Aviva Photography Blog

Tamara contacted me a while back and we planned a session. We went back & forth via email for a while about location. She explained it was for her three-year-old son, E, and herself. Anyone who photographs or works with children of different ages will tell you – three to five-year-old boys are typically the most challenging. Active and free-spirited, the first thing on their mind isn’t listening to a total stranger telling them to sit & snuggle with mom. Kind of like the movie Up where Dug would be mid-sentence and yell, “SQUIRREL!” So as much as I love the idea of lots of locations and clothes like Tamara wanted, I knew E wasn’t going to do well with that idea. Especially for an early evening shoot where it’s around dinner time and bed time.

Luckily, my experience led me to make a few suggestions, and we made a great compromise. Some fabulous areas in town near Araha, and the promise of time on the pirate ship afterward if he cooperated.

We arrived, and I met E. The happiest, cutest, most energetic and articulate little man I’ve seen in quite some time. His smile was insanely contagious!

He has somewhere to GET that dazzling smile of course – Tamara (his mother – not his sister, I checked) is just so beautiful, I knew that getting some flattering shots would not be a problem.

I thought for the sake of my audience, I’d include a couple of shots that I wouldn’t necessarily order if I were the client, but that exhibit the beginnings and chaotic in-betweens of the shoot. Behind the scenes, if you will.

Right at the beginning, I led us into an alley, no traffic, great shade…and after meeting him and talking for a moment, I asked E to come have a seat. On the drain pipe cover? Sure! Wherever you like, sweetheart! On the right is the very first pose. Yeah, you can bet that was on purpose.

On the left is the shot directly following a failed plea for him to sit with Mama on the steps. He’s quick and he’s cute…as I OFTEN say with toddlers & small ones – the mountain will just have to come to Mohammed.

E loves his Mama. Watching these two together was just FUN.

Tamara is active duty herself, a pharmacy tech. Beauty AND brains.

You cannot tell me you’re not smiling when you look at this.

As the sun began to set, we made our way over to the beach.

The fish were jumping, and the light was stunning…wow.

And, in the end, he played with some sticks around his mom, and he never did make it to the pirate ship. And he was fine with it. I’ll bet he slept extremely well that night too.

Thanks, you two. That was good fun, I can’t wait to share the rest. More soon, everyone!

Hi, all! I know, I ‘ve been neglecting the blog again – let’s return with a family I shot a little while back. It honestly SHOULD have been back in March, a reunion shoot, when Gerry got home from a deployment. But I’m glad they got a chance to reconnect before the shoot, it made for a really wonderful morning.

Admittedly when I hear there will be a two-year-old boy, I get a little worried. But V was absolutely the sweetest little man – he has an incredible temperament. Look at this delicious smile!

(Kind of warms the heart to look at the sunshine and flowers during such a grey week here in Oki, doesn’t it?)

Adriana & Gerry haven’t had photos taken together – like most couples – for quite some time. When I showed Adriana the photo in the back of the camera, she turned to Gerry, smacked him in shoulder and grinned huge while she exclaimed, “Gerrrryyyy!!!” THAT is what I LOVE! And of course what leads to this.

I asked C if he had a girlfriend. He got bashful, said no – but I’m thinking with his dad’s incredible amber-like eyes, he’s gonna have ‘em lined up when he’s ready.

Last but not least, sweet smiley A. You are so bright and beautiful – just like that morning we played at the beach!

Gerry has to be one of the most playful and goofy dads I’ve had the pleasure of photographing. His overflowing love for his family is obvious.

Mama Adriana and her boys…just in time for Mother’s Day!

And the two ladies of the family.

We finished up here with everyone…

…and moved on down the road to grab some final shots with ROMA! She was crazy excited, but OH so cute!

Thank you all, I had so much fun with your family on a stunning morning! More soon…really.

First of all, as an American living in Japan, I must let you all know – we’re safe. Okinawa is fine. We’re far from the tragedy, and thankfully, besides a few tsunami warnings (which luckily resulted in nothing), we are completely unscathed. We are over 1,100 miles from Sendai – about 100 miles more than the distance from NYC to Miami, to put it into perspective. We’re so lucky, and so overwhelmed by the response of everyone around the world who knows us – people we haven’t even spoken to in years – contacting us to make sure we’re ok.

But – we do live in Japan. We do know many from mainland. We do feel absolute sadness and heartbreak for the Japanese people. Their culture is amazing. Their attitudes completely lack any panic or complaining. They’re trudging on. And they will recover. I ask that everyone I know who wants to do something – anything – please donate to the Red Cross. Be generous. All positive thoughts are welcome too.

On to the family I’d like to show you today…You’ll remember this family from the fundraiser I did for Thirst Relief International for the benefit of Haiti after their earthquake. Terry & Hillary have a beautiful family. Hillary came SO prepared this time, she handed me a sticky note with the different people combos and types of shots she wanted! I’m so happy whether my clients say, “We don’t know what to do, please tell us!” or “We want THIS!” with sticky notes. Either way is fun for me and will be for the people I’m photographing!

C & K are incredibly smart and loving kids. I see them around town from time to time and the kids ALWAYS remember me, and what I talked to them about at the shoot. Here they are…cute as ever, even if only for a moment.

Sigh – sweet loves. Mama and the kiddos. I love huggers.

And of course Dad and the kiddos.

Rowr.

Hillary, the color of your eyes is like nothing I’ve ever seen. WOW, beautiful.

And by the way, C is totally one of my boyfriends. He’s going to have the girls lined up.

(K is totally holding a hermit crab back there, by the way.)

K – that choice of pretty blue dangly earrings made the outfit. You are so beautiful!

Yes, I’m very funny. And their smiles are awesome.

So as we headed toward another spot, Hillary leaned down to pick a cute little flower. And accidentally yanked out a whole plant by the root (on the left side photo down there you can see the plant down to Terry’s shorts!). I thought that spot needed a little landscaping anyway, right? Man did we laugh – and I laughed all over again when I saw the photos while editing.

Hubba hubby time…mmmhmm!

Baggett family, I so enjoyed our time together. I can’t wait to show you all the rest. Obviously since I put so many in this post!

More SOON! (No bull.)