A bit of sunshine

Let's blame Instagram for this one. I was invited to participate to a photo challenge dedicated to the theme of sun flare on one of the communities I follow there. Parallel to it I was trying to bribe, torture, blackmail etc everybody and anybody (read Maya and Masha :-) to do something with the light shining on their back, so that I could experiment with shooting counter light. So it kind of came together. It is an experiment. I am still not quite sure I like it. We'll see at the end of the year, if I include these pics in the photobook. Or what happens with the Instagram challenge :-)

And here's my Instagram, that is to blame :-)

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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The magic of reading during your family photo shoot

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5 reasons to include books and reading in your family photos If you are reading this, you are probably considering a family photo shoot. I know all the different concerns that my clients have before their session. And one of them is - what do we do, how do we get those images with genuine moments and real emotions? During my 7 years doing family photography I've discovered one activity that always works - it's reading books with your kids. There are so many good reasons why integrating books and reading into your lifestyle family photoshoot can bring a touch of magic, warmth, and togetherness, while capturing beautiful and candid moments along the way. Below I'll let you know the top 5.  Let's get started! 1. Reading with your kids is great for those who might feel uncomfortable in front of the camera Because you do what you usually do - you sit down, take a book and read. You don't need to worry what to do with your hands - they are holding a book, or both the boo...
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Sand castles on East Sands

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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...
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Photo albums

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These beauties have arrived with the post today.  Putting last finishing touches - wrapping them and decorating with cuttings from my garden to give to  my lovely clients. Today's decorations are mint, rosemary, ivy and pink armeria. Such album takes work and time to create, it is custom made and designed specifically with your photos and ideas. It's the most popular product with my clients, often ordered in more than one copy as gift for grandparents or other family members. Beautiful way to enjoy all photos from your photo-session (and sometimes more than one!) in printed and physical form. The album comes also as pdf version, which can be used as e-book on your tablet. Can be a handy if you wish to protect the original from little often dirty fingers, or creative minds armed with crayons :-).  
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Buono regalo per un servizio fotografico

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Sta arrivando Natale, e tutti cerchiamo i migliori regali per i nostri cari. Se stai cercando un regalo veramente particolare, cosa ne pensi di un buono regalo per un servizio fotografico ? Ne ho disponibili per foto di famiglia, foto di bambini e di neonati.  È sempre un'esperienza divertente e molto personalizzata, senza pose e sorrisi "cheeeese" , ma che cattura invece la vostra famiglia in modo naturale ed emozionante. Immagini vive che mostrano tutto l'amore e la gioia della vostra famiglia e l'infanzia felice dei vostri bambini. Ci sono almeno 7 motivi per cui il servizio fotografico sarà un ottimo regalo. 1.  Non è una cosa (non vuoi comprare un altro gadget, maglione o paio di scarpe) ma piuttosto un'emozione o un'esperienza interessante e divertente , che lascerà dei ricordi da conservare per chi lo riceve. 2.  E' unico e personale , perché riguarda le cose più importanti della vita: amore, famiglia e la semplice gioia di stare insieme. Ogn...
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Family photo session in Villa Tasca, Palermo

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We met with Greta and her parents on summer evening in July for their family photos. I've photographed this family several times already, first when Greta was a a baby, and it always touches me deeply when families come for a repeat shoot. We picked villa Tasca park because they often spend summer evenings there, so Greta knows and loves the park and has several favourite spots there. As her mom told me that she's very much into exploring and researching now, I offered to bring a little basket and magnifying glass for her research. They also brought some books and a blanket to sit on. We started with one of their favourite spots - tree stumps and hammocks. There was a game of sticks, drumming, bouncing and jumping on the stumps, rocking on the hammock with some tickles.  I saw some interesting looking bushes with blooms and beautiful light, so I suggested we move there and let Greta play with magnifying glass. She was really excited about this new toy, so for a while it was dif...
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It's that time of the year - family photographer in St Andrews

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It's that time of the year - bright spots of colour are appearing on the trees, morning school runs call for warmer scarves and jackets, and shops start taking out their Christmas goodies. Soon our walks will include making crowns of leaves and collecting the biggest and brightest ones for the flower press. This season is the sunset of the year, time to reflect on how it was and what's happened and what you want to take with you in the future. A worthy moment to document with beautiful photographs in the bright colourful framework of autumn. Photographs that celebrate you, your family, your love and connection. Photographs showing you relaxed, playing or walking outside, laughing together. That focus on you and your story, and make it shine because of their simplicity and intimacy. A piece of you with those you love, and something to remember about this moment in your life. These lovely photographs and albums deserve to be kept as biggest surprise till Christmas to be ...
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8th of March

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Today we celebrate women. Strong, independent and beautiful. Mothers and daughters. Scientists and artists, politicians and engineers and stay-at-home moms. Honored to have a job that allows me to witness and capture the beauty of womanhood. To celebrate today and every day ❤️
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Autumn and Christmas mini sessions | Family photographer in St Andrews

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Seasons greetings! Too early? Sorry :-) Autumn and Christmas mini photo sessions. Timeless and artistic photographs of your family and your children at an outdoor location in St Andrews. No posing and cheesy smiles, relaxed and fun for the kids. Option of digital images or ready printed photographs - perfect for gifting to family and friends. Details 30 min. shoot at an outdoor location in St Andrews dates and times: November 3rd - 3 PM, November 7th - 10AM, November 9th - 2PM and 3 PM, November 10th - 3 PM max 2 adults and 3 children 15+ images to choose from session fee is £100, including 3 digital images with print rights or 10 printed photographs size 5X7, possibility to upgrade To chat about your photo-session, drop me an email , message me on  Facebook , or call 07586311953.
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Baby Mara - three months

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These past weeks were filled with baby yawns and cuddles, naps, books and knitting. We also started getting out and doing short walks, not the easiest thing considering our feeding situation, but it feels good to be outside and so worth the trouble of pumping in the car. Mara still sleeps a lot, and her yawns seem to involve her whole body, such a cute thing to watch! No wonder I took gazillion photos of her yawning! We are finally getting out of tiny baby clothes, she is smiling and following movements of her siblings, and responding when people talk to her.  Our feeding situation has improved as well, we are trying to do some nursing while still using my pumped milk in the bottle. She seems stronger and can nurse for longer time, so I hope we'll be able to leave pumping behind soon. For now it's important that she eats, and grows, and is doing well. I'm continuing with my a photo a day project, and I'm also making an effort to get in front of the camera more. I did no...
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