Snap Happy Tuesday - Kids

Hey there lovely people!

Today is another post about some of my previous photo-shoots. It's a big deal to me for there to be a dedicated spot on my blog to showcase my love of photography and therefore my job. I don't think many people can say honestly, that they love their job... but I am certainly one of them. I believe that photographs are the the proof of our lives and the connection to our past. I know that in this day and age of technology, there are so many ways to connect and communicate, but I genuinely believe that nothing does that better than a photograph. 

Anyway, enough of the rambling and more of the sharing. 

ISO 400 - 50mm (50mm lens) - f/1.8 - 1/125 sec

This is little Mikael. He is 2 years old, so is technically still a baby and therefore should have been included in last weeks post. I for one, think that it's quite difficult to tell exactly what age little Mikael is in this picture, which is therefore why I included it. Shooting him was a very different experience from any other 2 year old I've had in front of the camera. He was very stubborn in terms of giving me a smile... but ended up being one of the shoots I'm most proud of. I think a lot of mum's and dad's, get really stressed out about getting their children to smile for the camera in order to get that smiley, happy photo. However, I firmly believe that these types of photographs can often end up the most beautiful and vulnerable. There's so much more of a story in these images than that of a run-of-the-mill smiley one.

ISO 400 - 37mm (18-55mm lens) - f/4.5 - 1/30 sec

Let me introduce you to my cousins children, Leon (top) and Brendan (bottom). I had to include this photo simply because it makes me smile. Brendan, the older of the 2 is such a laid back and quiet little soul, whereas Leon is just absolutely wild. So when I suggested this pose to Brendan he was quite embarrassed and hesitant about the idea and I think that shows in his little face. Whereas as soon as he lay down, Leon just jumped on top, no prompts, just jumped onto of his brother and started making horsey noises. It was just soooo funny that every time I look at this photo I relive the entire moment. This is a perfect example of my believe that photography is a way of "capturing precious, funny & irreplaceable moments". This certainly fits the bill. 

ISO 200 - 32mm (18-55mm lens) - f/4.5 - 1/30 sec

This is little Emma. She and her mum came along for a shoot, together with Emma's friend and her mum. She was quite the little character - a typical girly girl giving me all her poses. It was an absolute joy to photograph her. Not to mention how adorable she is... especially in that denim dungarees! It's so fun for me, when I get a client who just loves to be in front of the camera, because the joy in their face is just so evident. They are always super enthusiastic to pose and get into any position you suggest that any level of stress I might feel, just slips away and it becomes just an absolute pleasurable job to do.

ISO 200 - 28mm (18-55mm lens) - f/4 - 1/60 sec

Meet Zain and Isaah. They are the adorable boys of Diya, one of my lovely clients who came to me wanting some good family photographs after having been let down with photographers in the past. They were a lovely family and were very smiley and enthusiastic clients throughout, even Diya's husband (which is very unusual for the men I normally shoot). So the reason I chose to show you this image is because I just wanted to show that even though both of the boys aren't facing the lens, it's still a lovely image. Like I said before, parents tend to get very stressed out behind the scenes trying to get their children to look as good as possible on camera and this includes trying to get them to look the right way. Often this is just out of the question. Kids are so easily distracted, so it can be quite a chore to get their little eyes looking the right way. However, I think you'll agree, this is still a very cute picture and the boys look utterly adorable, despite little Isaah's eyes trailing off to the right of the lens.

Ok so there were a few reasons for selecting these images to show you today. Obviously they are super cute kids and they deserve to be showcased, but I just wanted to get the message across that sometimes the imperfect pictures turn out to be the ones you love the most. Kids aren't robots. They don't march to anybody else's drum but their own and often expecting them to do exactly as they are asked in such a pressured environment is too much. Photographers will always do their best to snap the best possible image of your children and deliver the best quality they possibly can, but it doesn't always mean it will be a standard smiley shot - these images are my best examples of how great, a less than perfect scenario, can turn out in a photograph. 

Hope you enjoyed looking at these ones as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Take care lovelies. x

SnapHappy Tuesday - Babies

Hey lovely people!

So today I thought I would start a little Tuesday tradition by showcasing some of my favourite shots from photo-shoots I've had. I think it's important to have a part of my blog dedicated entirely to my love of photography... It is, after all, the reason I started writing it in the 1st place. I will share the camera settings and lens choices with you all too in case you'd like to replicate the image yourself.

I will separate each post into different categories, rather than bombarding you all with a cluster of images that have no consistency and flow. 

So anyway, here goes:

ISO 200 - 37mm (18-55mm lens) - f/4.5 - 1/6 sec

This is little Edith and she and her brother were the subjects of my very first photo-shoot. Believe it or not, this is still one of my favourite images. She was such a delicate little flower and didn't really like the big stupid camera in front of her face so it quickly became clear that it would be difficult to get that "winning smile" shot. I'm so glad! This shot is better than any smiley snap I could have got of her. Those big deep dark eyes pop like nothing else and her perfect little "deer in the headlights" expression is just utterly adorable. 

ISO 100 - 18mm (18-55mm lens) - f/3.5 - 1/100 sec

Meet little Darcie. She was 5 weeks old at the time of this shoot and was more alert than any 5 year old I have ever photographed, never mind 5 week old. She was so curious firstly about who I was and secondly about what the hell my big clunky camera was, so she had this serious "brows down" expression on her face throughout the whole shoot. I just loved that. Even at 5 weeks old, her little inquisitive personality was shining through and I'm ever so glad that I had the opportunity to capture it. 

ISO 400 - 35mm (18-55mm lens) - f/4.5 - 1/30 sec

Let me introduce you to Leon. This cheeky little monkey is the most rambunctious little baby I have ever photographed. He just so happens to belong to my cousin and best friend Alison, and I was absolutely desperate to get him in front of my lens. Most of the shots I got of him were action shots because he quite literally DOESN'T STOP MOVING!!! This snap came from me loudly shouting his name (camera at the ready) and capturing his face as soon as he looked up. It was the only way! 

ISO 200 - 50mm (50mm lens) - f/1.8 - 1/200 sec

And last but not least - this is Riley! And I'm sorry but LOOK AT THAT FACE! Is he not the cutest little cherub you have ever seen??? He was super fun to shoot and was by far the funniest 2 year old I've ever had in my studio. He was soooo clever and co-operative, he posed like a pro and even checked after EVERY snap, that the photo I had taken was up to scratch. I honestly could have photographed him all day. He was the epitome of the perfect client. 

I wanted to stick with the muted tones and black and white images this week because, quite simply, they are my favourites. I do love colour images too... and will be showing you several of those over the coming weeks but for the 1st post I wanted to showcase my absolute faves. 

I hope that this kind of post isn't too boring to you all. It's my job and there is nothing more interesting to me that talking about my photos and photography in general - but I understand that it might not necessarily be everybody's thing. This is why I kept all the technical jargon and ins and outs of lighting etc. out of this post. But by all means, if you would like to me to talk about all that stuff then let me know. :)

Take care lovelies. x

International Women's Day

Hey lovely people! Today is International Women's Day and I thought I would use this post to share some of the inspirational women I have in my life, with you all. 

1. My mum.

This photo was taken at a family event last year and from left to right it is my sister Joanne, myself and my mum Grace.

She has been my best friend for my whole life. She has always done her best to provide my siblings and myself with whatever we want, keeping us grounded and selfless at the same time. After struggling in a difficult marriage with my step-dad for over 20 years, she finally made the decision to move on with her life and make it better, which has been hard but ultimately paid off in the long run. She never judges anyone for their mistakes and would take your secrets to the grave with her. She is the best person I know and the first person I wanted to talk to when I'm sad or upset. I love her with all my heart and soul, and thank God for giving me such a wonderful mum in my life!

2. My sister Joanne.

I apologise about the picture quality - these images have been taken from Instagram.

My sister Joanne (Jo as I call her) had her first baby (my first and only niece) Lily-Rose when she was just 18. I'm not lying when I say it was a worry for my mum and I, as to whether Joanne would cope with being a mum at such a young age due to the fact that she wasn't a particularly mature 18 year old. How wrong we were!!! I have never met such a good and dedicated mum in all my life, especially at such a young age. She has just taken it in her stride and has come on leaps and bounds the older my niece has got. Then when she had my nephew nearly 2 years ago - again we worried that it would be overwhelming for her. Again we were wrong. She makes being a mummy look easy, and loves nothing more than spending time with her 2 beautiful babies. I can only hope that I might be as good as mum as her, if I ever have my own children!

3. My husbands Grandma.

This is my husbands grandma Elizabeth and grandpa Bernard on their wedding day on the 1st of March 1960. Isn't this the most fabulous vintage photograph... and what about that dress??? Stunning. 

The reason I picked this wonderful lady is because she has overcome so much adversity in her life, from moving back home to Scotland from Australia when her mother fell ill, to fighting and winning the battle over breast cancer, to burying her daughter and my husbands poor mum when she died so young and tragically at 38 years of age. She has been a solid maternal figure in my husbands and his brothers lives since they were born and has often put their needs before her own. Not only is she a genuinely good person, but she is also a well read and very articulate lady who can converse at length about a multitude of different topics from art to politics, literature to football. She is just a wonderful person whom I feel has made me a better person from just having had her as part of my life.

4. The women I have lost in my life!

The above photograph is from my wedding day and to the right of the picture you can see 3 photo frames containing the images of 3 very special women in my life. 

The first is my gran Marion. She was my step-dads mother and a women who over the years I grew very close with. She was a published writer, poet and a damn good cook. She had lived in New York & California and had an abundance of the most interesting life stories you have ever had. She encouraged me to do well at school and helped with the majority of my English assignments. She was a fabulous lady & a very inspirational lady in my life. I miss her dearly.

The middle picture is of my gran Rose and myself as a baby. She was my mums mum and was the most special women I've ever had in my life. Now when people think of their gran, they often think of an old lady, who likes to knit and play bingo. A lady who is old fashioned and set in her ways. This was not my gran Rose. She was the funniest, quirkiest, most outrageous gran a girl could ask for. She had a wardrobe full of clothes, shoes and coats that wouldn't look out of place in a high end boutique. She was beautiful and never left the house without her face being made-up to utter perfection. She smelled of expensive perfume and she could party as hard as any 18 year old I have ever known. She was just a brilliant person to know and such a fun lady to be around. She battled with cancer numerous times in her life and finally succumbed to the terrible disease at the very young age of 67. There is not a day that goes by when I don't think of her, and mourn the loss of her... even after almost 13 years. 

The final picture in the far left is one of my husband and his mum Julie. She was 38 years old when she was taken from us and it's still one of the most shocking experiences of my life. She was an unconventional mum to my husband Michael and his younger brother Matthew. She was their biggest supporter, their best friend and their confidante. The first time I realised how special she was, was when I had lost my gran Marion and I felt like my whole world have fallen apart around about me. She took the time to speak to me and comfort me and told me to listen to a certain song and assured me I would feel better. Well I did. And after 14 years, whenever I hear that certain song I feel that connection with Julie. She was a great person, who had a very hard life, who was taken too soon. I know my husband hurts more often than he lets on, but I'm right there with him and I miss her very much too. 

So on a happier note, these ladies are the most inspirational people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and having in my life - even if for too short a time. I hope that everybody has somebody like them in their lives. I know for sure that my life has been a richer one for having had the privilege. 

Happy International Women's Day ladies... Keep inspiring us!!!

Take care my lovelies. x

Mondays Dinner Plans

Hey my lovelies!

I know that I have already posted today, but I thought I would try and get into the habit of sharing my cooking with you. This is intended to be more of a "lifestyle" type blog, showcasing my life through photographs as opposed to a more specific field of interest.

So on that note, I thought it would be a fun addition to include a few of my recipes over the week, starting with tonight's dinner choice:

Beef Stir Fry

Ingredients:

Lean Diced Beef Steak

1x Red Bell Pepper

1x Yellow Bell Pepper

1x Large Onion

2x Spring Onions

1x tsp Sea Salt

1x tsp Pepper

2x tsp Paprika

2x tbsp Soy Sauce

Instructions:

1. Marinade your meat with Sea Salt, Pepper, Paprika & Soy Sauce. Add chopped spring onions.

2. Leave the marinade for 2 hours (longer if possible).

3. Fry chopped onion in a tsp of oil, until onions are translucent and beginning to caramelise slightly.

4. Add the marinaded meat to the frying pan and fry for 10 minutes on a medium heat.

5. Add chopped bell peppers to the frying pan and leave to fry for a further 5 minutes. 

6. Serve with a baked potato and green salad.

I may be bias my lovelies... but this is a truly delicious little dinner, as well as being a fairly healthy meal option for those of us who could really do with losing some lbs!!! 

Take care my lovelies. x

My Saturday Night

Hello there my lovelies! Happy weekend to you all!!!

I hope you are having a fab weekend so far. I am having a lovely Saturday night to myself, as my hubby is away to watch the boxing. So I had a delicious take away for dinner, I've poured myself a glass of wine and I'm watching he boxing from the comfort of my livingroom, with my lovely dog Oscar snoring at my feet! 

He's cute eh???

But I couldn't very well show off one and not the other, so here is a photo of my younger pooch Bonnie... who followed me into the kitchen and stared at me while I poured my glass of wine... obviously hinting at me to take a photo of her too...

It has to be said... they're my babies (without sounding too much like a crazy person)! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend, whatever it is that you're doing!

Joshua & his Doggies

Let me introduce you to the precious little Joshua! 

He is the lovely blonde haired & blue eyed nephew of my friend Lesley!

He's adorable eh??? 

Well not only was this a great shoot because of the adorable subject... but it was a chance to meet and play with 2 gorgeous German Shepherds... Sky & Storm. Did I mention I'm a dog person???

These 2 hairballs were the furriest, most obedient and darn cutest dogs I have ever laid my eyes on (except of course for my own 2 pooches). 

Having the pleasure of shooting an adorable wee baby as well as getting a cuddle from these 2 gorgeous doggies was an absolute joy... and I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity!

The Kent Kids

Now how cute are these little cherubs! These are the adorable kids of my friend Karen... Ruby, Harrison & Laila Kent! :D They are 3 of the most well mannered and polite kids and this was a fun-filled little shoot!

Ruby is a proper little princess... who took charge of making sure her younger siblings knew their role within the photo-shoot. Harrison is full of fun and giggles and is absolutely hilarious and adorable little Laila is so sweet and just adores her big brother and sister, copying every move they made!

This was a super fun shoot. Working with 3 gorgeous kiddie winkles is obviously a perk of the job, but the main reason I loved this shoot so much was because of the candid feel of it. Nothing too posey... just adorable kids being themselves and getting snapped in the act. My absolute favourite kind of photography!!!

The Lovely Crosbie Family

This was my first outdoor shoot with a family... and what a lovely wee family it was!

Mandi got in touch with me after my friend Nicola (my old school friend who I shot a family portrait for) recommended me.

When I suggested the outdoor shoot, she was more than happy to give it a wee go... and when I suggested Chatelherault Country Park, it seemed to be the perfect location for her and the family! :D

She and her husband were newly weds, with a sweet little girl Aaliyah and not that it was in any way obvious... except for the fact that she was holding her tummy in the pictures, Mandi was expecting another little cherub!

Gorgeous scenery & a gorgeous family... I just love my job!!!

Little Darcie

Let me introduce little Miss Darcie! She is the absolutely perfect and the excruciatingly cute baby daughter of my old school friend Danielle.

She was 5 weeks old at the time of this shoot and look at that head of hair. Unbelievable!!!

Now I may be bias because of my friendship with Darcie's mummy, but how cute is she??? It was so much fun taking snaps of this little one, not only because it was my first baby shoot, but what better excuse do you have for getting a wee hold and a cuddle or 2 from a gorgeous little cherub like this!