Abraham :: a newborn session

Sometimes it's true that a photograph speaks a thousand words. I'm going to let these photos speak for themselves, save to say that I've known Aly for many years and am lucky to count her amongst my close friends. And that makes a photo shoot very special. I've photographed all 3 of her boys as newborns, we've bemoaned and celebrated life as mums of boys, we've shared dreams and a lot of coffee and I love them all to bits! Her husband's pretty ok too!Anyway, this session took place when Abraham was one whole week old, the kids were running around, there had been one bloody nose (dad!) before I even arrived, and Aly was swanning around looking fabliss as always! And that is exactly my favourite way to shoot - in the midst of the crazy, wonderful mess that is life. If you'd like the crazy of your life documented, please give that contact button up there a push and we can make that happen!

Here's to the dads

Here's to the dads.The superheroes.The rescuers.The fixers and menders.The BBQ-ers.The tear wipers and plaster stickers.To the ones who make us laugh so hard we think we might be sick.And the ones who stand on sidelines and touch lines and boundary lines, week... after week... after week.Where would we be without the dads? Some of us know all too well exactly where we are without them. But lots of us are lucky enough to have the things they taught us and their sense of humour and their noses (lucky, eh?!) with us no matter where we are or where we go.So this one is for the dads. You rock our worlds and we love you to bits!

We {Harte} Aly

I thought it was about time I got this blog back up and running, and what better way to do it than with a giveaway! If this is your first visit to my blog, hello! It's very nice to have you here, and I hope you'll pop back again. I promise to have posts more than once every 3 months!Living in Northern Ireland has its fair share of downsides (rain, grey skies and a minimal difference in seasons to name but a few), but over the past couple of years I have been more and more aware of the positives of living in this wee country. Obviously, we entered the Euros with the highest unbeaten rate in qualifiers, our landscape and countryside is beyond stunning, and we have an incredible amount of talented artists and creatives for all the size of us. Instagram, in particular, has introduced me to so many amazing and talented people. Folk like linesandcurrent, gatheredthreads and padhraic_mulholland to name but a small few.However, my own walls are pretty much sponsored by my amazing friend, Aly Harte, local artist, blogger and mumma to 3 beautiful boys. Aly's work is full of energy and passion and often highlights aspects of the everyday in a way you've never seen it before. These images are genuinely photos I took around my home earlier today - we really do love Aly's work!     All you have to do to enter is comment below telling me which of the prints you would like and where you would display it. Easy! And to up your chances of winning, pop over to my Instagram account, @jblifedocumented, for information on how to enter there as well.Good luck with your entries. I'll pick a winner on Friday 17 June and announce it on my Instagram account at around 9pm, so be sure to follow so you don't miss out!If you'd like to stay in touch and hear about new posts and random snippets from me, please do sign up for my newsletter which I hope to get kick started again towards the end of the month.   

lately in photos

I'm not one for resolutions, but each year I like to choose a word that I'm going to focus on and allow myself to be inspired by. This year my word is *achieve*. I thought I might as well set the bar high!There are so many things I hope to achieve this year, from doing an open sea swim to reading 50 books. But one thing I really want to achieve is more focus on my photography, both personally and professionally. I'd love to be able to do what I love full time and have myself a lovely creative little life (even with all the hard work that goes along with those sorts of dreams).So with that in mind, I've embarked on a bit of an Instagram journey. It's my all time favourite social media platform, so full of inspiring photos and lovely people and really just a jolly place to while away the hours! Through Instagram, I found the most beautiful feed from Emily Quinton, which led me to her website, Makelight, and her online courses. And then I enrolled in one to help me grow my business through the magic of Instagram! Look at me being all achieve-y!So to that end, I've begun a new gallery to tie in with my blog, client work and Facebook page. This week, I've spent some time working on my images to create the kind of gallery that I hope you and my clients would like to see. It's a bit of what my life looks like, what inspires me, things I find lovely and some images of my work. If you're on Instagram, I'd love you to come and have a look. You can find me @jblifedocumented. And if you're not, fear not! I've a few images from the last week to share with you here!It's been a week of books, cups of tea, walks and sitting by the fire. Obviously there's been a lot of other stuff but it doesn't look too pretty so I think it's better suited to not being photographed! I might even try and do this a bit more regularly, if having a nosey at my days wouldn't bore you to tears! The reading and a cup of something really does seem to be a recurring theme, doesn't it?! To which end, if you've any recommended reads to share with me I'd love to hear what they are. Just drop me a wee comment and I shall add them to my list for the year! 

Bethany and Mark

I think it would be fair to say that if you're booking an engagement shoot in Northern Ireland this autumn/winter, you've got to accept that it's likely to feature rain. And the only thing to do is get your smile on and embrace it! Which is exactly what this gorgeous pair did in Castle Park in Bangor at the end of November.Theirs has been quite the whirlwind romance and engagement, and the happiness and contentment they have in each other's company was palpable. Even had it been pouring, I am sure it couldn't possibly have had any negative effect on their smiles! I am positively giddy about their wedding next month.If you are planning a wedding this year or next, or you know someone who is, please get in touch for more information about my packages. And keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming post about the reasons every couple should book a pre-wedding shoot! 

My favourite family

This would be the fourth time I've photographed this gorgeous lot, and without a doubt each session is more and more fun than the last! There is something so beautiful about documenting the growth of a family, as children are born,  grow older and develop their own amazing personalities. And with parents who are up for pretty much anything, photographing them is nothing short of a dream job!We took these photos at Stormont Estate during the autumn half term in near perfect conditions - blue skies, warm air and the most stunning array of golden leaves. Let's just not talk about the number of times we had to steer the boys away from quagmires of mud in the middle of the lawns!

A beachy wedding

It's absolutely freezing outside and it's blowing a hurricane to boot. Winter is definitely here, so I've decided this is the perfect time to share an end of summer wedding, just as a wee reminder of warmer days when the sand stayed still and didn't end up in your eyes quite so much!I've known Gemma since she was born and her family and ours go way back. So to be able document her wedding, on the beach at Downhill at the end of summer, was an absolute privilege. And it is going to take an awful lot for another wedding to top this in every respect! From the relaxed marquee with gin on tap to the amazing dress the bride wore, the train that honked right after the vows, the rainbow behind Mussenden Temple and the lone dolphin in the sea, this wedding broke every mould there was! And that doesn't even include their tiny and beautiful daughters who may just have stolen the show.So grab a cup of something warm and enjoy what might be my favourite wedding ever!

And the winner is...

A few months ago I hosted a giveaway on my Facebook page for one family to win a mini session. And I could not have asked for a more appreciative winner than the lovely Emma! I met Emma and her beautiful family at Lady Dixon Park on a perfect, early summer's day, and by the end of our session I felt more like I had gained a new friend than a new client! It's really one of the best parts of this job, meeting people in the middle of their lives and sharing just an hour or so of it with them. I should clarify that I was also knackered after running around after one very fast toddler and a super crawler of a one year old!So I just want to say thank you to any and all of you who entered the giveaway for your support of my photography, and to Emma and her family for being such a fun family to work with and for all the kind words she has shared with me over the past couple of months. It really was my pleasure!

The extended English family

Hi guys, thank you so much for letting me document a little of your lovely families. It was a complete pleasure! Enjoy looking at your gallery.Janine

The Jolly Sandwich

Sometimes my job is really challenging. I mean, can you imagine how hard it is to take photographs of food that is literally begging to be eaten, in a location that you just want to spend an entire day in? Take, as an example, The Jolly Sandwich in Enniskillen. From creamy porridge and tea for breakfast, though a colourful myriad of salads for lunch to something sweet and indulgent for afternoon tea, your every whim is catered for! And who wouldn't want to squander at least a few hours in such a pretty setting? If you're bound for the lakeland area anytime soon, you will be doing yourself a disservice if you don't pop in!