Merry and Bright: A Bear and Dragon Adventure

When I first started thinking about what makes for a special holiday location, the answer was of course adventure, fun, sparkly things, love and a field of Christmas trees. Thus launched the search for just the right grove, not too far, featuring a charming collection of future Christmas Trees and the most tricky, somewhere I could located the farmer to ask permission! The first attempt, I must admit, was a bit of a failure. Check out our Perfectly Imperfect holiday session from 2016. Next year was a little better. Test shoot went great but having waited for a timely November date, when the day came, it was windy, almost freezing temperature and at about an hour drive away in the end, I had to cancel. Lesson learned!

Having learned from these failures, I finally found the right formula, a balmy mid-October date and instead of an hour drive, I was incredibly lucky to find a PERFECT little farm right in Zemst, only 25 minutes north of Brussels. And thus was born Merry and Bright, a Bear & Dragon Adventure.

Styled for the holidays but laid back enough to qualify as a family session location, Merry and Bright is truly a joyful and fun event I count the days down to each year. Check out some of the previous year’s snaps. Hope you can join us!

The 2018 Bear & Dragon Adventure Line up

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Adventure ahead! So much as grown and developed over the last year. Kids are getting older and even B3 starting creche soon. New studio space and a more developed eye in the studio sessions. Truly I am in love with this space!

That said, I am sooo ready for some outdoor adventures.  The trouble is I really loved all of adventure sessions in 2017. Honestly I cannot cut a single one. Thus, time to be creative, explore and break new ground in yet unphotographed corners of Belgium. 🙂

2018 Bear & Dragon Adventures 

What is a Bear & Dragon Adventure? A 30 minute family photo session always in a special location which highlights the peak of the season. Sessions also have a special price, usually 150 EUR (sometimes more if the location charges a fee for use) and include 8 images of your choosing.

Always very popular, if you would like to learn about the dates and times before they are release officially, you can sign up for the advanced notice list here.

Amongst the Apple Blossoms: Spring brings the blossoming of millions of apple, pear and cherry blossoms in the Belgian Haspengouw region. Not to be missed! Mid April. Check out last couple of years here and here.

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Bluebells are Ringing: Capture the magical bluebell forest in Hallerbos. Our most popular spring session. Late April. You can see some examples here and of course below.

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Botanical: I have fallen in love with the Botanical Gardens in Meise and am excited to welcome you to a special session inside the Green House. Explore the jungle, the desert and the Savannah in this lush Belgian icon.

cuties!

 

A Splendid Harvest: A return to the Apple Orchards to capture the ripeness of summer and transition to fall.  This ended my being ab absolutely gorgeous day that started misty and turned sunny with a looong sunset. Here is our family album.

Roxana Liao apple harvest for websharing-8

 

La Vie est Belle: Similar feeling to the Royals session, La Vie est Belle is set in another iconic Belgian property, Horta’s own country house in La Hulpe.  Come dressed to the nines for this very special art deco adventure. Check out Royals here.  Early October.

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Merry and bright: A trip to the Christmas Tree farm just over the border in NL is about as merry as it gets.  Sadly, this event was cancelled last year due to freezing rain and mud. I have learned my lesson and decided, why not bring Christmas forward to September and forget about the cold weather, viruses and last minute rush to get your cards printed. Why not?! Mid September.

Merry and Bright

 

A Walk through Time: Set in the 13th century Abbey, Rouge Cloitre, this adventure offers up the height of fall colors in a timeless and stunning location. Mid October.

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Sea of Leaves: Autumn finds the lawns of Parc Cinquintenaire ankle deep in an amazing sea of fall leaves and colors. Our most popular fall session. Check it out here and here. Early November.

Johanna Schulyok Sea of Leaves for websharing-24.jpg

Happy birthday (merry christmas) to my little man! aka the bunny sessions

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Happy birthday bunny rabbit

Its better late than never, no? Second baby guilt was setting in over a month after Babatwo’s first birthday came and went and still no photo session. Sorry little man! So I took a pause from my business editing schedule  (you know who you are) and had a blast with my little man playing with some Christmas goodies, laughing and carrying on like we do.

Ah my little man, you are such a big personality. Like momma in so many ways and sure to be a driving force in our family. Love you more than words bunny rabbit!

Peep
Peep

Snuggle with me
Snuggle with me

Yeah!
Yeah!

Berries
Berries

Angel cheeks
Angel cheeks

Eeeee
Eeeee

All of my heart
All of my heart

The magic of KIDS!

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The princess and the pepper pot

Kids! Amazing in so many impressive ways. I have to admit, my personal experience is mainly with babies at the moment but I continue to be blown away by kids. The energy, the fun, the always honest approach to life. 🙂 I have recently had the pleasure of working with lots of these awesome kids in the 2 – 6 set. The enclosed is one of my recent favorites. I just sit back and click, they bring the fabulousness.

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Sisters

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Perfect form

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In flight

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Us girls

Merry and Bright

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Make a wish

Happily it has been a very busy holiday season with LOTS of gorgeous families, kids and babies in the studio! But what kind of photographer would I be if I did not dress up my own darling for some time in front of the big camera. Its hard to believe she is getting so big. My Christmas angel.

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Jingle Bells

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The light

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Deck the halls

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Back to more important things

Life these days

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A walk in the leaves

The holidays are here. Somehow this year it is a mix of the familiar and the totally new. The year beats a rhythm, and I love to dance. Now the lights, the smells, the cookies, good cheer…all of it feels like a warm hug but somehow I am seeing it now with new eyes. That in fact it is part of a rhythm, a dance, a banner that smooths the ups and downs and somehow brings us closer. As a mother of two amazing babies, wife and world explorer I have turned a new page. Some fear or dislike growing older but feeling now the passage of time, I feel emboldened, more present than ever, loved and loving. I hope this holiday, you take each moment for the gift it is. The ripening of promise and the comfort of familiarity.

Please enjoy these snapshots of a blooming of Christmas cheer. Ho ho!

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Dusk

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Kisses for Nona

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Older and wiser

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Fair isle

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Comfort call

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Diva

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The prince

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Siblings

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Life these days

 

Love kills cancer

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Play, love, laugh

Over the holidays I had the extreme privilege of taking portraits of a family living its way through cancer. Johan is almost like family to us and I am grateful that I was invited to spend the afternoon with this incredible and kind family.

A beautiful love story and now many years and six kids later, they nestled in for the holidays to celebrate life, love and family. In our thoughts and prayers too.

Update: Bengt passed on February 9, 2013 surrounded by his family. I am proud to have met him.

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All smiles

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Sisters

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Brothers

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Pillar

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Strength

Leksand Landscapes, aka frost is beautiful

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Skyfall

Can you tell I am catching up on A LOT of photo editing 🙂 After five Christmases in Sweden, I must say that it is beginning to feel a lot like home. Even though it is so very dark (sunrise at 9:00 and sundown around 3:30), it somehow feels very bright and beautiful. i especially love taking long walks in the forest. Have to burn off all that Christmas beer somehow right?

Although only gone a week, here is a somewhat nostalgic post of the fabulous landscapes deep in the heart of Sweden.

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Feel the glow

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Let’s fika – a delightful Swedish tradition

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True love lasts forever aka I have the most amazing in-laws

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Walk the line – the fence on the right is traditional to Dalarna. The one on the left isn’t. 🙂

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Frost is beautiful

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Super bad ass Volvo truck. This thing must be 100 years old. It is made of wood…

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Let’s ride

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Always Zoe

Snow day!

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First snow

Now home in Brussels but I had SUCH an amazing time in the winter wonderland of Leksand, Sweden. It is my second family home and I am so happy to be about to share it with them and now with you. More landscapes to follow. Cheers!

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yeah yeah whee!!

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Snow angel

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Snow man

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Love love love

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Lets ride