Field Notes from a Wandering Photographer – Week Two: Thunderstorms, Nostalgia & Too Many Matchas

Week Two has been equal parts thunderclouds, matcha, and motion, the kind of week that reminds me why I love this strange, beautiful job in the first place.

I left Orbost last week with a car full of camera gear, linen dresses, snacks, and absolutely zero garden progress. The seedlings I bought are still sitting in their pots, judging me. One day they’ll make it into the ground. Just… not this week.

The road out of town was pure therapy, windows down, playlists loud, that quiet kind of clarity that only sho ws up when you’re halfway between here and somewhere else.

Yass – Four Daughters Farmstead

First stop: Yass, where the sky looked like it couldn’t make up its mind. That soft, heavy, pre-thunderstorm light that photographers dream about. I spent the afternoon with Four Daughters Farmstead; a mama and her four girls, all barefoot, surrounded by chickens, giggling like they were in their own little world.

No posing, no plan, no one trying to be anything. Just life doing what it does when you leave it alone. My favourite kind of shoot.

That night I had dinner with an old friend I met almost ten years ago. We sat on his deck while the sun went down, eating rocket from his garden and laughing about all the weird phases we’ve lived through. The conversation was easy in that way it only is with people who’ve seen you at your most chaotic. I left feeling full —of food, nostalgia, and that quiet satisfaction of knowing you’ve actually grown.

Now I’m in Canberra, which is always… strange. I grew up here, so every street feels like a flashback. It’s familiar, but not quite home anymore — full of memories, long-lost loves, and old versions of myself. It’s like bumping into your teenage self at the supermarket — awkward but kind of sweet.

I’ve been editing like a maniac, writing my blog and getting ready for another Front Door Session this afternoon. Somewhere between Lightroom marathons, I booked another wedding for next season, which gave me the same little buzz it always does. It never gets old — that moment when someone emails and says, You’re the one we want!

Between Shoots

My grandma passed away recently, and I’ve been sewing on her old machine — the same one I used to make my formal dress on over twenty years ago. There’s something deeply nostalgic about the hum of that needle, like it’s keeping time with every version of me that’s ever sat behind it.

So my therapy this week has been stitching seams. Simple, repetitive, grounding. It makes me feel human again.

And there was a small win that didn’t feel so small: after more than a decade, I fit into a size 16. I actually laughed out loud in the change room — one of those damn, I did the thing moments. Not because of the number, but because it’s proof of all the quiet, consistent effort finally showing up.

I’ve been looking after myself properly this past year after completely turning my life upside down — leaving my job, walking away from a relationship, finding a new home (and town). Walking more, breathing, working through trauma after trauma, sleeping better, eating real food. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s just feeling good in my body again.

This week has mostly been one long blur of edits, uploads, and that mild post-delivery panic that every photographer knows too well — the what if they hate it? spiral that hits about three minutes after I send a gallery. (It always passes, but still… every time.)

My desktop is a disaster zone, my hard drives are multiplying, and I’m running on iced matcha and playlists that match my mood. Half the job is trusting your eye; the other half is learning not to reread the client email fourteen times waiting for a reply.

Still, nothing beats the message that says, you captured us perfectly. Every bit of doubt dissolves, and suddenly it all feels worth it again.

Currently Loving

Listening to: Let’s Be Honest podcast — equal parts chaos and comfort.

Snack Situation: Carmen’s Honeycomb Protein Bars — still undefeated on the road.

Outfit of the Week: My size 16 linen dress — proof that small wins deserve big celebrations.

Other things keeping me going: Collagen peptides every morning, a ritual that’s finally stuck. Late-night sewing sessions, just me, my grandma’s old machine, and the hum that somehow makes everything feel okay.

What’s Next

Another Front Door Session this afternoon, a few late nights of editing, and maybe a spontaneous detour before heading back east. I like the parts of life that aren’t fully planned, they’re usually where the best stories happen. Then, a wedding next weekend back in Victoria, which I’m already so excited for.

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.