FAMILY PHOTO SHOOT AT JARDIN DES TUILERIES WITH RIME AND FAMILY

Having met so many women during photo sessions, if I had to select one in honour of International Women’s Day, it would be a woman that I had the opportunity to meet a few months ago.

Last October, Rime called me to organize a last minute family photo session. She didn’t tell me which members of the family would be involved. I imagined Rime was a mother of two, probably because of the stress I heard in her voice when trying to find a time slot in what must have been a very busy schedule. At first, she suggested Montmartre, a lovely and photogenic area for family portraits. But instead, I suggested that Jardin des Tuileries was more suitable for a family, and she agreed! As I always do, I set the meeting point at the entrance of the garden on the Concorde side, so it’s easier for everyone. As soon as I arrived, she phoned me so we could find each other.

After a brief introduction, she brought me to the fountain not far from the entrance and introduced me to her parents. She explained that the photo session was a gift for her parents who were visiting for a couple days and she wanted to create nice memories for them. I said hello to the couple but we could not communicate much as they could not speak French or English. I’m not sure where they came from, but Rime gave them instructions in a language I could not understand nor recognize and I didn’t dare to ask straight away. We started the walk through the terrace garden with its gorgeous view of Paris, and enjoyed the colorful autumn leaves on the trees and on the ground. It was all a lovely extension of the beautiful summer we’d had.

We couldn’t walk much since Rime’s parents would get exhausted, so we stayed around the terrace where there were hundreds of opportunities to create meaningful memories: greens chairs, Parisian benches, trees, fountains, nice views of Paris… What else can one ask for? The elderly couple played the game extremely well even though we could not understand each other. They were communicative in their own way, smiling and laughing when posing in front of the camera.

After half an hour of posing here and there, we stopped the photo shoot because the couple started to be tired and Rime walked with me to grab a coffee outside the garden to get change and pay me for the photo session. While just the two of us, we exchanged more intimate words and I finally asked her about their family story. Her family comes from Palestine and it had been a long time since she had seen her parents. They were growing old and she was not sure when she would have the opportunity to see them again. Recently, they had been rather depressed and she hoped that a photo shoot would make them feel better before they return home. Hearing those words, I got goose bumps all over and it reminded me of my own family story.

I was very touched by her words: “I managed to make them laugh and this is all that mattered to me. Thanks Paulette for your generosity”. This photo session is by far the most beautiful I’ve ever had, featuring an ageing couple in their seventies with a painful story but who can still find the energy to smile, laugh and have faith in life!

A FAMILY PHOTO SHOOT AT JARDIN DES TUILERIES WITH ANA , SILVIA AND FAMILY

Looking at them you’d think they’re Scandinavian, but they're not. Tall and slim with blond hair, you can tell the Lagos sisters are definitely Latino listening to them talking to each other in Brazilian Portuguese. Ana has been living in Paris for over a decade and her older sister Sylvia has been in London for more than 20 years. Sylvia and her kids, 11-year-old Clarissa and 9-year-old Daniel, are enjoying the school vacation to visit Ana and dog Frère Jacques in the City of Light. And it’s the perfect moment to capture family memories.

 We meet at the entrance of Jardin des Tuileries in front of the big wheel on Place de la Concorde and I recognize Ana immediately, whom I met couple of years ago. But this time, something has changed for sure. She’s not the same, she looks very different. If I had to describe her in 3 powerful words, I would say: stunning, happy and PREGNANT! She is big but not enormous for being a pregnant woman, now at 6 months and you can tell all the weight is concentrated on her belly. And no wonder why! She’s expecting twins! :)

I'm so excited, this is just the kind of photo shoot I dream to have more often: adults, children, a pet and—above all—a pregnant woman! What more can one ask for? And what do you think the icing on the cake is? The weather's been terrible the whole week, but this morning the sun is out and the sky is blue. I'm lucky and must have been good in a previous life! :)

We start our photo session around the terrace garden, as dogs are not allowed inside. We have fun posing during the walk and really connect. I'm so touched seeing how close the whole family is. You can see the love bursting between the sisters as well as the kids! We talk together a lot during the photo shoot. We take little breaks sometimes and laugh and tell each other stories in a whole mix of languages. I speak French with Ana, English with Sylvia and the kids; the sisters speak Portuguese with each other and we all mix the languages up talking to Frère Jacques the dog! :)

What a morning! Lots of walking, making great photo shots and having nice chats. Laughter and a great time in just a couple of hours. I wish every day could be like that, but sometimes bad moments don’t hurt so we can enjoy and appreciate the good ones. I went back home really looking forward to seeing the results! I send a few pictures to the family in the afternoon and the reply is short but says it all: “we LOVED it!”. How else can one feel after that but incredibly happy? 

The one lesson I’ll remember from that session is that success cannot only be measured by the amount of money you make by selling a service, nor the quality of the product or service you provide. Above all, it’s the impact, emotions and happiness that you create through connections with people! Photography is for me the best job in the world.

PARIS PHOTO SHOOT AT JARDINS DES TUILERIES WITH MELANIE

It's one of those beautiful winter Saturdays when the sky is blue, the light soft and pretty and the temperature warm enough to go for a wander on a photo session. Melanie, the woman I’m meeting at Jardin des Tuileries, near Place de la Concorde, has been planning for it and she’s so lucky that it's very mild weather for December.

We are meeting at the front entrance early in the morning before the park gets crowded with locals and tourists exploring the many beauties and treasures it has to offer. As first impressions go, my client seems friendly and beautiful, yet a little reserved so challenge #1 will be to make her feel relaxed and comfortable during the photo session so we can get the best results she’ll be expecting, even though she's never done this before.

Melanie has been living near Paris for couple of years already and moved to the Paris for work a couple of years ago. But as is sometimes the case she never has much opportunity to visit Paris as she lives and works in the suburbs about an hour away from the city center. When we meet, she told me the reason she decided to do this solo portrait session: the photo session is a gift to herself, as a memory of her time in Paris to immortalize the present moment and one day be able to say that she's lived in Paris, one of the most beautiful cities in the world :) 

We walk around the park and pick various great spots with little Parisian details as a background setting: a view of the Eiffel Tower, the Concorde wheel, the fountain, a tree, a statue, etc. The opportunities for a portrait photo shoot in Paris are infinite; this is what I truly love about this city!

As time passes by, the park gets busier with people enjoying the unusual winter sunshine and gorgeous light: Just what I need for my photography portrait session! As we head to les Jardins du Louvre to get a couple of nice shoots, Melanie has graciously learnt how to behave in front of the camera. Modeling does not have any more secrets for her: She knows how to move, smile, stand, sit and walk, and all very naturely! Who said that being a model was an easy job?

If you haven't tried the experience yet, book one of my photo shoot packages and you can find out what it’s like:)

 

 

EIFFEL TOWER PHOTO SESSION WITH AMANDA AND ANDREW

There are days when you feel lazy and do not want to leave the apartment. Yet I have to as I have a photo shoot at the Eiffel Tower today. Luckily it's not as early as usual; my appointment is only at 11AM. I finally leave the apartment and make my way slowly to the metro station, which takes me to the meeting point in less than 45 minutes. But I end up arriving late all the same which I didn’t want because it’s not professional, but I will say it was not entirely my fault: The train always gets delayed when it’s not the right time, but it still means I have to run to the appointment.

I apologize to Amanda and Andrew when I arrive of course. They’re a young and lovely couple and have traveled from the US. I feel so grateful at that moment: How many foreigners want to see the Eiffel Tower but once in their lifetime, and I actually live here, in Paris, right in the center and I can see it anytime I want. Amanda and Andrew seem not to be typical Americans and that’s the first thing they tell me when we meet: We don’t want to do the classic poses the Americans usually want to do! :) But any crazy ones, just for fun, to remember their crazy time in Paris

We start walking and I was really amazed how comfortable they are with the poses. Amanda jumps on Andrew's back, they hug, they kiss very sweetly, they look at each other tenderly and even though they've been together for over a decade, they look as much in love as if they’ve only just started dating... Lots of emotion wells up seeing that.

After having done all the crazy things they can do, we walk towards the river Seine for a quieter time to capture the final memories. A couple of shots more here and there hand in hand in beautiful light before I put all my equipment back in my bag to run to the next photo session at idyllic Bir-Hakeim Bridge.