As a photographer for newborns and young families in Geelong (as well as Ballarat and Melbourne!), I’m so honoured to step into people’s homes to capture those organic, meaningful moments that make up a family’s beautiful ordinary love story.

Enjoy some snippets of my professional photography, made with families residing in the greater Geelong region and beyond.

Relaxed and real life - what is documentary family photography?

Geelong and Melbourne families: if you’ve ever looked around and thought, ‘this is our life, and I love it, and want to remember it, just as it is right now’ documentary family photography is for you. It’s for the families who value honest above all else.

It’s for families who know that there real life is enough, just as it is, and want natural family photos that tel that story.

Read More
newborn photography, in-home session, pets michelle mckay newborn photography, in-home session, pets michelle mckay

Newborn stories and toddler shenanigans.

Okay YES, you booked me for a photography session to celebrate the arrival of your newborn, but honestly..?

If you have a firstborn babe (or two, or three!) at home already, it’s not uncommon for big brother or sister to steal the show a little bit, and I LOVE that for us. 🥹 See the thing is, your bigger munchkin’s at an age where they’re practically overflowing with personality and character, and an in-home session is a brilliant, low-stakes opportunity to let all that quirky / spirited / energised / sweetness / insert-your-kiddo’s-brand-of-awesome shine.

Read More

Warm and nostalgic newborn photographs.

It’s so easy to get emotional when you let yourself pause on the details of a freshly born baby. The story is written all over them; where they’ve been, how they came to be here. The ancient legacy echoes in every wrinkle, and through the delicate curve of each petaled toe: we belong to one another.

Her story is my story, and mine is yours. It’s enough to leave you breathless, isn’t it..?

Read More

Now offering Day in the Life sessions - Geelong and Melbourne

Geelong and Melbourne crew - I’m currently seeking families interested in participating in a Day in the Life Story Session.

These are for families who want to remember it all.

For a DITL I visit all day. It’s far lower energy, as the natural rhythms of your family can be left well enough alone. Basically, I’m a fly on the wall, documenting your real life, unfiltered.

Read More
pets, newborn photography, in-home session michelle mckay pets, newborn photography, in-home session michelle mckay

In the comfort of your own home.

You’re dreaming of pretty portraits of your brand new family looking blissed out and in love. Imagery that shows the way your’e feeling: as if you have your whole wide world in your arms. Those photographs are wonderful, and important, and I’m crazy about making those photos for you.

But the beauty of me coming to make your photos in the comfort of your home is I can also always make for you the photo below.

Read More
pets, newborn photography, in-home session michelle mckay pets, newborn photography, in-home session michelle mckay

Magic is made in the in-betweens.

The beautiful ordinary: just you and your little crew at home, catching the memories of real life, right now. It wont matter if it's raining, windy, chilly, or sunny; we're not making plans, we don't need them - what we're seeking is as old and true, and as easy and effortless as time. The secret that can't be unseen..? Magic is made in the in-betweens.

Read More
family stories michelle mckay family stories michelle mckay

“A snapshot in time we’ll treasure forever.”

Hearing from my families and learning if I’ve served you well is one of the many things that makes this job so wonderful.

Reviews are also SO helpful for my potential future families, who might be trying to get a feel for if we’d be a good fit. Come and see what a recent family had to say about our time together.

Read More

The sentimental value of in-home photography

My pop turned 94 this week, and I went to visit with him in the home of my mother’s childhood - a place that continues to vibrate with many of my own earliest memories.

To sit again in these rooms brought back pieces of myself I’d forgotten to miss. It was like opening a time capsule, and being met with the many precious relics I’d once carefully tucked inside.

Read More
michelle mckay michelle mckay

The joy of including visiting grandparents in in-home newborn stories.

There’s very little that makes me more happy as a photographic artist who works with young families than re-visiting a family when they welcome their newest little human home. I first met this Geelong based family when they invited me to photograph their second newborn son, so it was a delight and a privilege to be asked back to meet son number three!

We know photographing families in their home is an excellent advantage when there are small-big siblings in the home, but it’s also a golden opportunity to comfortably and conveniently include grandparents in the story, who are often visiting when a new baby is welcomed home.

Read More
michelle mckay michelle mckay

Unscripted Snapshots: The benefits of in-home newborn photography for big siblings and toddlers

Welcoming a newborn into a household already bustling with the laughter and energy of toddlers or young children is a unique joy.

Amidst this beautiful chaos, preserving these early days becomes a treasure for the whole family.

In-home newborn photography sessions offer a genuine and relaxed way to capture these precious moments, blending the new arrival seamlessly into your family story, while honouring the magnitude of the transition for your first baby or babies.

Read More
michelle mckay michelle mckay

The Benefits of Choosing an In-home Newborn Story Session

Bringing home a newborn is a cherished milestone, filled with tender moments and overwhelming emotions. Amidst the joy and adjustments, preserving these fleeting moments becomes a top priority for sentimental families, looking to create a record of this remarkable chapter.

While traditional studio photos hold their charm, there's something magical about capturing authentic, candid moments in the comfort of your own home.

Read More