RENAE, VIC

Stunning work that you will cherish and display in your home for years to come. 

Michelle has an eye for fine detail, contacts you before the day to answers questions, give advice and ease any concerns you may have. 

We have had 2 photo sessions and both times found Michelle to be calming, professional and playful, our kids loved her and we all felt so comfortable throughout the whole process.

Hannah, vic

We are in love with the photos Michelle took.

I honestly couldn’t be happier, she captured the love that we have for Micah in a natural way with beautiful lighting. 

It is so hard to pick which photos are our favourite.

Truely it’s a dream come true to have these photos of this precious time to treasure forever.

Renae, vic

Michelle these are stunning! We are in love with them all. They are natural and really tell a story of our home and family life. 

What I also love is that when I look at them i remember that I really enjoyed the day we had them taken. It was so casual and relaxed and I’m so appreciative that I now have photos I’ll cherish forever of this time with our newborn.

Having photos taken of me after having a baby 7 days earlier I would have thought I’d be stressed or self conscious but I wasn’t at all, you put any of those thoughts completely out of mind. 

Thank you so so much.

Rachel, vic

We wanted some photos to mark our daughter's first birthday but didn't want the run of the mill cake smash or studio shoot.

We really wanted something that would stand the test of time and would capture Florence as she truly is - the giggles, the mischief and even the tantrums! A friend recommended Michelle, as she'd had some beautiful photos taken in her home when her son was just a few days old.

Throughout the booking process and session, Michelle was so warm and open, and she genuinely delighted in our daughter - much like I wanted to avoid contrived photos, Michelle ensured that the whole process was organic (something which especially put my husband at ease as he'd been reluctant initially when I said I'd booked a session, thinking he was going to have to plaster on a false smile and pose!).

At the session, we just enjoyed our usual Saturday family morning and Michelle captured it - the beauty of the way she runs the sessions, is that she essentially becomes part of your family for the few hours she is there, laughing along with you and sharing tales about her lovely family, too. This results in photos that are nothing short of art, because she's been able to capture the essence of your family as an insider, rather than someone looking in. The beauty and mischief I see in Florence every day is now forever captured in our prints, and it truly takes a special talent to create something so striking yet so familiar.

I think the best way to put it is that Michelle takes the things about family life that have become mundane a year in - play time, bath time, feeding, and soothing a tired little girl -

and reminds you how special parenthood really is.

Rach, VIC

From the first phone call to the presentation of her gorgeous photos, Michelle was amazing. 

She reassured my sister and I that getting a group photo of four boys aged 1, 3, 7 and 9 in the late afternoon, at the beach, would be ‘no problem at all’.  We were sceptical to say the least! However, Michelle not only met our expectations, she far exceeded them. She was patient, fun, capable and calm and all the kids had a blast.  For them the photo session amounted to a few fun hours at the beach, which was great for us, as in different hands it could have been a stressful undertaking. 

The photos themselves were breathtaking.  Truly amazing.  Michelle not only made the kids look great, but seemed to capture their charm and inner spirit. 

If you are looking for a photographer that loves what she does, provides a wonderful session experience and then produces spectacular images, look no further, Michelle is the photographer for you. 

We cannot recommend her highly enough.

Danita, VIC

Our beautiful images captured by Michelle McKay Photographer arrived today!!

Milo was just 36 hours old when this photo was taken.

I remember feeling completely overwhelmed at the time.

I was hormonal and sleep deprived, and felt anxious about my new role as a mum.

I was also seriously questioning my judgement, having invited a photographer into my home not even two days after giving birth!! 😣 

Michelle was amazing.

She made us feel so comfortable and relaxed, and her work has preserved those early, intimate moments with our son forever.

Samantha, VIC

Having the birth of my little girl documented by Michelle will go down as one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

From the very first time I stumbled across her work, I fell in love with Michelle’s aesthetic. Her ability to capture the most mundane of moments in the most magical light is a skill not many possess.

On the evening of my birth Michelle was a calm and quiet presence.

Not only was she there to capture every significant minute of my labour and birth, she was a soothing partner in my journey.

My photos are nothing short of amazing and will forever be some of my most prized possessions.

Zoe, VIC

I had recently come across Michelle on Facebook and we had a chat about working together. I told her we were crazy and she was crazy about that! Perfect.

In the lead up to the shoot Michelle was so approachable and we chatted heaps, I actually hugged her when I opened the front door because I felt like we knew each other just from emails back and forth. Michelle had asked me to think about what I wanted to capture, what a normal day at the George’s looks like. The first things that came to mind was hiding and scaring the crap through each, other which we do ALL THE TIME, the kids riding their scooters up and down the corridor and wrestling on the rug of course. If you follow me on social media you would have seen all of these on a daily basis. These are the things I want to remember when they the kids are 18 and no longer want to hug me in bed (ok that would be slightly creepy) or when i’m old and wrinkly sitting alone on my couch knitting and my children now have families of their own.

Michelle came over just as we finished breakfast and she said not to bother having them dressed because that part is fun too. Ari wasn’t embarrassed at all in front of her doing his traditional nudie run. She captured lots of laughs, some tears and even a tantrum or two. Then the boys went off for the girls to have some mother daughter bonding time, brushing hair, putting on makeup and giggling whilst putting on tutus and gumboots.

I can’t emphasise how happy I am with every single image I have seen from this day.

They make my heart hurt and I get so emotional because I love love love love love them!! I was not asked to write this but I am so incredibly impressed with Michelle that I want you all to see her work and BOOK HER!! Cement your memories, the everyday things your family does. I have no idea how I’m going to only pick 5 to print for the house.

Sam, VIC

The first few weeks after bringing home a fresh little soul are some of the most precious life has to offer. Every day is a new challenge, another opportunity to celebrate, a chance to fall deeper in love with your new baby.

It’s the perfect time to document your family’s story.

At first my boys didn’t know what to do and kept smiling right into the camera lens the way we’re always taught to. After some encouragement to just relax and enjoy their new baby sister while Michelle made photos, they were the perfect ‘non models’.

Bathing, dressing, feeding, playing were all part of our afternoon, nothing out of the ordinary but oh so beautifully captured when Michelle is in charge of the shutter.

I feel as though my family has established a relationship with Michelle that will continue as our story does and I’m so thankful for the magical pictures that are a result of that.

Andrea Paulin, VIC

Booking a shoot was very foreign to me. I wasn't really one to think that these things were really worth while. But due to my overwhelming thought that my children were amazing (bias? maybe) I went ahead. I bumped into a friend at the green grocer who mentioned Michelle's name. I went home and looked Michelle up and straight away was won over!

On speaking with Michelle I was surprised how comfortable I was speaking about the whole process and again when Michelle came to our house it was like I was catching up with a friend not someone I had met for the first time.

Michelles warm and encouraging nature created a great feeling for the rest of us that were quite awkward about photos. The session was easy peasy with the afternoon flying by. The kids loved Michelle and related to her as if they had been around her for months. Couldn't have asked for a better result!

The products were ASTOUNDING.

I really never thought the kids could look so lovely. The natural, unplanned shots were more than enough and I am so excited to display these in my home for the years to come. The story Michelle tells is a very truthful, un edited story of my family. It displays our personalities and our relationship.

I'll be so happy to have Michelle back again to continue the journey of documenting my family as they grow.

Emily Rasmussen, VIC

I was lucky to be put in contact with Michelle through a friend when I was about half way through my twin pregnancy, we chatted so freely on our first phone call to organise our beach shoot. I loved the idea of story telling photography, as it seemed like such a new concept to me, having previously only had studio shoots done with my previous pregnancies and newborns.

On the day it was really very relaxed (even though my fully clothed children ran straight into the icy waves), it took a little to adjust to going with the flow and not worrying about where Michelle was and what photos she was taking, but after a few minutes we just started enjoying the afternoon and doing our normal thing. The results where amazing! What Michelle produced was so magical to me, it really captured our life in that moment in time and the fact that life as we knew it would be changing soon, this was precious.

Our next meeting was a few months later, when our new babies where 10 days old. Again Michelle was so reassuring that this would be as relaxed as before, and I must admit I was feeling a little frazzled about having everything just right for the shoot and also feeling overwhelmed about the changes to our family in general. My mind and worries were soon put at ease, it was lovely just having someone to chat with and it was so much easier than getting our family of 6 in to and out of the car to go to a studio shoot.

This was the game changer for me I believe, we wouldn't have had a newborn shoot this time around if the in home option wasn't available, which would have been quite unfortunate looking back on the amazingly daunting stage we are at in our lives, and not having captured the memories. I remember saying to Michelle about half an hour in that I felt a whole lot less anxious just sharing my babies and chatting with her. Michelle let us do our thing, as well as guide us to what might be a good moment to capture, like bathing our babies, which was very helpful in our sleepy haze.

Michelle has a way with words, I almost anticipated the blog post as much as the photos, but seeing the photos she was able to produce from our everyday life was so wonderfully uplifting. I will be forever grateful in the years to come that I have these captured moments of our family of 6 to look back on and treasure.

Sharelle Hassing, VIC

I have to admit I was very nervous for my photography session.

Firstly I am not fond of the camera in my face and secondly the intimate experience I wanted captured between my baby and me was very personal and I didn't want forced studio shots. On meeting Michelle I was instantly put to ease, what a beautiful, passionate and professional woman.

Our session was an incredible experience. Michelle's calm and professional approach created a very relaxed atmosphere where I could engage with my baby naturally. The camera was not even on my mind as Michelle went about her work and we casually chatted like long lost friends, while Michelle gave subtle guidance.

The end result I could not be more elated with. Our photos are both beautiful and natural, capturing the very essence of the bond between my baby and myself. The light, angles and story she has captured is truly amazing and shows Michelle's outstanding skill in the photography field.

I could not recommend Michelle enough. Her style really captures memories to have forever in a natural and uncontrived way, and her beautiful nature is wonderful to be around. An incredible and unique photographer.

Marsha Janetzki, VIC

I have known Michelle for years, and have been watching her photography grow as much as i have watched her daughter grow. 

Michelle and I talked about her taking some photos of my boys as i loved her candid way of capturing a child's unique features and idiosyncrasies. My two eldest boys had reached that funny age of when you ask them to pose for a photo they pull some forced smile that looks cheesy, un-natural and not even like my child at all. 

Michelle suggested that we do a morning beach session and on the morning of the photos my boys were all tired, grumpy and not in the mood for a family outing so i was nervous about how the shoot would go. I shouldn't have worried, Michelle just casually talked to my boys about what they were doing and why. She spoke to them on their level and was genuinely interested in their activities/emotions/conversations. It didn't take long for them to all relax and interact with her and for her, which is how we got so many great shots. She became part of our family for a few hours and was as accepted by my children as if she had always been with us. 

I will always treasure the photos she has captured of us as a family and could not recommend her more highly to families.

Jade Guilmartin, QLD

Michelle has done a few shoots with my family at various stages. I am a little hooked on her work, to be honest. I feel like because of her style and skill, the photographic memories I am creating are real memories of how life really is/was for me and my family, rather than the typical posed shots that you see families getting done. 

My favourite photo's of all time were taken by Michelle. She came to the hospital when my toddler met his baby sister for the first time, and took some incredible shots which truly captured what I consider my happiest moment of my life so far. And for that, I am forever grateful. When I tell my kids the story of that day, I know the pictures will do the story justice and the kids will be able to remember it as I do. 

Michelle has since moved away from my area, and I am completely and utterly devastated. I cannot seem to find anyone with the same eye for detail and understanding of what I want and love in photography. So much so, that I know I will be saving for a trip for my family and I to visit her and get another wonderful session done. 

Her work is priceless. I could not put a dollar value on what she has given me. If you can't afford her, save up! I recommend this experience so so highly! 

Sonja Park, qld

I had the pleasure of meeting Michelle last year when she came to our home to photograph my daughters and me.

I was nervous about the idea of having a stranger photograph our somewhat dysfunctional household and wasn't sure what to expect.

However my concerns were soon put to rest when Michelle arrived. She has a beautiful sense of calm about her. She blended into our day perfectly, sitting back, observing and photographing.

I was over the moon with the results.

Michelle's work is beautiful in so many ways, which is evident not only from my photos but from others she has shared.

She has a way of capturing the ordinary and making it feel special.

She seems to be able to find the perfect balance between light and shadow, and highlights even the smallest detail.

Michelle's work is real and raw and emotional.

Her photographs will be treasured by our family for a long time to come.

Estelle Barnes, VIC

I was in the branding phase of business when I came across Michelle’s work through Facebook. As soon as I saw her photography I was blown away. Every picture is so emotive and I was drawn to the sense of nostalgia that it portrays. I instantly knew she would be the perfect choice for my brand launch.

I was so impressed by the quality and brilliance of every image that she had taken for my shoot. Her editing is superb and her consistency in styling was perfect.

I recommend her to everyone I speak to as I’m constantly blown away by Michelle’s work. Her turnaround was extremely fast and all my dealings with her have been very professional.

Her photography isn’t just a picture, it’s art work.

After the initial photo shoot, I decided to have Michelle take the image for my brand, which I have now used in all my marketing material. She has also done a lifestyle shoot of my girls which I again was blown away with. Would I use her again - no hesitation, would I recommend her to anyone – definitely.

You get so much more than a photograph with her work – it tells a story!

Estelle is owner / creator of The Muddled Bowerbird

Jade Goodfellow, QLD

Michelle joined my family for a typical Saturday morning and the results were astounding.

The photographs she delivered beautifully encapsulate the spirit of our family and each of my children individually.

The moments she captured are everyday moments framed perfectly.

They are the moments I wish to remember when my children are grown and I am old and grey.

Michelle is an amazingly talented photographer and I look forward to having her return next year.

I highly recommend her to anyone who wishes to preserve the beautiful everyday moments that their lives are made up of.

Sarah Blain, VIC

Thank you so much for the lovely photos Michelle & for capturing our family!

It was such a lovely experience, meeting you I felt so comfortable, like I had met you many times before!

The moments you captured will be forever treasured xo

MICHAEL WELLINGS, QLD

Michelle is the best photographer I've met.

I've never felt comfortable with someone taking my photo - it's something I'd usually find pretty awkward. But with this type of session I was just myself and forgot she was there. In the mean time, she captured my life and my children exactly how I see them.

We have the photos she took of our family on our walls so we can see them every day - what better praise is there than that?

Highly recommend!