C. Family photos, Cluj Napoca
Livia reached out to me a few days after I posted on TikTok that I was taking clients in Romania and immediately booked a family shoot for her family. I dunno if I come across like I know what I’m doing but I promise you I had ZERO clue how to intake clients in another country while back here, and even less how to find locations and lighting that suited each client. But slowly and surely, with Livia’s suggestions, a plan was hatched.
Birds chirping and road rage
Ionut and Dani were kind enough to tag along with me and drive me to our location. We were waiting in the car, very early in the morning, waiting for Livia and her family’s car to pull up. I was just marveling to Ionut how quiet and calm it was even in the middle of the city, you could even hear bird chirping. It was so serene and beautiful. Then, out of nowhere two cars almost collided. The aggravated driver rolled down his window and broke that pristine silence by shouting a most unmentionable suggestion towards the other man’s mother. (I’ll let you use your imagination on that one) We laughed so hard at the absurdity of the moment and the extremes Romania tends to exist in – one moment you’re marveling at its beauty, the next you get to hear a phrase so filthy it makes your ears burn. Dani immediately pocketed that expression as you can imagine and as for us, well we were just happy she took an interest in the Romanian language – foul or not.
Let the photoshoot begin
Once my clients showed up, and we all properly met one another, it was a real challenge to stay focused on taking photos because Livia and her husband and mother in law (also named Irina!) were an absolute delight. They live in Switzerland but were visiting in Romania and our paths managed to cross for this experience. And honest to god, if we can swing it we plan on visiting them soon. THAT’s how much we loved them.
Goodbyes and see-you-laters
Once we wrapped up our shoot, we stayed and chatted way too long, took photos together and enjoyed the amazing views. Driving home we kept saying how fun it is to talk to young smart ambitious Romanians and to hear how big they live life. How filled with optimism they are and how inspiring it is to be around them. Gone are the days of grouchy easter European stereotypes in this generation. Young people have hope for a better future, for a better community and a better country. It’s DELIGHTFUL to see.
Book a shoot for your family
If you loved this session and want to see more please visit my portrait section on here. I am a wedding and portrait photographer, I specialize in branding, families and empowerment portraits of women – but I like to think of myself as an artist that celebrates each season of a woman’s life, documenting every important milestone. Family portraits are near and dear to my heart. Us moms do so much for our families and we deserve to have living proof that we existed, that we loved, and we were loved back and that it was beautiful.
Print your photos
Listen – I’m hoping on my little soapbox for just a sec to encourage you to print photos of your family and put them up in your home. STUDY AFTER STUDY shows that kids that grow up in homes where there are family photos (even unconscious memories, meaning memories they were too young to remember) report better self esteem, better testing performance in school and a stronger sense of belonging.
Professor Geoff Beattie, Head of School and Dean of Psychological Sciences at the University of Manchester stated:“We cannot underestimate the power of photographs to keep us feeling linked to others and belonging. They cement us into our networks. For children in particular, looking at photographs is part of the socializing process; learning who you are and where you fit into the family. By displaying photographs of our children at different stages of their lives, we are making a very public statement that we are proud of them.”
And listen – if you have a lot on your plate, give me a call and I’ll order prints for you so all you have to do is put them up! OK IM DONE LECTURING! I’M SORRY I LOVE YOU! OKAY?!