This post might border a little more on the personal side but I feel it is essential to know how much I valued Fabian and Mina and the time I spent with them during their photo session. When Mina (who is a talented photographer herself!) had emailed me wanting to book a session for her and her husband I was experiencing a season in my life which I had never experienced or encountered before and consequently, I had a lot of misgivings about finalizing a session for them. Life after loss affects every aspect of your life and I had just begun to discover that when a little more than a year ago my twin sons passed away. Loss shattered my world and shredded away any meaning that it could have for a long stretch of time. It was hard to see the purpose, the beauty, the promise of anything in life when so much was taken away from me. Since the boys passed away, I noticed my levels of creativity (if I can claim to possess any) were nonexistent. I couldn't pick up my camera, nor did I want to. It seemed so very purposeless to attempt to try and even more so when the world was absent of color. I could only see things in sadness and in the darkening light of things I had lost. To attempt to see it otherwise or even pretend otherwise would have taken a superhuman strength that I did not possess. But life doesn’t stop even when you feel it has. And Mina and Fabian were one of the first clients to reach out to me and want to book with me shortly after all that had happened.
Joshua and Réka reached out to me while they were planning a very simple and quiet morning wedding ceremony at one of Vienna's Standesamt (aka courthouses). They wanted to capture a few pictures of themselves before they went to the Standesamt and had their civil ceremony. I was more than happy to oblige, of course. (I love courthouse portrait sessions!) Joshua met Réka while on tour in Europe and ever since then it was love at first sight for the both of them. It was also clear from the start that they both had met their match. Joshua has a cheeky personality and Réka is impeccably calm and sweet. Both her sweetness and his spice are perfectly balanced out in their relationship.
Sasha and Jay just welcomed their newest addition into the family and wanted a quiet newborn family session in their home. Their little one was sleeping when I arrived, but he woke up so that he could grace me with his presence. And what a joyous presence he is! We spent the afternoon cuddling, kissing, and laughing with him. He was so tiny and so brand new that I pretty much had to suppress my squeals whenever I got to hold him; he is one beautiful tiny cherub.
I just can't even. And I don't say that lightly. This session had me in tears, in a good sobbing kinda way. First some back story; so I met Christina before both my feet even touched Austrian soil. I had posted a question in an online forum before I had moved to Vienna and she was one of the first people to respond. She was also one of the first people to invite me out to dinner when I got to Vienna. She's basically the first friend I had in Vienna. So I feel it's safe to say that she was my first girl crush I had here cause she was nice, helpful, and above all, caring. (How can you not crush on a person like that?) Our friendship was further solidified through an organization called Women of Vienna (this organization is a reoccurring theme in my life) and once I found out she also had some serious appreciation for Mexican food...well we're just friends for life now. #mexicanfoodloversunite
World, I would like to introduce you to Anastasia Popova of Bumaga. I first discovered her on Instagram through the hashtag #womenofvienna and ever since then I was hooked on her work. I appreciate all things beautiful and graceful and elegant and Anastasia's work is no different. Her calligraphy is the kind that makes angels sing and unicorns jump over pots of gold. Unlike the majority of calligraphy artists I follow on Instagram, Anastasia lived in my neck of the woods, right in the heart of Vienna. And I was fortunate enough to meet her in real life last year at a Christmas Market in Vienna.
