Easter itself is an amazing time of reflection and cause for celebration.

It’s a time when hope is galvanised with faith that the best is yet to come. Dad knows it. He’s lived it for decades through highs and lows and spent the majority of his adult years encouraging others to do the same.

When we reminded him on his birthday card that the best was yet to come, he enthusiastically agreed (he also said it reminded him of a Van Morrison song, bearing further testimony to his age).

Not displaying any signs of his typical shyness in front of the camera, here he is modelling his new birthday threads as we walked off the earlier lunch celebrations at the beach near their home.

Happy birthday, Dad.

So, it follows naturally that celebration days like Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to express that.

This year, I’ve decided to give away a FREE gift card for the first 10 purchases of an “Our Family” or “Lifestyle Portraits” package with any booking until May 8, so you can have the joy of giving something special and valuable to someone else.

For a standard $199 booking for a family or couples shoot, you receive an extra one FREE to give to a loved one with one of our handcrafted letterpress Gift Cards, wrapped and ready to go and organise at any time in the year.

Mums give beyond measure. So much so. And a bit more.

Simply tweet, Facebook message or use the contact form to get in early and secure a FREE gift card with any purchase. Sessions can be arranged anytime in the year as long as purchased by May 8.

I’ve got 10 gift cards to give away, and these will go to the first 10 purchases of an “Our Family” or “Lifestyle Portraits” session.

Thanks, Stuart.

Here’s a quick preview.

I see things in people that are special and unique and beautiful. I think it’s something that has always been with me since I was a little kid and it’s something I really treasure because it’s opened my eyes to all sorts of opportunities in the people I meet long before I ever picked up a camera. Whether or not I can explain to you the difference between a bus stop and an f-stop or how to properly sync a flash, the driving force behind the images I capture is to be able to show someone what I see in them. I’m talking about the intangible stuff that is unique and special to each person. Everything else doesn’t matter. It’s just there. Stuff.

If we’re talking about photography skills, I want to be sure we’re talking about sharpening our vision on the way we see people, and I mean really see people, so that what I capture is what I’m really seeing beyond the surface. That takes skills to bring that together, but getting that knowledge is not to only produce ‘nice’ images. A lot of people can produce ‘nice’ images. In fact, ‘nice’ images are everywhere. No. It’s just the necessary ‘know-how’ to connect to the bigger vision of capturing an authentic story in each person so I can show them how I see them that is also unique.

This is what matters (imho).

No more digression.

I like lists, and the ’2012 resolve’ is my top 5 for making this year better than the last.

#1 Look outside photography for inspiration. How we see the world is such a big part of how we capture it. Visual forms and disciplines such as graphic design, modern and art-deco architecture, and painting has a lot to teach about visual aesthetics, form, texture, and colour to hone a sharper visual sensibility that is unique and creative. It’s hardly an arduous task, but let’s face it…it’s easier to flick on Masterchef in the evening than read something educational, albeit interesting (*note – something else will have to go – I <3 Masterchef).

#2  Show value. I’ve always instinctively cared a lot about visual creativity and assigned a high personal value to it and those who produce it. I’m going to put words to what I intuitively feel and believe about the value and uniqueness of photography in telling our own stories and key moments in our lives.

#3  Shoot personal projects. Pick a few personal projects and just make the time to shoot them. I’ve had so many ideas for projects that I’ve wanted to do, but have either never started or remain unfinished due to available time and the obstacles of financing them to complete them in the way I envisioned (I am a perfectionist at heart).

#4  Enrich my mind by learning from others. I’ve always enjoyed books on leadership and personal growth. “Think and grow Rich by Napolean Hill, Good to Great by Jim Collins, the Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson are on the list (not necessarily in this order), bolstered by a few classics such as, “Paradise Lost” by John Milton, and “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald (the last two persistently recommended to me by my older brother).

#5  Pray more.The best seasons of my life have been those I can reflect on as trusting foremost in God’s goodness and guidance in spite of anything and everything. There’s such a difference between trusting in His goodness when it’s clearly visible and doing so when it’s not. Prayer is the connection.

Photo credit: Christine (wife). Shot with iPhone 4 and processed with Aperture 3.

I generally shoot with professional Nikon digital gear, but this old fella, my beloved Zenza Bronica E-TRS, has singularly taught me more about photography than anything else. Fact.

No electronics. Just the fundamentals. Manual everything. Slow. Really slow. But really good.

The series below are pictures from the streets of Bandung in Indonesia’s West Java province taken a few years ago. They make me smile.

Zenza Bronica ETRS 645

120 mm Kodak 160 NC Film

But, I’m going to trial something NEW to mark the romantic occasion that will hopefully prove an appealing match for some cool couples – “mini-sessions“. The idea is maximal value for minimal cost…or something like that. If that sounds ‘sales-y’ then feel free to SLAP. ME. NOW ignore it. Seriously. But, in the meantime, here’s how it goes:

I’m going to offer 5 mini-sessions available for bookings made before Valentine’s Day (February 14). When the slots are filled, that’s it – finito. These are the details:

- Couples only

- 45 mins location shoot on the Sunshine Coast

-  10 professionally finished high-res images on CD

- $120

If you’re up for it email via the contact form or tweet @stuartcranney.

Peace, love, and respect…and happy Valentine’s Day.