Old friends making up for lost time, young cousins conspiring, headmasters, teachers and students swapping stories, a few beers, some fish tales, plenty of fairy lights and so much love. Russ’s 70th is the sort of celebration we dream...

Old friends making up for lost time, young cousins conspiring, headmasters, teachers and students swapping stories, a few beers, some fish tales, plenty of fairy lights and so much love. Russ’s 70th is the sort of celebration we dream of photographing and aspire to hold.

Hollywood has made a fortune telling us how dysfunctional, crazy, wild and sometimes disastrous bringing together distant family and friends can be. Its an easy story to believe because so many of us have attended such a party at one time or another and I feel its becoming so ingrained in us that a lot of us have stopped trying to host such events, myself included. The magic of such events is being lost.

Well, in a small side street in Norman Park under crystal blue skies my faith was restored, my heart filled and my mind inspired. Russ and his wonderful wife introduced me to their beautiful family of 17 and we spent the first hour of the afternoon chatting and capturing as many family portraits as possible. With their daughter Renee’s gorgeous family home as a backdrop and beautiful clear Autumn skies above, it was the perfect setting for their wonderful family. Watching siblings young and old laughing between photos, seeing how Russ looked at his wife of 49 years with such deep love and affection, it really was “magic hour” as they call it in the industry.

With his disarming, charismatic nature I wasn’t surprised to learn Russ had spent his life teaching and, as a true testament to his ability to reach and connect with people some of his past students would be attending. What was surprising and incredible was that some of Russell’s OWN teachers would also be there to celebrate his milestone. And so, with three generations of family, three generations of teachers and students along with friends new and old the party got under way.

There was such an amazing buzz in the air as the sun started to dip behind the trees and the guests started to mingle, many of whom hadn’t seen each other in decades. There were great embraces, big exclamations of “look who it is!” as well as quiet, timid offerings of canapes by some of the smallest most adorable waiters you have ever seen. Cousins swapped stories and uncles and aunties were filled in on the latest sporting accomplishments and despite the huge differences in age, time and physical space apart there was such a strong sense of love, family and community in this little backyard in Brisbane.

Russ’s 70th was an incredible evening. I feel very lucky to have been a small part of it and to have shared in some of the laughs, stories and love that evening. What an amazing family and group of friends, you have truly inspired me to work harder at bringing together those most dear to me and celebrating them. Thank you! I award Russ’s 70th Birthday Party an A+.

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