The crazy ones… We don’t celebrate them enough!
As Apple once famously said:
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”― Rob Siltanen
When I say crazy ones, I mean the children who are the live wires, the extroverts, up to mischief, the cheeky ones, the restless, the inquisitive adventure-seekers – the ones who vie for attention, the rebels, the fun personalities of the family…
And I say “Here’s to the parents of these crazy ones!”
But there’s often a common worry of the parents of these souls? Often they (and usually the Mums) say to me “Oh, I’d love to have a family shoot, but I don’t think my kids would behave; they’re crazy ones! Maybe it would be a waste of time…?”
I think that’s such a shame to hear. Yes, I know that traditionally the ‘family portrait’ is all neatly grouped & posed, all looking into the camera smiling (the Granny pleasers) – which I get plenty of – but things have moved on so much these days. I refer to myself as a ‘Lifestyle Photographer’, but what is that exactly?
Well, ‘Lifestyle Photography’ lies somewhere in between documentary photography on the one hand, and classic portraiture on the other hand. A documentary photographer will have a “fly on the wall” approach, catching life as it is, without trying to interfere with what is going on. He or she will tell the story of real life, as it happens, while trying to be as transparent as possible for his/her subjects. Whereas a photographer specialised in classic portraiture will try to have full control over what is in the frame: light, backgrounds, clothes, poses, props. He or she will be in charge of how their subjects position their bodies, move (or not) and will control everything up to the angle of their head or how their hand is laying on their lap.
My own take on lifestyle photography is a mixture of authentic and staged. What I am photographing could actually happen in real life (in my opinion, this is the core definition of ‘lifestyle’), however I would never have captured such a variety of images in such a short amount of time if I had not interfered. I try to create opportunities during my sessions, that will generate real-life type of images. These might not have spontaneously happened at that specific moment if I hadn’t been there to jump-start them.
How I enjoyed pulling out these shots for you to see… Each and every one of the ‘crazy ones’ make me smile – recalling so much fun and genuine laughter! I can never bear to leave these out of portfolios – just the best moments where real characters shine through… I consider my work such a privilege that I get to share quality time with so many fantastic families – all perfectly imperfect in their own way! I have lots of ways to cajole, play, coax, laugh & encourage these characters – and I’ll let you into a secret, it’s quite often it’s the BIG kids too (I’m referring to you Dads!)!!
SO many times, these candid moments become my favourite photos of the session. It’s where the real shines through… And I love getting Mums and Dads to join in the silliness of these crazy ones too. In this hectic world, sometimes we need permission to just ‘be’ – let the kids play, and be that fun parent we wish we could always be! And often these crazy ones just need a little wander, a little play, a starring moment of their own away from the group – a peek at my camera screen, even take a photo of Mum & Dad themselves! There’s a multitude of ways to encourage these unique personalities.
May I say “Here’s to the crazy ones & the crazy moments!” (often my favourites)…
Please do take a couple of minutes to enjoy these fun & fabulous candid moments from many of my family sessions… And think about booking your own – whether you have crazy ones or not!
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And my very own ‘crazy ones’ … mid shoot (check me out, reflected in the ‘Y’)!
Childhood is so fleeting, and truly “the days are long, but the years are short”…! Let’s get talking to capture your family memories and freeze your own special moments in time… Gift Certificates available for all occasions!
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Hello, my name is Victoria and I am a Lifestyle Family Photographer based in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
For me, Photography is an essential way to preserve priceless memories and freeze moments in life. Time is all too fleeting and before we know it, the years pass by and we look back and wonder where the time went. We can’t stop time, but maybe – if I had a super power – that is what I’d wish for. Our best chance is to document our lives so we have a window into our past that we can visit whenever we like. I find so much joy in using my skills to create priceless memories for others. It challenges my mind and breathes energy into my soul. I celebrate freezing those moments to capture not only the big picture, but also the beautiful details and time-capsule minutiae, to celebrate the love and connections within family and friendship.
