BOOK your Personal Branding mini session here

‘Esther and Terry took photos for my company's website and team's personal profiles / social channels. I cannot recommend them highly enough. They made us feel at ease and comfortable (even in public!). The photos were professional, very close to our original brief and have since received praise from consultants and clients alike. Look no further - Esther and Terry are true professionals who bring artistic flair and X-factor to their work.’

Sarah Maguire, Austen Advisory

Personal branding headshot and lifestyle photography showcases your personality, professionalism, and unique style. My style blends my years of experience in portraiture with storytelling, capturing authentic expressions, and natural relaxed poses, and it’s easy and enjoyable (I promise! : )

Ideal for professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives in any industry, these images help build trust and engagement across social media, websites, and marketing materials, ensuring a polished yet relatable personal brand.

‘I engaged Esther for obtaining some 'good' photo's of me for my website. I explained I had never really been happy with photos of me and that I was nervous and even dreading it.
Esther was amazing!
She immediately put me at ease. She 'showed' me how she wanted me to sit or stand and for me that was incredibly helpful. She was extremely relaxed, allowing me to get into the swing of things and I ended up really, really enjoying myself!
We didn't get 'good' photos - we got FANTASTIC photos. I loved them.
Thank you Esther, I am so grateful to you. You were wonderful’

L Dennes

'I engaged Esther to help create an art memory for my Dad who has passed away. It had to capture the components of his life in a way that wasn't overpowering but subtle enough to blend into our home and be meaningful. Esther listened to what was in my head, took a jumble of ideas, some artefacts of Dads and created a stunning piece of art which is perfect for our home and celebrates the well lived life of my Dad.

In every interaction she was respectful, empathetic and kind. It has been an absolute joy to work with Esther, who has an amazing creative vision and I was truly blown away by the final piece.’

Hillary

I love being surrounded by personal reminders of my past and my history. Personal generational treasures from past generations hold immense sentimental value and serve as cherished connections to our family histories. These artifacts, be it heirlooms, photographs, or handwritten letters, are a wonderful and personal way to transport us to bygone eras.

I’ve been exploring making artworks of these treasures for my clients - captured sensitively and creatively, and transforming them into unique artworks that can be enjoyed daily rather than hidden away in forgotten drawers and wrapped in tissue.

My creative vision enables me to go beyond a documentation, and creating artworks for walls. This way we can incorporate them seamlessly into our daily lives, instead of remaining tucked away. They become centerpieces for our living spaces, serving as constant reminders of our roots and the stories that have shaped us - and they’re artpieces that then all members of a family can treasure (imagine all members of a family being able to have an artwork, when there is only ever the one original item)

These artworks act as daily affirmations of our heritage, fostering a deeper appreciation for our family's legacy - on our walls, and most importantly, bringing us joy on a daily basis.

Email me… I’d absolutely love to talk to you about your vision.

esther@estherbunning.com

‘In 1932 my mother Gwendolen Findlay (nee La Vie) hand sewed a beautiful silk gown for her trousseau.
For years the gown  has been  packed  carefully  in a special box away from sunlight and out of sight.
An option came up to approach Te Papa to secure the gown's future care, and take it into a new era 
as an exhibit, but by doing so it would become 'lost' to the Family.

On a whim I approached Esther Bunning to photograph the gown.  Her sensitive approach, careful respect for the garment, and her amazing creativity  have  given me so much more than a photograph.

I now have a beautiful work of art in full view to bring me pleasure.  
I am absolutely thrilled with the result, the treasured gown is safely preserved, and Gwendolen I am sure is 'tickled pink'!’

Robyn

CREATIVE FAMILY PORTRAITURE

I love the word ‘Kindred’. The definition explains this as ‘similar in kind; related.’ I love that it’s broad and all-encompassing, reflecting our often complex and varied family connections, and at its core, it’s about shared love and stories.

My inspiration comes from the people, the children, and the families I photograph. If possible, I love working in people’s spaces or places of relevance. This is your story.

My gentle interaction and direction help create beautiful, emotive and contemporary images that capture your spirit and are a reflection of who you are. Whether it’s teens and ‘coming of age’, or blended family, children, our grandparents, or incorporating pets and fur babies too - I love to keep it loose, expressive and make it relaxed and enjoyable…it’s not about the camera. It’s capturing your connection.

'Real beauty is to be true to oneself'...

Esther Bunning creates photographs that are truly one of a kind and deeply woven with the threads of storytelling, capturing the unique inner light of her subjects, especially women. Her passion for storytelling brings their journeys to life, crafting intimate, powerful images that honor life’s pivotal moments.

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What are you proud of, what are your strengths and what is your story..? Being strong means so many things - physical, mental and more. It’s the small wins, the large efforts, your achievements, and everything in between. It’s overcoming adversity, it’s sharing vulnerabilities, and coming through the other side.

What does it meant to you..?

And I totally get it. And this isn’t what society says about beauty - this is your story, your individuality. In breathtaking and emotive images.

Your vision, my creativity, combined. My gentle unobtrusive guidance and my years of experience of helping women, and men, feel empowered in front of the camera.

Be brave. Go on. Do it for you. Photographs with heart, story, and that celebrates who you are. A work of art that you’ll be proud to have on your wall as art prints. Something that reflects your inner spirit, your strong character, your vulnerability… and that reflects who you are.

I’d love to discuss your vision…

Esther has won many awards for her work, both in New Zealand, and internationally.

To date in 2023, she has won the NZIPP Creative Photographer of the Year, and is a finalist for the Waikato Museum National Contemporary Art Award (exhibition current till November 2023).

She also won the Curator’s award at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts Matariki Exhibition, July 2023.