2014 Done!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!

2014 has been an amazing year for the Zanzo family! We've had the privilege to meet so many beautiful people this year - sharing the joy of new babies, the excitement of 1st birthdays, the laughs of family reunions, the slobber of fur-babies... it has all been a blast!

We've put together a little slideshow of some highlights for you to enjoy... Check it out below.

Dean's first ever baby portrait

Hi. Dean here.

I was going through some old hard drives the other day at home, cleaning out the messiness and backing everything up (the reason for that is a whole other story!)  and I found a special photo. I'll share that in a sec but thought for a laugh I'd share a bit about how it came about.

Did you know that before I became a full time professional photographer I worked in the childcare sector, both here in Hobart as well as overseas? Well, now you do!

This was an absolutely amazing foundation for what I do now. Spending so much time getting to understand the complexities of children at their different stages in life, helps me to be able to make any child who comes to visit me for a photoshoot, totally relaxed and comfortable.

In the early 2000's I did a traineeship here in Tasmania at Lady Gowrie Childrens Services which was fantastic. I still have many great friends from this chapter of my life. Some of which I have even had the opportunity to photograph here at the studio. I have also been able to create some portraits of the children I looked after as babies which is so cool. I'm always amazed at how quickly they have grown up! 

This is me in 2005 playing the Udu drum for the kids at Lady Gowrie. You'll have to google 'udu' to find out what that is ;) And yes, that is one of my didgeridoos in the background. If you ask nicely, I'll play it for you one day. 

Below, is me at my first UK nursery (child care centre) wearing an apron at lunch time. Even though the children brought their own packed lunch, wearing this was mandatory. I promise!

Throughout my whole childcare career I photographed the children I looked after as a part of documenting their days. I knew nothing about photography but a lot about kids so was pretty enthusiastic to learn. This is really how I got a taste for being a children's photographer. 

My last job in the UK was as a teacher-aide in a Prep class in the south of Wales. It was a beautiful time in my life as I watched my wife's belly grow until I became a dad. I won't show you her belly but I can show you my Poppy at 6 days old.   

A few months earlier, in September 2006 (so nearly 8 years ago - wow - seems like yesterday) I was asked to photograph the baby brother of one of the kids in the class I taught. His name was Harry and he was 6 months old.

I charged them 50 Pounds (about $125 then) and I had no idea what I was doing. I had only recently bought a digital SLR on ebay but that was all I needed. That, and a peach.

After a brief chat at school at pick-up time, we planned to meet at their house and then go outside for a play and a bit of a photoshoot.

The night before I meticulously cleaned my camera. charged the batteries, formatted the cards and packed my bag. I was so prepared but really,  looking back now, I had no idea what I was doing. What could possibly go wrong?

I got there early.

It rained. 

A lot. 

Like constant sheets of water drenching the earth. That's a bit dramatic but English rain can be intense and this was. Constant and relentless.

Anyway, so my trusty, pregnant, assistant and I hooked up a blanket in Harry's tiny living room and I got out my camera. 

Harry cried. His big brother (who I knew quite well) ran off to his room. The mum looked at me… this was not going well.

After a bit of coaxing, big bro came out and helped me make Harry a bit happier by giving him a peach. I don't know why, but a peach.

So, here is my first ever commissioned baby portrait.

I call it - "Harry with a peach"

A lot has changed and I have had the opportunity to create portraits of hundreds of beautiful children over the last 8 years. This will always be a special image for me though because I can clearly remember Harry's mum wiping a tear from her eye when she saw it for the first time. Maybe it was that moment that I knew I was going to continue to give that feeling to as many people as I can.

My love for exploring the personality of the children who I have the privilege to photograph has only grown stronger. Every child is unique and that needs to be celebrated.

Dean.

“Dean Mansbridge is a father or two young kids and a qualified early childhood teacher. His fun and emotive style of photography has won him plenty of awards (like the TAS Family Photographer of the year for the last 4 years) and his portraits adorn the walls of hundreds of Tasmanian family homes.
If you have been considering having portrait artwork created of your children or family, don’t hesitate to give him a call today on 6223 1155. ”

Dress ups are for big kids too!

We had an awesome time in the studio with the most loving family the other day, proving that dress ups are DEFINITELY not just for the little ones.

I like to think of our studio as a bit of a blank canvas; you bring the colour and the energy to create your family's masterpiece!

It was just beautiful to watch the love and affection shared by Mum and Dad for their precious little bundle of joy. 

There is no measure for a Father's love for their child, huh Dad? 

At Zanzo, we're about capturing your family in your element. Doing what you do. The way you do it. It's your story - we're just the storytellers! Our passion is to create one-of-a-kind images that are a true reflection of your family: your beautiful, quirky and wonderfully unique family.

So, come and join us. Let's bring on the fun! 

Danielle :)

Bubbles, blocks and a bunch of sisterly love

Recently, Zanzo had a visit from two adorable little girls and their parents.

We built castles...

We danced and twirled...

We had a 'difference of opinion' as to the creative direction of our little masterpiece...

But, of course, we always kiss and make up in the end...

There was couch time...

And "one more cuddle!" time...

But most of all, there was precious family time...

This is your family; your moment. Captured forever, with Zanzo.

Is there such a thing as too cute?

Maybe :)

This is Ivy.

She is a 1 year old who loves her teddies and LOVES eating berries. So, for her families portrait shoot, we included both of these things! 

Glad she didn't bring a really bunny in!

So when I had a picture in my head of a portrait of a one year old who loves berries, I was expecting a mess. Ivy though, is an incredibly dainty eater. She's a one-berry-at-a-time kinda girl and I think that still works :) Her mum and Dad think that's a pretty good way to go too.

TICKLES!!!!!!

Such a beautiful family to photograph. I love working with people who are so in love with each other!

One year olds are at a really great stage to come into the studio for a photo-shoot. Often they are walking (or at least standing) and they are full of personality. 

If you have been thinking about getting your children or family photographed at some stage soon, give me (or Danielle) a call on 6223 1155 and we can arrange to have a casual chat here in the studio. We'd love to meet you soon!

Dean.

“Dean Mansbridge is a father or two young kids and a qualified early childhood teacher. His fun and emotive style of photography has won him plenty of awards (like the TAS Family Photographer of the year for the last 4 years) and his portraits adorn the walls of hundreds of Tasmanian family homes. ”

Two Tasy kids and their super cute puppy - a studio portrait at Zanzo

NAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Picture perfect huh? This portrait is going to end up as a beautifully framed Giclee print. 

Hi! Dean here. Thought I really should share some cuteness from the studio with you all.

These two little (non furry) ones came into the studio for a shoot not that long ago but when a new member of the family arrived, (Kasi the black lab) mum called and booked in another visit. How cute! And yeah… chaotic but kids and dogs and fun loving families are what keeps me loving this job!

In a first for me, we had a wobbly tooth come out mid shoot. Not Kasi's fortunately ;) And no, I didn't pull it out myself although I did offer :)

Thought I'd change up the lighting a bit and create so moody, low-key portraits…… Fail. Mia is just far to expressive and funny for what I was going for but I still really love this one!

Oh, this shoot also happened on R and B's 9th anniversary so a big congrats to them - still crazy in love 9 years later. Nawwww.

ooo that's my thumb! Super strong puppy teeth and crazy eyes had me laughing for ages during this shoot!.

After an hour or so of crazy playtime in the studio we had one very tired puppy. 

Pets are family too here at Zanzo and I love photographing them in the studio where they are free to run around and play. So. much. fun. 

Dean.

Dean's done it again!

Hey guys,

For those of you who don't know me, I'm Danielle: Studio Manager and Dean's Minder (when Helen's not around).

It seems there are a few special people who come into our lives to inspire and delight us. For me, Dean Mansbridge is one of those people. He is not only my boss, but a very dear friend. He is a constant reminder that it's possible to not only strive for, but achieve, a career built around helping others and pursuing your passion. In Dean's case, it is a passion for children and creating fun, vibrant, and meaningful images of Hobart families that stand the test of time.

Last weekend, Dean was recognised at the AIPP Tasmanian Epson Professional Photography Awards as the 2014 AIPP Tasmanian Family Photographer of the Year - for the fourth year in a row!

We are all immensely proud of his achievement and wanted to give you, our Zanzo family, the opportunity to share in his success too.

GOLD!!!! 

In the family category, Dean walked away with 1 gold, 3 silver with distinction and 3 silver awards. Awesome job!

Two thumbs up for this silver with distinction award!

When we say to clients "you can bring the kitchen sink", sometimes they actually do!

One, two, three silver with distinction awards!

Dean was also a finalist in the portrait category, earning 2 silver with distinction awards and 1 silver award for the following submission. You may recall Bazza, who featured in our blog post a little while ago, the adventurous little thing!

With so many exciting projects coming up soon, I can't wait to see what Dean creates over the course of 2014. Hopefully this time next year, we will be celebrating number five!

In the meantime, let's all give three cheers for Dean!!

Onya matie :)

Danielle

The Wombmates Project - a celebration of multiple proportions

Last week, oh oops, the week before last week (gee time goes fast!), was Multiple Birth Awareness Week and I (Dean) and the team here at Zanzo were VERY excited to launch the Wombmates Project - a celebration of multiple proportions.

In the coming months, we will be looking for and photographing Twins and Triplets, (and Quads if we can find any!) to celebrate what it means to be (and have) a Womb Mate. 

Your $88 participation fee will be donated to the Tasmanian Multiple Birth Association who are a fantastic community group dedicated to supporting families with multiples all across Tasmania. More info on the website here.

There is something so fascinating about twins! Through this project we will explore the different relationships and expressions, the similarities and differences and above all the personalities that make up the community of Tasmanian twins.

We are looking for twins of all ages - from new born to nineties (unless there are some 100+ year olds out there somewhere - that would be awesome!) to take part in this project. Once the shoots are all done we will hold an exhibition to showcase the images and we'd like them all to be really different so, we'll be shooting these sessions both in our studio in the Hobart CBD and on location around Tasmania. Yep that's right! We are coming up to the north of the state later in the year. Click here to put your name on the Northern Wombmates list.

We have already had HEAPS of interest and the first round of shoots start next week! I am so excited about this project and will try really hard to share the odd image on here whenever I get a chance.

If you or someone you love is a twin or has twins, give us a call to be a part of this exciting project. We are looking forward to meeting you really soon!

Dean

6223 1155

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Dean's kids come for a visit

So, my little man had a bit of a birthday the other day. The big 3! Crazy how quick they grow huh? I thought I best bring him into the studio for a visit and a bit of an updated portrait...

He was pretty stoked with his new footy and even happier that he was allowed to kick it around inside ;) Naturally I had to bring his big sister in as well - never one to be left out of the lime-light...

Thankfully their love-hate relationship was more on the love side on his birthday… at least or this half hour period. 

Birthdays are when I make an effort to book my kids in for a shoot. (and yes, I have to BOOK it in or it doesn't happen) Other families choose to celebrate different milestones with a visit to the studio, like their babies first steps or the start of a new school adventure, maybe the first wobbly tooth and those braces FINALLY coming off. Whatever the reason, if you are thinking about your families next portrait experience, give me a buzz. YOLO ;)

Dean. 

Back with a +1 - Newborn / Family portrait Hobart

Love these guys.

They came for a visit 18 months ago and have since had a new addition...

Big sisters a super important and I think this one has just the right amount of gentle/caring/mischief/cheekiness to make home-life crazy fun and beautiful.

Insert proud mum and dad photos...

…and one more of these beautiful sisters together...

I love it when I get to witness awesome families grow together. I think it's great that a visit to the studio isn't a once-in-a-lifetime thing and that I am in trusted to help document milestones like this for such beautiful families.

My job is awesome!

Dean.

Brotherly love - studio portraits Hobart

As a brother, I know how this works.

Sometimes we have a great time together...

Sometimes we like to play by ourselves...

And sometimes…. well…. 

New baby, little red wagon and a super fun big sister

There is something so very special about the love for a new baby shared by big sisters...

…and dads...

…and mums.

Just chillin in da crib...

Up, up, and away!

Dad with his twin boys, a super awesome mum and one very special baby sister

These guys are a bit special. About 5 or 6  years ago I shot their wedding. Now, they have multiplied and i reckon they have done a real good job.

If you would like to have us create some images of your family, just click here and get you Zanzo Portrait Experience underway. We'd love to see you soon!

Late afternoon location light - Hobart family portraits

These beautiful people just came in to see their new portraits for the first time and, well, they were pretty pleased.  

I met them at their place in the last week of 2013 at about 6:30 when the sun was on its way down. We ventured across the road from their place into some nice open space which may or may not have actually been designed for horses to run in - either way, it made for some pretty nice images.

We ventured down to their special beach - not everyone was keen for the location change...

The weather wasn't great but he had just enough light for some nice portraits of mum and dad together before heading home.

Thanks so much guys for inviting me to create these portraits for you. I had such a fantastic time getting to know you all and have no doubt you will love your new printed artwork for a very long time. (That first image is going to look sooo good on your wall!!)

Introducing… ZUPE - the Zanzo Underwater Portrait Experience

Well this has been a long time coming.

We are finally ready to launch ZUPE! Super exciting!!

We have set up a separate page with some info so please go check that out! Basic info below...

What is ZUPE? Well it is a very clever anagram of Zanzo Underwater Portrait Experience and I kind of thought it sounded cool. Anyway…

Why?

The Zanzo studio is probably the best indoor shooting space in Tasmania and Hobart is surrounded by so many beautiful locations. But, if you were to ask me where my favourite place to photograph is, I would have to say "under the water". 

There is just something so magical about underwater portraits. They can be fun, bright and colourful or whimsical and mysterious - i just love them. In fact, I was actually inspired to become a photographer as a stepping stone to pursuing underwater portraiture as a profession - bet you didn't know that!

So...

If you have a pool (or have access to one) and you have some super water-confident kids, then maybe we should chat!

Give us a call on 6223 1155 and we can arrange your obligation-free planning appointment in the studio for some time soon. Very soon if possible… As much as we don't like to admit it, this warm weather won't hang around for long!

The session fee for a ZUPE shoot is $300 BUT, because you are special and we would love to have some fresh images in the portfolio, we have 5 shoots available in Feb for just $95*. Prints available at regular pricing.

We would love to hear from you soon!

Dean.

Oh, one more thing… if you have friends who you think might like the idea, please share this with them. Sharing is caring and caring makes you feel good ;)

*There has to be a catch right? Yep. As we stated we need more images for use on the website, in brochures, posters etc so if you purchase one of these shoots, we'll need you to sign a model release. You can expect to have your beautiful new images showcased in these ways and maybe more. We'll talk about it more in person if you like :)

double woof - studio dog portraits

So I photographed a cat the other day for the first time in the studio (I'll share that later). For those that know me well, this might come as a surprise as I generally try to steer clear of felines. Dogs on the other hand are great fun to work with! 

At Zanzo, we believe pets are people too, so if you are thinking about visiting us for a family portrait then consider bringing the pets a long too! Or, if you'd love Dean to spend some time creating some images like these of just your fur children, then give us a call! 6223 1155 or click here.

1 Year old portrait - hobart studio

These guys came for their first visit to the studio when they were just two and a bump. Then again a few days after Addy was born. And most recently, just after she turned one.  

She has grown so super cute and is seriously one of the happiest little babies I know. A cheeky little sip of dad's coffee... 

I always encourage people to bring along a few bits and pieces to have a play with. Well, Addy has a few awesome Aunties who thought they would do some baking to celebrate her birthday... 

I think she liked it!

There was only one solution to this messy problem...

Thanks for your super fun visit to the studio guys! I can't wait for next time. Maybe a little baby brother?...... 

Bazza, a portrait of a lamb

I've taken a month or so off from blogging ... apparently. Not intentionally at all, it has just been quite busy at the studio over the school holidays. Sooo many beautiuful families have visited and as such there are alot of stories to share here, but right now, I am a bit distracted... 

Meet Baaza

He's a special little dude. He belongs to an awesome family in New Town who reported him missing (presumed stolen) from their backyard earlier in the week. After a few hours and ALOT of facebook community support, Bazza was found wandering around Rosny. Phew! 

Since then Bazzaa (seen here with his Bling made by Bobby and his 'Nappy holder on-ner - patent pending) has settled back into life in the big city and has really embraced the life of celebrity.

Bazza was (possibly the first ever lamb) on the radio this morning, hanging out with the crew at Ultra. This is Bazza and Hazza.

And, of course, Big Bad Bazza pooped into the studio for his first ever photo-shoot. 

Yes I did mean to say 'pooped' earlier. ;)

Thanks for coming Bazza. You're a legend mate ;) 

If you or someone you know might like to come for a visit to Zanzo to have some images like these made, give me a call 6223 1155. All the cool kids are doing it ;)

APPA 2013 - Professional Photography Awards - Dean did good.

Last weekend I had some prints entered into the family category of the AIPP national professional photography print awards. Photographers from all over the country enter their 4 best images and many get along to the event but for those who can't, the judging was live streamed throughout the weekend. This was awesome because I got to see one of my prints receive a Gold award.

I love this print! It says so much about this family. They are cooky, close, crazy, they all make one beautiful family unit but they are all such individuals. It is awesome to be able to create something truly unique for my clients. That's what Zanzo is all about. 

I was up in NSW last year photographing some families on a bit of a working holiday. Thought I'd take the underwater gear which turned out to be a good idea. These guys were such typical Aussie brothers! PLEASE call me if you have a pool and would love some really different family portraits! I absolutely love this type of shoot!  

My mate Jack. I love getting the chance to spend some time with families outdoors. This was from a really great shoot earlier this year that I still remember well. These two dudes were awesome and Jack's mum and dad bought this images as a nice big canvas print. It looks awesome big! 

This image always gets a strong reaction. Unfortunately it didn't get discussed by the judges but still got awarded. I think anyone who had fur babies before real babies can relate to the story it tells. ;) 

All up I'm really happy with these results. It's great to have acknowledgement from other professionals and with the point received this year, I am one step closer to becoming an AIPP Master of Photography. Maybe next year ;)

Just cute and crazy - family and 1 year old studio portraits

Cheeky little one year old - couldn't be cuter!