Hi, Heya, Hello, Hola

This is me in my family photos. Feeling very awkward and hoping the photographer was capturing my good angles and that my family would go along with it on the day. Yes we all feel like that!

So you’re wondering who is this girl that’s going to show up and take your photos and will we click? I’ll tell you a few things about me, then you tell me a few things about yourself and we can get started.

When I was young the things I wanted to do more than anything was to travel the world and be a photographer. I have now ticked both those boxes but it’s wasn't easy or straightforward. I was completely discouraged away from photography by the end of school and kept it as a hobby until I moved to London in my late 20’s. (Tick box Tick box) Travel made me feel so creative, energised and passionate about life and with the encouragement of my friends (who I would force to pose for me during my lunch breaks in Hyde Park and Green Park) I kept snapping away until I had the confidence to make a go of it. Now i’ve been doing this professionally for almost 10 years and have a completely different life in Sydney with my two little girls… and still make my friends pose for me but usually at the beach as an excuse for me to put my feet in the sand.

I started shooting weddings mostly as I’m a hopeless romantic and loved how weddings brought together my favourite things to photograph: people, raw emotions, details, beautiful things. But now I know the absolute heart crushing love it is to be a parent, capturing families and recording the memory of how they were at that moment is one of my favourite things. Not only these little people who grow overnight but also to make sure the parents are remembered too. I am guilty of not having enough photos with me in them and that’s why I prioritised my own photo session when my bub was 6 months old.

So that’s my little history but who am I now? I’m an ENFP which makes me a total dreamer and also your biggest fan. I am a wild passionate creative type but I also don’t take myself too seriously.. I laugh at myself when I get carried away. I like to talk…love the beach.. i’m a summer girl and night owl. I’m always cold. My extended family are total foodies and love wild foraging so I eat very, very well. I’m mad for European food and dumplings and Frangos. My drinks are Prosecco/ spritz, red wine and margaritas (and expensive French champagne when the occasion calls for it!) I love spending time with my family and friends and just chilling out. I used to be a very proud Inner west girl but then I got really over it and moved a bit south (I like to call it the Inner south west)… but i’ll still pop back for the food and the coffee! Due to a wheat sensitivity I’ve become one of those sourdough making people (eye roll) and now I compete with myself every week to make a better loaf than the last. I’ve become completely obsessed with plants and have an urban junglow vibe going on at home. (Want a starter or some cuttings? I’m your girl) I’m a bit of a hippie and believe a good ocean swim in the sun can cure most of your problems and you should get outside in nature barefoot everyday. I have a somewhat sad hobby of redesigning floor plans of real estate to what I would want (always with a butlers pantry, arches and some large scale fine art prints, of course). My indulgence is Spell & the Gypsy. I’ve learned it’s the simplest things that make you truly happy (expensive things are nice too though, haha). My girls are my whole world and they are the cheekiest, funniest kids ever. I’m forever longing to travel again.. but also pretty content to be at home with the best people surrounding me.

So ahhhh wow that makes me feel super vulnerable to put all that out on the internets for anyone to read. So hey, let’s be friends now that you know so much about me? I’d love to hear all about you and your family and your small business and who you love and why and where you’re going to travel and what you’re growing in your garden… cause i’m a talker and your biggest fan remember? And if you’re an introvert and you’re feeling a bit like whoahhhh this girl is intense but I like the photos then let me know and we can chat on email and i’ll bring my calm personality to the shoot and we can even do the shoot in your own home if it makes you feel more relaxed.

So grab yourself a glass of vino and take a look around my site… it will never quite be finished but someone told me once that finished is better than perfect .. and if you want to know more, drop me an email at hello@lisapires.com and i’ll get back to you during that magical time when the baby is napping and the 4 year old is watching Bluey and playing Play Doh …

Our family pics taken by the marvellous Bridget Wood.

Lisa x