My Photoshoot Amongst the Bluebells aged 19 Months

 

It was a sunny morning!

 

I had the pleasure of photographing my granddaughter Bella at the weekend, she liked it so much she wanted to tell you all about it.

Hello everyone, my name is Bella, I’m 19 months old. This is my second photoshoot amongst the bluebells. I’ve been photographed many times because my grandmother is a photographer. (I call her yia-yia because her mummy and daddy are from Cyprus).

 

Me when I was just 7 months old. I was just a baby.

Look at me now I’m a big girl because I can walk, run, sing and dance and say lots of words too.

 
 

With my mummy. Look at my pretty dress. I haven’t got very much hair.

 
 

With my mummy again, she still looks the same but look at me, I’ve got lots more hair – mummy says she can’t wait for my hair to get longer so she can put a ribbon in it.

 

Did you know my yia-yia has been a photographer for over 35 years? She has been photographing families in the woodlands for a long time, especially when the bluebells are in flower. She said now is the time to book your photoshoot because they are only at their best for a little while before they die.

If you would like to have a photoshoot with yia-yia she is called Stella. She said to contact her before Saturday 20th April to book your photoshoot as there are a limited number of photoshoots available until 28th April.

She is very friendly and the photoshoot was great fun her phone number is 0777 181 0105 or email her.

I’m happy I have all these photos to look back on when I’m older to enjoy with mummy, daddy and all the family.

Yia-yia said to me “Be very careful Bella not to tread on the bluebells, they are very delicate and are to be treated with respect so they can keep on flowering every year”

 

With my daddy, he is lots of fun and very strong! It makes me laugh a lot when he does this.

 
 
 
 

We sat on a pathway so we didn’t squash the bluebells.

We spotted an animal running up a tree, mummy said it’s called a skirril I mean squirrel.

 

The flowers tickled my nose when I smelt them. I tried to eat one but mummy quickly stopped me and said they are not food and not for picking. They are wildflowers. Yia-yia says I’m wild too…because I love being outdoors and running around, she calls me a little monkey.

 

I can walk and stretch too. I was pointing at a big bird in the sky called an aeroplane. Do you like my jeans and roll neck jumper?

We went for a wander down the lane afterwards…it was a bit chilly.

 
 

Then back to yia-yia’s to download, whatever that means!

 

I’m having lessons to learn how a camera works. I press this button called a shutter to take a photograph. Did you know the word photograph comes from the Greek word φωτογραφία? Meaning drawing (γραφία) with light (φωτο). I’m learning Greek too – yia-yia (pronounced yah yah) is the first word I have learnt so far.

 
 

This is my yia-yia taking a photograph of me and my mummy. Daddy took the picture on his iPhone.

This link tells you more about having a photoshoot.

Thank you for reading my story

Bella

Community and Connection - Then and Now

How times have changed in so many ways…

Today, 10th February, marks 26 years since I opened the doors to my shiny new portrait studio on Station Road East, Oxted– SMS Creative Photography – on 10th February 1997.

 A lot has happened and changed since then! Notably, the introduction of digital photography which completely changed the way I worked from 2001onwards! And since August 2019 the studio is no longer on the high street, having made the decision to work remotely nearby. SMS Creative Photography is now called Stella  – Premium Photography, Beautifully Presented.

Before 2001 it was a roll of film loaded in my 35mm Nikon with just 36 exposures. It would take a week or so to get the film back from processing. Black and white printing was very popular back then, especially when photographing babies & children. I used to offer a four part photo-shoot called ‘Baby Steps’ where I photographed babies at 3, 6 and 9 months and on their first birthday. This was very successful and most of these babies are fully-fledged adults now.

The one constant throughout my 26 years in Oxted is my amazing customers who without I would no longer be in business doing what I love – thank you very much!

This brings me to a collaborative project I am taking part in – organised by the female part of the Association of Photographers – the F22 group. The project is called COMMUNITY and CONNECTION  – for each member taking part to interpret the brief as we wish.

For me it was obvious to call back a handful of babies from the early days to photograph them holding their baby photos I took to show the passing of time. To me, this symbolises Community and Connection and how important printed photographs are.

It’s a curated online exhibition to celebrate International Women’s Day on March the 8th 2023. With the possibility of physical exhibitions, artists’ talks discussing their approach to the brief and future collaborations are in store.

I’d like to share with you the photographs I took. It was so lovely to reconnect with the families and to hear what they are up to. They all said they enjoyed taking part in the project and were proud to hold up how they once looked and to be photographed by me.

 Please feel free to get in touch if you have a project in mind – 0777 181 0105, be great to hear from you.

Thanks Stella

 #aopF22community