Recently had an e-session with Jared and Rhianna on the family property. I had an absolute blast, and they seemed to enjoy themselves too! Tomorrow I photograph their wedding and I am really excited about it. Here are some of my favorite images from the e-session.

I had the privilege of photographing one of my colleagues recently for her e-session. It was great to finally meet her man - an amazing person. Enjoy a few images from their session.

Joanne is a senior student having just completed her exams and she is hoping to be accepted into an occupational therapy course. Most schools are planning for their Senior and year 10 formals, making it an exciting time of the year. Everyone is waiting with  anticipation  for the exam results to be published.

All the best for the future Joanne. Here are a few images from our shoot.

For those who know me, I am somewhat of a facebook fan. For my faithful blog followers, come visit me at facebook.

This is not exactly the post  I was expecting to make this afternoon. I arrived home from photographing families to the news that one of the local heroes had been involved in a car accident.

I was privileged to photograph Charles several months ago and have decided to repost some of those images in his memory.

The following is an excerpt from Avondale College about Charles, his involvement in the community and Avondale College.

Charles celebrated his birthday almost two months ago to the day (September 10). The former Avondale student–Charles enrolled as recently as 2006–continued to serve as general secretary of COSMOS, which he has pioneered for 30 years. The student club has raised $140,000 for mission work, mostly in India and the Pacific islands.

He had been selling his autobiography, A Friend in High Places, at the first annual Heritage Day in Cooranbong today to raise money for COSMOS.

“Charles is infamous,” says Brad Watson, a lecturer in international development studies at Avondale. “Most students know him as the man who sits patiently in the cafeteria with a sign asking for donations. Newer students know him as the man on the orange scooter. Others know him as a man with a heart for poor children. And just about anyone who meets Charles knows of his passion for COSMOS.”

At 74, Charles sought sponsorship for COSMOS to walk the 50 kilometres from Cooranbong to Newcastle. At 91, he walked halfway. “Helping others is important,” Charles told Brad in 2006. “The world is full of those in need and it gives me great joy to spend the money for their good, rather than for mine.” At the time, Charles described COSMOS as his “greatest accomplishment.”

Charles, born in London in 1910, survived the Blitz during World War II and migrated to Australia in 1969 after the death of his wife. He became a Seventh-day Adventist in 1937, attributing his longevity to the church’s health message–Charles adhered to a vegetarian diet for more than 70 years, abstained from alcohol and tobacco and walked up to 15 kilometres a day well into his 90s. Staff members and students at Avondale raised the money to buy him his electric scooter, not so much because he needed it, but because he made them feel guilty.

“Charles typified the saying, ‘The purpose of life is a life of purpose,’” says Dr Darren Morton, a senior lecturer in health and exercise at Avondale. “The world is full of people who know what to do but do not do what they know. Charles was an exception. So many people practice health principles to achieve something–loose fat, gain muscle, increase fitness. But Charles discovered and embraced the truth that living a healthy life justifies itself. It is not a means to an end–it is the end!”

Charles also loved God. “God is the one,” Charles told Brad. “He has inspired me to serve.”

“Charles has lived an amazing life,” says Wayne. “When you think about the number of lives he’s helped change for the better, it’s incredible. I’m proud I knew him.”

Brenton Stacey - Avondale College