More Mandy

Mason and Melissa traveled thousands of miles (don't ask me how many, I suck at math, hahaha!) to be with family here in Spain and to do a pregnancy session and I was the lucky photographer chosen to shoot it. And lucky was I indeed! It was a one-of-a-kind session with this one-of-a-kind couple and the resulting photos prove that. Just so you know, the first half of our shoot consisted of some unconventional maternity photos and I'm really happy with what we were able to produce (you don't get to see them here on the blog though, sorry, but I've been given clearance to include them in my portfolio for potential clients of pregnancy shoots to see... Thanx, M & M!). For this type of session to happen again is probably like waiting for the Halley's Comet to make an appearance, hahaha! Well, hopefully not! So, without further ado, here are more photos from the Mandy Maternity shoot (from the 2nd half of the session) as promised...

Yes, it's a boy!

Melissa wanted a photo of Mason's booties on her belly...

Here's a long shot of the "hearts on the belly" photo that was in the sneak peek...

Then, we headed out to the embalse for more photos! We found this natural trellis in the wooded area nearby...

Can you spell "g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s"? Soon-to-be mommy Melissa by the water...

Baby M's mom and dad have perfected (if I may borrow the word coined on ANTM, a show that the three of us are guilty of watching, hahaha!), the "smize". No "dreck" faces here, people (again, from ANTM)! ;-)

A kiss for Baby M...

Ah, those tender moments...

And last but not the least, what comes to mind when you see a pregnant lady, a man and a bench?

This is the Mandy couple's "Notting Hill" moment (love that movie!). M & M, click on the photo to enlarge, zoom in and look for your surprise (and of course, if you change your mind about it, I can always re-do that part)...

Mason and Melissa, we all know there is no shortage of photographers in the States but still you traveled so many miles and placed in my hands your trust to capture the photographs of this first pregnancy. Thank you so much, I truly appreciate it! Best of luck to you both and I hope I get to meet Baby M in the near future... (",)

Belly Beautiful

Photographers are often faced with certain restrictions when doing their jobs. One time at an event, a client said not to take photos of certain guests because they were not well-dressed. Strange request indeed, but oh-so-true. I've also received the occasional wagging of a finger when some people don't want to have their pictures taken. I even had someone say "no" to moving some furniture. But that's part of the job and we learn to make things work for us. Well, I knew Melissa and Mason wanted some "revealing" pregnancy photographs, so I was pretty stoked already... But on the day of the session, hearing Dr. Mandy suggest to his wife that shedding her clothes will show off her belly more, I knew I had hit the jackpot of maternity photo shoots!

Melissa and Mason are, to date, two of the most open-minded people I've had the privilege and pleasure of working with. I suppose it's the combination of their personalities (easy-going and uninhibited) and professions (they are, after all, a doctor and nurse duo) that made them want to have some unconventional photos taken. Whatever the case may be, one thing was certain - They clearly wanted to showcase the gorgeous belly that carries Baby M!

Well, unfortunately for you, dear blog visitors, the more intimate photos are reserved for the couple's eyes only (and perhaps a select few of their families and friends). Still, the following images are not your run-of-the-mill, roll-the-shirt-up-to-show-the-bump, let's-wrap-you-up-in-a-sheet kind... Hey, that's not really their (and my) style! ;-P

So, are you ready for some LOVELINESS?

Decisions, decisions... I like them both, so you get to see the two versions!

There's nothing sexier than wearing your husband's shirt, ladies!

USA and Spain meet the Philippines as this lovely lady who was born in the States and raised in Spain uses a mantón de Manila as cover-up...

A canvas print of a section of Gustav Klimt's Three Ages of Woman is seen in the background... Quite appropriate for Melissa's condition, don't you think?

Beautiful people... Need I say more?

So, folks, this is the first installment from this maternity shoot. A second part to follow soon! Keep your eyes peeled... (",)

Mandy Maternity: Sneak Peek

Man! Normally, I post ONE foto for sneak peeks, but in this case, I couldn't decide which to choose... Well, it's my blog so I can break my own rules, right? (",)

I ♥ this photo shoot!

The bump "peeking" from behind a tree...

The lovely parents-to-be, Mason & Melissa...

I hope you like this sampling from your shoot, guys. Meantime, Tanti Auguri on your upcoming birthday, Mason! Enjoy your first trip to Roma, Melissa!

Turnbough Kids' Summer Shoot (Part 1)

Well now, who knew kids preferred the playground? Ha! Mom Brooke wanted some photos of her kiddos among the wildflowers, but guess what? They weren’t too crazy about the grassy lot! There were swings and slides nearby and they wanted to go there instead. The boys did fine, but little Miss Curlilocks didn’t want to be anywhere near the prickly thingies. And then, dark clouds came rolling in and thunderclaps threatened rain. Alas, things didn’t go as planned (so we headed home for some much-needed brownies, hahaha!). But still, cuteness is cuteness no matter what your mood is, agree or disagree?

Andrés, 1-2-3, blow!

Caroline sat in the prickly grass for two seconds before crying...

Daniel aka Mr. Curious...

Brooke's mom, Debbi (Mimi to the grandkids), was in Spain for a visit...

Miss Curlilocks in her own backyard minutes before the rain came... She was happy there!

Well, hopefully this is just Part 1 and another to come soon! (",)

Happy Birthday, Leng!

I was hoping to take/post another image for this entry, but the weather here has not been cooperating. So in the meantime, this will have to do... Happy birthday, sis! (",)

Aline at her favorite spot in Madrid

Rania: Sneak Peek

Rania, en su vestido de comunión... No pude decidir cuál me gustaba más - la versión en color o en blanco y negro, así que subí las dos. Y vosotros, ¿qué opináis? (",)

Flower Power & an Hommage to Three Great Painters

Hola there! It’s been a while since my last post. I've been quite moody lately (loads of things on my mind), I’ve also been occupied with obligations that needed to be fulfilled. The blasted weather didn’t help (yeah, blame it on the weather). It had been really crappy, rainy and cold, the kind that makes you just want to crawl under the covers, and stay there! But yay, por fin, the sun has decided to come out of its hiatus, hallelujah! So anyway, to those who are wondering and even to those who don't really care, I’m still alive, people!

Well, now being spring and all, I’ve been seeing a lot of flower pictures on blogs and Facebook, so I reckon I should post some too, right? But “Raissa-style”, of course! Which is what, exactly? I don't know... Crazy, unusual and sometimes a bit of a mess, I guess, albeit a hot mess, hehehe! ;-P

These fotos remind me of certain things that I've seen in the paintings of Van Gogh, Monet and Degas. So it is only appropriate that this post be an hommage to them. Let me be clear though... I don't profess to be an art expert, OK? Just in case someone feels the need to bash my "observations"... So, here they are, flowers by moi...

In 2007, my sister and I were fortunate enough to see a collection at the Thyssen Bornemisza showcasing the paintings Van Gogh made during the last 70 days of his life. The thing that made a huge impression on me was the intensity of his brush strokes, like he was in an hurry. Perhaps he knew he was on a deadline of some sort... Well, the first two images here remind me of that intensity. They also make me think of the swirls he used in Starry Night (which I have yet to see!).

flowers4VanGogh1

flowers4VanGogh2

In what seems like a gazillion years ago (six really, but it seems like forever already), I sat across one of Monet's waterlilies paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC and I stared at it for, well, I don't really know how long. I wasn't analyzing it, I just sat there and stared. You would have to be a serious dumbbell not to know that Monet's use of colors is amazing, and let me tell you... I was mesmerized. Anyway, while these are obviously not waterlilies, the colors in this foto remind me of that brilliant work of art that I couldn't take my eyes off...

flowers4Monet

Tutu! Doesn't this image look like tutu 2 Ü? It does to me! So of course, Degas and his ballerinas come to mind when I look at this...

flowers4Degas

Well, there you have it! That's my take on flower power in this merry/moody month of May... If anyone's interested in prints, let me know. I hope you're all having a great spring season! (",)

Four decades and two years ago..

Each couple has their own tale to tell. For my parents, considering the times they were in (the 60s) and their backgrounds and upbringings, it was almost unlikely that they would even have a story today. My father, Manolo, was from the province while my mother, Marissa, was a city girl. He was poor; she came from an upper middle-class (some would even say rich) family. Their families, oddly enough, knew each other. Papa wanted to go to law school in Manila, so he traveled to the city and was given lodgings at my maternal grandparents’ house. He paid his dues by helping out around the house - cleaning, cooking and whatever else that needed to be done...

He'd had 30 girlfriends already before they met; she had yet to have a boyfriend. Needless to say, he stopped looking when he met her. She was his 31^st and last, as he still fondly says when he recounts that story; he was her first. As expected, Lola Claudia and Lolo Luis ("lola" and "lolo" mean grandmother and grandfather in Tagalog) disapproved of the relationship. As with all their children, they wanted Mama to marry into a family of equal or higher standing. So what did my parents do? They eloped. They got married twice, in fact. First in a civil ceremony and a couple of months later in a small and simple church wedding on this very day, 42 years ago. And thus began a journey of a lifetime…

Mama and Papa, Happy 42^nd Wedding Anniversary and more to come! I’m glad (and I’m sure my siblings feel the same way) that God made your different worlds meet. Thank you for your love, caring and generosity. I love you!

Sneak Peek: Nagrampa Silver Wedding Anniversary

A photo of my friends, Yette & Jun, taken at their renewal of vows on the occasion of their silver wedding anniversary.

Una foto de mis amigos, Yette y Jun, en la celebración del aniversario de su boda de plata.

To a special guy on this special day...

Last year I met a special guy – definitely cute, super sweet, really charming, incredibly smart and to make things even extra special, he was born on Hearts’ Day. The first time I ever laid eyes on him, he was in a white T-shirt, gray shorts and Crocs… Yes, yellow-green Crocs! With head slight bowed, he stuck his tongue out – something he apparently does when he gets shy. He had been told about me though, and when he said my name, the dimples came out. “Tita Raissa!”, he exclaimed, followed by a big hug and kiss. I thought it would take a while before he warmed up to me, but we were fast friends. So yes, one Sunday in November last year, I met my dear nephew, Andrew Manuel, for the first time.

You see, when I left the Philippines in 2006 to go back to school in Spain, Andrew was still in his mommy’s belly. I was only able to return to Manila last year after receiving my residencia. So, during the first 3 years of my nephew’s life, I only saw snippets of it through the stories I was told and the pictures and videos I was shown. This little guy went through a lot even before he was born. My sister-in-law was hospitalized five months into her pregnancy because of some complications and had to remain there ‘til she gave birth to Andrew at 28 weeks. They said he was just about the length of a half-liter soda bottle. His first few weeks were spent in the sterile confines of an incubator in the preemie nursery. Then at barely 5 months old, his parents found out he was suffering from Hirschsprung disease and had to have a major surgery, which thank God was carried out successfully. Now he is doing amazingly well.

Andrew is a lively and talkative kid. He didn't speak right away though, even the common Mama or Dada. Zero, zip, nada. Now there's no stopping him from talking! He sings his A-B-Cs always followed by Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, and just about any song you teach him. Taught by his Papa (grandpa) Manuel of an oldies Eddie Fisher song, he can sing the line "Oh, my Papa" in correct tune. And with feelings! His teacher says he has a vocabulary of a five-year old. His class was recently taught the pledge of allegiance of the United States. Now, every time he’s on the phone or on Skype, he recites the entire thing to anyone who’s listening!

Andrew loves just about any type of vehicle and to him, they’re not just plain old “bus” or “car” or “truck”. This boy is a dictionary when it comes to those things. He can tell you or even CORRECT you should you get it wrong (and he actually did that to his teacher once) which is a bulldozer or a backhoe. Hello! Backhoe? Do 3 or 4-year old kids know that, or even adults, for that matter? But what floored me was the fact that when he sees the real thing, he can tell you the maker just by looking at the logo… Yup, Caterpillar, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Mitsubishi… You name it, he knows it!

I tried to teach him a few Spanish words, like “what’s red in Spanish?” to which he would say“rojo” or the sentences “Me llamo Andrew. Tengo 3 años”. He learned them after just a few tries. I would say “muy bien” whenever he got it right. The funny thing was, he started adding MUY BIEN to the sentences too!

Quite an inquisitive boy, Andrew likes to ask the question, "What's that mean?" A LOT. This is usually followed by, "Why?" and more whys.

Don't call him baby. He doesn't like this B-word. He'll tell you the correct B-words to use by blurting out, "I'M NOT A BABY. I'M A BIG BOY!"

Of course, I took photos of him... Here are some of them:

His favorite footwear...

Being shy...

He insisted there was a "telescope" at the tower... ;-P

He likes to make faces...

Praying... "Mama Mary, please buy me toys at S.M.!" He made that up!

In a fit of giggles... One of my favorite photos...

There are miracles in life. Andrew is one. Bless this child...

Happy 4th Birthday, dearest Andong!!!

And Happy Hearts’ Day to all!