“A Wasn’t just isn't. He just isn't present.
But you…
You ARE YOU!
And, now isn't that pleasant!
-- Dr. Seuss
Happy Birthday to You!
Spent a wintry Friday afternoon with this darling little girl and mommy at one of the Zoo Coffees in the city. Zoo Coffee has this theme going on, with horses and life-size giraffes as cafe decor, indoors and out. It's something to look at, really. They also serve pretty good comfort food and the usual waffles and coffee. When I arrived, there was a film crew taping on the top floor, but they were wrapping up so Sophie, Mommy and I were the first ones to get to our spots as soon as the crew left.
I first met Sophie when she was just half a year old, and now she's two and I can barely keep up with her. Mommy wanted photos to mark the start of the year for Sophie so when she messaged me about doing it at Zoo Coffee, I was all for it. Sophie is so easy on the camera and her smile is just infectious. And that energy! I'd give an arm and a foot for an ounce of the energy she has.
Photographing her and mom brought back all sorts of feels for me too. Shooting moms and littles is so much fun, especially when I scan through my camera and see all the adorableness in each snap. And because mom is a good friend of mine (she makes the best cakes in CQ, hands down) it felt natural, like I was just meeting a friend (and a half!) for afternoon coffee (or hot coco for me!).
Looking forward to more of moments like these all over this beautiful city.
Family, Family, Family, Family, Family, Family, Family, Famiy, Family, Family, Family, Family
There are people who live lives of adventure after adventure, an interesting side effect in the search for a better life beyond our tropical cluster of islands. They amaze me with their stories, of taking chances in a foreign land where they didn't speak the language, of surviving by solving each problem as it arose, and stumbling through each roadblock to arrive at a destination where life is at its worst, bearable, and at its best, wonderful.
People who thrive on searching for the next big opportunity or the chance to start something, anything, are always interesting. I've always been the one to choose erring on the side of caution when presented with an opportunity, so the chances that these people have taken I know I can never take for myself, and that's what makes their stories the stuff you want to vicariously live your life by.
These stories are not without their bad sides, however. Some have downright scary turns. But what's amazing is the will to stand up and start all over again.
Took these shots of my friend Rigs, one of the most enterprising people I know and the man behind Imperial Ethos Consulting, a consulting firm in CQ. We scheduled this shoot inside one of the lovely cafes in Olympic Gardens on a drab and rainy afternoon. Shu Cafe is where all the people who have decided to shun Starbucks like to congregate instead. The chairs are huge and comfy and the wooden tables long and perfect for large dinners with friends.
Portraits, Portraits, Portraits, Portraits, Portraits, Portraits, Portraits, Portraits, Portraits, Portraits
Or an afternoon portrait session on the fly.
I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times...
In life after life, in age after age, forever.
Rabindranath Tagore
Four frames of this lovely couple.
Shot this session back in May and looking back at the photos is making me miss the warm sunshine and the lovely way the leaves turned yellow as spring sprung to its fullest. These days, the city is a gray, weepy mess, although it is still beautiful in it's own way. I can't wait for the leaves to turn and have their colors warm this otherwise cold and drab landscape. For now, I'll have these shots to tide me over.
I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation.
It is too long ago.
I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”
― Jane Austen
Living in a foreign country for the better part of the year can be daunting and lonely. My first months in CQ were spent indoors. Although I love staying at home, there comes a point when it becomes stale and you crave for human interaction once again.
This is why JP and I are so blessed to find a group of like-minded people who come from where we come from, speak the same language, and love the same things we do. M and C hold a special place in my heart because they were the ones who basically taught me the ropes about living in this big and beautiful city, from how and where to buy a SIM card to where to go for a haircut and everything in between. Honestly, we enjoy living in this city so much because of them and the family that they welcomed us into. And for that, I will forever be grateful.