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Tag Archives: birthday party

Double Digits Celebration

“We didn’t realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun” Pooh Bear

My little girl was certainly having so much fun when she turned 10 a few weeks ago, and decided to celebrate her birthday by having a sleepover party at home with her friends. It ended up more like a ‘stay-up over’ party judging from how late they finally slept!

I helped her to plan the activity for the weekend. She wrote down different activities on several pieces of paper, and inserted each note in a balloon. We had as many balloons as the activities. She popped one balloon according to the time that was tagged on the balloon, then together with her friends they read what activity was in store for them.

 

birthday party guests decorating pillow covers

 

We built our big camping tent in the backyard for the girls to sleep that night. They came with their sleeping bags but we provided them with pillows complete with new pillow covers for them to use and to take home the following day as birthday giftaways. The girls had to name and personalise the pillow covers before they could use them. I could say this activity was a hit. Soon enough they were busy chatting, and colouring and laughing while creating such colourful drawings on the covers.

Once they finished, we hung the covers to dry before I ironed them to have the drawings properly set.

 

Decorated pillow covers hung to dry

 

The birthday girl led the troops throughout the night activities. We went through dinner, the cake, opening presents and getting ready to bed swimmingly. The planned activities inserted in the balloons had certainly WORKED! It’s cute to see them gather around the balloons and cover their ears before the popping balloon revealed the next thing to do.

 

open birthday presents

 

Some twinkle lights and glo-sticks illuminated the girls’ faces in the tent as they were all taking their spaces in their sleeping bags and getting ready to wind down for the night. As I mentioned before it took awhile for the tent to go completely quiet, but hey, isn’t that the best thing of a slumber party? To just hang out with your girlfriends talking about nothing until you can’t make sense anymore?

 

slumber party with glo sticks

 

And like Energizer bunnies they were up (too) early and ready to face a new day. It’s go home time after filling their tummy full with delicious Belgian waffles (not in any pictures, since they were gone in record time!).

 

sleep over birthday party decorating pillow covers

 

I am grateful that I could be there to capture my little girl’s special 10th birthday. I may need to recover for two years from this, but it’s all worth it. I’m happy that I can collect moments like this for her. Twenty years from now, she might forget some things about this party, but these photos surely will take her back to this moment. She’s going to appreciate all the details that she can see in the photos, the details she herself made happen.

I will close with this lovely quote from an American photographer Aaron Siskind.

Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever…it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.

 

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the party gig

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to do another gig, which was to document a special birthday party. I was excited for this gig, because this type of photography, lifestyle photography, is exactly what I aim to specialise in my photography services.

I love this type of people photography because I love taking portraits of people. Period. And this type of people photography, it’s all about documenting real-life events, which tend to have more emotional value to those involved. It’s about documenting personhood and family life. It celebrates connections, life milestones, personality, sentiments, and natural pieces of life. Birthday party is one of the best life events in a person’s life for me to capture. Especially for milestone years, usually family members are putting more effort in making them extra special, and it would be even better if the whole thing is properly documented so that you can look back and re-live the celebration, remembering the fun memories and treasure other things that happen in the party that you don’t get to see at the party.

This party was taken place in The Scented Rose Garden and Teahouse in Bungendore, NSW. It’s a beautiful outdoor place surrounded by flower garden. The weather was perfect, everybody was well dressed and happy to be there. Everything was, dare I say it, picture perfect. Indeed.

Here are a couple of photos of the joint. It’s a beautiful place with many interesting details to capture.

Here is the birthday man! Did I mention that it was a surprise party? Well, in the end he kinda suspect something was up (it’s hard to hide all the cars parking outside the teahouse), but he was surprised to see how many people actually showed up. Including relatives from other city.

Everybody had a great time, eating and drinking …

..and game playing..and other merry-making.

It was a long day. But it was a great day. The party had ended, but the memory should stay with us as long as we want it, (hopefully) thanks to the pictures I took that day!

Again, Happy 50th, H!

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  • yasmine ft dörr02/11/2013 - 8:09 pm

    love love it! you have successfully transported me to that event itself, it’s as if i was personally there! bagus!!!…ReplyCancel

    • [ayu]02/11/2013 - 9:28 pm

      Waaaaks!!! What a nice thing to say … Thanks for this, maaaak! Meant a lot…xReplyCancel

  • Cindy12/11/2013 - 2:37 pm

    This blog is too pretty, I like looking at all those faces! You’ve found yourself another follower <3ReplyCancel

best friends

Here is my Ms. 5 with her best friend Caspar. They started school when they were 3, and  they have been friends ever since. They rarely see each other now because they don’t go to the same school anymore. To organise a playdate on the weekend is a pain, and our weekdays are packed with schools and after-school activities.

So you can imagine her excitement on the day when I took these photos. It was Caspar’s little brother’s birthday, and Ms 5 was invited. A couple of days before the Day she picked her dress, took it out and laid it out on top of her drawer. She repeatedly warned me not to accidentally put it away in the laundry. She woke up earlier that Sunday, and bouncing on the wall impatiently waited until she could change into her party dress, get ready and go.

As soon as we arrived she ran and gave Caspar (who had been waiting by the door) a big hug and off they went together. They looked like they had tremendous fun watching -and assisting- the magician performing that day.

I really love to take photos in a small event like this birthday party. The kids were very playful and happy. They completely ignored me (and my camera) because they were totally engrossed in watching the magician. The happy faces, the big laughs, and their honest expressions were all so natural. I know that in the future  I can look back at these pictures and will be brought back to the fun and laughter of that moment. A great keepsake of a beautiful moment and beautiful friendship.

 

 

 

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Day 322 #Project365

It had been a good and lazy Saturday. A bit too lazy perhaps I forgot to post anything by midnight. I was out and I left my iPhone at home as well, to make the matter worst, that posting anything was impossible until I got home just a moment ago. I don’t think drinking and blogging is a good idea, so I’d better just leave you with this shot from tonight.

322-365 bdayk fire

 

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Day 303 #Project365

I did not take any photo today as I was busy recovering from our ‘action-packed’ weekend. I did take heaps of photos then, so for today’s post I will share some of them, taken from several activities we did over the weekend.

303-365 duckling
Nikon D90 | AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED | ISO400 | f/7.1 | 1/640 |

School Spring Fair. The Animal Paddock was always the highlight at the fair, and this year was no exception. Who could resist those baby animals? So soft, super cute and cuddly!

303-365 snags
Nikon D90 | AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G | ISO200 | f/5.6 | 1/1000 |

Spring time camping at Wee Jasper. We usually crack open our tent in summer time, but this year we did it earlier. The camping season is officially opened. Let’s welcome more outdoor cooking, less frequent showers, and drinking after 3PM!

303-365 kir and cas
Nikon D90 | AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G | ISO400 | f/6.3 | 1/40 |

Ms 4’s BFF’s Caspar turned 5, and there was no way in the world she would miss it. We jumped into the shower as soon as we got home (straight from campsite) to wash off all the camping 5 inches thick of dust and dirt, and went straight to his party. All the kids were given this cute Scooby-Doo T-shirts once they arrived as it was the theme of the party and Caspar’s favourite cartoon character. 

This kind of weekend makes you exhausted, but happy. Totally worth the effort.

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