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Testimonials

TESTIMONIALS
We could not be happier with our photographer. Leoni produced the most spectacular wedding photos – she really has an amazing eye for detail, and makes the most of the conditions of the day. We found it so difficult to pick our favourites photos – they are all so beautiful!

Shelby & Steve

 

Leoni was an amazing photographer. She listened to all of my personal requests and went above and beyond to deliver. I would highly recommend Leoni to any brides looking for beautiful photographs to last a lifetime.

Jess & Kahu

 

Leoni captured the essence of our entire wedding day – from me wielding the cake knife and my husband cutting loose on the dance floor to the amazing bridal party photos and more traditional family shots. Leoni managed to do it all and was an absolute pleasure to work with!

Angela & Peter

 

We had some portraits taken of our little girl and they were fantastic! Leoni got some shots that were amazing because on the day we were a little worried that there would not be much to use. In the end the only problem we had was choosing which ones to use because there were so many beautiful photos. Highly recommend especially for any child photography!

Katie

 

I approached Leoni with a small idea of how I wanted my invitations photographed, she took my idea and made it into something much, much more. Wonderful photographs showing details of my work from a variety of angles. I would recommend Leoni to anyone seeking photography work of any kind.

Kijaro Invitations

 

Leoni is a fantastic photographer who I recommend to everyone. Leoni is incredibly versatile and captures amazing pictures that can be very traditional or quite unique. Leoni was able to take the most adorable photos of my pooch and travelled to various locations. She turned my pooch into a superstar!

Natara – Nat & Darcy

 

Very talented and professional with great ideas – very affordable too and would recommend her to anyone – thank you Leoni for a great shoot.

Jason

 

Fantastic photographer, very easy to work with! Very quick turn around!

Carly

By |June 11th, 2014|helpful info|

Maternity & Newborn Photography – what you need to know!

For those of you who know me, you may or may not know that I’m 38 weeks pregnant and am supposedly sitting around waiting for the arrival of baby number 2. If you know this much you would probably also know that the likeliness of me just sitting back and relaxing and not coming up with some new project that will consume a massive amount of time and energy is close to zero! Well your right I can’t just chill out and watch daytime tv – but instead I am focusing my energy into the newborns and pregnant mums that have come to see me recently.

Photographing baby bumps and babies that are just days old is so rewarding, as it is such a special time and oh so short!
Carrying around that pregnant belly or rocking your baby to sleep can sometimes feel like the longest journey, but once it’s over it’s just a distant memory, making way for all the new and exciting milestones to come. It is a really special part of a photographer’s job (and the reason why we love what we do!) being able to share those incredible moments and memories with you.

I want to share with you some hints and tips for your maternity or newborn photos that will get you prepared before you arrive at the studio.

Initially you may not feel like you want to get semi naked in front of anybody when you are considering maternity photography, and hey you don’t have to if you really don’t want to! There are many ways to show off that gorgeous baby bump and pregnancy glow, and you can always include your partner and/or other kids as well. Photo shoots out on location can be a very relaxed and free spirited way to get in touch with that maternal instinct, and in the studio you can really make magic happen with the help of lighting. We can also do a combination of both and I am happy to travel to you if you are more comfortable in your own home.

maternity photography

On location maternity photography

Ok I’m ready! So what do I need to know?
The best time to get your maternity photos done is generally between 32 & 38 weeks, depending on your personal situation. I have even photographed pregnant ladies at 20 weeks only to find out a few weeks later they have had complications and have been ordered to strict bed rest. 32-38 weeks means you’ll really have a bump to show off and hopefully your hands and feet haven’t started swelling (oh the joys of pregnancy!) Listen to your body and be sure to let your photographer know if you are uncomfortable or need to stop for a minute. Although you won’t be expected to perform any acrobatics, standing around in front of studio lighting can really have an effect on your unbalanced body. If you need to stop and have a break, sit down, have some water or go out for some fresh air. We don’t need you fainting during your photo shoot!
Maternity photography is really quite basic when it comes to what you need to get organised. The general rule is keep it plain. Maternity photography is all about your belly, and your natural glow, not about your fancy accessories or new lippy. If your in the studio plain black and white always works, in fact be sure to take both to give yourself more variety. If you have a white mens button up shirt bring that along too! There are always ways to use the draping of different materials to create different looks and textures and you can bring along any props such as teddy bears or blocks that spell bub’s name to include as well. Unless you’re outside on location you probably won’t need to choose other clothes, but flowing dresses or jeans and white tops are always a good place to start.

maternity tryptich

maternity tryptich

Of course after the maternity shoot along the comes the newborn, the anticipated bundle of joy that will change your lives forever!
One thing you need to be aware of with a newborn is that nothing ever goes to plan! Want to make a booking, but not sure of exact dates? Most photographers are very understanding and flexible when it comes to newborns. If you give them an approximate date they’ll be expecting your call once your baby is born.

newborn tutu

Baby girl in a tutu

Newborns are best photographed within the first 2 weeks of their lives, when they are still new and fresh (and sometimes wrinkly and flakey – especially if they’ve been overcooked!). The main reason for this is that they should still be mostly sleeping, which makes it easier to capture their innocent sleeping beauty. To be able to achieve this you need to be patient! Sometimes a photography session with a newborn can take up to 4 hours, although we try not to do this to you as everyone especially the baby can get over it by this point! Depending on your baby, if they are sleeping pretty well through the night, mornings are easiest as they can be a bit more tolerant. We all know about the ‘witching hour’ come afternoon. Don’t know what I’m talking about? I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough lol!
Babies are best started off with a full belly, so feed your baby while the photographer is setting up or as you get there. Don’t worry we can wait – and we’ve all dealt with breastfeeding mums. While your feeding the baby, loosen his nappy to help get rid of excess marks – although any unwanted creases, blemishes and peeling skin can be retouched in Photoshop afterwards. Be sure to give baby a good burp after his feed, to keep them as content as can be. If you can pump breastmilk, of if baby is bottle fed have one on hand as it’s easier to settle a baby once in position with a bottle.
If you are having the photos done at home, don’t stress about the mess! You’ve just had a baby – we don’t care about the state of your house! Ideally if you are having the photos done at home find a spot close to the window as natural lighting tends to work best. Babies can get disturbed by too many flashing lights! The environment should also be reasonably warm as when you start peeling clothes off baby they won’t like it much, especially if it’s cold.
Sometimes the smell of mum can be a distraction too so it’s always good to have another set of hands if they are available.

baby girl holding mum's ring

baby girl holding mum’s ring

I have several packages on offer so that you can combine your Maternity and Newborn photo shoots as well as through the first year of your baby’s life. In the first year your baby will go from a precious little bundle to a crazy toddler – leaving you wondering where your baby has gone? Be sure to capture all of those special moments and finish the year with a bang with our new 1 yr old cake smash!

If you want to check out more of my work with babies and bumps head on over to this gallery: Maternity & Bubs

If you would like more information on my packages for mums & bubs send me an email:[contact-form-7 id=”152890″ title=”Contact form 1″]

By |March 6th, 2014|helpful info, portraits, Recent Photo Opportunities|

Maleny Wedding at Spicers Tamarind Retreat

The day started with the clouds rolling in low across the mountains and a light tropical drizzle while I ate a hearty breakfast in the main street of Maleny in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast Hinterlands. The wedding ahead was for Steve and Shelby of Caloundra. I spent the night before the wedding meeting friends and family of the couple at Spicers Tamarind Retreat in Maleny and everyone was set for an exciting day ahead!
The green and white colour scheme of the wedding fit in perfectly with the natural rainforest surroundings.
Shelby managed to think of everything for her big day, from the bride slippers and embroidered dressing gown to the engraved rings and chopsticks for dinner! Being super organised meant she could relax while getting ready and enjoy her mimosa….In true male style the boys enjoyed a pie and a beer instead.

It was a small affair with the ceremony held on the grounds of the beautiful resort. A small little arbour was setup under a tree, where close friends and family gathered for the ceremony. After everyone congratulated the couple, guests were treated to drinks and canapes while we disappeared to do more photos.

We found a few beautiful spots nearby including Gardeners Falls, which is just behind the resort and a nice easy walk.
I even managed to get the couple to climb through the dense forest for some gorgeous rainforest shots.
We drove to the famous one tree hill and found a few spots along the way.
On our return gusts were sending off their wishes for the couple using paper lanterns. Unfortunately we only just got there in time to see the last of them floating away, but it was spectacular!

The family stayed for a 5 course degustation with an Asian twist and danced the night away in a private dining room.
Favours for the guests included engraved chopsticks and fortune cookies, and the kids each had a little fun pack to keep them entertained. It was such a great experience to have been invited to dinner with the family!
I feel very privileged to have been able to be a part of this amazing wedding!

getting ready
bride to be
jimmy choo
bride dressing gown
bridal hangers
forest retreat
wedding gift
engraved wedding rings
flower girls
bride getting dressed
groom getting ready
off to the wedding
bridesmaids and flower girls
ceremony setup
waiting for the bride
the bride arrives
father of the bride
first look
ariel ceremony
perfect ceremony
exchange of rings
ring bearer hands over rings
bride putting ring on groom
kiss and tell
walking out of ceremony
signing the registrar
flower girls
throwing petals at bride and groom
group photo
favours and gifts
backlit bride
flower girls playing
the boys
bridal party shot
kiss with the sun behind
on the boardwalk
cocoon hanging chairs
bride and groom in hanging chairs
Gardeners Falls
rainforest
sunshine coast wedding
Sunshine Coast Hinterland wedding
one tree hill
mountain ranges at sunset
sunshine coast hinterland wedding
Maleny Wedding
walking on the road and tin shed
depth of field
German restaurant
first dance
Maleny Wedding
cutting the cake
room keys

By |September 18th, 2013|Recent Photo Opportunities, weddings|

Wedding on the Golf Course at Victoria Park.

Julian and Zoe had an amazing wedding at the Victoria Park Golf course, complete with their very own fireworks, traditional Nauru dancers courtesy of Julian’s family and a photobooth. They had a white, grey and purple theme which came up beautifully, with purple lanterns and tea lights hanging throughout the ceremony and reception. The bridemaid’s dresses were also purple and were made of a beautiful raw silk in a grecian, flowing style. Zoe’s dress was from Karen Willis Holmes in Paddington and the gorgeous blingy shoes were Tony Bianco. The purple ombre wedding cake was made by the very talented Janelle at Big Cake Little Cake. Flowers were done by Lois Marer, and a special momento of Zoe’s late brother was added to the bridal bouquet so he could be there with them. The couple met at the Victory (known to locals as The ViC), and were engaged on the board walk in Bulimba. Julian had set up a table with candles and roses and Zoe was so shocked she started yelling expletives leaving all the locals to wonder what was happening! As you can see it was such a fun wedding! Congrats you guys! xoxoxoxo

bride getting hair donebride hair
wedding makeupbridesmaid getting makeupmakeup in silhouette
wedding makeuplipstick applicationbride close upBridesmaids in matching bathrobesBrides accessorieswedding dress outsidebouquetsBride before weddingbride's fathergroom de-stressingbest man putting on cufflinksceremony decorationsceremony setupGroom's lapel pin
Saying hello to wedding guestsgroom before ceremonyscared groom
bridesmaids arriving at ceremonybride arriving at ceremonybride & bridesmaids arriving at weddingbridal party arrivalBride sees guests and husband for first timegroom's first look at his bridefather and bride at alterbride's father giving her awayVictoria Park Golf Course Wedding Ceremony<a
ceremony celebrant
groom at ceremony
high-key-ceremony.the wedding ceremonyspeech at ceremonytears at a weddingvintage weddingexchange of wedding ringswedding kissfriends at weddingsigning the marriage certificatesign the marriage certificatemarriage certificate and ringsbride and groom walk down the aisleboy in sportscoatbride and groom in carin the bus stopwedding at bus stopgroom and friendsgroom and friendsgroom hamming it upwedding at bustopwedding couple at Victoria Park golf coursewedding couple at Victoria Parkwedding couplebride and groom playing golfwedding with purple sunsetafl fansgroom with AFL footballwedding photos on a dirt trackjust marriedkiss after the cake cuttingwedding detailswedding tablesfireworkswedding fireworksbride and groom first dance
Nauru girls do wedding entertainmentgroom dancing with islander dancersNauru boys do wedding entertainmentdj spinningwedding dance florrcarving up the dancefloor
fun in the photo boothcrazy glassesblackboard with Thank you

By |November 26th, 2012|Recent Photo Opportunities, weddings|

Pin-up Shoot with Little Vintage Dolls

Meet the Little Vintage Dolls! Creative designer duo Ana & Sammz & their stunning cover girl Bambi are in to all things Vintage & Pin-up.

We had heaps of fun dressing up and showing off their latest designs in Rockabilly hair accessories. Catch them this Saturday the 15th September at Modified Markets at the North Lakes Community Centre and get your big hair on!

Find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Littlevintagedollsofficial

Contemporary pin uprockabilly hair accessoriesfloor pose pin uprockabilly chickblonde rockabilly hair roll

 

Leoni Bolt Photography offers Pin-up Photography Sessions and Packages and we can organise hair and make-up as part of your package.

To check out the latest @ Leoni Bolt Photography come by the Facebook Page!

https://www.facebook.com/LeoniBoltPhotography

Contact us to book your photography session!
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By |September 7th, 2012|portraits, Recent Photo Opportunities|

Cutest baby photos ever!

Photographing newborns is an amazing thing. Each little person so new to the world, getting used to their surroundings.
Ideally you want to photograph newborns in the first 10-14 days of their new life, when they’re still sleepy from their long, hard journey and easy to position. This is not always possible, but you quickly notice how alert they can be suddenly, when you have lots of people around and potentially studio lights flashing in their faces.
Natural lighting is always best when photographing newborns, but is not always possible, depending on the weather and the positioning of the windows and lighting. If you want to see how I have done newborn shoots in confined spaces using studio lighting to replicate natural lighting as much as possible check out this other blog post.
Newborns can take anywhere from 1-4 hrs as it completely depends on the baby and how settled they are throughout the shoot. They may need to be fed, burped, changed several times throughout to keep them happy and settled.
It’s always a good idea to get baby dressed in their first outfit before feeding and then settling them, and having a great workflow helps to not having to move them around too much and disturb their slumber. You can do lots of different angles and slight body movements in one setup for a range of different looks.
I generally have at least 2 setups ready to go so I can just gently move the baby from one setup to the next. I generally save the family photos until last as it’s much easier to deal with a baby that’s getting over it when mum or dad is snuggling up to them. Mum and dad should dress accordingly so that everyone matches to some degree, and plain colours are always nice and simple to work with and not too distracting. Siblings are always encouraged to come along as well, but it can take a long time and be quite boring for them, so just be prepared.
Taking baby photos is something I’m enjoying more and more since becoming a mother myself. I love meeting these brand new people and following along in their life’s adventures.
I have all inclusive packages from Maternity through to 1st birthday Cake Smash photos.
If you would like to enquire about a newborn photo shoot, please fill in the contact form below.

I hope you enjoy this cuteness in your day!

newborn in a fantasy forest

newborn with dreamy eyes

newborn in a hat newborn in a suitcase dad kissing newborn newborns head in dad's hands

newborn girl in a tutu

newborn with engagement ring in black and white

newborn with mum's engagement ring

newborn-in-bowl-2 newborn-in-bowl

newborn in a pixie hat

newborn in a bucket from above

newborn sleeping with owl picture

newborn on mother's chest

newborn yawning

newborn in a suitcase

newborn and mum

newborn with mum and dad

newborn photos

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By |September 7th, 2012|portraits, Recent Photo Opportunities|

Romantic Wedding in Brisbane City

Helen and Dane were married on the most gorgeous day in Brisbane. Unfortunately due to the fact that I had just had a baby a few weeks earlier, I had to get my very talented photographer friend Terri to go a long in my place. How jealous was I the next day when I got to see the photos! Such a beautiful romantic wedding. The dresses were stunning, the boys looked so handsome and it was such a perfect day! My favourite part was the fact that there were no cars and that they all made their way from the hotel in Brisbane City to the Botanical Gardens and then to The Fix Restaurant at the Port Office Hotel by foot. They obviously had such a fun day and I wish I could have been there personally, but like you I will need to live it through the pictures….

We teamed up with Aaron Singfield Productions (www.aaronsingfield.com) who produced the video for the day, which you can see here: http://vimeo.com/m/40003156

You can also see the online version of the finished album here. Keep in mind it has a sleeve and dust jacket which folds over and can look strange on screen.

Congrats to Helen & Dane! You guys are the cutest couple! I hope you are both enjoying married life.

 

Bride getting make-up

flowergirl hairbridal party getting readyBride's perfume, bag & shoesromantic weddingbride's bouquet & wedding ringsBride's final touchesBride getting dressedhigh key bride with flowersHigh key bride with bouquethigh key bridal party girlsHigh key bridesmaidshigh key bride & maid of honourgrooms getting readyGroom's attiregroom & groomsmen in linen suitsGrecian style wedding dress with peach bridesmaidsCeremony in botanical gardensFather of the bride walking down aislewalking down the aislewedding ceremony Brisbane botanical gardenswe are marriedwedding at QUTwedding at government housebridal party at QUTBride & Groom QUTvintage wedding QUT buildingsgrunge wedding buildingbridal party in doorwaywedding couple in red doorway at QUTwedding at universitygroomsmen at QUTwedding at QUTbride & groom at QUTwedding in Brisbane citywedding couple walking through citycheers to the married couple - Port Office Hotellooking at wedding rings - Port Office Hotelenter the bride & groom - Mr & Mrswedding at The Fix Restaurant - Port Office Hotelwedding cupcakes, pink & yellowThe last hoorah!

Check out the rest of the photos in the gallery

By |June 21st, 2012|Recent Photo Opportunities, weddings|

Gorgeous Surfers Paradise Wedding

Surfers Paradise wedding on the beautiful Gold Coast.

Jess is one of my favourite make-up artists to work with. She also was the make-up artist for my own wedding as well as that of my sister and best friend! So when she asked me to shoot her wedding I was stoked!

It was Easter Weekend in Surfers Paradise, and the weather was perfect – hot in fact for Autumn! So as you can imagine everyone was at the beach, and the markets and doing Easter activities with the kids. Nevertheless we managed to get some great photos on the beach with the most perfect lighting imaginable.

The couple got ready in the same place as the ceremony and reception – Vibe Hotel which made it exceptionally easy for all of the wedding guests on the way.

For our formal photos we headed off in a stretch limo to find a relatively secluded spot on the beach and a couple of little spots along the way. Apart from a near accident in the limo where the bride went flying and hurt herself, it was a beautiful and perfect day.

Jess and Kahu are the most adorable couple and I’m so happy I was there to see Jess marry the man of her dreams! Congrats to you both!! xox

I’d like to thank Terri for helping me shoot Jess & Kahu’s special day, and if you need a make-up artist for your wedding check out Jess’s website: www.makeup24-7.com.au


Check out more of the photos from this wedding here.

By |April 21st, 2012|Recent Photo Opportunities, weddings|

Pinterest – a bride’s new best friend.

I’ve recently just discovered Pinterest, the latest in social media sharing, and have come to the conclusion that this is a brilliant tool for “brides to be”,  for collaborating and sharing their ideas. The idea is that you create a pinboard of images that you like and can share them with your bridesmaids, family and anyone else that might be of interest such as your wedding planner or photographer.

I’ve just set up my first pin board titled “Alternative Weddings” – Feel free to check it out http://pinterest.com/leonibolt/ and share with me!

Edit – Since first writing this post and becoming familiar with Pinterest and brides showing me their pin boards I have differing views on the whole thing.  I still love it and I still encourage my brides to share with me stuff that they like, but myself and other photographer’s alike have found it can be a photographer’s nightmare. What you’re seeing on Pinterest is the very best photos from all over the world. Each photo is set in a different time and space and has a different photographer and subjects. As photographer’s we don’t want to just be asked to copy someone else’s work. You need to make it your own! Showing your photographer what you like will give them ideas for lighting, locations and poses, but don’t expect them to copy down to the nail. We as artists do not want to copy someone else’s work and you should want photos that are as individual as you are! Express yourself!

As well as a space to share my own photography and collect ideas, I personally use Pinterest to collect recipes, home decorating, kids activities and so much more. It’s a great resource for visually collecting things of the internet in one place so you can find them later.

I hope to see you there!

Pinterest good or evil?

 

By |February 25th, 2012|helpful info, Recent Photo Opportunities|

Rockabilly Farm Wedding

Rockabilly Farm Wedding at Kooroomba Lavender Farm and Vineyard.

I had the privilege of being asked to be a part of several very cool themed weddings last year. This is from one – that of Ross & Magenta. It was a Rockabilly Style theme in red, black and white.

Ross & Magenta got ready in 2 rooms at opposite ends in a little hotel/motel with it’s own pub literally in the middle of nowhere – making it a very relaxed and fun affair. I got to bounce from one room with the boys to the other with the girls and it was a great atmosphere!

They had the ceremony and reception at the Kooroomba Lavender Farm and Vineyard, which was an absolutely stunning backdrop of rolling purple lavender fields and vineyards, not to mention the barn style restaurant. Although the weather was particularly crazy resulting in the ceremony having to be moved inside at the last minute due to it being very windy, that didn’t stop us braving the weather the getting some amazing shots! While outside amongst vines with the storm clouds rolling in over the mountains we all stopped and looked at each other and yelled “run!!” – and bolted through the rows of lavender to pile through the doors, high heels in hands, just as it came pouring down – to the cheers of the onlooking guests. Just as quickly as it had arrived it then disappeared leaving a stunning backdrop of a spectacular sunset through rain drenched windows and a beautiful rainbow cascading over the lavender.

The inside of the restaurant was dressed by Styled Events from West End, providing amazing candelabras and sweet cherry covered chairs for the bridal party. The absolute piece de resistance though was the fabulous topsy turvy wedding cake with its brilliant personalised cake topper, which had the bride and groom sporting all of their usual tattoos and piercings, making it unmistakably them.

Ross & Magenta – Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your uber amazing wedding!

Image

ImageImage

To see more images from this wedding go to the gallery Ross & Magenta

By |January 19th, 2012|Recent Photo Opportunities, weddings|