Raquel has an infectious zest for living and stands out for her optimism, and I believe she passed these gifts on to her son Eric! Despite the dullness and silence of that November day, the company of these two was so heart-warming and a real enlightenment! The breath-taking autumn colours at the Botanic Garden did the rest, becoming the second protagonist…Enjoy these memories!
We were close to Halloween and I accompanied Catrìona to Ayr, on her way to visit her brother Campbell. It was a good opportunity for us all to have a coffee and a chat with Wendy, followed by a walk on the beach, where I took a few photos of her kids. I have always loved the West coast, that impresses me with its wildness, the strong winds and wide open spaces. Enjoy these lovely memories!
I remember clearly the morning when I met Elisa for a coffee at Cappelli and she told me that she was expecting for the second time. There was also Mattia with us, her eldest son. On this occasion I saw a beautiful sparkle in Elisa’s eyes, she was radiant! Little Leonardo (Leo!) was in a hurry so he was born a month early, but this did not create a flaw, as he was just perfect and very much loved by his parents and a proud big brother!
I was delighted to have Elisa and the kids in the studio for a quick Welcome session to little Leo, who was, more or less, cooperative! Enjoy these beautiful memories!
“If we wandered around this world with the typical carelessness of a child who falls asleep in the middle of a crowd, this society would not even be able to worry us: no more than it would be able to affect the long and deep breathing of the child who is sleeping”- Christian Bobin
It is always great to have clients return for yet another shoot. I photographed several times Caterina & her beautiful duo over the years. This time they came to the studio where we used indoor lighting and a white backdrop to capture the beauty of her family. Not everyone was too keen on the shoot initially, but as we continued, they were won over and the fun started! Thank you lovely Olivieri fam for your continual support. May we keep on doing this for many years to come. I am looking forward to our next time together!
Erica, Ewan’s sister (= the groom in the previous wedding post!), has two wonderful children, Florence & George, with her husband Mark. I was delighted to take some photos of this close-knit family. Actually their photo-session turned out to be an “epic one” because of : 1) the location which was fantastic 2) so were the protagonists+ 3) we had a PROPER summer day in Scotland! The kids were cooperative during the photo shoot, and the whole setting worked in our favor. I think it was one of the best photo-shoots I’ve ever done! Thank you, Bramhalls, for trusting my photographic skills!
Hey, check this out…They are framed!
Spending time with Erica is a pleasure. I don’t say this only because she is one of my friends. I can say this because I see who she is for real: an honest, generous, adventurous and brave soul with a strong sense of duty and a caring attitude towards people. Yes, I really like her. I also enjoy spending time with her little two extensions, “King” George & “dancing princess” Florence.
It started like this : she wanted me to take picture of her kids because she had a good feeling about me. So a couple of years ago she chose me over thousands of choices. She trusted me from the beginning and this moves me almost to tears. I admire her sense of reality and pragmatism and I see the deep love and bond she has with her family. Photography allows people to create networks and to discover families ties and I had the chance to get to know a good part of her family and, trust me, they are amazing, enjoyable people.
When last night she texted me with the picture of the prints of the kids, I was delighted first with the results themselves (they are good shots) but also with a sort of pride coming from the fact of having my photos hanging on their living-room wall where all their guests can see them.
Time goes by quickly but more than a few things make us happy and will be remembered : friendship, good shots and prints!
Ewan is Scottish and Patricia is Northern Irish and they are both warm and friendly people. They were married in Prestonfield House in late June 2019. Taking the photos on their wedding day was an honor, which came with a good amount of stress (well, that’s me!). This was my 5th wedding as photographer (and the 3rd one made abroad) and I was the only shooter. Also, I hadn’t been to this venue before so it was a “whole new game” for me, but things turned out pretty well! Weather wise, summer is tricky in Scotland, but these guys picked up the perfect day: it was sunny and warm all day long and in the evening we had a pleasant breeze. I remember Patricia saying more times during the course of the day: ‘It’s the most beautiful day we could have hoped for. We don’t want it to end!’.
It was moving for me to witness their love, which is deep, concrete, simple and based on effective communication, mutual understanding and a very good friendship. Their families and friends rocked it out too!! Even though it sounds cliché, it was a beautiful day, made by awesome people and by real moments. It felt like I was spending time with amazing people rather than working on the day. And yes, I felt so privileged to have had the opportunity to capture Patricia & Ewan’s big day! I really hope I could do your memories and expectations justice with this.
Patricia & Ewan, I hope you are having the best life in Northern Ireland!
In April 2019, I posed in front of the camera of a my friend and talented photographer, Michele Galloni in his studio. Back then, the most challenging and tumultuous time of my life had begun. Looking at these images now, these shots make me smile, as I relive my unawareness and somewhat naivety. Thank you, Michele, for these memories and long live to photography as a medium that won’t let us forget what we have been going though and achieved!
What a privilege it was to spend a beautiful Spring afternoon with Tomomi’s family. Purity, love and bundles of joy! We gathered in Parco Ferrari, a true institution of our neighborhood! The girls looked so happy playing together in their kimonos, and I could see that they all were going to have lots of fun together! Enjoy these photo-memories. Blessings!
The photo below is one of my all-times favorites, I really cherish it! I asked Ami, the elder, to hug her sister and the resulting portrait was quite natural. In the eyes I can see the naïveté of childhood, a sense of tranquillity and trust in her sister. This picture captures a sweet moment and freezes one fragment of time:
Amongst all the photo shoots I’ve done to this family, this is one of my favourites and… Wow, I didn’t realise I’d used my Nikon F801s in so many sessions! Arianna was growing up fast in that period. She was always deeply connected to her parents and at ease in front of the camera but with new, different expressions. The B&W adds a touch of timelessness!
“I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose, I would always greet it in a garden” – Ruth Stout
Congrats, Ru & Ian, for your beautiful garden! I have always thought that it seems a piece of Paradise!
Sheila and I, we had decided to have a daily trip on the coast. It was early March and it was cold in Edinburgh, which means that up north, it was even worst! Actually, it was flippin’ freezing and windy! This did not prevent us from arriving safely in St Andrews, enjoying a pleasant lunch, and then driving down the coast, taking advantage of beautiful old fishing villages such as Crail, Anstruither, Pittenweem and Leven. I am grateful to have had this opportunity, and the fact that we were able to admire a part of bonnie Scotland in one of its true elements (the bad weather!), is a plus! It as a good occasion to use my Nikon F801s.
Lola and Fiona were born in Scotland to French mothers. Their mums, Valérie and Blandine, were my colleagues in the first call centre I worked for, after moving to Scotland in 2017. These two girls had never met before, but there was only a year’s difference between them and…I was looking for subjects to photograph! So we let the girls have a play session together and I tried to take some portraits of them. A few weeks earlier, I had bought a film camera, a second hand Nikon F801s (model produced between 1991 and 1994) in the legendary shop Cameratiks of Morningside and I was itching to try it out! The conditions to go for it weren’t ideal: it was winter time, I didn’t have the flashlight, I took most of of the photos indoors, with a low lighting and… I hadn’t read the manual!! Well, despite what could have been the ingredients for a disaster, the situation turned out in our favor: thanks to the manual use of the camera plus some wise editing, we made it! The girls tied up quickly and, apart from their charm and spontaneity, I was struck by Fiona’s interest in photography and Lola’s exuberant leadership!
Enjoy these beautiful photo memories. I wish analog cameras a long life!
These 2 shots below are my favorite!
It was a joy to have Irene & Francesca in the studio. The photo session ran smoothly, it was quick and we got lovely photos as results. Irene had the most beautiful blue eyes and was a curious bundle of joy. Congratulations Francesca and Massimo! What a privilege you have to be parents!
Slightly numerous are the occasions where these two sisters argue however, they certainly make up quickly and they both have a deep sense of fun! When I took these photos, we weren’t even close to carnival time, but it was great to admire their improvisations on the subject!
Elena Arvasi Portrait Photographer 