A stylish photoshoot for a loving family, captured timelessly in a Moleskine Photo Book
Storyteller: Joey Walker, Australia
For Australian photographer Joey Walker, visual storytelling is about more than capturing the perfect shot - it’s about preserving the everyday magic of life. In this blog, we’re sharing how Joey created a deeply personal photo book for her client's family photo shoot using the creative Moleskine Photo Book format. Through a first-hand point of view, explore behind the lens as she captured precious moments highlighting motherhood, love, and connection to family - that reminds us all that it’s the ordinary moments that become the most meaningful over time.

What format did you choose to make your keepsake and why?
I chose one of the beautiful Moleskine Photo Book formats. I was instantly drawn to this format as I hadn't ever seen a photo book using that medium before and it felt almost a little bit nostalgic! There’s just something about the tactile quality of a Moleskine - it has this classic feel that reminded me of old journals or sketchbooks. It felt like the perfect format, and I knew straight away it would be a really unique way to present these photos.

Why did you create your keepsake?
As a photographer, it's so important to me that people actually have something physical of their memories. I hate to think of all the precious photos that will eventually be 'lost' because we never bothered to print them out. I wanted to gift my clients something they could physically hold, keep and eventually pass down to their kids. There’s a kind of magic in being able to flip through pages and revisit those moments over and over again. It makes everything feel more real, more permanent, like the memories have been properly honoured.

What image do you love most from your keepsake?
I love the black and white one of the boys eating ice cream with their mum at the petrol station. It feels nostalgic to me and a reminder that photos don't always need to be taken with a pretty background for them to mean something. It felt like such an ordinary thing and yet I think these little mundane moments are actually the one's we treasure most. It’s a perfect example of how real life can be just as beautiful as a styled shoot - pure, unprompted happy faces, sticky fingers and all. That photo makes me smile every time.

What is a beloved story behind a single shot in the book?
I love the photos of Coco (my client) skateboarding with her kids. She told me before the shot that she wants her boys to remember her as her own person - of course their mum but also her own person. It was important to her to simply embrace having fun and getting involved with the things her boys love to do. You can just see the joy on her face, and how much it meant to all of them to share that moment together. It felt spontaneous and full of love - the kind of memory they’ll all carry forever, but especially Coco.

What does your keepsake mean to your client?
I know how much this photo book will be treasured by this family. The boys apparently love finding it and flicking through the pages remembering how much fun they had that afternoon! That’s exactly what I hoped for when I made it - something they could return to again and again, even as they grow up.

What inspires you to take photos in general?
Photos for me are more than just a pretty picture. I aspire to help capture memories. Essentially providing keepsakes for people to carry and pass down for generations to come. Nothing fills my heart up more than doing just that and knowing that I have gifted someone the most priceless thing. That feels pretty special. I think about my own childhood photos and how much they mean to me now - I want to help create that same feeling for others. It’s amazing to be able to freeze a moment in time that otherwise might slip by unnoticed.

What inspires you creatively?
Honestly, it would be all the small things, the everyday. The things we are often prone to overlooking but actually make up all the in-between moments of our lives. I guess that's why I'm more drawn to documentary style photography. I love capturing people in their element - enjoying a coffee on their veranda, reading a book with their kids or playing in their backyard with their dog. None of these are profound things but they can be the little things in our day that bring glimmers of joy and happiness. They’re honest, unfiltered and full of life - and that’s where the real beauty lies for me.

What bit of advice would you offer to someone creating their own MILK memento?
Forget about perfect. We have this desire for things to look aesthetically pleasing but actually including photos that make you feel something, rather than just looking pretty, means so much more. In 20 years’ time you'll just want to look back on memories, you won't care how they looked! Go for the blurry ones if they make you laugh, the chaotic ones if they remind you of the love in the mess - those are the images that hold weight. Your future self will thank you for capturing what life really looked and felt like.
Joey Walker’s story is a powerful reminder that the photos we treasure most are often the ones taken in life’s quiet, imperfect moments. Her Moleskine Photo Book is more than a client project - it’s a time capsule that portrays the love and personality shared between a beautiful family. For anyone creating their own MILK memento, choose images that make you feel something. Because years from now, those feelings will be the most treasured part of the story.
If you’re feeling inspired, look through our family photo albums and formats and start creating, or explore our MILK Gallery to get some inspiration for stunning family photos.