One step at a time...

My baby is gaining his confidence each and every day with taking a few more small steps at a time.

I look at how he's working his way around, trying to balance, tentatively getting to his destination with a few wobbles inbetween, but proudly displaying that he can do it!

Suddenly my boy isn't a baby anymore, but a growing, inquisitive, loud human being, exploring his world, one step at a time...

On another note - his sleeping pattern feels like its going back to the baby stages, another long-winded night of him crying on and off. I am mindful at the growing changes within him, coupled with his molars coming through and maybe more of an awareness of his surroundings. Whichever it is, it's wearing us all down with lack of sleep - zzzz!

My Movie from Sheree on Vimeo.

It's a new dawn, it's a new day...

So far my week has passed by quite quickly, the fact that it's already mid-week and two more days until the weekend pleases me somewhat.

The last 48-72 hours, has been filled with sleepless nights due to the 15mo incessantly waking up at an un-godly hour, and when he does fall asleep, I've gone past the tired stage and struggle to get back to slumber....but when I do eventually fall back to sleep, the baby awakes again and, well, rinse and repeat.

Sleepless nights is like water torture. I love my sleep, and when a new day starts I'm so over-tired or I get second wind that I feel ok - but by the late afternoon, my brain starts to hurt and the tiredness hits, big time.

This isn't new to me. Those sleepless night has played a part pretty much on and off now for the past 8½ years, so in a way I'm used to it (or rather you just grin and bear it). It's almost like gold-dust to get that 7-8 hours sleep, aaah the thought of EIGHT HOURS KIP! I can only dream (that is if I ever get to sleep to dream) and well what's the saying? 'Sleep is for wimps' oh yes, oh no.

Tomorrow's another day...

On a lighter, more brighter note (!) I had a fab weekend with meeting some amazing families. First up the A Team as I'll call them, they were very sweet, and I personally love this image of them all. Love the fact that Master H is pointing out.

And then I had the pleasure of photographing another family, consisting of some very cool adults and their cool mother (photos to follow), but for now you may recognise this beautiful young lady. I photographed her 4 years ago, and yes, bark seems to be the theme.

This was a photo session we did a few years ago, and I still to this day LOVE the lighting in this image.

 

To today, where she is looking so grown up, and I love her hair colour. (Miranda Kerr anyone?!)

And just because the next image is just personally what I like best, a natural 'out' there outtake...yup, that hair colour is amaze-balls isn't it?

Right, I'm tired. Off to bed methinks...

Setting the Scene

I have a confession to make.

I'm not 'big' on props. There I said it.

I'm not averse to using them per se, but I don't like to feel that I've distracted the viewer from the main focus of the photo, when there are a hundred and one other obstacles also in the frame.

The attraction of the photo for me if a prop has to feature is all neutral, organic and mutual with the object of my focussed attention.

Props that have featured for newborns are a beautiful organic wood sculpture that the baby is wrapped so delicately and fits in so well into. Throws and blankets, all in natural colours and also hats and accessories - small but really make difference without overtaking the whole photograph. If I have to inject a colour they are included predominately as a background feature.

For older children, crates, boxes, tepees and throws. If I feel it fits the 'scene' to get that specific 'look' I'm after I will add it to the photosession.

To make my point I did a quick session with the kid today and we featured the organic tepee that I made, and added a vintage chest and throws, it all came out looking very organic and almost a shipwrecked feel to it.

So yes, when I start chucking in bits of furniture for you to sit on amongst other things, just have faith that I know what I'm doing, and that I know it will look good ;)

Schools out for Summer Offer

The countdown to the Summer holidays is in full swing, and to honour those fun filled few weeks I am offering less than half the price of the portrait sessions at £40.00 (RRP. £85) to include photosession and (2) 7x5 mounted prints.

If you would like to take opportunity of this fantastic deal*, get in touch quick, my diary is getting full as we speak, please email me at studio@shereebphotography.com and use code PROMOSOS or call me on 07917730924. Please leave me a message and I will endeavour to respond to your enquiry in 24 hours.

*this offer ends 31st July

Schools out for Summer...now try and get that tune out of your head!

In a blink of an eye

I look at my (now) trying to walk toddler and observe his delicate features, the overgrowing hairline resembling a mullet. His innocent inquisitive hazel eyes scanning the room, pointing to objects, babbling at me and I just marvel.

 

How has it been a year? How has it that the first, (dazed and confused-with-tiredness-mixed-in), few days of having him as a newborn to now? It has been an amazing journey second-time around, but these past few days he has gone from a baby stage to now being more independent in other ways (but still dependant in some ways – which I am clinging onto!) and it is true that they change so much in these past twelve months than any other time.

 

There will be massive changes to come I know, the potty training, the tantrums (!) and the lovely learning, independent stages, which I am in fact looking forward to.

 

This is where photography comes into play, I capture on average every two months since he was born his physical changes. To look back on some of the photographs I have taken in the previous months exemplifies that notion of always capturing those moments. Everyone has a camera, more so now that the cameras on phones are so good that we have that moment captured in seconds, and it is encouraged.

 

For me to have photographs professionally done can be expensive, time-consuming and for some unnecessary, but for most, it’s worthwhile, worth it, and very necessary, as you will look back in years to come and wish that I had taken the time to have my family’s portraits done, they are for me a true personal possession, I will treasure my favourites forever and will pass them on to my grandchildren and so on and so forth, so they can look back on past generations and see themselves within their families genes and I hope marvel at how times have changed, how people ‘used’ to look – it’s such a fantastic feeling.

 

But then that’s just me!

 

If you feel the same way and would like a portrait of yourself or your children, please get in contact at studio@shereebphotography.com

 

 

Friendship

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom ~ Marcel Proust

I had the chance to meet up with a dear friend of mine yesterday, of whom I had not seen in quite a while. Years have flown by and lots of life changes have evolved since we last met.

To meet once again whilst we had the opportunity was made very suddenly, but welcomed. When we finally met it was as though time had not lapsed, as if I had seen her only last week. We caught up on her new life in Africa, the two wonderful children she has had since we saw one another, (and of my own also in that time) my other news and the fact that we should not, under any circumstances leave it so long next time.

Friendships, true friends, are very hard to come by. I can honestly say I only count two of them that I hold very dear to my heart, and it is not as though I do not value my other friends, of whom I enjoy immense laughs and joys with, but the fact that my very oldest (and dearest) friends know me truly and have known me for a very long time, and feel so comfortable with and have that 'special' bond, which is very rare indeed and very special. I treasure it deeply.

Her two beautiful children were happy to spare a few minutes out of their playtime (they were enjoying my children's toys and my garden whilst their mummy and I chatted) to come into my studio to have their photographs taken. I have to say it was my quickest session to date, but hey, while spoil their fun? Anyway, their mummy and me wanted to resume our catch-up - well us ladies do like to talk!

First up is Master E - look at that face! And those dimples, just want to squish him!

And by no means least, here is his younger sister Miss S and what a gorgeous little girl she is, just like her beautiful mama!

Are they not just the most sweetest siblings? As well as having their own bond, I'm sure their friendship will be special too. Do you have siblings who you regard as your best friends, or like me you are lucky to have your own 'sisters' through friendship (I am an only child) who you count as your best friends?

For the love of film...

On my recent photosession with Ms V a few weeks back I decided to lug my big ol' tank of a camera Bronica (or Veronica as I like to affectionately refer to the camera as - as you do...) to change it up a bit during the session.

As much as I love digital, the instant images, the accuracy of manipulating your settings to suit the scene, there is that magical, nostalgic feeling of using a medium format camera with film. The roll of film can only hold 12 shots, so careful usage of your time (and film) is spent preparing your set up, securing the shot...and then having to send the film off to a lab, await the processing, get the prints/scans back and voila, you can lovingly take in every minute detail of that gorgeous 6x6 print of that negative you took weeks back.

To that end, here is one (of actually 36 shots I took on film (2 films were on Kodak Portra, the other was on a Fuji 400h film, expired)) shot of Ms V that I just love. And well, what's not to love on film? ;)

Competition Winners

Firstly, thank you to all those who contributed in some way to getting my Sheree B Photography Page on Facebook to the 100 Likes!

My previous post last month went into detail about the Competition, which needless to say bumped up my page likes and now (drum roll please) the prize winners are officially announced!

I randomly chose the winner (and the five lucky runner up's) by using Random.org, the winners are:

Main Prize: goes to Nic Morris

5 Runner Up Winners:

• Isabelle Porillio Llentada
• Regina Valdez Calape
• Angela Cannon
• Ruby Adam
• Richard Paul Beattie

Well done to all of you, and I will be in touch to finalise the competition details and relevant information.

For those of you who have missed out, but would still like to have a portrait session, please get in touch by emailing studio@shereebphotography.com

And this little chap thanks all you winners too for liking and sharing Mummy's page with a big, teethy grin!

Competition Time!

WIN A PHOTO SESSION!

Hello all, I think you're going to like this (in fact that is part of the competition rules! More of that later...)!

The prize: 1 hour home studio or on location portrait photosession... worth £85 and one 10x8 print and one 30x20 canvas! Total Prize/Package worth: £355 AND 5 runner-up prizes of a free 1 hour portrait photosession worth £85 each.

What do you have to do to be in with a chance of winning?

Make sure you like my Sheree B Photography Facebook Page HERE and SHARE the post. I will randomly choose a winner when the Sheree B Photography page hits 100 Likes.

And now for the boring bit:
1. Photosession(s) will take place on days/times subject to availability.
2. The Competition will run from 13th June until 100 Likes are reached.
3. Winners will be selected shortly after the 100 Likes have been reached using Random.org
4. Winners will be notified by email, but announced on my Facebook Page.
5. No cash alternative.
6. Prize can be used for baby, child, family or an individual portrait.
7. Winners must agree to use photographs taken during the photosession for self-publicity, both printed and on-line.

Good luck! Get liking and sharing!

Bird Song

I hear a bird chirping, up in the sky
I’d like to be free like that spread my wings so high

I see the river flowing water running by
I’d like to be that river, see what I might find

I feel the wind a blowin’, slowly changing time
I’d like to be that wind, I’d swirl and the shape sky

I smell the flowers blooming, opening for spring
I’d like to be those flowers, open to everything

by Wailin' Jennys

Those lyrics reminded me of the this photo session. The atmosphere was still, the long grass that we waded through and the gentle breeze as we walked around the area was very freeing.

Nature is a wonderful thing.

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