From pastels to rich ethnic flare

Usually my baby shoots have revolved around the 'cuteness' of a baby's world. They are always dressed in adorable little outfits adorned with animal characters and funny little sayings. With that of course comes baby elements such as rattles, toys or even a favorite lovey. I normally use blankets and pastel colored backdrops to create a sort of soft and cuddly environment which we automatically associate with babies.

However when Sumera Sehbai, mommy of 9 month old Rehan approached me, she had something completely different in mind. She wanted to dress her little man up in a traditional South Asian outfit called the Shalwar Kamees. That of course got my creative juices flowing and had me rambling through my closets to find appropriate props and backdrops to build the perfect ethnic scene for Rehan's 9 month shoot. I was super excited!

Instead of pastel I was thinking rich reds with mirror work and embroidery. I used a few simple elements to balance the richness of the colors because after all it was a baby shoot so I brought with me my favorite white shag rug and a plain white backdrop. Along with a few ethnic looking pieces at Sumera's house we were able to create the perfect setup for Rehan's shoot.

We started off with a few basic shots of him in his most comfortable attire, a plain white onesie. He looked so cute and innocent in his play clothes that I could have taken the whole shoot with him dressed up like that. He was so happy. We then changed him into his traditional outfit and thats when the real fun began with the props. We went from mirrored hat and waistcoat ensemble to baby cuteness with a red chair and then him just crawling around surveying his surroundings. He was truly the sweetest little thing and fit the picture we were trying to create so beautifully.

This shoot had me thinking out of the box and it could not have happened if it wasn't for Sumera's wonderful idea of wanting to dress her little guy in a shalwar kamees. I absolutely love it when clients bring a piece of themselves to a shoot. Theres nothing like adding your own personal touch to anything and to a picture perfect moment it adds a whole new meaning to the story being told.

Thank you Baby Rehan and Mommy Sumera for giving me the opportunity to look beyond the pastels.
Heres a sneak peek from Rehan's shoot.

Warmest Regards,
Khadija

6 months of baby cuteness

A dear friend of mine who welcomed her newest addition back in January asked me to photograph her baby boy Mutasim's beautiful moments by doing monthly shoots up until he turns 12 months old. With her 2 older boys who are now very camera shy she used to take them to portrait studios to get their monthly shoots done. She didnt want to miss out on these memories with her 3rd son but with homeschooling schedules and managing an infant she needed something convenient and easily done from the comfort of her home. I was absolutely thrilled to take on the job of personal photographer of her darling little baby.

It was important for me to make each session unique in itself. I wanted to make sure I highlighted specific milestones, baby smiles and tears because every moment in those early months are a treasure to be kept. Incorporating props and different backdrops was the creative aspect of each shoot.

It has been 6 months thus far of capturing baby Mutasim's month to month growth so I decided to put together a post of some of my favorite shots of him. His eyes have so much expression and I seem to automatically drill into them in each picture. In any case I do hope you enjoy the progression of this little man's growth. He is a joy in every sense of the word and I think he is now finally warming up to "Auntie" Photographer since our monthly bond started 6 months ago.

Stay tuned for a blog on his next 6 months :)

Regards,
Khadija

Newborn - Month 1:

Month 2:

Month 3:

Month 4:

Month 5:

Month 6:

In the shadow of your love..

Native New Yorkers JonElle and Kevin who now reside in Alexandria reached out to me wanting to capture their love for each other in a formal engagement shoot before their wedding in July. I instantly thought Old Town Alexandria. What better place than quaint old town with its bustling little waterfront area, beautiful cobbled streets and charming street corner stores and homes to bring out the romance on a warm summers evening.

With this shoot I wanted to make sure that both JonElle and Kevin were comfortable enough around me to be themselves, to bring out the natural way they interact with each other. Its not easy to bring out the ease in someone when you want them to kiss or hug or pose without it seeming too staged. We had fun with it though and through our laughs while walking around Old Town we were able to open up to each other and get some fun creative shots. JonElle also had a specific request in wanting to incorporate NY jerseys in some of their pictures since they both grew up and met each other in New York. I really appreciate it when couples bring something special to their hearts into a photography session with me. It personalizes the pictures and adds a lovely story to the session.

The best part about this shoot was that even though I knew I wanted to take advantage of the quaintness of the town everything else was done on a whim. We started off at the waterfront and then as we moseyed our way around the lower part of the town Id find an interesting structural feature like a bright yellow door or a pretty cobbled street and we'd stop to get some shots around that particular element. One of my favorite shots was of the two of them against the evening sun and their long shadows being cast in the background. The natural element was the perfect opportunity for me to be creative. I really enjoyed the spontaneity around this particular session not only because of the beautiful setting or because I was capturing the love between two people but because JonElle and Kevin's easy and vibrant personalities made it even more interesting and fun to be around.

Thank you JonElle and Kevin for allowing me to capture your love for each other. I wish you much happiness and continued laughter as you step into the next phase of your lives together.

Heres a sneak peek from their shoot.

Regards,
Khadija

Fashion Photography

I was recently approached by local designer Ashraf Valliani, owner of fashion brand 'The Heritage Collection' to do a fashion shoot of her latest summer line of Eastern wear. The collection featured bright colors, stunning hand embroidery and elegant designs of classic Pakistani couture. Ashraf Valliani wanted the shoot to showcase the essence of her brand name highlighting the unique combination of fabrics and color interwoven with traditional hand work and embellishment. I knew right from the get go that I was going to have some serious fun with this shoot.

We chose the Valliani residence as our location of choice focusing on the simplicity of an outdoor setting. Ashraf hand picked 6 stunning outfits and accordingly had set aside accessories and jewelry for each outfit. Our model Ruhee Jaffer was looking gorgeous with her glamour hair and makeup done by Alina G. Karaman. We were ready to go!

It was a bright morning and I had to make sure that the shadows cast were used to my optimal advantage and of course in other cases to avoid them all together. Each outfit had its own personality and I needed to make sure the pictures portrayed that uniqueness. We worked in various props to add another dimension to the pictures without it looking too staged. Ruhee Jaffer was amazing with her poses. She knew exactly what sort of look to work into each picture theme we were trying to achieve. It was our first time working together but we quickly understood each others style and creatively made each outfit come to life.

Needless to say I had a wonderful time at the shoot and got some really fun shots. Thank you Ashraf Valliani for introducing me to a whole new world of creative photography and good luck on your upcoming Summer 2011 exhibition. For more information on this designer please visit her facebook page "The Heritage Collection by Ashraf Valliani".

Heres a sneak peek from the shoot
Warmest Regards,
Khadija