The 30 days of Beautiful grand finale!

December 4, 2015 | lifeofbearanddragon

dress up

Playing Dress Up: Its cold and scary outside so we are tucked in and playing a major league game of dress up in what else? Momma’s wedding dress! Doesn’t hurt to also test out my new zoom lens. May your day be dressy and bright.

How to you turn 30 days of beautiful into a 100? Put it in the hands of a busy photographer/mom of two fabulous mess makers/all around overcommiter, that’s how! Anyhow, just in time for the holidays, I present the wrap up of our 30 days of Beautiful. Cheers!

best friends

Spirit Animal: I can hardly think of a better best friend for this little girl. Fast and fierce she kept me on my toes for the whole session. Here settled in her perch, surveying the prey.

curls

Honest – Its a very busy time and I am loving it! Today is just because. This is just the sweetest little smile and it brightened my day

diverse

A big little world – Not only is this a beautiful family but they brought two new countries onto my map, Malaysia and Rwanda. Its a big little world out there and I love it. 🙂

Fall light

From a distance – There is something intriguing about seeing yourself from a distance. A silhouette in perfect fall light. This is life.

kisses

A rapture in color – One thing that draws me to a photo is the blend of color and texture. This beautiful family hit it out of the park in rose, teal, blue, golden yellow and a nice neutral. This handsome soon to be big brother offers a sweet kiss as the focal point of twirl of unconventional but perfect fall hues.

new

In this moment – This is a proud portrait of a momma on top of the world. She has her new baby, sweet husband and is surrounded by love. I chose this image because you can feel the happiness in her eyes and smile.

three

Three of a kind – It was one year ago when I first photographed this beautiful family upon the arrival of baby brother J. Though fall is winding down and we are digging in for a warm winter’s rest, it is wonderful to reflect on the colors of change, the growth of life and the passing of time.

you and me

You and me: The light in your eyes is an amazing thing. Its reflects perfectly what you see and in a focused picture, you can see amazing detail in the light in your eyes. The room, windows, the sky, and…me. They say there are two people in every photograph. The one being photographed and the photographer. I am so happy and proud to be a part of your pictures and a part of your lives. Cheers to 30 days of Beautiful!

zoe

Best friends – On this undeniably beautiful fall weekend we made for La Hulpe for a little adventure with my daughter’s best friend. It is lovely to see how already at this young age they have such a strong bond. And of course there is their favorite tagalong. : )

10 more days of beautiful

November 2, 2015 | lifeofbearanddragon

Gentle – Remember when they just fit into the crook of your arm. I do

After a short (eh hem) hiatus, I am happy to bring you even more beautiful. A recap of days 11 – 20

did you feel that — Did you feel that? – It is so much fun waiting for your first baby to arrive. The wonder at the very fact that soon you too will have a little baby to call your very own. This sweet couple embodies everything about that moment. Thrilled, overwhelmed, having fun and in love.

My new favorite toy – This new big brother is a tiny bit into trains… Of course we had to include his new little sister in his favorite track. Here he gives her all the love he’s got until the train rounds the corner

face to face — Face to face – Another simple is beautiful post. Beautiful morning, amazing color and the sweetest smile.

Waiting – Now I share a beautiful mum to be from South Africa. Something about the softness of the light brings me back to those quiet moments of waiting and hoping for the days to speed by so you can meet your first baby

Across the gap – With a seven year age gap, this big brother has saved up alot of hugs, kisses and advice for his little princess. He just could not stop touching and kissing her! The sweetest boy and the sweetest little sister around.

Let’s play – This is the second time I got to work with these handsome brothers. Here featured in a winner takes all game of peekaboo

geisha — When worlds collide – A very special morning session with these beautiful Japanese girls decked out from head to toe in kimonos. It is a tradition in Japan to photograph your children at a shrine to bless their growth. Lacking shrines in Brussels, they decide to capture the combination of cultures that forms their life

It’s you – Sometimes its just you. You are beautiful.

Flow – This photograph was taken towards the end of a really fun session in Parc Woluwe. It is actually based on another photo that the mother saw and loved. It took a bit of work on all sides to get the perfect shot of this lovely and wiggly one year old. Ta da!

First look: Welcome to the world baby girl!

October 7, 2015 | lifeofbearanddragon

Its been a little while since I shared some sweet newborn photos. Wait no longer!

I love working with newborns and I really get to geek out with the little girls. Flowers, crowns, pink blankets. You name it! This sweet baby girl was a perfect angel for her session and big sister was one of the most attentive around. I am not beneath some heavy bribery to get those lovely sibling pictures but there was no need with this one. She loved cuddling and kissing her new little sister.

I am really happy to share this session because it was more of a family than just a newborn session. I find that more and more, my newborn sessions are really a shapshot in the life of the whole family as they welcome a new one into their midst.

So welcome to the world baby girl! Enjoy. 🙂

Announcing our 2015 Fall mini sessions: A Walk Through Time and Sea of Leaves, part deux

September 27, 2015 | lifeofbearanddragon

The air is getting crisper, days shorter and the fall harvest in coming in. Welcome to Autumn! Autumn is my favorite season and Brussels sure knows how to put on a show. This fall I am proud to offer two special mini sessions in two very special locations:

A walk through time – October 24

My most recent favorite outdoor location for family sessions is the Rouge Cloitre which is a beautiful abbey located in the Sonian Forest just 10 minutes from the center of Brussels. Founded in 1367, it makes a very special backdrop for a fall session. Brilliant colors, large reflecting ponds and of course the abbey. You can check out a recent photo session at the Cloitre here.

The Sea of Leaves – November 7

We had such a good time last year that I decided to do it again! It doesn’t get more lush, lovely and fallish than rolling around in the enormous sea of leaves that carpets the iconic Parc du Cinquantinaire in early November. This setting is perfect to capture the changing season as well as showcasing one of the most beautiful parks in Brussels. You can check out some of my favorites from last year here.

We always hope for good weather but in case of rain, will reschedule for the adjacent weekend day or the following weekend. Space is limited and we tend to go to a waiting list quickly so please let me know very soon if you wish to reserve a place. Hope to see you there!

First look: A day of play at Rouge Cloitre

September 22, 2015 | lifeofbearanddragon

Two days in a row? That’s right!

I just wrapped up editing this super fun family session today and I could not wait to share. Sometimes I feel like once our children get older, we just get too busy to arrange a photo session. I also believe that some parents are afraid that their older children will feel self conscious or quickly lose interest in being photographed. Though it is more of a challenge than working with new babies and toddlers, I absolutely love working with kids. Using a series of games, including some solo exploration time and treating them with respect like the young ladies and gents they are, we have a recipe for beautiful and truthful moments.

This session embodied all of these elements. At six and four years old, these lovely ladies came ready for action. And with a strong “that’s for babies” radar, they kept me on my toes. It was a great 90 minutes and I am happy to share some of the good memories with you today.

Thirty days of beautiful

September 2, 2015 | lifeofbearanddragon

simple — Simple is beautiful: Beautiful baby, bright clean color and a super smile. Simple is beautiful.

Wow, a month since I last posted. That was a crazy month! Wonderful holidays in Sweden, return to a very busy few weeks with lots of new babies and sweet late summer sessions. Now bababoo restarts school and a collective breath is released across Belgium. Time to catch up. 🙂

I was recently challenged to post 30 pictures in 30 days to show some of my favorite photos. The most fun part in doing this has been thinking about the why. Why do some pictures just stand out as exceptionally beautiful. There is a small conflict in my own family about this very question. The bear tends to favor energetic and beautiful smiles that engage directly with the camera. While I love these as well, I also gravitate toward those that emphasize details or quiet moments where you get to see the other side of a child or relationship. At times the bear looks at one of these photos and says, “that’s a Nicole photo”. Guilty!

Though on my facebook page I am posting a photo each day (only missed two so far!), I plan on putting them together here every 10 days. I hope you enjoy them. The funny, the energetic, the sweet, big and small. To me, they are beautiful.

Anticipation: This summer, the forest floor in Sweden was literally carpeted in heavily laden blueberry bushes. Many a morning were spend on long walks to collect the bounty and afternoons turning them in to treats, eating whole or making all the white in the bowl of vanilla ice cream disappear. Summer days.

deco — On adventure: This sweet couple from Texas contacted me to take their vacation photos to the next level. This beautiful grate covers a shop down by Grand Place. The owner started to lift it as we walked up but was nice enough to give us a couple of extra minutes to capture young love against this very Brussels backdrop. Love

i love — I loved you before we met – I love the softness in their expressions and of course how very much they look alike. Totally at peace.

Laugh riot: Just weeks before her little sister is due to join, Imogen’s family scheduled a photo session to catch them just as they are now and to celebrate her as she is. I love working with grandparents. Here they are in a major tickle attack. smile emoticon

on the day you were born — On the day you were born: One of my favorite books to read my little ones goes, “On the day your were born and I put you to bed, I noticed the crown on top of your head”. This sweet kiss from a new mom reminds me of this passage and all the overwhelming feelings and love in your heart when you first meet your baby.

quiet — Quiet: There is no doubt that I love big smiles and big laughs but sometimes the most beautiful pictures come when you don’t even know I am taking one.

Last rays of light: After cruising the backroads in Leksand, Sweden for a couple of days, I finally found this gorgeous wheat field for a special session with my little ones. We borrowed traditional Swedish clothes and waited for the perfect sunset. Here is one of the first of the series. A story about fireflies. More to come. Happy Monday!

suprise — Surprise attack!: I love this picture because not only is it of a beautiful family but it comes from playing one of my favorite games, surprise attack! Step one: position unsuspecting parents next to each other and rascally children about 10 meters behind. Step two: On the count of three the kids get to run up and give a surprise hug from behind. They love it and the smiles speak for themselves.

First look: Happy birthday Locky!

July 22, 2015 | lifeofbearanddragon

Happy birthday boy

Greetings from the beautiful green forests of Sweden! Though my family is far away in the US, I love coming to my adopted second home and practicing my poor Swedish on unsuspecting locals. 🙂 On the menu for this get away are long walks in the forest, extended and potentially multiple daily naps and finally starting the real development of my “Photographing your Baby” small group class. More to come on that soon.

Holidays also give some time to look back and reflect on some of my favorite sessions from the first half of the year. I have some fun ones in store for you! The first little fella I want to share is near and dear to my heart. About eight months ago, I received a note from a very pregnant momma just about to move all from way from a sunny and summery Australia to a frozen middle of winter Brussels. As a fellow momma blogger, we connected right away and discussed ways to get oriented and survive the transition to the Northern side of the planet. We have since become fast friends and I was so happy to photograph her adorable two year old, Locky, on the occasion of his second birthday. As I often work with families, it was a nice treat to focus in 100% on one little guy. I was (literally) running all over Parc de Woluwe on a gorgeous July morning capturing Locky at what he does best; playing, exploring and being an all around cheeky monkey. Thanks to Maria’s commitment to great light we had a 7:30 am start time and it was totally worth it when I see the gorgeous glow surrounding this sweet little boy.

So join me in wishing a super happy birthday to this fantastic ball of energy. Cheers to you Locky!

A look back: Among the bluebells mini session

June 29, 2015 | lifeofbearanddragon

Now in the fullness of summer, spring feels like a sweet memory when we looked eagerly for the first leaves in the trees and then delighted at the explosion of color and sweet smells. Yumm. This spring was also marked by one of my favorite and sure to be a perennial mini session in the sea of bluebells covering the Hallerbos Forrest. I hope you all had a chance to check it out this year.

One day of mini sessions quickly became two and in the end 15 gorgeous families joined me in the woods for this special event. I am happy to share some of the photos with you today. Enjoy the breath of fresh air. 🙂

First look: A family by fate

June 16, 2015 | lifeofbearanddragon

There are many many types of families. Big and small, those grown through new marriages and those who are families are brought together by fate. Today I share some inspiration from one of the latter.

Those who have been on the long road of adoption can tell you, it can be difficult to keep that image of your complete family in mind. Something that requires enormous commitment, patience and love. With this in mind, I was so happy to work with this beautiful family after they welcomed their new baby boy home from South Africa. To make that image in their minds a reality that celebrates their new unity.

One more example of a love that knows no bounds. If you are on the same path or thinking about adopting, I hope you find the same inspiration I did in this lovely story.