In late September 2013, I went on a one-day visit to my friends Adele and Daniel, who were living in London. These shots show me the warmth of a family…and it so sweet! They have always been close and it has been a pleasure for me to catch some of the speedy moves of their little ones, who were 1 and 3 years old at the time. Adele, Daniel, Joshua & Lucia, thanks for trusting me!
You are taking pictures of a super busy two and a half year old kid, you just turn around for a moment, and suddenly you wake up, realizing that now this boy is a thirteen and a half years teenager! Photographers, how many times did this happen to you?! It was a pleasure to capture these shots of little (and back at that time he really was!) Giulio, the son of my friend and also photographer Francesca. What struck me was his inexhaustible energy, his stubborn determination, his focus on what he was doing and…within a few seconds, the expressions on his face would change in a pronounced way! Enjoy this lovely memory!
Shooting dated April 2013, in Parco Martini
Momma’s kisses are never enough!
Hey, this is my headset!
Based on my experience, I can say that if children don’t want to do something, it’s better not to insist and keep asking them. That November afternoon of 2012, Adele and Cloe, the daughters of Alice (a dear friend and a videographer), were not in the right mood to pose in front of the camera. At the beginning, fairly for shyness, it seemed to me that they did not want it but also that…they did want it, just for a short time! So I had to adapt to their wishes, and chased them around Parco Ducale for an hour or so! They both ARE beautiful but not only that, they are clever with many talents. On the other hand, having a super mum, the result could only be astonishing! Adele was a beautiful, elegant, calm but also very quick observer whilst Cloe was the smiley rebel who would forcefully lead and engage you in her games. And still has today this buoyant optimism! Enjoy these memories!
I took care of this little girl in 2009 when she was not even 2 years old. She was tiny but proudly independent and such an inquisitive observer. She is now a tall, beautiful teenager. This was my first and only experience as Au Pair girl in Germany and definitely it was a positive one. I had never taken care before of babies or toddlers and, of course, it was engaging but also extremely rewarding by being allowed to admire her day to day progress. We shared a compulsive passion for drawing and I havr to thank her for bearing with me through my basic German language! We stayed in touch and they came to visit me in Parma in 2012, when I took the following shots of them.
Guess who rules the roost!
This is the photo that struck me most of these sisters shooting. It will be because of its taste of a time gone, which is not so far away, it will because of Sara’s liveliness, of her spontaneous expression, of her curls flying in the air, of the speed that this imae generates, yes, well, the girls seem two fairies. Its title will be “Long live childhood”!
Sara and Martina are the daughters of my cousin’s husband from an earlier marriage and are, in an extended way, part of my family. In the summer of 2012, they were respectively 9 and 13 years old. I was struck by their liveliness, friendliness and their acrobatics skills: it seemed to me that they had NO limits in their flexibility! Sara was extremely lively, Martina was very sensible and was teaching her sister artistic gymnastics. Enjoy their photos, and copy them if you can!
Excuse me, what’s that?!
Daddy’s girls!
I had the pleasure of taking some portraits of this family back in July 2012. We had the chance to meet up on a beach. The kids, Clara and Adam, were both photogenic. Clara was so outgoing, lively and a bit of a show-off while Adam was as sweet as any almost 1 year old could be! Enjoy this memory!
Her tv advert smile!!
I loved her pink dress
SO cute that it hurts!
Free and light like a butterfly
Sometimes things start one way and then the lead goes in another direction. This was the case! It had to be a “solo” portrait session that turned up into a group shooting! My idea was to take some shots of Margot (daughter of my friend Claudia), a sprint 8-year-old, sports enthusiast, in her after school, but unexpectedly a small, compact group of kids (who were on the playground) joined us! One point that fascinates me about working with kids, is that they are natural. Even when they are not laughing or playing, they usually have a catching, spontaneous expression. These images are dated 4/10/2011, it was a warmish late afternoon and the light was gorgeous. Enjoy these memories!
Bats-position, hanging upside down!
I have NO clue about how & why we skipped to this “shoes-off-show” part of the shooting! Whose idea was that?!
And to finish end, a out of focus photographer!
I spent my Erasmus year (back in 2004/2005) in France. I shared a flat with Carlotta & Martina. During that year, we spent a lot of time together, but it was not just related to the fact that we were living in the same place: we went to events and parties together, we traveled together, we helped each other whilst writing our essays, we grew up a lot and learnt to be more patient and understanding one with the other and to see our differences as funny and stimulating. That unique experience created a bond that, I like to believe, will last in time.
In august 2011, Carlotta invited Martina, with her family, and me to her beautiful family compound in Cozzano, in the hills south of Parma. Martina’s eldest son was a toddler, while Carlotta had welcomed her first born weeks before. It was a pleasure for me to “spy” with my camera Giona’s curious and busy activities and to admire the peaceful and defenseless cuteness of baby Dario, well protected in the arms of his mum.
I like his profile, below, and the light contrast, even though you cannot see his face…
Uhm, somebody is running late with the grocery shopping…Luckily Lafayette (the basset hound!) doesn’t seem worried!
Lafayette is kaputt!
My favorite shots below
I love his hands and cheeks 🙂
There’s complicity between these two!
Let’s hide and seek!
Snack time, finally, and then, time to go home!
Elena is a family friend who has 5 gorgeous boys. In July 2011, she invited my parents and me to spend a few hours at their house in the outskirts of Parma. At that time she (only!) had 4 kids, however when we arrived, there were also young friends of her 2 eldest children. The boys were just…boys in the summer! Lots of lively water games and fun, some fresh drinks and a few tantrums from the youngest one. A most enjoyable afternoon with my camera!
The one below is my favorite, the editing makes me just think of the 1970s. Also, I like the way Emanuele is eying up the camera!
The best shot, from Casalbaroncolo’s session, is in my opinion this portrait of Margherita. I cherish it because…it is a fresh and pure moment of happiness, frozen in time by the camera. Margherita’s proverbial good character is echoed in the picture. Her laughter, even though you cannot hear her, is incredibly loud! This image passes on to me a feeling of wellbeing.
Looking at these pictures (dated July 2011), makes me feel that I would like to go back, just to spend a few hours surrounded by nature and good company!
Chiara, Pietro, Lisa, Margherita, Mara, Cris and Romy, thanks for welcoming me to your special place! Enjoy this lovely photo-memory!
Even now (after many years) I think that one of the best shots taken during Diletta’s wedding day (if not the best one!) is the snapshot of her little cousin, who was one of the flower girls.
What makes me believe that it’s a winning one? The fact that I took it at the right moment. The little one is spontaneous, she is not posing. I don’t recall asking her to smile or to say something. She just looks straight into the camera. Almost impossible to wonder what she is thinking about. She has sort of an enigmatic, deep glaze. There’s a central, vertical line that provides a sense of rhythm and continuity. Also, the black & white editing gives this scene more power. A penny for your thoughts!
It was Kilian’s birthday. He had invited some of his friends at home to celebrate it together. His parents (who are friends of mine) had prepared something tasty to eat but the kids were just interested in playing. For sure, it was a lively, lovely bunch of pals! They started at home and eventually moved on to a local park, finishing with a rugby match.
I babysat these two beautiful sisters for a few years, many years ago! If you look at them now, you would not be able to recognize them, as they look in this old collage (dated May 2011). I had a soft spot for them at that time, as well as I root for them now (we are still in touch!). Weirdly enough, I can confess that the most difficult task for me was to be sure that they had their homework done 🙂
Love you girls!
Elena Arvasi Portrait Photographer 