Field Notes from a Wandering Photographer – Weeks Five & Six: Life is a miracle disguised as a routine drive home.

Yes I know I missed a week, but here’s why?

You know those moments where life feels like it’s finally coming together?

Where you’re driving home from a job that fills your lungs with pride and your eyes with light, thinking:

This is my real life now.

That’s exactly where I was on Friday night.

I had just photographed a golden-hour elopement, Jasmine and Carlin.

I’ve always believed in storytelling that feels like home. The kind of wedding photography that captures fleeting moments you want to relive forever. Their day was intimate, gentle, joyful. The sun kissed their skin, laughter tangled with ocean breeze, and every frame felt like a page from a love letter. The vibe was wildly in love. Soft laughter, salty air, and the kind of memories you tuck away for safekeeping. I drove away feeling full. Proud. Like the version of me I’ve been building was finally here to stay.

For the first time ever, my business is supporting me without a second job.

No burnout safety net.

Just me. The camera. The storytelling. The light.

And then in a breath, everything changed.

A high-speed impact from behind.

Pain that was instant and blinding.

The loud ringing in your ears when adrenaline takes over.

The rain. The darkness.

And for a moment, nothing made sense.

An ambulance.

A hospital ward.

Scans and checks and the reassurance that I would be okay.

Soft tissue damage. Pulled muscles.

A knock to the head that means headaches for quite a while.

And bruises. So many bruises.

My car? Gone.

My independence? Paused.

Now I’m at my mama’s house in Canberra, recovering physically and emotionally, feeling incredibly lucky that I still get to tell this story.

Because someone was looking out for me.

I walked away with my camera. Still working but in need of some repairs.

I am still here. Alive. Healing.

To everyone who has supported my business:

These weeks have stretched and collapsed time in the strangest ways.

A year and a second.

A storm and a sunrise.

The gratitude I feel for this community, for my clients, for complete strangers, is overwhelming. You showed up for me in a thousand tiny ways:

Comments, likes, shares, saves.

Groceries, prayers, car rides, checking in.

Future bookings and beautiful enquiries.

A reminder that I am not alone.

This is what keeps a creative business alive.

This is why connection matters.

This week has felt like a year and a second all at once.

Strange. Emotional. Humbling.

But I’m still editing, still creating, still moving through every feeling one at a time.

I keep thinking:

If I had left the beach five minutes later

If I had stopped for a snack

If I wasn’t so lucky

Life is a miracle disguised as a routine drive home.

What I’ve learned is:

• courage doesn’t always look graceful

• beauty can grow in places I never wanted to visit

• fear makes you pay attention to what matters

• gratitude is a choice you make again and again

• happiness doesn’t come for free, you have to work for it

All things teaching me to never take a single moment for granted.

And Because life didn’t pause completely, there is still so much to celebrate.

My Front Door Sessions sold out.

I’m still pinching myself.

Families on their front steps. The chaos and the cuddles. Real life captured right where it’s lived. If you want me to bring these back next year, tell me in the comments.

I hear you. And yes, I would love to do this again in 2026.

My podcast interview with Behind The Veil that I recorded back in August comes out this month, talking all things:

• vibes and visual storytelling

• editing that feels like memory

• moments behind the scenes of a wedding photographer

• the joy and chaos of wedding days

And if all goes to plan, I will be back behind the lens shooting many more memories and love stories later in the season!

The idea of holding my camera again feels like returning home.

I’m also editing Lizzie and Jordy’s beautiful wedding at The Truffle Farm. Their brief: relaxed and editorial.

Soft storytelling with a stylish edge.

And their gallery is already making my heart swoon.

There’s also editing for

• a boudoir session that felt like a reclamation

• a branding session that captured a team stepping into a whole new chapter

• small creative sparks reminding me I’m still me

Even when my body hurts, my creativity hasn’t stopped.

The stories continue.

The galleries fill with light.

Life, even the messy version, moves forward.

And something I didn’t expect in all of this is how much the experience has made me think about the people in my life. The ones who show up without being asked. The ones I thought I would call first. The friend I wrote about in Week Two… he’s normally the first person I would’ve reached out to in a moment like this. And it feels strange to not have him here right now. But I am honouring his boundary for space and it’s also helped me see who is really in my corner, and who doesn’t need to come with me into the next chapter. These big, shaking-up-your-world kinds of moments have a way of revealing the truth about connection. Who still feels aligned. Who doesn’t. Who is safe to miss, and who is safe to let go of. Painful clarity, but clarity all the same.

Book your 2026/27 Wedding or Elopement

If you’re dreaming of photos that feel soft, editorial, and real:

I’m now taking bookings for 2026 weddings and elopements in:

• Canberra and surrounds

• East Gippsland and Lakes Entrance

• Melbourne and Regional Victoria

Enquire here → BOOK MY 2026 DATE

Let’s tell your story beautifully.

Between Shoots

Well, between recovery naps.

Slow cups of tea. Long showers. Warm blankets. Movies on the couch.

Letting my nervous system remember safety.

Letting myself stop without guilt.

I’m making a gentle December healing plan:

• Lakeside walks

• Yoga to reconnect with my body

• Red light therapy and sauna sessions

• Editing in shorter bursts

• Journaling all of it

Rest counts as progress. No pictures of the between shoots this week as it’s mostly the insides of a hospital ward… But look out for next week!

Currently Loving

Here are a few things making my days feel softer, easier, and a bit more main-character-y:

This strawberry matcha latte from Woolies

The Morning Made Strawberry Matcha Latte — it is dangerously good. Consider yourself warned.

Sol Cleanse Daily Celery Juice

Fresh, hydrating, and the perfect way to offset days where I’m running on vibes and adrenaline.

Discount code: ROWENA10

ALL HER FAULT

My new obsession. Do not tell me who did it. I’m living in suspense until I get access to a TV.

My camera - I can’t believe she’s gonna be ok - did I tell you she landed in my glovebox - someone was watching over me that night!

Arnica cream - for all the bruises!

GOODBERRYS! It’s a Canberra delicacy I recommend everyone try! My favourite flavour is a chocolate concrete with flake and almonds and a maraschino cherry on top! I’ve definitely been indulging in some comfort food lately!

Soft playlists

Fresh air and permission to pause

What’s Next

Tomorrow I’m taking the bus home to grab some essentials I didn’t think to bring when everything was chaos.

Healing, yes.

But also: rescheduling sessions I couldn’t make it for, responding to enquiries for next year (mostly admin as it’s difficult to shoot at the moment while recovering). Showing up for myself and letting most other things go feels foreign to me but probably my lesson and definitely part of my recovery.

Then back to Canberra for the remainder of 2025.

Walks.

Editing.

Support.

Gratitude.

This road looks different than I planned, but it is still my road.

One brave, shaky, hopeful step at a time.

If you’re still here, thank you for sticking with this more heavy blog post.

Hold your people close.

Drive safe.

Notice the magic, even when things fall apart.

Much love guysss x

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.