Eight months ago, I met Rachael Michelle Brown, (you know the way modern girls meet) on facebook. We talked about a photography movement, about getting rid of the noise, about finding what it is that we are meant to be doing and running our businesses and lives ethically. Rachael had been dreaming up a big idea and after nearly one thousand messages, one get together in Nelson and one in Queenstown (and a google plus hangout or two later), we hosted a bit more soul together. I don’t think either of us truly knew what we were starting, but we knew we wanted to hold an event where creatives would connect and be inspired. We knew we wanted to invite people into a space where artistic minds come together and share ideas, where ego’s are left at the door and there is room for that special thing to happen.
The best people to join us were Andrew Hewson, Fiona Andersen, Jake Thomas Panderman, Kate MacPherson, Oli Sansom, and Mike Hill. Their photography is just the starting place for why I respect and admire each of them so much.
Fiona, Jake, Kate, Oli and Mike, Thank you. I know you all felt the fear and did it anyway. I know you all pushed yourselves because you knew what is possible when you give of yourself. Between the five of you, you truly are everything we had initially talked about. You could say you are the voltron of soul.
Highest of fives to you!
Karen, Maree, Melissa, Greta, Kelly, Danelle, Paul, Michelle, Emma, Bianca, Dan Nicola Kate, Anna Jess, Jim, Natasha, Sam, Anna, Caroline,
Susie, Sarah, Kirsty, Isabella, Jo and Nita! Thank you so much for picking up what we were putting down! Because of you A bit More Soul met and exceeded all my hopes. What I expected was some inspiration, what I got was life changing ideas. I expected a good time, what I got are friendships that I know will be life long. What I did not do, was take many photos – like at all.. but here are a few from one evening plus some hilarious ones from The Amazing Travelling Photo Booth from our final night party. A bit more Soul was all at once the most overwhelming, comforting, scary, exhausting, fulfilling thing I have ever experienced. Can we do it all again? yes
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Top Job! You guys put together such an amazing retreat! You two make a brilliant team!
So so awesome Em. Great work, and thank you so much for bringing such an awesome idea to Queenstown!
Beautiful, Emily! This is the kind of thing I would love to attend. Pity I am in Australia?
Inspiring, anyway! ox
Love it! Looks like it was so much fun and really inspiring!
I NEED to come next time!!
x
Looks like a WHOLE lot of fun! Great work getting it all together.
Wow I love! What an amazing location too. I’d like to be there too x
I’m so happy for you the event was such a success. You are so brave to dream the dream and put that dream into action. So Good
Beautiful post Emily, I wanna go back xxx
Amazing stuff. Team awesome. Yous a legendface
Wonderful photos!!
hats off to you guys… so jello I wasn’t there… Hold your head high, what an amazing achievement
xx
I have been making quite a lot trips between Queenstown and Tekapo for Tekapo weddings this year. There are hundreds and hundreds of small rock towers called Cairns on the edge of Lake Tekapo. They are a touchy subject with local Tekapoens who have a gang who go and knock them down with rakes whenever they can. They are actually quite hard to build. These images are from the drive into the Clay Cliffs, Aoraki and The Church of the Good Shepard next to Lake Tekapo which I heard is the fifth most photographed church in the world.
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I look at these images and I just feel like jumping on a plane dusting off the old Toyo 4×5 and start shooting. I really really need to come visit. Great work Emily
I went on a photo walk in Arrowtown and took a few film cameras plus my new 45 mm tilt shift lens to have a play with.
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Love this post – and your new site!! x
Nice site, lovely images!
Cool photos Emily. I really like tilt-shift but don’t have a lens yet would love to get one.
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So beautiful – I love the last image especially! Can’t wait to see more xx
Lovely sunny warm tones, beautiful.
2012 in Queenstown ended with cold wind and rain but that didn’t stop us from heading up a mountain to finish the year with photos! Huda and Zhafri are here from Malaysia and to say they felt the cold is a bit of an understatement. We had to keep jumping back in the car with the heater on so we could feel our hands again and Huda’s dress was blowing around like crazy.
Happy new year – if 2013 is even a little bit as good as 2012 has been, it will be very awesome.
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by emily
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