Point Cook mother of three Sharon Petito “shoots” babies for a living.
It started with her first-born, Julian, now 11, and continued with her two other children.
Mrs Petito is encouraging mothers to put their loved ones in the frame to help a local business.
As a photographer, she specialises in portraiture of children and their families.
Her stunning photographs on Facebook caught the eye of Eynesbury businesswoman Renee Willing, who needed pictures of her range of quirky children’s clothing and headwear.
“I’m not getting paid, but I’m doing a photo shoot to help Renee as a favour from one westie to another,” Mrs Petito said.
“I have put a call out for volunteer models and it’s been amazing.”
Mrs Petito runs Mi Amor Photography, a business she set up after leaving real estate selling to have children and discovering a passion for snapping her son.
“I took photographs of everything Julian did. Then Harvey, now 10, came along, and there were the two of them to photograph, then Lily-Rose, now 6, made three,” she said. “I capture every moment in their lives because I would hate to forget anything.’’
While Australia’s Anne Geddes uses elaborate props to photograph babies, Mrs Petito follows America’s Rachel Vanoven, known as “the baby whisperer”, who uses natural fibres and settings.
“I use organic materials, things liked hand-knitted blankets and scarfs and I don’t over-process photographs,” she says.
Ms Willing says she was taken by Mrs Petito’s work and hopes the local models, aged a few days to six years, can showcase her vintage-style children’s clothing and elaborate headpieces, including diamante crowns.
Mrs Petito says that while volunteer models will not be paid, they will get a CD of professional photographs.
