Socks special
At the seaside
Piú letti
Sand castles on East Sands
First barefoot beach day (we do not really count those short runs on the sand in February, right :-) Really and seriously, with feet dipping and running on the water - this one is the first. First sand castle of the season. First sand fight of the season and first hand full of sand - this, and sand in the pockets, will stay with us well till November. And I truly do not mind, I love my barefoot beach days as much as these two. Matteo is building a bunker - tunnel covered with sticks and sea-weed, then with sand. Good camouflage, it was hardly different from the rest of the surface around the castle. He tested it after completing the construction - the structure resisted his weight and survived. One very proud engineer. We tried to build the moat too - it did not really work, water was too far. So it was abandoned after a short while. Maya was collecting small rocks and shells to decorate the walls and the big tower. They both carried big rocks to reinforce the wall...
Beach fun photo session in St Andrews
Beach Fun Mini sessions - for all the lovers of dancing on the beach and jumping in the waves, flying kites and climbing rocks and playing with sand! Let's have some beach fun and create beautiful unposed photos of your family or your little ones! Maximum 5 slots available in the evenings between 3-6 of July. St Andrews, East Sands or West Sands. 30 min shot, min 15 photos to choose from, 3 digital images with print rights or 10 printed photos. Photo-session cost - £100, option to upgrade. Please get in touch for more details, and to book.
Behind the scenes - photo session with kids
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...
Splash
It was the first official summer splash, starting with the innocent "I just want to try the water" and ending with full-body jump-dive. For some of us more used to warmer climates and seas, it was quite questionable pleasure. Still not to be denied. Rolling in the sand to warm up resulted in kilograms of sand stuck in all the clothes. The game was called cotoletta, for similarity of prepping method of the dish. Kids liked it. The sand we brought home.
9 essential tips for taking great photos of your kids on the beach
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...
Photo a day - June
Published on 12th of July 2023 Summer is in full swing now, with beach days and long evenings on the terrace, hiding inside from the heat, getting ready for some travel and holidays, and just having quiet lazy days at home with air conditioner. This June was a pleasant surprise, for it spared us the heat. So we spent a lot of evenings on the terrace, playing, reading and watering the plants. Mara has restarted her terrace baths, a favourite summer time activity from last year. We found a large copper basin for her, and got an inflatable pool. She prefers the copper basin! Some days everyone dips their toes, or she bathes her ducks and dinosaurs. One day I found her, and the terrace, covered in geranium blooms, and Mara happily making some potions with them. Geraniums are still recovering, me too - she had a lot of fun though. We spent fair amount of time on the beach, playing and splashing in rock pools because the water still felt quite fresh. Rock pools are Mara's favourite, a...
Happy dog, sad dog
Gets eaten sometimes, no bread, onion or ketchup fortunately. Our little one has special craving for all things paper, books especially. What else are the books good for - we are discovering it, we'll get there.
October sunset
Family photo session in St Andrews, West Sands beach
West Sands did not disappoint - beautiful dunes, moody sky, wind. But then, it very seldom does, especially if you do not mind the wind. We met on a beautiful September evening for this photoshoot with Marion and her daughters. Our destination was the very end of the beach, by the Eden estuary and sand dunes. Marion picked some flowers and decorated Keira's curls, girls shared some secrets and treasures found in the sand, wind was playing with Keira's hair. And me - I was observing it all as it unfolded in front of me, and clicking along. I often tell my clients that photo-session is like going for a walk together - this one was no exception. I am a very silent companion on such a walk - I might suggest something interesting if I see beautiful spot or some nature details that would make beautiful background for you. But more often I just follow what's happening and how you enjoy this beautiful walk and your time together. From Marion: " Very relaxed photo shoot ...