First look: Falling in love with fall family sessions

September 23, 2014 | lifeofbearanddragon

There are many reasons why I love my job but right now the top one is the sheer amount of time I am spending in luscious Brussels parks photographing beautiful families. To get very photography nerdish on you, the best thing of all is the light. Low, even and golden, it literally makes everyone glow. No wonder that this fall is shaping up to be one of my busiest ever. To top things off, due to the shortening of days, the so called “golden hour” is currently in reach even for our little people with the best light between 9:30 – 11 and 4 – 6pm. Hooray!

Today I share a very fun session set in one of my favorite parks, Parc du Cinquantenaire. At almost two, Leni-Marie was full of happy energy and played and laughed and let me chase her around with a camera for a good 90 minutes. A really wonderful time with a really wonderful family. Please enjoy.

First look: Balloons!

September 8, 2014 | lifeofbearanddragon

Marie first contacted me after she received a gift of a photo session from her partner. She had tons of great ideas on fun things to include in the session for her 10 month old, Diane. Summery outfits, bright colors and best of all…balloons! Now sure to be a staple in the studio, it was so much fun watching Diane play and intensely pursue these bright globes. A doll from start to finish and in an act of happenstance, sharing a birthday with my own babatwo.

Enjoy the show. 🙂

First look: Jumpin’ Jack

September 3, 2014September 3, 2014 | lifeofbearanddragon

What a week! Bababoo started school on Monday and I think she likes it. Come on, they have a pet rabbit! Excited to get to spend some one on one time with my little Babatwo who, let’s face it, is not so little any more. 10 months old on Friday, crawling and talking up a storm including a rather unusual first word, color.

It has been a busy time in the studio as people reach out for back to school and last summer hurrah in the park pictures. Last week I had the chance to meet a lovely American-British family, in for their first photo session with 3,5 month old Jack. Such a sweet boy and with the most amazing eye lashes. Why do little boys always have the longest lashes?!

Please enjoy these sweet pictures and the late summer bump of sunshine. Cheers!

Things to do with a toddler or baby in Brussels: Stroll through the forest at the Rouge Cloitre

August 22, 2014June 7, 2015 | lifeofbearanddragon

You can feel it, can’t you. The air is a little cooler. The forest a little quieter. And somehow the light has more gold in it than before. I just can’t help but fall in love all over again. Fall is coming.

We are making the most of our last summer days. Out and about, long walks, picking berries. I just can’t believe that my little Bababoo is starting school in a matter of days. Where does it all go?

Enough musing and on to the topic of this post! If you find yourself taking a drive down Avenue Tervuren, look for a sign on the right side of the road for the Rouge Cloiture. Located in the Forêt de Soignes, the Rouge Cloiture is one of our favorite places to get away. When we say, let’s go for a walk in the forest, this is where we mean. But the Rouge Cloiture is much more than just a beautiful forest. After a while, you emerge to find the Abbey which was founded in 1367. Lots of beautiful buildings and an art gallery but more often we are there to pet the muscular working horses, to take coffee and cake on the weekends or to just walk around the grounds. A perfect step away from passing time. It is truly a wonderful way to spend the day. To get you in the mood, I wanted to share a few snaps from a recent wander.

In Bear & Dragon news, things are already getting very busy for the fall. It seems I am not the only one who loves Autumn colors! I am planning a series of mini photo session in a location soon to be finalized. On hand will be gorgeous portrait and family photo set ups, great light and of course brilliant red, gold and green fall trees. Drop me a note at bearanddragonphotography@gmail.com to get on an early list. October weekend spots are already getting scarce!

Ciao bella

August 6, 2014August 6, 2014 | lifeofbearanddragon

Ahh vacation, you are sweet indeed. Just home now from our travels across Europe and down to Lake Como for two weeks of living la vida loco, oops, I mean la dolce vita. Our first road trip with the kids! They were troopers and after a stopover around Strasbourg, we hopped, skipped and jumped over the alps to the noble and stunning Como area. Just one hour North of Milan, Como is an incredible mesh of Swiss and Italian culture. Where the wealthy Milanese families escaped the heat, Como is now an eclectic mix of families, Russian mobsters (parlez-vous russain?) and elegant Italian matriarchs.

We stayed as always at a little house in Carate Urio found via our favorite site, airbnb. Though it rained much more than expected, we had a wonderful time eating lots of gelato, dipping into the cold lake and checking out the many small villages.

Now happy to be home in Brussels and buckled down for a busy fall. To reminisce, here are a few snaps to share. Enjoy!

Super Dad

June 1, 2014February 8, 2015 | lifeofbearanddragon

This morning I turned the page on my calendar and there it was, a mere 15 days away, Father’s Day! Why are dads SO difficult to shop for? On our possibilities list are a tie, a nice scotch, shaving kits, this amazing drawing replicator…you know, man things. I am not sure where we will land but while I have pappa on the brain, I would like to present some of the handsome and sweet pappas that have graced the halls of Bear & Dragon Studio. Cheers to all the pappas!

First look: Vanessa’s almost newborn session

May 22, 2014 | lifeofbearanddragon

I think it is clear by now that I really like babies, no? In many a newborn session, I get to roll them into cuddly little balls and put them in sweet baskets, blankets, momma or pappa’s arms. In the first 10 days, it is truly amazing what a baby will very happy do and sleep through as we work to get that perfect picture for an birth announcement or official debut to the world.

Lately I have been noticing an interesting trend of waiting until the 8 – 10 week mark when the little ones are a little more expressive and aware of the world. A chance to capture a slice of their growing personalities. Such was the case with little Vanessa who I first met during a planning session in the studio and then just one week later, in her idyllic home outside of Wavre. It was so lovely to capture this beautiful family in their home setting and to have nearly three hours with little Vanessa and her cheeks. Those cheeks!

Here to share with you today some of the highlights. Enjoy!

In celebration of momma

May 8, 2014May 8, 2014 | lifeofbearanddragon

Is it almost Mother’s Day in your country? In the US and many others, this Sunday is a day to celebrate the wonderfulness that is the momma or mommas in your life. Usually this means sleeping in, breakfast in bed, special cards or a present and maybe even something sweet.

One thing I hear from almost all my momma clients is “I am always behind the camera. There are almost no pictures of me and my kids!”. I hear you momma, it is the same here. What could be a better way to capture this moment than a photo session with your little ones. I know I am going to be putting the big camera in the hands of the Bear and hoping for the best. If you are a hint dropper, its not too late. Hope to see you in the studio, great outdoors or your home soon. For some inspiration, I present some sweet, hardworking ladies of the mom persuasion. 🙂

First look: Where the heart is

March 21, 2014 | lifeofbearanddragon

Spring, spring, spring! Here we come. There are flowers, new leaves, good smells and smiling faces. Between the early thaw and some time away in Australia, it almost feels like winter just breezed by. Spring brings many new things and in the Bear & Dragon studio, it means lots of gorgeous new babies.

I had the pleasure of stepping out of the studio for a wonderful session with three week old Charlotte and her parents. Don’t get me wrong, I love the studio and the space I work in but it was also fun to work in a new space on a nice sunny day to captures some special moments. Being photographed in your home brings a different quality to the images. They feel more like memories. A slice of a time that whizzes by and almost seems surreal when looking back. I am grateful to have been asked to photograph this beautiful and growing family.

Life of Bear and Dragon

A beautiful adventure in Brussels

Bear & Dragon