Sunday Night Fish n Pics #25

I love that some of the best stuff underwater is tucked up underneath ledges. It's another great reason to slow down and enjoy every inch of the reef!

Sunday Night Fish n Pics #24

Batfish are simply irresistible - especially when they are swimming around in gorgeously clear blue water!

Sunday Night Fish n Pics #23

Another Not Fish Sunday :)

It's turtle mating season here on the Ningaloo Reef and they are out in force this year.

I've been seeing them up on the reef at low tide, in the shallows,

on the dives, resting on the beach and during all of my snorkels.

A few days we've had 100s in a small area - it's amazing!
A small area - all those black spots are turtles, sometimes two turtles stacked!

The males can be quite pesky as they aren't terribly fussy about who or what they mate with. This guy was dogged in his pursuit of me and ended up right on top of my legs despite me trying to push him off with my fins (and a little head slap!)

All of the beaches are covered in turtle tracks and it won't be long before we have lots of little baby turtles hatching and running the gauntlet to the sea.


apologies for some of the less than fabulous shots - I had to use my baby Olympus 720SW and it's just not great.

NEWS: Print deadline this week!

The deadlines for any prints you want to send out as gifts or in cards to family and friends for the holidays are this week, so don't delay!

DEADLINE ORDER DATES:
Tuesday 8 November, 2011 (tomorrow!) 5pm - all metallic prints, mounted prints and framed prints

Tuesday 8 November, 2011 (tomorrow!) 5pm - all canvas prints

Thursday 10 November, 2011 - 5pm - all other prints

Also coming up is the deadline for ordering any gifts you would like to receive before Christmas:
DEADLINE FOR PRE-CHRISTMAS DELIVERY - THURSDAY 17 NOVEMBER, 2011*:
Thursday 17 November, 200 - all prints, canvas & other products

Tuesday 15 November, 2011 - all albums must have final approval confirmed



*prints & canvas required for pre-Christmas delivery ordered after these deadlines will incur an additional fee. I will do my best to deliver them in time, but cannot guarantee pre-Christmas delivery if the above dates are missed.

Sunday Night Fish n Pics #22

Visited one of my favourite sites today out at the Muiron Islands and was rewarded with a trio of grey reef sharks cruising through the cleaning stations. Unfortunately, one of them was being a bit of a pain and looked like he was bullying the others so none spent any time getting scrubbed.

Two of them did circle around the area a few times and I was able to grab a couple of frames.

I love these guys!

SPECIAL: 3 day canvas sale!

It's a fantastic time to order those canvas prints you've been dreaming about because I'm running a 3 day sale starting today! You'll save 20% on every canvas in any size.

Your order needs to be in by noon on Sunday 6 November, 2011 (W.A. time) to take advantage of some great savings!

Sunday Night Fish n Pics #21

I just adore nudibranchs in all their myriad shapes, colours, patterns and even personality. These brightly coloured clownish looking guys (Gymnodoris rubropapillosa) are quite common on certain dive sites at various times of the year - think I saw nine on this dive! - but I can rarely swim past one without stopping.

I just love their bright orange markings and the way they often seem to sit up all perky-like if you're patient and watch them motor over stuff long enough!

Exmouth Family Photography - sunset sneak peek

Had the pleasure of photographing another Exmouth family yesterday evening and we headed over to Hunter's below the Lighthouse to take advantage of the fantastic weather.

Can't resist sharing one of Grandpop & Grand-daughter!

Sunday Night Fish n Pics #20

Not a fish tonight, but still an ocean goer! I've been out a couple of times in the last few weeks to hang with the migrating humpback whales and each time we've had excellent breaches and playful calves. I'm awed every time I see them.


Oh, and I just happened to also be snorkeling today when a mom & bub swam by! I was so totally engrossed in watching them that I only popped off one frame with the baby Canon camera I take snorkeling.

SPECIAL: Christmas is coming!

I know it's only October but the holiday season is approaching fast and deadlines for getting our Christmas cards out to loved ones will be here sooner than we think!



I have sessions available most days from Wednesday 19 October through Sunday 7 November, 2011, so we should be able to find a time that works with your schedule. As always, an hour or so prior to sunset (and after sunrise, if you're an early riser!) is the prime time for outdoor & beach sessions so please keep this in mind when you are planning.

I've added a new product for this jolly season: personalized holiday photo cards. These can be customized to not only include your favourite photo from your session but you can create your own greeting, too!

2011 Holiday Photo Card prices:
Single cards start from $7/each
Sets of 5 cards start from $30/set ($6.00/card)
Sets of 10 cards start from $50/set ($5.00/card)
Sets of 20 cards start from $80/set ($4.00/card)
Sets of 50 cards start from $175/set ($3.50/card)
Sets of 100 cards start from $250/set ($2.50/card)
All cards include an envelope.
Sets consist of one image & one greeting.
No minimum quantity on single cards.
Each single card can have its own image and greeting.

Ring me on 0438 433 356 or drop me an email to reserve your session time and to get the full scoop on all of the packages on offer.

Already booked your session or have you already had your photos taken? Drop me a line because I have some great specials for you, too!

Hurry as spaces are limited!

Baby Aiden 23 days old - Exmouth newborn photography

Aiden is just the cutest and most active three week old bub I've ever seen. He insisted on staying awake for our entire session and didn't get grumpy at all (OK, he did once, but only for a tiny minute!) He seemed so interested in everything going on around him, his expressions were just adorable and so much fun to capture!




His mom & dad are pretty fantastic, too!

It was super windy on the day our session was scheduled and Renee & Paul really wanted some outdoor shots so we considered rescheduling. Instead we split their newborn portrait session into two parts - indoor and outdoor the following morning. Of course, it's Exmouth, so it was really windy the next morning, too, but we persevered and found a little patch that was at least partially protected from the southerly for Aiden's first beach trip.

He slept through the whole event.

Can't forget the canine members of the family! They are both so good around Aiden, totally excellent siblings.

Once again, I've fallen in love with the whole beautiful family!

Sunday Night Fish n Pics #19

It was an itsy bitsy teeny weenie yellow polk-a-dot...boxfish!

Exmouth wedding photography - sneak peek!

Maggie & Mohsin are so head over heels in love and so full of the joy of being together that I totally cried during their ceremony on the balcony of their room at the Novotel Ningaloo today.

Maggie's words of wisdom on the way back to the car as we finished sunset photos & I told her she looked beautiful "It's love. When you find it, grab it tight and don't let go. Be in love!" You can see that they certainly are!

Sunday Night Fish n Pics #18

I love a challenge when photographing underwater and can spend hours squinting into tiny crevices and deep into the arms of corals, contorting myself into all sorts of shapes and orientations just to get a shot of a cool crab.

But every once in a while it's nice to come across a big red funky looking crab perched out in the open on a yellow sponge!

Sneak peek Baby A. - Newborn portraits Exmouth photographer

Baby A. turned 23 days old yesterday and is already a superstar model. His mom's pretty awesome, too.

Put them together and it's perfection!

Sunday Night Fish n Pics #17

I love when a bright orange-red fish sits quietly under a pink soft coral with a gorgeous blue water background. I can assure you it doesn't happen all the time - those pesky fish really don't do the whole sitting still thing very well most dives!

Sunday Night Fish n Pics - #16

Turtles are irresistible!

This guy was peeking around a corner as I swam along the reef and though he looks a little grumpy with me, he really wasn't. Once I got closer, he just shut his eyes and went back to sleep :)

NEWS: I'm back in Exmouth & everything's working again!

Hello, My Lovelies! I am back in Exmouth after the most fantastic trip.

I spent excellent time with my family back in the USA for the first time in a year (too long!) and I spent three mind-blowing weeks in Africa.

Me with a lion cub at Lion Park in Johannesburg, South Africa

I didn't have enough time or access to the net while traveling to keep up with posting here, as was my intention. Now that I'm back, I've started looking through my many images and I'll be sharing some of them here over the next few weeks, so be sure to keep an eye on this space!

I hit the ground running once I landed in Exmouth with Mel & Dean's wedding the day after I arrived, lots of orders to process, new client enquiries and fixing the unexpected domain problems that cropped up while I was away. Those problems caused multiple emails from you to bounce back, undelivered.

That has been fixed as of this morning and emails to kristin@kjaphotos.com are working again. If you have sent something to me in the past couple of weeks and have not yet heard from me, please resend your original email and I'll answer within 48 hours.

Let's get Africa started with a little family I had the pleasure of spending time with one day

Exmouth wedding photography - sneak peek!

High school sweethearts Melanie & Dean tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony at Novotel Ningaloo on Friday afternoon. Afterward, we headed to the Lighthouse (windy!) and Bundegi for some photos.

I think this happy jump sums up this couple - enormously happy, exuberantly fun and exquisitely in love!

Mis & Dean it was a such a pleasure meeting you and being a part of your lovely day!

Stay tuned for more...

Sunday Night Fish n Pics - #15

Anglerfish (called frogfish in the US) have to rank in my top three underwater creatures. You can bet if I find one on a dive that I'll be a) using a ton of air giggling & yelling squeeee! through my regulator and b) spending most of my remaining bottom time watching it move its cutie feet & waggling its lure around!

We don't see these nearly often enough here on the Ningaloo Reef and I can remember each and every one I've ever seen over the past 15 years. No, I'm not crazy or (too) obsessive - they're just such special surprises every time!

Sunday Night Fish n Pics - #14

I feel kinda bad for the squirrelfish. They are a nice red colour and there are usually quasi-cooperative groups hanging out along the reef, but somehow I seem to overlook them when it comes to taking photos. They just aren't as fancy or wow-factor as some of the other fishies & critters I come across.

I shouldn't take them for granted because they do take a pretty picture.

Sunday Night Fish n Pics - #13

Smile & show your pretty (sharp) teeth, Little Eel!

Sunday Night Fish n Pics - #12

Blizzard Ridge, one of my favourite dive sites here in Exmouth on the Ningaloo Reef, always has schools of sea perch and I usually hang out with them for a while on each dive.

If I'm patient enough they will surround me and just let me hang out in the middle - very cool!

Sometimes I can maneuver around and get a photo of the school swimming towards & around me which is way more fun than the usual more side on shots, I think.

Sunday Night Fish n Pics - #11

This synchronized pair of Philippine Butterflyfish tagged along with me for a few minutes before deciding I was too boring and picking up their game of leap-frogging each other along the reef.

Sunday Night Fish n Pics - #10

Manta rays are simply amazing - beautiful, graceful, curious. Any dive with a manta is an awesome dive.

Sunday Night Fish n Pics- #9

Nudibranchs are some of my favourite underwater creatures. They come in a staggering variety of shapes, sizes, colours & patterns and even after living here on the Ningaloo Reef for over 15 years I regularly see new species, behaviours or variations.

This little guy (well less than 2cms) is always a treat - he's not very common and is often in a hole or some other inaccessible nook so when I find one out and about I always stop for just one more frame.

Noumea varians

Sunday Night Fish n Pics- #8

Coral trout - pretty!

Yummy, too!!

Sunday Night Fish n Pics - #7

Love when solid schools of huge trevally zoom past you as they hunt!

Away I go!

Just a very quick note to say Bon Voyage!

Can I say that if I am the one going on holidays??

I am off on a huge trip that will include parts of the USA & Africa and I won't be back in Exmouth until mid-September.

I will not have access to my phone until 15 September so please don't ring & leave a message as I will not be able to get back to you in a timely manner.

Instead, please email me at kristin@kjaphotos.com - I will be checking email consistently until the second week of August and then more sporadically for a couple of weeks (Africa isn't known for it's fabulous internet service while on safari!)

I am taking bookings for weddings and portrait sessions for the rest of 2011 and for 2012, so make sure to drop me a note and please be a little patient if I take a little longer than usual to respond.

You may also place orders for prints and other products while I am away but delivery for most things will not be until the first week of October.

Not sure how much full net access I will have, but I hope to pop up a photo and a note about my travels now and then while I am away.

And here's a totally random shot of Lobo because I hate posting without a photo of some sort!

Sunday Night Fish n Pics #6

Sometimes lots of different fishes like to get into a shot!

NEWS: Order your prints today!

Due to some fabulous commitments that will take me overseas until September, all orders for prints, canvas, acrylic and other products must be received by tomorrow (along with payment) if you would like to have delivery before 23 July, 2011.

Anything ordered from 14 July - 17 September will be delivered in the last week of September or first week of October.

To ensure your prompt delivery, here are the deadlines:
All print orders for matte & satin finish prints must be received before 4pm Wednesday 13 July, 2011.

All metallic prints, canvas, acrylic and other specialty item orders (excluding albums) must be received before 9am Wednesday 13 July, 2011.

And because no post is complete without a photograph, here's one from the Wilson's fabulous family portrait session at Hunter's Beach in Exmouth!

Sunday Night Fish n Pics #5

I can never swim past our beautiful pink anemonefish without stopping and when their host magnificent anemone is curling up showing off its purple underneath, well, you just know I'm going to come back with a card full!

Sunday Night Fish n Pics #4

One of the most amazing feelings I experience underwater is when I am surrounded in an almost solid wall of baitfish - it's like a giddy awe. There are thousands of tiny fish making up these curtains, but they seem to shimmy and sway as one mind. It can make you dizzy and always makes you laugh. It can also make you a little paranoid as you just know a school of the big predator fish are going to swoop past you on all sides, with no warning, at a hundred miles an hour, scattering the little fish in a million different directions! This diver was more sedate coming through the thick cloud but the baitfish still exploded outwards like shards of glass.

Exmouth Wedding photography - first dance

I love getting all old school black & white for first dance photos. Had to share one from Danni & Mark's wedding reception at the Exmouth Yacht Club!

Sunday Night Fish n Pics #3

Gorgeous roughback stingray under a ledge at one of my favourite dive sites at the Muiron Islands. The two cleaner wrasse (under his nose)were working hard and he was gently rolling his wings up and down to allow them better access.

SPECIAL: Fabulous Portrait Packages

It's the end of the financial year so let's celebrate with some awesome deals on portrait sessions! This is the ad that will be hitting our local EELIS tomorrow:

Of course, I have to make sure my blog readers get something extra super fantastic on top of my already fabulous special packages so here it is -
Book your portrait session with me before 30 June 2011 & tell me you saw this blog post and get 15% off everything you order after you spend your $100 credit!
You must tell me about the blog post at time of booking to receive this offer.

Available sessions are limited and these special offers are only available for a very short time so email me today for full details and to reserve your session.

Exmouth Family Portraits - Sunrise Beach Novotel Ningaloo

Headed down to the beach in front of the Novotel Ningaloo for some fun family portraits. You might remember the little girl, Sophie, from way back in 2009 when I did some portraits just of her while all the boys were at school or work. This time I got to enjoy spending time with the whole family and it was a blast!

We tried to be serious (how cute is this family!)


but it was far more fun to be goofy

and pull faces & cool poses

and get thrown around



Once the kids got a little tired, we let them play in the sand & chase seagulls while the grownups went for a more romantic look (these two are sooo much in love and it shows every second!)

Sophie only gave us a minute but was so adorable when she joined her parents who could complain?!