It's already Wednesday again.
I had a completely different idea and picture that I was going to post this week.
It was a Valentine theme but instead felt inspired to go a different way.
The Lunar New Year or Spring Festival in China (which is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays) starts on Sunday, Feb. 14 which also happens to be Valentine's Day.
I think that they both happen to land on the same day is quite charming.
Probably because the 2 little loves of my life were born in China
and we now celebrate Chinese New Year as a family.
I've always wanted a portrait of my two in traditional Chinese dress
and was able to capture it last weekend. Grace's dress is a vibrant red, which is the color of Chinese New Year and symbolizes joy, virtue, truth and sincerity. Will's shirt is a rich sapphire blue. Will was playing with a toy drum that has a rooster painted on the front
(he was born in the year of the rooster).
The picture probably does looks better in color but I really DO love the black and white conversion.
I'll be posting some of the color versions maybe next week.
Xin Nian Kuai Le! (Happy New Year!)
oh and I almost forgot, Happy Valentine's Day too!
If you'd like to link your black and white picture to Lisa's blog at The Long Road to China, please do and also see what she and others have posted. :) And how I shot this...I originally was going to play around with my off camera flash but was too lazy. Instead I had them sit on a large piece of black foam core board ( you can buy at any craft store). They faced a window so the light was good. I stood on a stepstool and shot down as they looked up at me. Will was pretty compliant so I even got a few of him by himself. Grace too. Easy, I promise.
42 kind words:
Perfect lighting. I love the way it highlights their faces. I'm excited to see it in color, but totally agree that it is awesome in black & white! What precious children you have, just beautiful! Oh, and standing on a stool or chair is a favorite position of mine for taking pics of the kiddos too :) It really gets their eyes to open up big for the camera, and creates an interesting angle. Great job!
Gail, this is a beautiful image. I can't wait to see more from this session in color, too. I bet they are fabulous!
We are getting ready to start a string of CNY celebrations here and I can't wait. Have fun celebrating!
Great shot, I must try standing tall too and see what I get! Happy New Year!
Gail, I know I say it every week but I just love your photography. This image is perfection. And Happy Chinese New Year to you too :)
As always.....perfect pictures!!! You really should do this for a living if you dont already!!
Love and blessings, Kristy
OH WOW....I really,really LOVE IT!! The lighting and the contrast is perfect....no need for OCF!! I am in love with the black and white version, but I cannot wait to see it in color!!!
Have a wonderful day my friend:)
xo,
Lisa
Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!
Oh - what an AMAZING photo! I too can't wait to see more...
We too are gearing up for CNY this coming Sunday! Can't wait!!!!
Hope you are having a great week!
Wow stunning photo! Love how they are looking up at you!
Have a great Wednesday!
Janet
Gail,
The photo is so beautiful. I would love to be able to put it on the hairbow blog. Would that be ok?
First of all... I just LOVE your blog title. What a wonderful double entendre! (I am so jealous.)
Secondly, the angle of this shot is just beautiful! Love the lighting.
I couldn't wait to see what you would post for b&w Wednesday. Will's sweet little grin is delicious and Grace looks so serene.
Gail, thanks for sharing your tips and making it sound so easy. I hope you'll post the color version, too; I am certain it is vibrant and beautiful.
Many blessings~
Lisa
Oh, they are so precious! I love this picture! And I love your step by step instructions! It sounds nice and simple! Perfectly fun shot! Window lighting can be so lovely!
Stunning. Absolutly stunning. Love the angle you took this photo from.
This is a beautiful picture. I bet the color ones are spectacular as well.
This is really a beautiful shot Gail..I love how the light is so perfect on their faces!!! I just love it!!!!
I am excited to see the rest from this session...
LOVE the angle on this shot. Really cool. (And you are black and white royalty to me so you can do no wrong!)
Have a fun celebration!
:)
Great photo! Beautiful children! Thanks for explaining how you shot this photo too! Fun!
Wow is this photo beautiful. I love everything about it. I'm so impressed that you got your two children to sit still for photos. My little ones would be bouncing off the ground if I ever tried to do something like this.
Look forward to see more next week.
Beautiful Gail! Love the B&W but can't wait to see it in color.... I am now inspired to take some of my cuties since we are snowed in and have nothing else to do! ;-)
Beautiful!!!! You are so talented!!
I too love that CNY and Valentine's fall on the same day this year! I just wish I was better prepared for it;)
Looking forward to seeing the rest of your photos!!!
Wow, amazing shot! Plus, I can't believe you got them both to sit still long enough AND to look at the camera! They are adorable!
Lovely! Their little faces looking up at you are just precious.
I love it from that view so precious!
What a beautiful photo of your children. They are simply adorable! I can't wait to see this in color.
Happy New Year to all of you!
Jo
Love the natural lighting and the angle.
Thanks for the black foam core tip, I just might try that!!
Once agin you have left me in awe of your talents...
Oh Gail, this is so beautiful! I can't wait to see it in color too. You have some gorgeous kiddos!
I love this photo! The lighting is just perfect and I love the way their just looking up at the camera!
Oh, what a treasure this is, through & through!
Thank you also for including the details of it ~ we are so excited to celebrate CNY with a dash of Valentines added this year!
We celebrated last year, but without our little man ~ this year its all 4 of us!
Beautiful kiddos!
Oh wow! What a shot! You are truly gifted Gail and I think that your beautiful children are extremely lucky to have such a wonderful Mom.
This is so cute! I love the happy faces. And the angle makes it even better.
I do that often - standing on chairs or sitting on the floor to get a different view.
The lighting is perfect!! Thanks for sharing your secret! ha
LOVE IT..
you take such amazing photos..
have a great evening..
Hugs..
great idea this week! i took shots of my two in their outfits, now you've inspired me to go and convert to black and white. great job, it's a beautiful image.
WOW ... Great picture & perfect lighting! LOVE it!!
Wow! Great shot!! I'm so going to have to try this little trick of yours. We've had a couple of photo shoots of my lil guy in his Korean hanbok in preparation for New Years, but it was not nearly this successful! (You can actually see that photo shoot on my blog if you go back to last Tuesday...sigh.)
Oh Gail! This is amazing! I love the idea of having them sit on the black board. What a stunning photo! That contrast really is striking! Phew! It took my breath away!
Donna
Our Blog: Double Happiness!
wow, i love this photo!! i love how they're looking up at you. it's always great to get a photo from a cool angle like that. and it looks GREAT in b&w!
What a gorgeous photo. I've come to expect nothing less from you Gail. You've got quite the eye (and perfect models) for photography.
Thanks for posting how you captured it! Can't wait to see your color version next week...you're such a tease ;0)
This is a great picture! Thanks for the background tip. I do a lot of chair standing at my house too ;)
What a neat idea! I do love the b & w but I would love to the see the color version too. Thanks for sharing your tips too!
this shot is fantastic. Their expressions and those eyes...sheer perfection!
I absolutely love the color ones but there is no denying the beauty in this B&W as well
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