Found In Light, Frankston South (2026)

11/08/2026

Meet Gigi.

Gigi is a therapist who works with Somatic Experiencing, and the creator of Wild Connection events. Her work helps people reconnect with the wisdom of the body and the natural world.

We’d met briefly before the shoot over coffee and conversation. From the beginning, she was very open about being uncomfortable in front of a camera.

But she needed some new portraits for her website.

And she chose me to make them.

We met in a beautiful national park on the Peninsula, with one of Gigi’s friends there for support.

I picked up the camera fairly quickly, and snapped a few frames. Nothing too considered. Just enough to see where the discomfort lived.

Then we walked.

I kept my distance at first, letting the camera become less of an event and more of something quietly present between us.

We talked about confidence. About the psychology of being seen. About why a camera can feel so confronting.

We talked about the stories we tell ourselves, and the possibility that perhaps we have more influence over those stories than we realise.

We talked about performers too. About how they present themselves to a camera, and what confidence can look like when it’s not about pretending to be fearless.

And slowly, over a couple of hours beneath the trees, something shifted.

Not dramatically.

There was no great breakthrough. No sudden transformation.

Just a little more trust.

A little more breath.

A little less awareness of the camera.

And somewhere amongst the walking, talking, laughing and occasional click of the shutter, we made some photographs.

Photographs Gigi genuinely loves.

And I couldn’t be happier.

Because this is what Found In Light is really about.

Not making someone feel like a model.

Not asking them to perform confidence.

Just creating enough space, trust and time for someone to become comfortable being seen.

I’m not sure we conquered any mountains that day.

But perhaps we didn’t need to.

Sometimes it’s enough to take a walk, breathe amongst the trees, and discover that the camera isn’t asking you to be anyone other than yourself.

02/08/2026

Meet Siobhan.

Owner and operator of Syrene Consulting.

Siobhan arrived exactly as so many people do. On time, self-aware, and quietly convinced she wasn’t someone who felt comfortable in front of a camera.

She told me she’d had very little experience being photographed.

So we didn’t rush.

We chatted. We laughed. I made a few deliberately imperfect frames just to take the pressure out of the room. Somewhere along the way, the camera stopped feeling like the centre of attention.

And something shifted.

The photographs that followed weren’t about posing. They were about presence.

I don’t think confidence comes before the photograph.

I think sometimes the photograph reminds us it was there all along.

If you’ve ever caught yourself saying, “I’m not photogenic,” or “I hate having my photo taken,” you’re exactly the sort of person I love photographing.

Because Found In Light has never been about people who know how to be in front of a camera.

It’s about people who are willing to be themselves.

22/07/2026

Meet Nicole.

Nicole is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Shazamme, helping recruitment companies grow through an AI-optimised platform.

We met on a bit of a whim.

I woke to a beautiful day with nothing much planned and put a call out on social media for someone local who might like to step in front of the camera. Nicole responded with a wonderfully uncomplicated ‘why not?’, and by that afternoon we were meeting for the first time.

She arrived with a couple of outfits folded neatly under one arm.

Neither of us really knew what to expect, but after a genuine smile in greeting, we simply leaned into the experience.

Nicole had been photographed before. She carried the familiar polished smile that so many of us instinctively wear when a camera appears.

We began there.

Then, somewhere between the poses, she noticed something. The shutter wasn’t clicking when she expected. It clicked in the moments in between; when the performance slipped, when conversation took over, when she forgot to smile for the camera.

As the gentle banter flowed, the posing faded. Trust quietly took its place.

Those are the moments I look for.

The expression that belongs to no one else.

For a shoot that came together in just a few hours, I think we created something pretty special.

Thanks for saying yes Nicole 🙏🏼❤️

📷 Dan Nolan Photography

19/07/2026

Meet Denise.

Denise is a highly respected psychic medium and spiritual guide.

From the moment we met, there was an ease to our conversation. We shared a similar calmness that made introductions feel effortless.

She admitted she wasn’t particularly comfortable in front of a camera. It’s something I hear often, and it’s rarely about the camera itself.

We spoke about past experiences, the alignment of circumstance and outcome, and whether the moments that shape us are chosen, destined, or simply met with open hands.

To break the ice, I moved in close with the camera before taking a single frame. It’s a technique I sometimes use. Not to invade space, but to gently dissolve the fear around it. To let the camera become familiar before it becomes significant.

It seemed to work.

Between conversations and the quiet rhythm of the shutter, her guard softened. The performance faded. Presence took its place.

Before long, we were both simply enjoying the process.

Sometimes what feels like confrontation is really just an invitation; to trust, to soften, and to be seen.

Thank you for leaning in Denise 🙏🏼❤️

📷 Dan Nolan Photography

15/07/2026

Meet Elle.

From the moment we met, Elle’s quiet commitment to healing was unmistakable. As a mother and dedicated wellness practitioner, her work seems to grow from the same place she lives: presence, compassion, and a genuine desire to help others return to themselves.

Before long we were laughing, sharing stories over homemade tea, and settling into the kind of conversation that makes the camera almost disappear.

Elle carries herself with an effortless confidence. A multifaceted practitioner with a natural beauty that reaches far beyond appearance, there wasn’t much I needed to say before lifting the camera.

Any uncertainty she felt dissolved within moments. Between conversations and the sound of the shutter, she simply relaxed into herself.

Together we wandered through different corners of her home, each space inviting a different mood, a different expression, another layer of who she is. It was a gentle reminder that the most compelling portraits aren’t performed; they’re revealed.

Thank you for your openness and effortless collaboration Elle. It was a joy 🙏🏼❤️

📷 Dan Nolan Photography

13/07/2026

Meet Joy.

A holistic therapist, spiritual mentor, and devoted mother, Joy has spent more than twenty years guiding others on their healing journey.

Her work is deeply rooted in compassion, authenticity and the belief that true transformation begins within.

Proud of her Sri Lankan heritage, and devoted to the Buddha’s teachings, Joy treasures the opportunity to have laid one of the golden foundation bricks during the construction of the Stupa at Mt Evelyn. A moment that beautifully reflects her path of faith and service.

When we met, it was clear Joy was far more comfortable holding space for others, than standing in front of a camera. So we simply talked. About healing, purpose and the beauty of living from the heart.

As the conversation unfolded, so did she.

The camera faded into the background, and what remained was a woman who stopped trying to be seen, and simply allowed herself to be.

Thank you Joy, for trusting the process and sharing your beautiful light 🙏❤️

P.S. It wasn’t planned, but somehow Joy’s portraits found their way here on her birthday !

Sometimes life has a lovely sense of timing.

If you have a moment, head over to her page and wish her a happy birthday 🎉

📷 - Dan Nolan Photography

10/07/2026

Meet Joelle (and Louis).

Joelle spends much of her time helping men heal. Whether through group work or one on one counselling, she gently guides them back toward an embodied, authentic masculinity.

As a friend, she had no hesitation in stepping in front of my camera. Trusting the quiet space we share, she met my lens with ease. There was no performance. Just presence.

The light in that room seemed to echo the warmth and affection she carries so naturally. Moments like these are why I love what I do. They’re never manufactured. Only noticed.

Thank you, Joelle. And Louis ☺️
🙏🏼❤️

📷 - Dan Nolan Photography

09/07/2026

Meet Shiri.

Owner of Steampunk Sauna Melbourne, devoted yogi, and mother of two beautiful boys.

She arrived the morning after a function looking completely unburdened, carrying the same unapologetic presence that seems to follow her wherever she goes.

Like so many people, she wasn’t quite sure how to show up in front of the lens. It only took a little conversation, a little play, and a little trust before she realised she didn’t have to.

It became clear very quickly that joy was where she felt most at home. Rather than directing it, I simply followed it. Every laugh, every smile, every quiet pause revealed another layer.

Beneath her confidence was something gentler. A quiet humility that drew me in. Between the stories we shared and the laughter that filled the morning, the sun found its way through, gifting us moments that felt honest, effortless, and true.

Thank you for your trust Shiri 🙏🏼❤️

📷 - Dan Nolan Photography

22/06/2026

After more than 15 years behind the camera, I’ve created a space that feels deeply aligned with who I am; not just as a photographer, but as a person.

Found In Light was born from a belief that being truly seen matters. In a world of filters, performance, and constant noise, I wanted to create something slower, more intentional, and more human. A space for authenticity, connection, vulnerability, and truth.

Portraiture has always been about more than taking photographs for me. It’s about creating an environment where people feel comfortable enough to let their guard down and be seen as they are.

This page is only just beginning, but it already feels like home.

If the message behind Found In Light resonates with you, I’d love for you to follow along. There are some beautiful stories and faces still to come.

Creating space to be seen.

15/06/2026

The Found In Light initiative has only just begun, and I feel incredibly humbled by the response so far.

After more than 15 years behind the camera, I feel like I’ve finally landed in a space that is truly aligned with my core values, both as a creative and as a human being.

Found In Light is, quite simply, me.

Authenticity. Creativity. Connection. Emotion. Truth.

These are the things I live for. The things I’ve always been searching for in my work, and in life.

To now be able to bring this offering to others, and to see it welcomed so warmly, is something I’m deeply grateful for.

Thank you to everyone who has trusted me with their stories, stepped in front of my lens, shared kind words, and supported this little dream in its earliest days.

This is only the beginning, and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead.

Dan

🙏🏼
❤️

Found In Light

11/08/2026

02/08/2026

22/07/2026

19/07/2026

15/07/2026

13/07/2026

10/07/2026

09/07/2026

22/06/2026

15/06/2026

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