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Satya tells you what her shoot was like

Learning with Mandi | Photographing Children

Before:
So you wanted a flash camera so you could take flash pictures of your beautiful baby.  But you use it like a point and shoot on Automatic settings.   And the results you are getting are more often like this:

 

After
I teach a photography course for new parents that lets them figure out what the heck to do with their camera before the baby is born or after they have tried on their own and gotten frustrated with the results.  Many people decide to take a DIY approach to family photography.  That is fantastic....but learn how to use that camera you spent your money on.  Get your money worths out of it.  If you have found that manuals drive you nuts and you just can't wrap your head around aperture and speed and all that stuff then come and take a course with me.  The images in this blog post have not been touched in Photoshop   They are the images of a participants son before she came to our children's photography course (they were on her card when she arrived)...the ones below were the ones she took on our course with our lovely models and their mums.  The children's course lasts three hours and covers the basics of using your camera, how to work with squirelly children and bring out the best in them.  We provide models to shoot and you get you have great fun chasing them.  It is a hands on practical course but you do the messing with your camera.  I just show you how to do it. Most people learn much easier this way.  So that is why we do it. The course costs less than just one image from my studio if you think about it...and you can't take me with you on your vacations...unless you are going to France or Greece...then it is negotiable :).

Here is the link if you want to learn a bit more about the course

Elegant Elin | Wellington Model Photography

Boobies, Bickies, and Bear Farts...who knew? | Wellington Family Photographer

So I have known this family now for three years.  That little one in the Teepee...I knew her before she was outside of her mummy's belly.  Miss Catherine is one of my poster children.  I know this gorgeous creature...but on her third birthday...forget about it.  She wanted no part of this photoshoot...which was about Hamish the gorgeous addition to the family.  While her mum was sitting in the makeup chair getting spoiled rotten by Renee, I was trying to sneak some shots of Hamish off.  Catherine had other ideas.  She stomped her little feet and tried to shoo me away from her little brother like I was a cat that was being naughty.  She was the ultimate gorgeous little mini diva detesting the paparazzi.  That is until I gave her a bickie.   Sometimes they work a treat... Never underestimate the power of a good bickie.   However...this reprieve only lasted until I started paying attention to Hamish again then all bets were off. Hmmmm.  WHat is a photographer to do.  My heart was breaking.  I love Miss Catherine...she is my gorgeous girl.  But nah...today she would have none of aunty Mandi.  We tried relocating down in the garden and setting up the most gorgeous teepee...Brilliant Idea except nope she didn't really feel like coming out of such a beautiful setting.

So I farted.

Yes you heard me right.

When ever I am stuck for what to do.   I fart.   Usually it is with my mouth. (for the record it was this time as well).

Catherine decided that a fart was worth a peek out of the tent.   I asked her if it was her who did it.  She flattly denied it.   I asked her if it was her daddy?  She gave him a suspicious look.  Then it ripped again.  Head popped out one more time.  This time I told her I was so clever that I had identified whom it was who had done such and unsightly thing.  She demanded to know whom it was!

"The bear in the woods of course."   This she found absolutely hilarious.  (to my huge relieve...I was slightly concerned it would send her cowering all the more in her teepee).  But now our Catherine the Great strode out to show that  bear her bare bum.  GORGEOUS!  Then we were off cooking with grease.  Here are some sneak peaks from their shoot. And an introduction to the most chilled out 9 day old I have yet to meet.  Hamish.  Hamish made one peep the entire session.  Was given boobie and he was sweet.  Simple life.  Gotta love it.  SO LOVE THIS FAMILY.  So looking forward to photographing them in their new home for Hamish's first birthday!  Yeah!

Tea Party Under the Trees

Some days just require Tea Parties under the trees.  Samantha Hannah and her beautiful daughters, Tomasina and Xavia were my willing subject for a video project I am working on.  We ate cupcakes and played leap frog, chased kittens, and twirled.  Yes there was lots of twirling.   I wish I had some shots like this of me and my mum.  We used to do stuff like this all of the time.

Nicole's amazing Imagination | Creative Wellington Photographer

Nicole is the sort of little girl that can draw you in hook line and sinker to her adventures.  And those adventures abound.  She came just for a portrait session but it rapidly turned into an Imaginarium shoot that I had to cast and angel witch for later as Nicole spun the story of the Angel Witch that was chasing her and her mum about the enchanted forrest.  There were liberal sprinklings of fairy dust and multiple costume changes required for this set of adventures.   SO gorgeous!

 
 
 
 

Here is the angel witch that we photographed as well soon to be making an appearance in Nicole's Imaginarium. Ella Bourke is the model and volunteered for the role which we shot on a frenic day with three other Imaginariums.  Mark from GetFunkd on the Terrace and Claudine Stace MUA were the artists behind the look.

Model For a Day | A La Mode Portrait Photography

If you want a solid idea of what a model for a day shoot is like make sure you hear what Shannon has to say about her experience.   You get to watch her from her nervous start all the way through her excited finish. 

Curvy Girl Challenge : Wellington Photographer

Curvy Girl Challenge: Dob in your favourite curvy girl for a makeover, photo-session, and print.

 (this is me by the way)

“I am too fat to be photographed...I will do it once I have lost x amount of weight” - I hear this comment more times that I can count.  I hear it weekly. Drives me up a tree.  Not because it means a delayed session...it is because of what it represents about our culture.  Here is what I am usually thinking but very rarely say...now I am going to say it.

 After lovingly mentally shaking the person who has said it..."Seriously? Do you really think you are less of a person because your bum is bigger than is was when you were 17? All that you are...all that you have achieved... it isn’t worth celebrating because you feel you have a slightly lumpy bum? If you have kids...do you think they will love you any more when you have a skinny bum? No but they sure as heck will be sad when they look back over the pictures of their childhood and you are nowhere to be seen. You are a very important part of your family’s life. Stand up and be counted and acknowledged for your awesomeness now. A scale has no ability to indicate value of a human. Sorry it is not part of the software despite what we are told. 

Fashion Models are all photoshopped in the magazines anyway. If you want me to photoshop wiggly bits ...no drama, I am literally a master at it. I even have a certificate to prove it. "

I get it though.  I hate looking at pictures that people take of me when I am not aware where my bum looks much bigger than I ever allow myself to acknowledge it is.  I get it.  I am a expansively wonderful girl myself.  But I have children and I don't want to always be hiding behind the camera.  I want them to have a record of their childhood that includes me...because I am quite a major player in there too. Not just dad and the other kids. 

Usually we look bad in photos because we have never been taught how to show off our good bits.  We teach you how to do that at our studio so that any time anyone whips out their camera you will know how to not get blindsided on facebook.

So here is my next challenge. Dob in your most deserving curvy girl. Someone who you think would benefit from a free makeover and a free photoshoot, and a free 7x10 inch print.  Give us some good reasons why we should pick your deserving person.  We will pick one person and shoot a behind the scenes video and then feature the best images on our blog. You can nominate a friend, a family member or yourself.   To feature your lovely person please fill in the form below:

Ethereal Shannon | Wellington Photographer

Photography Mandi Lynn

Make Up and Hair: Renee Tomuri

Post Production: Mandi Lynn

Shannon is one of those creatures that is blessed with not only beauty, intelligence, and talent, but she is also an absolute honey to work with.   She claims she was a gawky ugly duckling only a year ago with her braces and glasses.  It is very difficult to believe now.   Keep tuned we are working on a highlights video of Shannon's shoot with us where she lets you in on what it is like to have an A La Mode Model for a Day experience. 

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