Matrescence

Gallery exhibition 2025

This project is about MATRESCENCE, the profound transition into motherhood. It marks the beginning of a journey filled with love, growth and remarkable transformation.

I am currently looking for 50 Melbourne mums to tell me their story of matrescence. They will be photographed and their stories will be told, and celebrated in a book and gallery exhibition.

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To be involved:

There is $100 participation fee donated directly to BEYOND BLUE. This is what guarantees you a place in the book and gallery exhibition.

It has been said that if we continue to share and educate the world on matrescence, we will see postnatal depression numbers start to decline. Women need to know they are not alone, that there is a name for what they are going through, and it is the most powerful transformation any human can experience.

Following the session you will have the opportunity to view all of the images and purchase artworks from the session if you choose. Copies of the book will also be available to purchase.

5% of all artworks purchased will also be donated to BEYOND BLUE.

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The process

STEP ONE: Let's chat

Complete this form and I will be in touch with some times for you to schedule a phone call with me. During this call I will take you through every step of this process and we'll go through any questions you might have. At this stage if you are happy to proceed we move onto step two.

STEP TWO: Confirmation

You will be emailed with some documents to complete. This will include an agreement, questionnaire about your family and a space to write about your matrescence journey. There will also be a link directly to the Beyond Blue page to pay your $100 donation.

STEP THREE: Photography

We start to plan your photo session and following this you will have the opportunity to view all of the images and purchase artworks if you choose. Copies of the book will also be available to purchase. 5% of all artworks ordered will be donated to Beyond Blue.

At the heart of this book

My personal journey of matrescence was brutal. I felt like I was physically and psychologically broken into tiny pieces and rebuilt into a completely different person. I didn't expect it, I didn't know it was coming, I wasn't ready.

Photographing families over the years has given me an incredible opportunity to hear how other mothers have felt about their own experience of matrescence. So many of these stories have inspired me.

Women are miraculous. It is time to share why. And celebrate!

Questions? Let's Chat.

Client Reviews

“Wow! You have completely amazed us. I am so grateful, what a gorgeous person you are too! You nurtured us through the whole process and gave me support, guidance and reassurance along the way when needed. Your whole process has been effortless with the information drip fed along the way. We will have these moments on our wall for a lifetime and these images are beautiful works of art. Only you could have created this magic for us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!”

“I stumbled upon Muka Portraits and immediately fell in love with the photos in their gallery. They had a story and life to them. And the artist behind those was Sarah! The interaction with Sarah was amazing. It was warm, easy, smooth, and comfortable. She understands how busy and unpredictable our days can be and was very patient, accommodating, and considerate with our last-minute questions and requests regarding the outfits and location.”

“Highly recommend Sarah! Her photography style is so natural and we were so happy with the shots. We appreciated Sarah's communication and advice prior to the photography session, to help us feel as prepared and relaxed as possible on the day. Sarah was professional, friendly, and relatable. We also appreciated her guidance in choosing which photos to print.”

“From first contact to the shoot to photo selection for prints to picking up said prints. Sarah is thoughtful and prepared and planned for any occurrence. I was really drawn to her approach reading through how her craft, her art changed after having kids, and although I am not a mother, I thought that was what I wanted for our family photoshoot.“

“Sarah made our photo session so relaxed and authentic. The whole process was extremely smooth and easy. And our photos are absolutely INCREDIBLE. I'm so in love with the final products. Absolute statement pieces in our house and photos I will cherish forever.”

“Really amazing and enjoyable experience! During the booking process Sarah was super responsive, helpful and friendly. We had a baby plus grandparents so it was important to pick a convenient but beautiful location to do the shoot. Sarah's recommendation was excellent. The shoot itself was really fun - my family were a bit nervous about looking awkward but Sarah really made them feel at ease.”

The Muka Experience

I have been a family photographer for 20 years. My process is easy, firstly we create a space that you feel comfortable in, that is essential. Then, all you need to do is play and love your people, I'll take care of the rest. I am constantly focused on capturing the connection within your family, the way you love. These are the images that we turn into artworks that are treasured for generations.

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