There are thousands of ridiculously cute 2 year olds in this world. That is a fact.
But today I have a favourite, and I'm not afraid to admit it. My snuggly, cheeky, hilarious, intelligent little niece is sneaking into the delightful two's today!! I asked her how old she was turning, and she told me "TWO MUCH!"
So I am just sending out the BIGGEST, SQUISHIEST HAPPY BIRTHDAY cuddle with too much love, to my best little 2 year old friend!
I know you all have your own reasons for thinking the little 2 year old in your life is the best one in the world. But until my other cutie pie niece turns two as well (they only have 8 days of being equal favourites in each age group!)... I'm afraid Penelope wins.
Sarah and Nick put on an AWESOME wee jungle party for her and her wee buddies!
They have poured their heart and soul into Penelope over the last two years - they are the most amazing parents a girl could wish for. They have taught her so much in her short wee life so far... things that just amaze me. Like that 'W' for "Wow, Daddy!!", turns around to make an 'M' for "Mummy"! Who knew?! They all made 'binoculars', complete with scribbles and overlapping animal stickers, and went on an animal hunt in the backyard!! Cutest thing in the world! Um, watch out P... there's a rhino climbing up your arm... I'm quite good at teaching bad habits like pulling silly faces for photos... I'm glad she's only two and won't be worried about how many chins she has in this photo.... What is not to love about Jessie's incredible hair?!?! I grabbed Sarah (who has a sweet wee 6 month baby bump!! Eeeep... excitement!) to come out into the scrummy light... I just love these. Somehow Nick managed to stay clear of the photos on this day... but don't worry, you will be seeing more of these guys within in the next few months... we have a bump to play with! 'Uncle Leeeeeeeee' got in on the action! And I nabbed her too...
I just love everything about her. Everything. Happy birthday 'Dub Dub'!! Thanks for inviting us to your party!! 'Uncle Leeee' and 'Un Ma' love you to bits! In fact, next time we might steal you to keep. Don't tell Mummy and Daddy.
A kiss for your lips, a kiss for your cheek... and one kiss for my cheek too please XOXOXOXOXO
I actually just cannot BELIEVE it is 2013 already. What happened to 2012?! Well, a lot happened actually. That's what. So much happened that it absolutely flew by, sometimes with me running like a mad thing to catch it up.
In December I had quite a few sudden enquiries for family shoots - obviously I wasn't the only one who was crazy surprised that Christmas was only a week or two away, when I was stuck back in about August! We all know that family photographs are hugely important, and they also make fantastic Christmas presents for grandparents, and far away family. So, I found a few more hours in my December days... and squeezed in some last minute family portraits for people wanting very meaningful presents!
I met Trudy, Terry, Macee, Brooke and Cruz down at the beach, late in the afternoon on one of December's hottest days!! We played in the sand, ran up and down the dunes, jumped in holes, splashed in the water, got sand in every crease in our clothes, and finished feeling rather wet and like we had had a good exercise session! My favourite kind of family shoot! These kids are all absolutely gorgeous... and they get on so well together too! (Well, at least they did while we were at the beach!). Trudy and Terry make an awesome and good looking couple! Thanks sooooo much for playing at the beach with me! You kids are just toooo cute! I am sure your families would have loved your canvases for Christmas!! All the best for 2013 xox
Little Isla Bloomfield is about as cute as they come! Such a smiley and happy wee girl, she was a dream to photograph. At nearly a year old, she is a busy wee button - always on the lookout for new things to climb on and play with!
Her awesome parents, Laura and Ian, have done an amazing job at decorating her gorgeous baby room, and they also had so many ridiculously cute little outfits for her too! Laura really wanted to get photos of Isla in her cot, because she thinks she looks the cutest waiting to get pulled out after a sleep! She isn't wrong - Isla definitely loved it in there - we could have left her there for hours!! (Nooot that we would have!)
Sloppy kisses for Mummy! A ballerina in the making... I think someone is feeling a little proud of themselves for nearly being a big one year old!! Beautiful little girl... could melt anyone's heart! After playing in Isla's room for a while, we walked to the beach which is just around the corner from their house!
It, ah, kinda snooowed while we were there... typical Dunedin spring weather! The Bloomfield's are packing up and moving back to Tauranga soon, so Dunedin just gave them a nice little send off to remember it by! Oh so much cuteness in one day! I loved photographing your awesome family!!! You have a beautiful wee girl. All the best for the big move - I hope Dunedin weather treats you well before you head off to sunny Tauranga! xx
Dancing in pretty pink tutus, playing in daffodils, chasing bubbles, posing in a frame, hunting for crocodiles, climbing trees... all in a days work for little Juliette and Lucy Leroux!! Deb and Guy, and their two gorgeous little girls are a very fun and beautiful family... I loved photographing them all! We ran around doing a million different things!
The girls are have so much fun with their parents, and of course, Deb and Guy completely adore the girls! Juliette and Lucy have huge imaginations and sweet, playful little personalities... annnnnd they also all speak French (Guy - their 'Papa' - is French)... how cute is it hearing 3 and 4 year olds speaking another language?! VERY is the answer. Too awesome. When it suited them, the girls loooooved posing... ... and at other times, they ran as far away as they could!! The girls were lucky enough to have their Grandma at the shoot too! She was an expert at spotting crocodiles in the stream! And at this stage, the crocodiles were getting faaaar too close to my camera... And coming to get the girls!! Eeeeeek! As soon as the bubbles came out, so did two hyperactive little girls!! Three and four year old girls are often obsessed with pink, and ballerinas, and sparkles! So we got all three in one! Thank you SO much for coming out and playing! You have a wonderful family and I loved capturing you all doing family life together! xx
When you are 16 months old, a teeeeny tiny puddle seems GIGANTIC! It is perfect for stomping in. And what better thing to do than stomp in a giant puddle while you look like a ladybird?!?
Ladybirds are just loveable. Colourful, beautiful, friendly, cute. And that is exactly what my wee niece is too. Actually, apparently the more black spots a ladybug has on their red shell, the more respectable and intelligent they are too. I'm pretty sure even the most respectable ladybird would be jealous of the number of spots Penelope has!
She LOVES adventuring outside. You can tell that, because this is her 'excited' face!
Ohhhhhh I just want to bottle up her cuteness and save it for another rainy day. And this is her 'I'm STOMPING and it's FUN' face!
See, I told you she was very intelligent and respectable. This is her 'my sleeves are too long, but I'm all snuggled up in my bright red cuteness' stance. And this is just her on an adventure. I love the mind of a child. Don't let the winter blues get the better of you... go and stomp in a few puddles and life will feel better in an instant. Please dress up as a ladybird while you do it though... that would just make my day. And on that note.... on Tuesday we are escaping this chilly winter and heading to 40 degree heat in New York and Canada... and then down to Costa Rica, Peru and Chile (where it will be winter too, so don't get too jealous)!! So this blog, and my facebook page, may be a bit quiet for a while... (did I just hear a sigh of relief??). But never fear, I shall be back in full force in September for plenty more shoots, the beginning of wedding season, and probably a travel photo or two! Until then, adiós my friends!! Kim (and Liam) xoxo
How hard could it be... I mean, really. I've done hundreds of photo shoots before! 5 brothers, ranging from 7 months old to 13 years old... and their aunty and uncle. Easy peasy, right? That's what I thought. I was warned. But still, nothing could have prepared me for the carnage this shoot would offer. I grew up in a family of girls, and I only have nieces. It was crazy, wet, loud, messy, boisterous, chaotic, rough, fast... and freeeeeakin' awesome!!!!!!! Heather and Doug (our fabulous friends from Heather Ellis Photography) begged me to photograph them and their five hilariously fun nephews. I say begged, not because I needed any convincing at all... but because I think they knew what I was in for, and thought I might have. So there I was... on a wintery day in Christchurch... at the beach with two of my very good friends, four boys running absolutely wild (all in completely different directions and as far as possible from me and my camera), and one sweet little boy sleeping peacefully in Heather's arms. It.was.awesome. Oh, and wait... look! I did manage to get some sort of structure... for about, hmmm, 2 seconds max. Then it was all on with fun and games, lots of moans, groans, screams and laughs from the boys, and me chasing them around, snapping away at the adventure of life. Let me introduce you to the whole clan... More commonly known as Michael, Anthony, Samuel, Troy, and Alex. And Heather and Doug, who you have met before here. And, here. And... here. Ohhh and look what else showed up, especially for a girl who loves rainbows... Heather and Doug completely ADORE this crazy bunch of boys. And I can totally see why. They are such an awesome family - with a healthy dose of sibling rivalry, but also a closeness that can only come from growing up with four other brothers. Although they may not seem it when they are running at 100km/hr, the boys are all wee sweethearts really... giving lots of hugs and looking after each other so well.
Little squishy Alex is the newest member to the family, and Heather is besotted by him. He can laugh and giggle like no other baby. He is happy, smiley and just completely and utterly adorable. And peaceful too... especially when he is very sleepy... This photo shoot was never going to be about perfection - it was about LIFE. Capturing a time of life that speaks volumes about the kids' different personalities and quirks... a time of life that radiates fun and adventure... ...and we even squeezed a group hug in there!! Despite the moans about Aunty Heather always asking them to have photos taken... you can tell they do actually reeeeeally love Heather and Doug! Across the road and to the playground... Heather needed to touch up her make-up! See, nephews are handy for all sorts of things! Don't go thinking Heather is a softy though... she can pull some mean Judo moves. You've gotta watch your back when you are around her... We had one last request of the boys, and that was to stand in a line. A simple request? Not quite. Half an hour later, we got the shot we wanted! I wish I could make this photo bigger for you on here... but alas, I cannot. Then it was time for the boys to really let loose. They weren't keen on the photo shoot for a start... but when we let them get their revenge... the smiles came out... Would you like a dab of cream with that, ma'am? I've heard it's the newest anti-ageing face cream out... Proud of their whipped cream masterpiece, the boys had one more photo in them. Then it was home to try to get rid of the rotten cream smell from everyone's clothes! And that was that. For photo shoot #1 at least. Thanks for being amazing and keeping me on my toes, guys! And shot with the cream pies, Heather tooootally deserved it! But wait, there's more! That's right... this isn't the last you will see of these boys! The next day they were so super good and even came back for a slightly more subdued shoot with Carol & Terry (who are doing SUCH an amazing job of raising 5 such fantastic boys), and their Nanny and Poppa too! So watch out for another blog sometime soon... If you liked this shoot, check out my facebook page for more updates... and definitely go and check out Heather's beautiful page while you are at it too! You won't regret it! xx
Adelia is a gift from God. A precious wee miracle who is loved abundantly.
And she is our wee niece! We are so lucky to be an Aunty and Uncle to two beautiful wee girls, one on each side of the family. Being an Aunty is the best thing ever!!! We get to love and treasure these wee girls who are so fun and adorable and who are learning so much every day. And although we don't live in the same city as either of them, we can talk on skype or facetime and see them grow. And when we do get to see them, my world is complete! We can hold them, love them, play, giggle and talk in gibberish... and then hand them back when they scream or spew. Perfect.
We booked flights to Auckland to meet Adelia when she was 'supposed' to be about 4 weeks old, however she graced the world with her wonderful presence over three weeks early. She was a tiny and utterly adorable 7 week old baby when we met her - not much bigger than a newborn at all. We had a really nice weekend with Laura, Shannon and their amazing new daughter!
Adelia wasn't super keen on the photos though, so our photo ideas and plans had to change quite a lot... as they often do with babies! She had her own agenda... that she would sleep deeply only when there was no natural light for photos! But that was totally fine, and we spent the day photographing 'life' as it is for this new family unit. Laura and Shannon seemed to have slotted into parenthood perfectly... they totally ADORE Adelia! Perfection in a wee bundle! After being awake for quite a lot of the day, sleepiness finally got the better of her, and the wee poppet drifted off to the deepest slumber... like a bear! She looked ridiculously cute, and even though the light was fading quickly we managed to take a few gorgeous images. I just wanted to pick her up and snuggle her so tight!! It's official - we have the two cutest nieces in the world!! Don't even bother trying to challenge me on that one...!! Thanks for the snuggles and cuteness overload, Adelia xoxoxo
Can someone please tell me where 2012 is running away to?? I need to grab it and take it hostage so that I can catch up on everything, and then tell the world when I am ready to continue! Don't get me wrong... it has been a fantastic whirl-wind of a year so far!! Nearly April though?! Seriously world, slow down!!
I have been pretty insanely busy since November last year, and I am LOVING it!! It does however mean that sometimes blogs have taken the back-burner, as I have had to work hard on getting the images to the clients first! But I love sharing people's stories and photographs... so I have complied a wee blog of just three of the gorgeous little cuties I have been lucky enough to photograph recently!
Tamsin and Damian wanted some precious photos of little 8 week old Jordan before he grew up too much! Jordan rocked the photo shoot - he is one of the most smiley little boys I have ever photographed, and he was so incredibly chilled out the whole time!
His pensive thinking face... hmmmm.... 2 year old Ella was very lucky to have her grandparents over from Scotland for a few months!! Before they left, we met for a shoot to mark this very special time. Ella is adorable. Such a sweet little personality, and very curious! She spent a very large chunk of the shoot right up in my lens like this, convinced that 'Dora The Explorer' was inside my "TV"!!
Snuggles with the grandparents!
3 month old Madison was a delight to photograph, with her gorgeous wee chubby cheeks and legs!! She was so placid and serious the whole time I photographed, trying to figure out what was going on!! 3 months is such a nice age, as they start to interact with the world and begin to develop their own personality. What an adorable little button...
Alex Hooton is a gorgeous, stylish, beautiful little four year old boy. And he has an INCREDIBLE mother who gives the world for him. Alex is only four... yet he has been through far more than what many of us have. He is a trooper through and through.
Alex's beautiful Mum, Katie, emailed me saying she really needed photos taken of her darling boy, as he was about to begin an extreme high dose of steriods (5 times the normal adult dose), in an attempt to stop him having many seizures a day. The effects of the steroids would be extreme fluid retention, and she was desperate to have something to hold onto of her gorgeous boy, without all the side effects of the drugs. Alex was born with autism and West Syndrome - a catastrophic type of childhood epilepsy that was diagnosed at 12 weeks of age. My heart sunk and tears rolled down my cheeks as I read Katie's email about what she and Alex go through on a daily basis.
This is why I do what I do. Photographs are more than a piece of paper, or something to brighten up our computer screens. Photographs are a way to hold onto something that once was, or to capture real personality and mannerisms. They tell the story of someone's life - with memories to be passed down generations. For Katie, these photographs serve as a very precious reminders of her wee boy, before the side effects hit.
When I met Alex, Katie, and Sue (Alex's grandma), on the day he began his first dose of intense steriods, I was blown away by the strength they have, and how perfect Alex is in so many ways. He is such good looking wee boy, with gorgeous shaggy hair, soft skin and a wee round face that tugs at your heart strings.
His health may be far from perfect, but as a beautiful, loving little boy... he is perfect. He is inquisitive and delightful. He loves exploring and running (...away from the camera...!), and he also loves cars and tractors! Katie has to be in the running for the world's greatest mother, she does such a great job.
Alex is such a sweetie, and Katie is so proud of him. She loves him more than anything - and his sweet wee laugh and the way he looks at her, is testament to how much he loves her back. Things are definitely not easy though. Alex spends his days going in and out of hospital, getting therapy, treatments, medications and he still suffers from many seizures, sleepness nights, and a heap of other side effects.
I love that no matter what the circumstances, the bond between a mother and her child is unbreakable and unconditional.
After running around the playground and fields, Alex found a small creek which he loved throwing stones into. It wasn't long before he was in the water in his shoes... and falling into the creek fully clothed!
A few wardrobe changes later, and Alex slowed down a bit as his energy faded a little. This was a perfect time for me to grab some 2 second shots of him and his adoring mother.
_I totally love the next three portraits. Alex calls Sue "Mema Chickens", because she has free range chickens at her house, that Alex adores! I think that is the cutest thing ever. Sue was so great to have on the photo shoot too - her energy and beauty was awesome. It was really special that Sue could be down from Christchurch for the shoot, because Alex just thinks she is the bees knees! Talking with Katie since this shoot has really taught me a lot. Her strength and positivity, amongst what is a really difficult lifestyle and situation, is hugely admirable. She is so smitten with her wee boy, and rightly so! Yet poor wee Alex goes through so much more than what I can ever imagine, and the steroids have only had negative side effects so far. I have been reminded to take time to be thankful for what I have, and to take life's small curveballs in my stride. There are so many people dealing with so many difficult issues, who still smile, love and bless others hugely. Katie and Alex have been a big blessing to me in the past month or so since I have met them. They are both amazing people with huge hearts, and I just hope that you will join with me to pray for a miracle for wee Alex as they try to find a suitable treatment and medication for him.
Thanks so much Alex, Katie and Sue, for playing with me that afternoon! My thoughts and prayers are with you all xoxox
Natalie, Steve and Bella Young make up the perfect little family. Bella is probably one of the cutest toddlers walking the planet right now. At 19 months, she is super smiley, super energetic and SUPER cute!! One of those girls you just want to pick up and squooch into your face with hugs and kisses. I think I just made up that word... squooch... but it's a goodie, so I'm gonna stick with it.
We met in at Ross Creek in December for this family shoot, and I swear I left much cluckier than I was when I arrived. I had SO much fun with these guys, and I love the images... so I have a few to share with you!
There is something very amusing and cute about the waddling nappy-bum walk of toddlers. Note though: it ain't so cute when when you are an adult, don't try and imitate.
Little Bella is pretty spunky, and she knows it...
Natalie and Steve rock at this parenting game. They adore Bella and have so much fun with her!
I love this image, not for any technical or artistic reasons, but simply because it just sums up Bella throughout the shoot completely. She is so independent, and couldn't have been happier than when she was running and walking by herself... smiling and giggling... and being ever so mischievous!
She hasn't quite mastered the art of smelling flowers yet though...
Some people are destined to make beautiful little people. When you look at Steve and Natalie, it's no wonder Bella is an absolute little stunner.
This is one awesome family right here...
Bella was so intrigued by the pond... she wanted to be by the water at every possible opportunity.
She even tried to take matters into her own hands...
I think this inquisitive little face right up in my camera meant "Will you take me home, Kim?"... at least that's what I was hoping anyway.
Thank you all for the awesome opportunity to photograph your family - I absolutely loved it, and I am so glad that you adore all the photos! Bella, thanks for being too bloomin' cute, and for holding my hand while we walked together. Have a wonderful 2012! xx
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