Romeo Joe had so much personality.  He kept poking out his tongue at me, wanted to eat the flowers I bought, and when he did eat an apple, he tried to eat the whole thing in one mouthful.

We did get some lovely photos of him and his human between the antics.  This was a fun photo shoot.

Third in the photo series: Horses and their Humans
​Mister One is his show name, but he answers to Coco.  He is one very handsome horse.  He is very attached to Charlotte his owner and also loves Lady, the first pony in this photo series.
 
​These were taken at Lake Rerewhakaaitu, New Zealand.

The next in the Horses and their Humans series.  This is Charlotte with her horse Tom Hanks.  This was done in March 2021 at Lake Rerewhakaaitu, New Zealand.
Here the photos I have chosen for the series.

My new photo series has started. Horses and their Humans.
This first shoot was done at Lake Rerewhakaaitu, (yes that's how its spelt), 
New Zealand.

This is Emily and her pony, Lady.  
Done on a cloudy autumn morning, it soon warmed up, which was good as I was standing in the water, thigh deep, for some of the photos.

​Here are the pics for the series

I shot these photos on a cloudy spring day at the Mt Maunganui beach.  2 years prior on the same day, I was posting maternity photos of this same couple and their first baby maternity shoot.  

In another 2 years, will it be baby number 3?

My 50 faces photo project has taken a side path.  A few of my models also have been telling me they also own tutus.  Well I have to have a play if you tell me that.  Here are some photos I took of Yvette, of her 50 faces headshot and playing around after.

Anybody else rock a tutu?

There is a park next to our house, and in that park, hidden among a bunch of pine trees is this really cool rock formation.
When my niece Jade said she was coming for a weekend, I knew this was my chance.
I sewed up a tutu and use florist wire and beads to make a crown.

The day was freezing and raining, but I only had her for the weekend!  She was very brave.
Here a few of my favorite photos of her.

"What we play is life" -  Louis Armstrong

Stella Maris is so multi talented.  She has rising music/singing career and also does modelling.  When I wanted to do a vintage jazz singer shoot, I could think of no one else, but Stella to model for me.
I also knew the perfect location was the Princes Gate, an historical building which is a hotel and restaurant in Rotorua.  They also have a grand piano.

Lighting was a speedlight in a softbox to get  a music spotlight effect.
Camera was a Canon 70d with a 24-105mm lens.

A Day of Whimsical Happenings was a day of a limited number of mini creative sessions.  Each session had props and a setting that catered to each child and what they liked.    

Tui has an artistic soul and her colouring really suits the autumn, colours of nature.  I chose to do a Steampunk theme based on one of my favourite books as a child, The Faraway Tree, by Enid Blyton.  

The Faraway tree was located in The Enchanted Wood as was full of fantastical creatures.  Through the Enchanted Wood ran a train that went all the way to Toyland.  I think trains and Steampunk go well together, so that became the base of my idea.  A Steampunk creature waiting at a train depot in the Enchanted Wood.  A little Steampunk Fairy.

I made a no sew tutu made from coloured cheesecloth and lacy fabric.  I had a leather top to go underneath.  The wings shape was based from a pattern OxEyeDaisy.  To make them more steampunk I added a tie up corset/harness.  These were made  from a vinyl from Bunnings Warehouse with nuts and bolts.  The embellishments were from A Dozen Ideas.

On the day my husband asks,
"Why are you taking our clock down?"
"Because I'm going to nail it to a tree.  Where's the hammer?"
"Why are you nailing it to a tree?"
"Because that's where the train stops".....
Husband's face is comical with his 'shouldn't have asked look'.

These 2 sisters like pink and purple, tutus and butterflies.
I made heaps of butterflies from scrapbooking papers, and put them on wires, buntings and bluetack.  I made no sew tutus and I had coloured cheesecloth as tops / underdress.  The headpieces were from Cotton On.

Ngawai is friends with the Butterfly Sisters, so she wanted to do something similar to them.  Next to the location of the butterfly tree was this pretty flowering nook.  It reminded me of the story "The Secret Garden" which was my inspiration for her.  To top it off a little NZ native bird, a Fantail, kept chatting and flying around us for the photo session.  It was very sweet and magical.

As the flowers were purple, I put her in the purple cheesecloth and tutu.

For the 3 year old boy who loves pirates, my son and I had great fun making things for his shoot.  A raft made out of pool noodles and little cork boats on string.  My son had to try out everything to make sure they worked.  There were a few fails.  We found out paper boats look great in the sand but flop very quickly in the water.  We also found out that pool noodle rafts will barely hold up a big 12 year old lad in the water.  It may have held our 3 year old pirate, but to be safe we kept it on the sand.  We gave the pirate boy choices in pirate hats and patches, and the ones he is wearing is what he chose.  Also had to throw in some pirate balloons and chocolate gold coins.

I enjoyed this day so much.  I do want to do it again.

To see where I get help in photo prop creating, go check out my Pinterest board :  Calico Jo's Photo Prop creating board

xox
​Calico Jo

PHOTO SESSION BRIEF: To get some lifestyle family portraits to showcase a bit of Rotorua.  Photos to be sent to family overseas.
LOCATION: Lake Tikitapu
​CAMERA: Canon 50d with Canon 24-105mm lens and natural lighting.

Also did some photos in the Redwoods, Waipa Mill side.

"Families are like fudge - Mostly sweet with a few nuts"

xox
​Calico Jo