A little bit of French country

Have you ever felt like you've been transported to another time or place without really going anywhere? Well I have! Last week I had the amazing opportunity to photograph a lovely mother and her two adorable grown kids in their stunning home in Great Falls, Virginia. The minute I walked into this house I seriously felt like I had been whisked away to the French countryside; everything from the smell of freshly baked cookies, to the colorful crockery on their rustic kitchen table, the rich toile and damask fabrics adorning the bright windows and eclectic looking chairs, the beautiful handcrafted armoires and console tables exuded personality. You could tell everything was bought for the sole reason that it belonged in this home. It was a creatively put together home with the comfort and classic charm of French country design.

I had a great time capturing the unique flair of this wonderful mother/kids combo and the backdrop for their shoot couldnt have been more perfect. Thank you Idris family for letting me enjoy your stunning home as well as allowing me to photograph the qualities that make your family so special. Heres a sneak peek from their shoot.

Baby Love, Oh Baby love.....

I had the best time photographing 1 month old Baby Mutasim this week. What a sweetheart baby! I realized after todays shoot how much I miss having a newborn in the house, not that that means Im ready for another child in my life but it reminded me how fragile and peaceful these little beings are and how comforting they are to hold and cuddle with. He had the sweetest disposition and pretty much slept the first half of the shoot. The second half was more entertaining as we had to keep him happy and awake by waving rattles, pacifiers and other knick knacks in his face. He was a joy to be around and was a real trooper throughout the session.

In this shoot I wanted to portray the ethereal quality that surrounds little babies. Their presence so small yet their aura so big. Their calmness so comforting yet their needs so real. I do hope I was able to capture the essence of little Mutasim's personality. Thank you Ather family for letting me enjoy your newest bundle of joy.

Heres a little sneak peak from the shoot:

Sincerity is in the eyes

This post is dedicated to my little furry friends. Anyone who knows me well will know that I am an animal lover of the extreme. I think my adoration of animals stems from my fathers love of animals. As far back as I can remember I have always had a pet of some sort. While we lived in Bahrain our parents got my sister and I a parrot who lived with us a long, long time. Infact he became such a part of the family that when we moved from Bahrain to Pakistan instead of giving him away as most people in our culture probably would, we actually flew him out to Pakistan with us (no pun intended). We couldn't imagine life without the little guy. He would sleep next to us on our beds, and would follow us around the house. He was honestly more like a dog than a bird. He had such a wonderful presence that even friends who would visit from afar would get attached to him and ask about him.

A year after we moved to Pakistan my dad decided we would get a German Shephard much to my moms dismay. This story is quite funny. My mom had no idea my dad was scheming a plan with my sister and I. We woke up one morning and he had made plans for us to go see a 9 week old German Shepard puppy at a dog breeders pen. We were so excited not only at the prospects of finally owning a dog but also because our mom had no idea whatsoever what we were doing. So that morning we went to the breeder and spent a good 2 hrs with the little guy. He had the biggest paws I had ever seen especially for a little 9 week old puppy. But I think the most significant feature that stuck in my head were his big, beautiful honey brown eyes. Such warmth and innocence and loyalty just in his eyes alone. I will never forget those eyes. We were all in love the minute we saw him and ended up bringing him home that afternoon. My mom was of course really upset that we had without her permission brought home this little creature that she never wanted in the first place but within a few weeks she was doting over the fellah as well. She adored him so much that she would on occasion let him hang out in the house with us or would sneak treats to him.

It was really sweet to see her love for him grow and that I think is the therapeutic nature of pets in general. They have a presence and they become an integral part of ones life. My first baby before I had the kids was my African Grey, Neo. Now of course the kids come first but Neo has so much emotion and personality and is actually a very sensitive bird. He requires some one on one time almost daily. He shares the same emotions we as people share but obviously has different ways of expressing it. So this post is dedicated to those darling pets that have touched our hearts in ways we will never understand. Just stop for a second and look into their expression-full, innocent eyes and you will sense their sincerity and love. All they want is for you to reciprocate it.

Cheers,
Khadija

Here are a couple of pictures of Neo. We have had him since he was 12 weeks old and now he's 6 yrs old. He has become my next top model.