Field Notes from a Wandering Photographer Episode 4 | 2026: The Beautifully Difficult
- Hello Ro Photography
- Apr 20
- 7 min read
Okay, so I’m not gonna lie, this blog post has been really hard for me to write.
I feel like I’ve blinked and everything got a bit real.
And it’s hard to show up publicly when things feel heavy.
Does anyone else get that? Where things are technically moving, technically working… but underneath it all, it just feels like a lot?
There’s been a lot happening behind the scenes. Some of it exciting, some of it really challenging, and a lot of it just… a lot.
Overall, things have actually been really beautiful. I’m just acknowledging the harder side too.
I’ve been doing a lot of autumn sessions lately.
Beautiful families, soft light, kids running through leaves like it’s the best day of their lives.
Canberra absolutely shows off this time of year.
The colours, the air, that moment where everything starts to turn.
I love this time where the leaves turn, as my grandma would say.
There’s something about it that makes everything feel a bit more nostalgic. A bit more alive.
I’ve also had some really lovely weddings, capturing moments that feel so natural you can actually feel them when they happen.
You know when people stop trying so hard and just… are?
Those are always the photos that matter.
And then there was one wedding in particular. The couple were incredible. Completely in it together. So easy to photograph.
I’m not going to point out who’s wedding or add photographs of this one or throw the vendors under the bus but… The vendor experience on the day was really challenging. I really questioned whether or not I write about this, but I wanted these blog posts to be an honest reflection of my life and it just wouldn’t be honest if I pretended it didn’t happen.
Because it did.
And it mattered.
From the moment I arrived, I could feel it. No acknowledgement, no collaboration, and things that would normally just flow… didn’t.
There were moments that felt tense, moments that felt dismissive, and moments where I was spoken to in a way that just wasn’t okay.
I was left to figure things out on my own in a way that shouldn’t happen on a wedding day.
I stayed completely professional. Focused on the couple. Calm, composed, doing what I needed to do.
But internally, I was like… what is going on?
Because in my mind, a wedding day is about one thing. The people getting married. And everything we do should support that.
I walk into wedding days ready to collaborate, to create something beautiful alongside people who care about the same outcome. When that’s not the energy in the room, you feel it immediately.
This didn’t feel like that.
And when I was confronted later in the day, it confirmed everything I’d been picking up on.
The confrontation itself was unprofessional.
It is never professional to swear at someone, especially another vendor you’re meant to be working with. It’s not okay to be swearing in a workplace. And it is absolutely not okay to speak to someone aggressively while they are doing their job, especially in front of the client.
I held it together.
I stayed focused on my couple. I did my job. I didn’t react in a way that would take anything away from their experience.
But I got back to my car afterwards and cried for an hour.
Have you ever had one of those moments where you keep it together so well in the moment… and then it all just hits you at once?
Yeah. That.
And the part that’s lingered is that it didn’t just stop there.
I’ve had to sit down and edit that wedding.
And when your experience of a day shifts like that, it changes how you sit with the photos. Not the outcome. The photos are beautiful. But the feeling attached to them is different.
I’ve been upset for days.
I almost didn’t include any of this, because I never want to bring negativity into something that was, overall, a really special day. But this series is supposed to be real. And part of doing this job is navigating moments that aren’t easy.
But it also made something really clear to me.
The people you work with matter.
The energy around you matters.
When vendors actually work together, everything lifts. The energy, the flow, the space to create.
When that’s missing, part of me is managing things that shouldn’t need managing.
I will always deliver beautiful photos.
But the environment absolutely shapes how freely I can create them.
And that’s something I won’t ignore moving forward.
In Between Shoots
Lola is… already back with the dealer.
Which is not the plot twist I was going for.
There are multiple things wrong with the van, and the dealership is pushing back hard. It’s been stressful, to be honest.
I’ve spent close to $3,000 on repairs for a car I’ve had for four weeks.
So that’s sitting there. Ongoing. Unresolved.
And then layered underneath that is the accident.
Physio is still very much part of my weekly rhythm. Some days it feels like progress, other days it feels like I’m right back where I started.
I’m in pain every day.
Not dramatic. Just constant.
Sitting, standing, sleeping, working. It’s always there.
And outside of the physical side of it, there’s everything else.
Phone calls. Paperwork. Police reports. Insurance. Legal conversations.
Trying to piece together something that never should have happened in the first place.
And then there’s the part no one really sees.
The way it sits in your body. The way your nervous system just… doesn’t fully relax anymore.
Do you ever feel like your body remembers something before your brain has caught up?
That’s what this feels like.
There are moments where I feel completely fine, and then moments where it all comes rushing back in and I’m right there again.
And I’m trying to run a business inside of that.
I’m showing up as much as I can.
I’m working. I’m creating. I’m doing everything I can to keep things moving.
But I’m also doing it on limited capacity.
Trying to manage income. Trying to stay on top of bills. Trying to be responsible while also being honest about where I’m actually at.
Some days I feel really hopeful about a full recovery.
And some days it feels overwhelming.
Like… is this going to take longer than I want it to?
If you’re in a season like that, where you’re doing your best but it still feels heavy… I see you. I’m right there too.
I’ve also barely been home.
And I miss it more than I expected.
I miss the small things. Lemon water in the morning. Walking around barefoot on my wooden floors. Mowing the lawn. The sound of birds in the trees around my house.
Just being in my space.
I also did something a little outside of my comfort zone and got in front of the lens for once.
I did a boudoir shoot with The Boudoir Queen, and honestly… it was such a good experience.
If you’re after a purely boudoir photographer in Canberra, she is incredible. She has her own studio, she makes you feel super comfortable, and she just gets it.
It was a really different experience being on the other side of it all, and I’m so proud of myself for doing it.
This Week I’m Vibing
Going home!!!
My JOVS Laser Face Mask - I’ve actually been using it. Dry, sensitive skin needs consistency more than miracles, and this has felt genuinely supportive.
Collagen powder stirred into whatever I am drinking, because future me will be grateful.
Sol Cleanse Daily Celery Juice. And my barrel jeans fitting different.
Discount code: ROWENA10
That vanilla matcha latte from Woolworths. The Morning Made Vanilla Matcha Latte. Ridiculously good. Slightly dangerous.
GOODBERRYS! A true Canberra institution. My order is chocolate concrete with flake, almonds, and a maraschino cherry. Emotional support, let’s be honest.
My Skincare Ritual - I have dry, red, sensitive skin and I am determined to make it better! All the things I’m using are linked below if you’re interested:
Morning
Water
Barrier Serum (The Ordinary)
Mineral SPF50 (I’m still figuring out what sunscreen I like so if you have any suggestions drop a comment below!)
Night
Warm water / washcloth / Mukti Cleansing Balm
AFTER the YES!
Sunday May 3, 2026
Canberra
I launched anamazing event the first of it’s kind and a group of amazing vendors and I decided to gift eight Canberra engaged couples a date on us.
A curated engagement celebration. Application Only. Selected couples are attending as guests of Hello Ro Photography and The Curated Planner. The event will be styled with florals from Sunshine Events and Motion Reel Films will be doing a highlight reel. AND omg we have a surprise dessert by La Ombré Creations
Champagne towers.
Editorial portraits.
An elevated Sunday in Canberra.
Each couple gets a short cinematic editorial session woven into the atmosphere of the day. Natural, modern and intentional. Champagne. Shared cheese platters. Music playing.
We had over 40 applications and have chosen our eight couples, which is wild.
I’m so excited to bring that to life.
What’s Next
I have a wedding this afternoon and I am genuinely so excited for it.
I met the bride on the weekend and she’s just lovely. One of those people where you instantly know it’s going to be a good day.
I also have an autumn session tomorrow, which feels very on brand for this exact moment.
I’ll be at the I Do I Do Wedding Fair at Lardner Park in East Gippsland this Sunday, the 26th of April.I’ll pop the ticket link in here. Come say hi.
From May through to September. Fully booked.
2026 weddings.
Two dates left in October.
Two in November.
One in December.
2027 is already booking up.
That’s it.
If you want me in 2026 or 2027, get in touch. Don’t linger.
BOOK ME ♥️
Still looking for the LOML. And that’s it! The life behind the scenes of Hello Ro Photography an Australian lifestyle and wedding photographer. If there’s something you’d love me to write about, maybe a behind-the-scenes topic, a favourite shoot, or even what I’m packing for my next trip — leave a comment below or DM me on Instagram at @hello.ro.photography. I’d love to hear from you.
If you’d like to see more of my work, visit www.hellorophotography.com or find me on Instagram at @hello.ro.photography.
Ro xo
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