Motherhood & Printed Photographs

Let’s start with your heart ~ what is your most treasured photo, and why?

Charlotte: My favourite photo is of Lennix taking his first steps on his first birthday.

The lighting is moody, and it’s taken with a slow shutter, so you can see the motion in his tiny body figuring it all out. It was such a beautiful way to end his birthday- watching him walk for the first time.

Even more special, he was walking to my stepdad from my mums arms, who are two of his favourite people in the world.

That photo holds so much meaning for me.

Through Her Exposure, you spotlight the work of so many incredible women's photography. How does physical storytelling ~ like prints create connection in a way digital can’t?

Charlotte: Holding a photo in your hands is a completely different experience, it forces you to slow down. With digital, we scroll and swipe, but a print demands presence.

It invites conversation, memory,emotion.

There’s something sacred about a physical image, it lives in the room with you.

How has taking photos of your family helped you hold onto the magic of being a mum?

Charlotte: It helps me pause.

Motherhood is full and fast - some days blur into the next, but when I pick up my camera, it forces me to notice the details - the way Lennix’s hair sticks up after a nap, or how he decides to pick up a object and try figure it out.

These are things that might seem small, but they are the magic.

Photographing them gives them the weight and space they deserve.

You’ve created a space where women are not only seen, but deeply celebrated. What does it feel like to watch this community grow into something bigger than you imagined?

Honestly, it feels like a dream. Her Exposure started as a personal love letter to women behind the lens, and now it’s grown into this beautiful, expansive global community. I get messages from women saying they finally feel seen, they’ve met up with other women from the community, or that they’ve submitted work for the first time because of feeling confident within their creative abilities, and those moments give me chills.

It’s bigger than me now, and that’s the best part.

How do you choose what makes it into a photo album? Is it the big milestones, or the small, quiet moments?

Charlotte: Honestly, it’s both. Anything that I know will make me look back and feel happy or nostalgic goes in.

For the MEMS album I just filled, I printed all three rolls of film from our recent trip to Japan and used every single photo -even the ones that are out of focus or not so ‘perfect.’ I know one day, I’ll be so glad I did.

There’s something really special about looking back and seeing the full picture of a moment, not just the highlights. Especially when Lennix is older.

What would you say to someone who’s never printed their memories ~ where should they start, and why now?

Charlotte: Start with one moment that means something to you—it doesn’t have to be perfect. Print the photo that makes you feel. The one you keep going back to. And do it now, because time moves fast, and memories fade quicker than we realise.

Having something tangible means you’ll always have a piece of that moment, no matter what.

Congratulations on your upcoming feature at the Gold Coast festival! Can you share more about what you'll be showcasing?

Charlotte: Thank you! I’m so excited to be part of this year’s Flotsam Festival—a not-for-profit celebration of creatives in the surf and film community here on the Gold Coast. I’ll be involved in an event within the festival called Canisters, which will feature five or so photographers, alongside Her Exposure.

As part of Her Exposure’s contribution, I’ll be selecting a handful of local women photographers to showcase their work. Each artist will display one photo, which will either be available for purchase or offered as a prize that can be won through a ticket draw.

The event will be held at Burleigh Brewing Co. and will run as a weekend display. I absolutely love the idea behind Flotsam—bringing together storytelling, surf culture, and community—and I’m truly honoured to be a part of it this year.

Flotsam Canisters

Fri, May 9 - Sun, May 11

Burleigh Brewing Taphouse