This blog post is about a shoot I had photographing portraits of up and coming business owners in Kempsey, on the Mid North Coast of NSW.  One of these businesses is Bucket Brewery, a local boutique brewery.   The Mid North Coast is full of passionate business people working on wonderful and exciting ventures.  I was hired by Kempsey Shire Council to photograph some of these business people for the new Macleay Valley Welcome Pack.  The brief was to create environmental portraits – that is, portraits showing the person in their own unique setting.   Bucket Brewery is a funky new small business with a lot of passion behind it and big things ahead.  Owners, Sam and Amanda Preston have lovingly converted South Kempsey’s old energy depot into a beautiful, contemporary space.  For now it is just a brewery but they have big plans to expand the space into a thriving new venue where locals and visitors can enjoy the brews with amazing views over the river.       If you are a small business looking for a portrait photographer in Crescent Head, Kempsey or the Mid North Coast for photos of your staff, products or services please get in […] Read More
Kempsey Shire Council hired me to photograph some of Kempsey’s motivated business people for the new Macleay Valley Welcome Pack.  I love photographing environmental portraits like this – showing the personality of the person in their own environment.   Being a Crescent Head Photographer, Kempsey is just down the road.  South Kempsey Corner Store has brought a current and trendy vibe to this end of the Macleay Valley.  The light, welcoming atmosphere and delicious teas and cakes makes it a lovely spot to stop in for a drink or a bit to eat.   Check out other photos from this shoot on my blogs page         Please get in touch if you need portraits for your business or personal use.  I’d love to talk with you about how I can help. Read More
As you may have read in previous posts, while I was in India I volunteered with a wonderful organisation in Jaipur, I-India photographing 7 of their projects.  For my recent photography exhibition, One World through which I raised money for I-India, I created these information sheets to help communicate to visitors the life-changing work I-India are doing.   Please take a read through, and let me know if you would like any more information about the organisation or my time with them.  You can also watch my short video about the experience HERE.   Namaste!         Click on the posters to open them at a large resolution   See my posts about I-India’s village school and Marble village school  Read More
Tastings on Hastings Photography by Port Macquarie Photographer Alicia Fox     Tastings on Hastings is one of the highlights on the Port Macquarie calendar. This year I was thrilled to be invited to Near River Produce‘s farm west of Wauchope to photograph their renowned Meals in the Fields.  This pop up dining experience presented guests with a genuine paddock to plate experience thanks to Mid North Coast chefs Carla Jones, former head chef at 4 Fourteen, and her partner, Richie Dolan, former head chef from Chiswick. Near River specialises in ethically raising a rare breed heritage pork on pasture and growing seasonal vegetables.       Read More
Last week I was in Port Macquarie to photograph the launch of Energy Forever’s first 100 percent community funded and owned solar panel system at St Agnes Early Education Centre.  This not-for-profit organisation has spent years rallying in the local Mid North Coast community to raise funds for this incredible project.  It’s wonderful to finally see the results of their hard work.   The 72 panels  are split over 4 roof faces to best cover the load at the centre. The DC from the panels is converted to AC grid power.      I fully support what Port Macquarie Hastings Sustainability Network and Energy Forever are doing for the community and the environment which is why I photographed the event for them on a pro-bono basis.  If you have skills that you’d like to share with the organisation, get in touch via their Facebook page.             To see more of my work with not for profit organisations please visit my website Read More
I’ve photographed at the Birpai Local Aboriginal Land Council in Port Macquarie a number of times and I always love returning to this welcoming space.  The centre is set amongst the bush with native plants endemic to the area, which local Birpai people can demonstrate many traditional uses for.  Every time I’m there, I learn more about the local culture of our First Nations people, and about the Birpai/Dunghutti country that I’m so lucky to live in.   I was photographing for a not-for-profit organisation, FCAN (The Financial Counsellors’ Association of NSW Inc).  FCAN was in Port Macquarie for a conference with volunteers and suppliers from across the state.  They were treated to cultural performances and demonstrations from local indigenous children and women.  The sting ray dance performed by the ladies is always a highlight – it’s so serene and calming.   Following the dances, everyone (including me) learnt traditional weaving with Trish.  The same technique can be used to weave jewellery or baskets, using the lomandra grass.   After weaving, Rhonda walked us around the garden to learn about plants and their uses.   Lemon myrtle was one of the local bush foods used to make these delicious deserts. […] Read More
I photographed Tash's set at FotSun and was mesmerised by her massive energy. When you are in the midst of someone doing what they were put on the earth to do, who is beaming with life and exploding with enthusiasm, it's impossible to look away... Read More
  If you live anywhere around Port Macquarie you would have seen this smiling face in newspapers, on billboards and signs around town over the past few weeks.  Everyone seems to have spotted Peta’s photo somewhere.   I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing Peta Pinson for her campaign for Mayor.  A really genuine, kind hearted person, I’m sure she will make a great Mayor if she is voted in.   It was another opportunity for me to discover more of the gorgeous, tranquil locations in our local area.  We started out with a studio set up in her office in Wauchope then Peta took me to some of the beautiful locations she’d chosen around the Port Macquarie area for her location shots.  We finished up as the sun turned golden over the marina in Port Macquarie.   Good luck with the campaign, Peta!     Read More
The Kempsey region is rich with indigenous history and culture.  The local aboriginal elders have fascinating stories to share which enrapture my imagination about what came before me on these streets, rivers and fields. Emily King recognises how important it is for these stories to be shared and recorded, and has been working on a project, “Wiriiynakayi Ngunngun Dunghutti” – Dunghutti Stories from Yesterday, which was funded through Kempsey Shire Council.  The Dunghutti are an Aboriginal group whose traditional lands lie in the Macleay Valley, on the Mid North Coast of NSW.  As a Crescent Head local, I live within this area and it is important to me to learn about my local history, culture and people.   The aim of the Dunghutti Stories from Yesterday project was to record a set of stories from each of the communities in the area.   These stories were told by elders to school children.  The kids painted elements of the stories which became part of 13 impressive murals.  The process provided a beautiful interaction between the elders and the children, allowing the kids to learn about their indigenous history. In the words of Uncle Bob, (pictured below with Emily), “It’s important for those generations who have […] Read More
There is something really feminine about boho style – the floral crowns, the frills, the flowing fabrics; the embodiment and expression of mother nature.  I’ve been attracted to styles like these since I was a little girl and I love that they are so en vogue at the moment.   I photographed Mel and Nikia on the beach in Port Macquarie, Mid North Coast of NSW.  Although the girls hadn’t modelled for a photo shoot before, they both did a fantastic job.  I wanted to evoke a sense of mystery, sensuality and beauty in these portraits, and by working through a series of outfits and poses we got some beautiful images – my favourites are below.     I am available for commercial shoots as well as private photo sessions. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with your inquiry at info@aliciafox.net or 0429 211 567. Read More
I had the pleasure of photographing a professional portrait for Karen Archer last week in Port Macquarie.  I set up my studio in Karen’s clinic and had a great time chatting and shooting in a casual, comfortable style.   I first met Karen through the Hastings Business Womens Network (HBWN), which is a Port Macquarie based women’s networking group with an array of fantastic social and professional events.    Karen is the President and Spokesperson for the group.  She is also a Naturopath, Herbalist, Nutritionist and Iridologist, and through her business is committed to improving quality of life and health.  I have been lucky enough to attend one of her evening talks and walked away with a great insight into the way the body works and how to improve my own vitality. Karen was delighted with the results from the shoot, which made me a very happy photographer. If you are looking for a portrait photographer because you are in need of a profile picture for your website, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or any other social media or print, please get in contact with me.  In today’s world, our online profile photos are so important.  Although we are taught not to “judge a […] Read More
Fashion is a fun industry to work in.  It’s fun to wear, it’s fun to style and it’s fun to photograph.  For me, it’s very important to make sure the fashion I’m involved in is “clean” – good for the environment and good for the fashion industry workers, ie. Environmentally and socially sustainable. Following recent disasters like the Rana Plaza Disaster, in which thousands of garment workers in Bangladesh were killed and injured, and yesterday’s footwear factory fire in the Philiipines in which 72 were killed, the industry is shifting and  consumers are beginning to demand more transparency of the supply chain and more ethical fashion industry practices.  Fashion Revolution is one organisation doing amazing things to advance this important movement.   Photography plays a major role in promoting sales of products in the fashion industry.  Being an Eco Photographer is important to me.  It  means I support the ethical brands that are part of this fashion revolution.  These are often new, grass roots labels who are building a name for themselves from the ground up. Australian sunglasses brand, Chief Eyewear are one such brand that I had the pleasure of working with.  Their bamboo sunglasses are high quality and […] Read More
My friend Paul Martin has been rescuing injured, native animals since he was a teenager.  He is on call to rescue wildife in Crescent Head and the surrounding Mid North Coast area.  I had the opportunity to meet a gannet which Paul rescued, and witness its transformation from a weak and vulnerable animal, to a rehabilitated sea bird, ready to take on the world again.  I captured these photographs at my favourite local beach, Racecourse Beach, where Paul read the winds and picked the right time to release this little guy. Paul wrote the article below about the animal rescue.  Today I am happy to see the article land on the front cover of both the Port Macquarie Independent and the Mid Coast Courier.  It’s always great to see a good news story being shared.   Gannet returns to the wild Gannets are often seen diving spectacularly for bait fish off local beaches. This young one, however, was found by Jess Tout on the Crescent Head Back Beach on 14/4/15. It tried to go into the water but was not able to navigate the rough surf, and sat back down on the beach. Jess, who lives locally and is keen […] Read More
As a teenager, as soon I was had grown enough to fit into my mum’s bohemian clothing treasures from the ’70s, I wore them until they fell to pieces.   I’ve always loved boho style so I’m loving the rebirth and reworking of bohemian styles, into the garments that on trend right now. Somedays Lovin asked me to shoot the festival fashion at Port Macquarie’s FOTSun (Festival of the Sun).  True to the festival’s name, the lingering grey clouds opened up, literally as I arrived at the festival gate, and the preceding week of rain transformed into two perfect days of sunshine, ideal for dancing barefoot in the sand to the live music. These gorgeous girls from Port Macquarie, Crescent Head, Newcastle and Sydney stood out amongst the crowd in their boho outfits.  Thanks for playing girls!!     Read More