The Picket Fence Family Come Out, Tim Coulson Style :)

We met Tim Coulson in the most serendipitous way. I commented on a blog in which his work featured and to that comment he responded. To cut a long story short, I found his work so gorgeous, so unique and so simple in its clarity, we just had to have him come and visit us :)
Now, for those of you who know me,  I'm sure you will agree that I love beautiful things, I love my family and I love my house, I love vintage, old fashioned, honest, character laden chippy pieces. Yes it's true...But.... self love doesn't necessarily slot in easily with this love of "stuff" and photographs of self....well that was just plain SCARY.
I was also acutely aware that my children deserved some family photo's, with me, myself and I included. We had nothing of the sort and I'd made many an excuse to always be behind the camera. Time to address same.
I'd like to pretend I was calm about this, I won't, because, quite frankly... I wasn't.  Prior to Tim's visit, I worried about everything. I tried to lose 30 odd kg and erase the "smile" lines around my eyes. I worried about what to wear and I washed Taylor the Wonder Dog. I emailed Tim and warned him that we were not "cool" enough for him to work with. I was convinced that we would let him down. ( N.b I did not lose weight, or wrinkles, and I did not wear new clothes. Taylor the wonder dog rolled in duck poo an hour before the shoot)
Tim arrived and as soon as he walked in the door, I felt better. He had a gentle professionalism that made you forget he had a camera in his hand. He joined in our morning and really became one of us. He smiled and he talked and he made us feel special. He ate  (burnt) pancakes (and he swallowed them!) The youngest Picket Fence Family members adored him and he was able to work with a self conscious teenager (beautifully) Mr Picket Fence relaxed and  indeed, I forgot to hold my stomach in, smile my "best" smile and do that thing with my face that hides chins. ( and yep after he left , I panicked about that too)
Then, a few days later he sent me a slide show in the mail. I cried. I cried buckets. I cried because he had captured the Picket Fence Family as I see it ( beautiful with minimal editing and no chins !) His photo's arrived a few days later and subsequently the post below is the best explanation as to why the Picket Fence Family love Tim Coulson . Find us on his blog here , he said some "way lovely" things about us and you can check out his other amazing photographs of some very beautiful (and very cool) families.
Follow him on Face book here, this way you can keep up with his latest posts. Oh and  he travels anywhere ( anywhere a plane, car or train will go ) and this includes overseas. Our life is more beautiful because he touched it and I  strongly recommend you invite him into yours, indeed, tell him Ava sent you....
Oh my gosh, I feel like we're "Coming out"
 Tim Coulson style :)

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