Unraveled Academy is all about community and fostering growth and inspiration for every student. The incredible Cathy Murphy of Cathy Murphy Photography was one our student's in the second run of the Unraveled Workshop and she amazed us with her presence and passion. Not only was she an incredible and attentive student, but she was open to all experiences and assignments and stretched herself. We believe that this was her creative rebirth and the only place to go from here is up. 

Cathy, thank you for allowing us into your lives and for joining our community. You are truly treasured here.

We decided to feature one of the sessions that Cathy completed as an assignment for the workshop with you all and ask her a few questions on her inspiration behind it. 

For more inspiration from Cathy, you can follow her here: 

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Now, let's give the floor over to Cathy.... 

"My name is Cathy and telling stories through imagery is my passion. As an oncology nurse and mum of two , I know all too well how quickly time passes and moments become memories.

I specialize in family and lifestyle  photography and love to capture the every day moments that mean the most to us.My style is heavily focused on human connection. My approach to photography is both natural and gentle in order to capture relaxed and candid imagery. 

I offer on location sessions, blessed with plenty of spectacular beaches and parks in the area to choose from, or in the comfort of your own home.

Based in Cronulla, I photograph families predominantly in the Sutherland Shire – but I can travel anywhere in or around  Sydney." 

Now, let's unravel Cathy's shoot a bit more:

Can you share some of your settings and more information on this shoot with us, please? The shoot was done at golden hour and I knew my kids would be moving fast, so I kept my shutter speed high (1/1600), and therefore my ISO was around 100-200. My "sweet spot" for aperture is almost always 2.8. The exception for this shoot was when I was using the ring of fire, for which I shot wide open at f/1.4.

Can you share the gear you used during this shoot with us, please? I used my canon 6d, and my lenses alternated between my Sigma Art 35mm 1.4 and my favourite lens, a Canon 85 1.2L. This is pretty much all I use for every shoot.

Please share your experience with the UnRaveled Workshop. This shoot was a huge eye opener for me, my edits changed, and my focus shifted more on connection. THIS is exactly what I have taken from the Unraveled Workshop. I am completely aware of what I want to create now. I have developed my own style of editing, thanks to the guidance and wisdom of Sarah and Co. The focus on self care has helped me really find myself.  I now have a clear vision and I am confident in this. I was NEVER confident before. It has always been my biggest downfall. Following through with that vision is a journey I look forward to. Inspiration is plentiful in the school as well. This school and workshop was the best wake up for my photography soul. I cannot wait for my one on one mentorship as part of the next chapter in my journey.

What was your main inspiration for the shoot? The inspiration for this session began with the inspiration to shoot from the heart in UnRaveled Workshop. Treasure hunts were my fondest memories growing up, when my dad would take the entire street of kids hunting for hidden lollies in a nearby old farm. It was the best fun. I wanted to relive this through my kid's eyes. 

Also, for me as a photographer, getting my kids in front of the camera can be a nightmare!! This time I wanted it to be real, and it was. They were so excited!

This shoot was also inspired by the many classes in the Unraveled School and I wanted to experiment with some new techniques, mainly freelensing and using the ring of fire. Anita Cline's class on freelensing (in the school) has been such an inspiration for me.

Anything else you would love to share? The only thing I would like to share is that you guys absolutely rock, a complete inspiration and THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

You are welcome to scroll through more from Cathy's session with her kiddos below: