Art Party is a celebration of the art we create and the story behind it.

Each feature includes a curated list of questions to help you dig deeper into sessions you may see on Instagram and want to learn more about.

If you have a session, series, or collection you would like to celebrate, send me an email with all the details and a link to the gallery.

submit here

Meet Kellie:

My name is Kellie, and I’m the photographer behind Junie Photo.

I’m deeply inspired by beauty in everyday life: good food and wine shared slowly, music, art, nature, travel, old buildings, stories, history, sentimental objects, changing seasons and human connection. I think all of those things inevitably shape the way I see and photograph families.

How do you describe yourself:

I’m probably the definition of a Type A personality. I’m an overthinker, a perfectionist and someone who craves calm, routine and predictability

I’m also incredibly sentimental.

At the same time, I can be a procrastinator.

But beneath all of it, I think I’m someone who cares very deeply - about people, about connection, about creating beauty and preserving the fleetingness of life.

The location…

This session was captured at one of my all-time favourite locations, the Adelaide Botanic Garden. It’s a place I return to often, not only because it photographs beautifully but also because it holds personal significance for me. Another local photographer captured my family here when I was just beginning my photography journey, and those images remain among my most treasured to this day. There’s something so timeless about the space, the soft filtered light, the open pockets for children to explore, the textures and colours around every corner. From a practical perspective, it’s also incredibly forgiving for portraits: plenty of places to escape harsh sunlight, plenty of room for movement, and endless little details for children to become curious about. It invites play and connection naturally, which is always where the magic lives for me.

Primary Colours…

I’ve always been drawn to colour. For a long time, family photography felt dominated by beige, white linen and muted palettes, beautiful in their own way, but I think colour tells a fuller story. I love encouraging families to embrace tones that feel alive and reflective of their personalities, particularly contrasting and complementary colours that create visual interest and emotion within a frame.

This session was actually a model shoot with another incredibly talented local family photographer, and she immediately understood the vision. I had sent through a handful of Pinterest references, and she thoughtfully curated outfits that felt playful and bold, while still remaining deeply authentic to her family and the season of life they’re in. Nothing felt overly styled or performative. The colours simply amplified the joy and energy that already existed between them.

Paper planes

I’m constantly thinking about ways to engage children authentically during sessions; perhaps the primary school teacher in me never really switches off. Props, when used intentionally, can create movement, connection and spontaneity, while also adding unexpected layers of colour and storytelling.

The paper planes were actually a very last-minute idea. I had a sudden lightbulb moment the morning of the shoot and found myself frantically YouTubing “how to fold paper planes” about twenty minutes before leaving the house.

But they ended up becoming one of the session's anchors. One of the boys was initially quite hesitant about photos, and the planes completely transformed the atmosphere for him. Suddenly, the session became playful rather than posed. They ran, threw them, chased them, and laughed endlessly (and yes, I may have encouraged them to aim a few directly at me and my camera lens). There’s a nostalgia to paper planes that I love too. They feel simple and familiar in a world that often feels overly polished and digital.

Embracing big energy

It’s always about the family.

I never want a session to feel like a performance. I want it to feel like an honest reflection of a family in their current season, however loud, tender, chaotic or fleeting that season may be. The best images almost always come when people feel relaxed and connected, and for children, that usually means movement, play and freedom.

These kids had a lot of energy, and sometimes parents can feel nervous about that in a photography setting. But honestly? Most children are exactly the same. I love it. The running, jumping, climbing and silliness is where personality reveals itself. My role is less about controlling children and more about creating an environment where they feel safe, seen and engaged.

Being a primary school teacher has absolutely shaped the way I approach family photography. I think it gives me an instinctive understanding of how to connect with children, redirect energy, and gently guide moments without forcing them. There’s a strategy behind the chaos, even if it doesn’t always look like it.

The flow of the session…

One of the little ones became very attached to a tube of bubbles I introduced fairly early on in the session, which is always the risk with props. Sometimes the very thing that helps engage children initially can become the thing they absolutely refuse to part with later.

But in many ways, that’s family photography. You adapt constantly.

Thankfully, Mum, being an experienced photographer herself, made such a difference. She had such a calm, intuitive presence and really understood how to support the flow of the session without creating pressure for the children. We worked together seamlessly to keep things playful and relaxed while still gently guiding moments where needed. Honestly, it felt like a bit of a dream team scenario.

Dream shoot list…

I’m feeling really drawn to something a little more whimsical and storybook-like at the moment, while still holding onto that sense of authenticity and play.

I have this vivid vision of a motherhood session at home in a garden - beautiful soft light streaming through in the early morning or late afternoon, cosy knitwear layered over patterned dresses, gumboots muddy from exploring, bandanas, wicker baskets, tiny hands gathering herbs and vegetables from the garden, collecting fresh eggs from pet chickens. Something nostalgic and deeply lived-in. Romantic, but grounded.

I’m also desperate to photograph a family immersed in the rich reds, oranges and golden yellows of autumn before the season disappears. There’s such a fleeting beauty to autumn light and colour - it feels cinematic to me.