Aviva Photography Blog

Thanks, Life in Motion Photography – this was worthy viewing. And my job rocks.

Keep me. Protect me. Share me.

Sorry, Sadie. I HAD to. I’m the hugest Beatles fan ever, I grew up on them. This post title was inevitable.

Sadie was my fitness teacher. On our first day in her class she announced, “I have a baby in my tummy,” as if we were all kids and it was hysterical. She found out I was a photographer and looked at my site and told me that when the time came she wanted bump and baby pictures and I am so excited she did! She and her hubby Rick are expecting a baby girl in March. And she’s an aerobics instructor. And she tells me that the baby girl in there – she is too! I didn’t feel it myself, but I totally believe her. How could this kid not be a ball of energy with a mommy like Sadie?

Rick is a pilot. And he is so sweet with Sadie, it’s adorable. I didn’t think that someone like Sadie would pick a drip – he’s fun and funny and I’m really glad I got to meet him and play for the day. Rick, I hope it wasn’t as torturous as you might’ve thought it would be, and you are one photogenic dude when you aren’t squinting. (I got some natural and great smiles out of him, but his addition was the Zoolander.) Hubba hubby!

Shortly before the shoot they informed me they wanted to bring their first baby – Bella. I fell in LOVE with Bella. One of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever had the pleasure of photographing.

Who wouldn’t be happy and smiling with a family like this? I think she’ll be a very protective big sister.

I love stepping back and watching couples have fun together.

Romantic! (I think right about now we told them to enjoy the last moments of peace before the baby.)

She’s this fit little cutie with a bump in the middle. She’s friends with Stephanie from my most recent bump shoot; they’re both lucky they’re so incredibly nice or I’d have to smack them for looking so amazing.

I’m sure I made fun of myself or said something hilariously funny to make them grin like this. Love it!!

And last but not least, another one that made me giggle. I like ending on a laugh. Can’t wait to meet baby GIRL, Sadie & Rick! Thanks so much for a fun morning and I’ll see you soon!

Before my vacation, I got an email from Rebecca, whose family is stationed in Iwakuni, Japan. (For those who aren’t aware, that’s on mainland – Okinawa is a little island southwest of the biggest island of Japan.) Her hubby is currently deployed, and she was going to try to get a hop (military space-available flight) to Okinawa for a  little week-long getaway. Her friend Kim showed her the photos I took of her daughter and she wanted to do a shoot with her own girls when they came to visit. Woo hoo! Aviva Photography is apparently a destination operation now! I’m ALL OVER IT!

Here’s yet another thing I LOVE about doing this – this bunch came to have FUN. I told her to call me if she got the flight and that I’d squeeze her in before I left. She let me recommend where to go, what to bring, and everything else – and she called when she arrived and showed up in her rental car a bit late (thanks to me not helping her get to 58 from Westpac Inn – I’m SO sorry!!) but so excited and happy! Rebecca and her girls, K and C, are such a fun-loving beautiful bunch.

We started at the sea wall – in my backyard. I think it’s pretty distinctly and uniquely Okinawa. The girls could have collected shells all DAY there – they don’t live by a tropical beach – but thankfully we had a fun place in our future too, so we got to tackle a couple of locations.

Everything they spotted seemed to make them smile. (I feel like I say this a lot, but..) I really felt like I already knew them before our shoot day it was so comfortable! THIS makes ME smile!

After a few fun sea wall shots, we went to another location; one of my faves, and the kids seem to like it too. I think I must’ve said something funny because these are some natural beautiful smiles!

Adorable K is about the same age as my daughter. She loves to READ she said. Keep it up, K – and enjoy these experiences your adventurous mom exposes you to!

C is a really tall girl for her age, and she was all about running, climbing, inspecting everything, and she LOVEs having girly days with her mom & sister. You can still see the pink highlights in her hair from their last salon day! (I showed them where Cocok’s was, I hope they went while they were here!) I love this shot – I think she looks like Drew Barrymore.

No sad faces due to Dad’s 1-year deployment. Yeah. 1 YEAR. These girls were making the most of being overseas, and I just love that about them! What a great attitude.

Rebecca was so excited because she hadn’t really had any photos of herself taken since the wedding, and I truly hope deployed hubby enjoys these – because you looked STUNNING! (Side note: I asked what lip gloss she used because I thought it looked great – and she licked her lips and shrugged. Uh, yeah, her lips are naturally that pretty!)

Sorry hubby – I know you miss her even more now. But she’s a fabulous lady, you’re a lucky guy.

Thank YOU all for such a fun morning – a great way to remember why I love what I do before a trip to Thailand with my family. I’ll be done soon and you can see them all! I can’t wait to hear what your hubby says.

Hi, everyone! I’m back from Thailand. And I LOVED it. Truly loved it. The people are so incredibly sweet and friendly, the food is off the charts incredible, and it was altogether one of the best family vacations I’ve ever taken. We’re planning another trip there at the end of the year! I’ll happily share some photos on the blog (when I’ve whittled down all 1200 of them to a reasonable amount – I know, yikes) very soon, but right now I wanted to share a few photos of one of my products. The canvas gallery wrap.

This beautiful family ordered a package with my 30″x40″ canvas gallery wrap included. This is the photo they chose for it:

I got giddy when it arrived. I admitted to Margo that I wanted to keep it even though it wasn’t my family! Canvas gallery wraps are inkjet printed and bonded onto the canvas and wrapped around a real wood frame. The photo is also laminated to provide UV light protection and to prevent scratches, scuffs and cracking.

The texture of the canvas enhances the look and vibrancy of whichever photo you select:

And my lab and I personally guarantee that you will be happy with the quality and construction of your final piece.

I would certainly not stand behind anything I wouldn’t order and hang myself – I’m still trying to find the right photo! (Maybe one of my art pieces…. of the beautiful sea wall sunset or the gorgeous Okinawa water…. still can’t decide!)

And so – the final piece. In its 30″x40″ glory. I’d say Margo was happy when she picked it up. She said it even scored her a few “cool points” with her older daughter. THAT is the highest praise I can expect! I hope you enjoy all of your pieces for years to come, Margo and Jay, D & K. Thank you so much!

More to come soon, everyone – a mom and two daughters from Iwakuni! Two MORE available products in the Aviva Photography line! And a few Thailand peeks as well. Enjoy the weekend.

If you can, if you get a moment – vote for my photo blog as the FRESHEST at http://www.ppmag.com/fresh-blog-09/

**Updated to add, I’m not sure what page it might be on for YOU, so just look for it please? Thanks, everyone. You’re fabulous.** Click on it and vote for me please! I might win a spiffy new custom blog if I win.

I know. Selfish. But I love to show off my gorgeous clients!

Have a great week! Off to Thailand in the AM!

This was a special shoot. It was a gift for Stephanie from friends of hers that were PCSing. Yeah. The FRIENDS were PCSing – she gave a gift to her dear friend here in Okinawa who was so wonderful and helpful while she & her husband were here. THAT, everyone – is one of the many things that make this place so special and beautiful to me. Steph has her own blog too – she loves taking photos and she is SO much fun to read! She also wrote about the day she got the gift certificate for her shoot. That crazy girl. I love her to death – she has a contagious infectious smile and a fabulously biting wit; and it was truly my pleasure to spend a morning photographing her newly reunited family!

Yep – Paul was deployed. For the first time since they’ve been together. He got home a few weeks back, and it was so great to meet him finally. I knew I’d like him – how can you not like a guy that marries a woman like Stephanie?

Steph was SO level-headed and strong, but with entertainment like little P around, I know how much easier it was for her. But I do have to say, it’s SO obvious that he’s exponentially more happy now that his family is back together. And I can see why – Paul and Steph are such great parents and he is the sunshine of their lives!

EDIBLE. I know. And did I mention Steph’s contageous smile? Her laugh is too, of course. Can’t you just HEAR it in this shot?

P is all about walkin’ and talkin’. He’s a mover, that one. Most boys at that age are, I suppose. So a lot of what I saw was this sweetness.

Stephanie: “Um, are you sure this is ok? Like someone isn’t going to come yell at us?”

Aviva: “And if they tell us to get off, we’ll get off, right? I know how to apologize in Japanese. But if they’re just gonna park a forklift here, I mean really – how can we just pass it by?”

Steph & Paul love Okinawa. It’s their home, they’ve been together here, they had P here, and they would stay longer if they could. They have one more year, and I know it’ll be a great one. And I know that this right here is pretty indicative of Okinawa for anyone. GOTTA have the vending machine shot!

Beautiful and fun-loving couple.

And P watching the waves and the planes go by… so sweet.

Last but not least – another fave. The happy family and the white picket fence!

See you tomorrow to show off the rest, everyone! Looking forward to seeing you and laughing some more.

In other news- I’m going on a family vacation to Thailand! I am leaving on Tuesday and will be gone until the 18th. I will not be able to check my work email, so if you send one or if you leave me a message on my phone – I promise to get to it upon my return. If you have an active gallery and place an order while I’m away, I will place it the day after my return. WHEE! Family vacation for the first time in way too long. Have a great week and a happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

I haven’t had a maternity session in much too long. Apparently I really missed it because this was so much fun.

Stephanie contacted me a while back – and she’s a kindergarten teacher. Sigh… just the sweetest happiest people on earth, aren’t they? And she looks fabulous and is oozing with excitement over their baby boy! I didn’t take one single photo of her where she wasn’t smiling. Or kissing John. And John. Yes. Say it with me – he his one Hubba Hubby.

Steph came with outfits & ideas – and she’s so bubbly and self-confident. I think at this point of my pregnancy I felt like a house! She was bouncin’ around like it was nothing!

The strong and silent type. Very nice. And very much the gentleman. Hanging out with “the bump” for the last few weeks!

They’re high school sweethearts from South Dakota. They’re so in love with each other. They will be incredible parents.

Gosh I love couples that are up for anything. John was soft spoken and easy on the eyes – he has such a big heart, these two are so in love! I’m almost as excited they are to meet Baby Boy.

Look at these genes… how gorgeous is this kid going to be?

My assistant, Shannan, has a fantastic eye. We walked by a seemingly innocuous wall and she stopped me. “What about on that wall?” Then I noticed it. THE SPROUT! Another all time fave – thanks, Shannan!

Yup. I’m totally post-happy today. Deal with it. THIS overwhelming level of adorable – did not get old.

Last but not least… one of my last shots of the day. And a definite favorite. There were lots of favorites.

Thanks so much for a wonderful morning, you two – I can’t wait to meet the Sprout. Here’s hoping for a quick and easy delivery!

I befriended a jewelry designer named Jen a while ago – she has many other talents as well, but you know being the artsy fartsy that I am – the jewelry designer thing was really interesting to me. She’s something of a newlywed, and moved here from Los Angeles with her Air Force hubby. We all know how…interesting… it can be to try to find your niche here in Okinawa as a working spouse. She had been a paralegal in LA, and when she moved here and didn’t have that job anymore, she went feet first into making new jewelry designs for her 2009 line. And I was lucky enough to have her as a friend and fan; she asked me to photograph her new line!

Jen hired a couple of beautiful models for the job and off we went to the colorful and texture-rich sea wall.

Here’s Rafia in a colorful beaded necklace that I totally want…

And beautiful Andrea modeling another beaded and bejeweled wonder that I totally want…

The models looked stunning in Jen’s unique & inspired designs. I was thrilled when she told me it turned out just as she’d imagined it – because I definitely thought the photos showed off her designs as beautifully as possible.

WORK it, Andrea! Gorgeous!!

In my next life I want Rafia’s hair. Well, shoot, I want her everything.

LOOK at this insane detail! It took Jen months to make these, and you can see why.

Last but not least, some of Jen’s work with gold.

Jen Preston’s jewelry designs can be seen at Jib & Genoa’s website. (Where you can also find some vendors, though not on Okinawa.) But I figure it’s ALWAYS a good thing to know someone in the jewelry designing business – especially one as sweet as Jen. Thanks so much to Rafia & Andrea for their modeling talents too! This was a great departure from the norm for me.

Hi there!

For those of you locals who prefer to call me.. and for all of you who have upcoming shoots and a business card in your hand – I’m changing my phone number.

New business cards are on the way, and my old phone will be active until March (with a message that has the new number).

That number is now on the website. Everything else remains the same – if all else fails (I honestly respond quicker) – EMAIL ME!

And now – Sakura! (aka Cherry Blossoms) I took a delightful trip with some other photogs and captured the gorgeous pink beauties in all their glory. What a fun day. It’s nice to get out & shoot for FUN sometimes!

These guys (Japanese White-Eyes, thank you, Ryan) were flying around from tree to tree and we tried for so long to capture one! I think this is the best one I got.

And these lanterns line the paths… I have to get back there at night to shoot again before the blossoms are gone!

By the end of the shoot, the sun had come out and we had amazing blue skies.

More soon – as usual. Have a great day! (or night)

Staci & Steve are really proud that both of her children were born in Japan. S (big brother) was born in Sasebo, and brand new little P was born in December here in Okinawa. And she is the most good-natured little one any mom could ask for!

Staci is a friend and a neighbor also. This shoot was a 2-parter – one when P got home from the hospital (thankfully all is well, but she had a need for antibiotics, so she had to be there for a bit), and one was when Staci’s mom came to visit. So lucky you – even more photos to post! (If you like baby photos, of course)

Photogenic young P…. whose big brother NAMED her, by the way… is the yummiest little bundle.

She behaved beautufully.

She stuck out her tongue, but she seems to like doing that so I don’t think it’s personal.

She was really awake the whole time – but at the end she finally passed out.

Now. On to day two (about a week later, thank you weirdo weather). Now Staci’s mom was in town, so this was FUN. Look how beautiful she is! And she’s proud Grandma again and super sweet.

P was quite at home in Grandma’s arms. But big brother S? Well – he was really into THE SISTER. This is what he calls her. He NAMED her. And yet – he calls her. THE SISTER. “You know, THE SISTER has very small hands and I have BIG hands.” “THE SISTER cries when she’s hungry.” “THE SISTER can’t play with my toys yet.” As if S wasn’t entertaining enough…this was killing me!

Could you just wrap yourself up in those huge brown eyes?!

OK. Serious melt your heart alert here…

Oh yes…there’s more. And he was wearing his school uniform for the shoot. Edible, I tell you. (I guess P was bored.)

Staci (who looks fantastic, by the way…) is giving THE BROTHER plenty of attention. He’s a really happy and smart little guy.

Sleepy P was along for the ride on a gorgeous day. Then I saw this spot and had to stop. Thanks for letting me put your kid on the concrete, Staci. A man walking by thought I was insane. But whatever- this is an all time fave!

Like a happy smiling kitty in the sun spot!

Gosh I love our neighborhood. So colorful and beautiful on a sunny morning.

Last but not least – Staci and her mama on the balcony. Family resemblance? Yup!

Thanks so much, ladies (and S) for a great walk. That was more like going out for FUN! Sorry Steve deployed and couldn’t join us, Staci. Next time!

More info on GAMU and some cherry blossom photos soon. Also a SUPER fun “bump” shoot with a really great couple. (Lots of bumps out there… LOVE IT! See you soon, gang. Have a great day.