mother + daughter. tilly + ophelia.
we found tilly's photography on the subtle side of instagram, where we love to hang out. her dreamy photography took my attention quite instantly. like an energetic check mark was made.
she has opened herself up to us in this interview that allowed us a look into her personal world, painting a picture of where she is in her transformation as a mother, so clearly felt all the way from her home in australia, to ours in canada.
please enjoy our beautiful exchange below ~
t. my name is Tilly, I live with my partner and our one year old daughter Ophelia on the south coast of Australia. the past year has undoubtedly been the most wonderful yet with our darling daughter in our lives.
c. how did Ophelia's name come to be? what does it mean to you?
t. i have loved the name Ophelia for as long as I can remember, it also has family significance. now that she is here I can not imagine her as anything else..
c. had you always dreamed of having a family? what do you love most that your role as a mother has grounded in you?
t. yes i had always dreamed of becoming a mother. although we had a very long and difficult journey conceiving our daughter.. after many years of ivf we are so incredibly blessed to have her here with us. it has changed me in so many ways, both the journey to having her here and the transition to motherhood. it has been the most incredible thing to experience in this lifetime, i’m forever grateful.
c. what is your & ophelia's sun, moon and rising sign.
t. i am a leo sun aquarius moon and aries rising. ophelia is a sagittarius Sun gemini moon and aquarius rising. two fire signs under the one roof!
c. have you always had a camera close?
t. i have loved photography from an early age. i graduated with a master of arts practice (photomedia) which really set the foundations for me to take things more seriously. over the years I have worked across fashion, weddings and portraiture. most recently i have found so much joy in photographing my daughter.. there is something very special about capturing tiny, precious moments as she grows..
c. what do you hope your children learn most from you? a blessing for the children..
t. to enjoy the simplicity of life and not get caught up in the things that take away from what matters most.
c. do you have a special family tradition or favourite past time together?
t. life is very busy but we always try to make time to eat dinner together as a family. i hope to continue this for years to come.
c. what is your idea of a perfect morning?
t. a coffee from our favourite café and walk through the botanic gardens as a family.
c. this sounds divine. what is your favourite city to visit or where do you hope to visit next?
t. my favourite city is New York. i am incredibly excited to take my daughter to experience it when the time is right.
c. what is your philosophy for clothing Ophelia? what is your favourite piece from our collection?
t. i gravitate toward simple and comfortable. organic and natural fibres are my preference for both myself and Ophelia’s wardrobe. we adore our cabane pieces, the heirloom quality is like none other. the après wrap is a favourite, truly the most perfect piece for day or night.
c. creatively, what needs to be in place for you to feel expansive and flowing?
t. i work as a photographer. i am most productive when my home studio is tidy and free of clutter. i am a minimalist at heart and find distraction occurs when I am not in this space. if I am on location for a shoot I am typically inspired by my surrounds and being outdoors in nature. i find inspiration throughout all aspects of life, often times i feel most creative when I am not focused specifically on work, more so just going about my day..
c. what experience do you hope to deliver to your daughter most?
t. All the good things, kindness, love and patience. I also look forward to the day I can teach her about photography, my greatest passion in life.
c. what do you wish you could tell your younger self.
t. worry less, do more of what you love, time really does go by so fast..
thank you, tilly, for sharing this glimpse into your inner world. & ophelia. thank you for being here. we are spirited by your very existence.
find tilly on instagram here and her professional photography account here