take some shots of him for his mum and dad yesterday.
What a little stunner, and very peaceful with some lovely natural Wellington light coming through the window ... awwwwww sweet shot!

Go kiwi go

I went to the Bledisloe on Sat night and watched the kiwi's mash up the aussies. Way in the back stands watching her first ever game was this wee girl sitting on her dad's lap, totally engrossed in the game.

What a cutie and definitely a sweet shot!

Yelling tiger, crouching model

It's been a busy few days! This is me during a lighting test for a shoot yesterday. I just had to get around to the other side of the camera because I have a new tshirt that I LOVE and I wanted a picture of me in it with my mouth open like the tiger! (Thanks Jess for taking the pic and being an awesome help during set up!)


Hehehe....anyway...moving on... my client hasn't even seen the pics yet, but I'm going to be sneaky and show you some behind-the-scenes shots I took during the day...

I love this pic, it's fabulous model Catherine (who also happens to be a champion fencer!) and her equally fabulous boyfriend Julian (you might recognise him as the hairdo dude from the ANZ commercials). Julian can also do a fantastic Zoolander pull-the-undies-out-of-your-pants impersonation...

Anyway, I just turned around, and between shots he was quickly touching up her makeup.

How's that for a cool boyfriend!

This is the most wonderful Esther - the co-owner of boutique bridal and evening gown design studio Angel's Wings - doing some final fittings to her sister Bebe's creation. Esther has to be the sweetest person I ever met, and she also has the sweetest tooth. Candy, candy, candy everywhere!

And this, well how could I resist. We were doing lots of beautiful weddingy poses but Kung Fu fighting was on the stereo and I was like 'come on catherine give me a punch'

Wooo cha!

Turned out pretty cool I think.

11 hours later and we're still standing - although poor Catherine had to leave slighty earlier for another four hours of catwalk practice for some event .... shitbags! She must have been tired 'cause I and everyone else was wacked!

Here's our team pic doing the Chinese 5-10 finger signs, designer Bebe, model Grace, me, owner Esher, cheeky monkey and general props and grip crazy girl Tina, and makeup magician Vincey.

Thanks guys for a great day and some gorgeous photos! You can check them out at the Wellington Spring Wedding Show on Oct 4 at the Angel's Wings stand.