100 moments of summer

Farewell spring!

Our photography adventure for spring, the 20 stories, has come to its end as well. 

Here's what our 20 stories were about.

We made walks - to the Botanical Gardens, Lade Braes and East Sands beach. We baked cakes. Produced art in paintings and sculpture. Played with lego, dinosaurs, rabbits and all the stripy creatures.
Tidied up the garden and tried on the summer dresses.

We made music and theater. Read books and made picnics. Did gymnastics and ran races, with real medals to win. We also had lazy mornings and healthy naps.

Some stories did not work, some just did not happen. Some are being postponed. Some just happened to be random snapshots - hence the mosaics above.

It was interesting. Definitely creative and differently creative. Mostly enjoyable, sometimes frustrating (who's to blame for closed eyes, full memory card, not running fast enough or squinting against the sun :-)

So, the summer photo challenge is on - 100 moments of summer. There will be more stories, at least 30. There will also be just moments, random images of summer, travels, sunny and rainy days, small and big mementos and life vibes. Welcome summer!

Piú letti

3 reasons to have your family photos in Villa Giulia park

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Villa Giulia is a park in historic center of Palermo. It has its origins in 18th century and is remarkable for its perfect square shape with diagonal alleys dividing the park in different sections. Marble statues and fountains, a sundial, shady alleys and open spaces, and wide variety of trees and shrubbery make it a popular spot both with locals and tourists.  If you'd like your family photos to have lush green background with a touch of special Sicilian atmosphere, this park definitely should be considered. It ticks all the boxes - plenty of space, nice surroundings, easy access, lots of options for things to do during your photo shoot to get natural and emotional images (anyway we don't do posed photos on the benches or next to flowering shrubs!).  Here are my top 3 reasons why villa Giulia is a great location for family photo sessions. Reason 1  Lots of space and diversity. The park has an alley with Ficus trees, a little bamboo forest, a hill with cacti and succulen...
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Tentsmuir forest, continued

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This is second part of our adventures in Tentsmuir fores t. I do not have much to say, I loved it and pictures tell it all much better than words :-) I thought that I've included about half of the photos in the first post. How wrong I was! This one is interesting, because it shows the face Masha makes, when she does not want to be photographed. This time I did it though. With Grandpa. This boy, making faces and running away. Then coming back :-) This girl, with messy bun. She is a modern version of Little Red Riding Hood, in red converse instead of the hat. It was good. We should come back.
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Behind the scenes - photo session with kids

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I'm showing, and telling, something different today. Some behind the scenes moments, what and how things happen during a photo session with kids. I had help of 4 beautiful children, and it all took place in Capo Gallo (Mondello side).  Before the shoot we had a little chat with parents to prepare - to discuss how things will go, what clothes to wear, and what their kids like to do outside. So we had a little plan of their usual and favourite activities, plus I also prepared some ideas for games and things to do. I was a bit nervous - mostly because of communication and language issues. My Italian is pretty decent when it comes to conversation, it's writing that's the problem - but photo shoot is always an intense and emotional experience when you have to keep track of what's happening, if everyone is feeling ok and enjoying it, if we're moving ahead and getting some photos, if we need some new ideas and activities or just need to move to a new spot, if my camera set...
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Forest

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Back from holidays. There was a city, a forest, a river, and a sea. There were friends and family we did not see for a while. Sun, sand, waves, mosquitoes, barbeques, ice-creams. Shorts, sandals and dresses.  And some 16 gig of photos to sort through :-)
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Against the wind

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If I'd be asked to describe West Sands with one word - it would be windy. It is of course nice, big, fun - you can do kite, play ball, run, play with sand, collect shells, chase seagulls,  watch sand dunes. Swim, when it is warmer. People do all kinds of things on West Sands - there even used to be a motor bike race. Now it is mostly around the wind - all kinds of wind surfing on sand and kites, horseback riding. Then there is Chariots of Fire run , which we plan to do again this year. Matteo was racing too. Against the wind mostly. Maya was the pit stop. Fuel was chocolate. And then he was too cold with purple lips and hiding as deep inside the hat as possible :-) We played some ball, which wanted to roll into the sea. We also did some kite. It was mostly getting twisted and falling down. Our kite looks much better on the photos I have to say :) Despite the cold and wind, there is always time to be a goofball. And sticking tongue seems to be the favorite in this...
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Two walks, two beaches

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Beach is one of our regular destinations. St Andrews gives you a choice of windy West Sands with its wonderful panorama of the town, and endless sandy vista during low tide. Or smaller and somewhat cosier East Sands with its pier, cathedral and Coastal Path curving its way along the sea. 
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9 essential tips for taking great photos of your kids on the beach

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A lot of Sicilian summer is about the sea - it's a place to escape the heat, to relax and have fun on the beach with your kids, be it splashing, swimming, collecting shells or digging in the sand, reading or even napping! As parents, we often find ourselves reaching for our cameras or smartphones, eager to capture these moments and memories of the summer.  However, there are quite some challenges when it comes to getting beautiful photos on the beach - the biggest are strong sunlight, crowded space, kids moving all the time. During my 7+ years as a family photographer, I took hundreds of photos of clients and my own kids on the beaches in both Scotland and in Sicily. I've learnt and discovered a lot, what to do, and what not to do, to get beautiful kids' photos on the beach. Here are my top 9 tips and tricks, that will help you to elevate your beach snapshots to beautiful photographs. It's about essentials, nothing technical, and will work both for your phone and camera...
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Summer, meet Autumn

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Summer, lush green grasses and endless days, flowers and bumblebees and sand between your toes. It's over, even in our extended and twisted calendar. The world is full of reds and yellows already, apples and bright leaves on the grass, and we are working on Halloween costumes and anticipating lots of horror, short days, fresh Scottish winds and rains. My summer photo project is over too. Check #100momentsofsummer   to see it all. Summer meets Autumn, is being polite and says hello.  Autumn brings gifts, of crispy apples and orange pumpkins, red and yellow leaves, short days and long shadows, rains and bare trees... I love autumn, it brings special brand of tranquility to the world. You shed the leaves of past summer and see the world clearer. Harvesting the fruits of my summer photo project, time to start the next one. Or pack the camera, lenses, and take a break :-) The next photo project will run for the next 5 months, till spring. It will be about our life,...
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