“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.” – Oscar Wilde In this series we shine a light on artists expressing their individuality, documenting what they love, working hard on their craft, and sharing it with the world. We spoke to Auckland-based Marie Valencia about what makes her art, self described as dreamy and curated, special to her. So, How did you get started in photography? It sort of naturally progressed — I studied and did all kinds of art when I was younger, eventually ending up as a photographer and graphic designer. To View More >>

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and who’s to argue … but if so what are a hundred photographs worth? With a hundred photos you can really tell a story — but there’s only one way to do it. Not in an online gallery — that’s a data dump, not a story. Not on a thumb drive — a data dump in a drawer! Not in a stack of prints — out of order, lost, given away or damaged. Not even in a box of matted prints. Beautiful images, beautiful presented — but still not a story. Only in an album can you transform a set of images into a narrative. To View More >>

We caught up with two of the design team,  Simon and Rachel, to talk all things album design. Here are their top four tips for creating beautiful, clean layouts. Less is more Rachel: Unclutter your design. It’s simple. Let the key images and high quality materials of an album speak for themselves. If you notice the design, it’s taking precedence over the images – good design is effortless. Simon: If the design is loaded with images the hero shots can be lost among a forest of images. By keeping the image selection minimal, you’ll free up space and make To View More >>

A beautiful memento of four very loved huskies! Laurel and Kevin from Brisbane, Australia are totally devoted to their dogs and regularly participate in sledding. Just a couple of weeks after this photo session in the Glass House Mountains, their beloved brown eyed girl Kiah passed away. Charlotte, from Charlotte Reeves Photography, specialises in pet photography. She says, "I am so glad they have this beautiful album of their special girl and the bond she had with her doggy brother and sisters.” A lovely translucent page at the beginning of their 12x12 Flushmount album. To View More >>

Our clients featured strongly again this year among the winners of the 2009 Annabel Williams Contemporary Photographic Training (CPT) Awards. Sarah Wright took out the Queensberry-sponsored Portrait Album category (we featured the wedding album category winner a few days ago). Ex-CPT student Sarah submitted this design of a portrait shoot of a teenager shot in the Borde Hill Gardens - a country estate in the South of England. “The subject really wanted a rural shoot as he loved the country side and country clothing – so I utilised the Estate’s striking features like the wrought iron gates, To View More >>