Laid-back Family Session With Teenage Boys | Stockholm Family Photographer

Yikes!  We’re over halfway through October already!  Can someone pump the brakes, please!   I feel like I’ve been thrown headfirst into the last couple of months and boy, has it been busy!   As well as my usual portrait work, I’ve also had some unexpected opportunities in other genres of photography, so I haven’t been resting on my laurels much! 😉 

This laid-back family session with teenage brothers was from last month and I so enjoyed it!  These young men are big into basketball so they quite rightfully brought along their basketballs and showed me some of their skills.  They’re quite tall so I had to have them sit down a lot or I had to stand on something to be able to get them in the frame!  ;)

I’d hazard a guess that these sweet brothers won’t fully appreciate these photographs of them hanging out and horsing around together until, hmm, maybe 20 years down the line…  When they’ve had lots of life experience, travelled, moved around, one day, they will look at these photographs and they will smile at their younger selves and feel so grateful that they have those great memories in print.  Time can change a lot of things, but those precious moments in time captured in a photograph have the power to warm hearts for decades. 

If you have teenage children, be sure to have them photographed.  They need more than iPhone snaps to remember these years!  Feel free to mail sandra@sandrajolly.com if you would like to book a Jolly portrait session. They are packed full of fun! ;)

Peace and love xoxo

Autumn Portraits | Irish Portrait Photographer in Stockholm

Autumn. What’s not to love about it? There’s the gorgeous, vibrant colours in nature, the sound of crunchy leaves underfoot, hot chocolate, cosy sweaters and chunky socks, soft autumn light, and the lighting of lots of candles in the evening. It’s just such a COSY time of year! And then there’s autumn portraits!! :)

I like photographing all year round, but there’s something extra special about autumn photo sessions. The colours, the clothes, the texture of the clothes, it’s not too hot, nor too cold and no bugs! It’s kinda magical ;) Why wouldn’t you want to have an autumn photo session, either for yourself or your family?

While you’re pondering that question, why not scroll down and check out these BEAUTIFUL autumn portraits. This beautiful young woman is going to love looking back on these images when she gets older. Portraits really are the gift that keeps on giving 😊

I am officially fully booked with family sessions for October, but can potentially offer one or two Sundays (usually my day off) if you would love a Jolly autumn portrait session.  All you need to do is mail sandra@sandrajolly.com as soon as possible!

Peace and love xoxo

15 Of My Favourite Autumn Photographs | Familjefotograf Stockholm

Do you also love this time of year? The mornings are a little cooler and fresher, the leaves on the ground make a pleasant crunchy sound when you walk on them, you are no longer savaged by mosquitos, and the intense heat of the summer nights is gone so you no longer wake up in a pool of your own sweat! Swedes sure know how to insulate their homes! I wish they also knew the value of installing air-conditioning, haha!

This is also the time of year when my candle usage increases 10 fold, and I start baking like the only thing that will save humanity from itself is Irish scones, banana bread, Subway chocolate chip cookies, blueberry muffins, and double chocolate loaf! Bet you wish you were my neighbour, right?! ;) Don’t worry, I’m the kind of neighbour who keeps to myself, will gladly help you if needed, and will also leave a basket of freshly baked treats outside your door, then ring the bell and run and hide! ;)

Candles and baking aside, it is also a BEAUTIFUL time of year for outdoor photo sessions, like, REALLY beautiful! If in doubt, please scroll down for hard evidence.

I have a limited number of spaces left for autumn sessions. These usually come to an end around the of October, so if you would like to book an autumn portrait session, please get in touch via the Contact page or mail sandra@sandrajolly.com.

Peace and love xoxo

Jolly Summer Highlights | A Personal Post

I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a sneaky suspicion that summer is about to hightail it out the door faster than you can say, “See ya, wouldn’t wanna be ya!”

And what a summer it’s been! I’d even go so far as to say it was probably one of my favourite summers ever! If you were to ask me why though, I’m not sure I’d be able to pinpoint any one thing or aspect of our leisurely summer break that made it so darn enjoyable. I think it was a combination of good weather, spending a lot of time outdoors (I’m still paler than Casper the Friendly Ghost), road trips, exploring Sweden, hanging with friends and family, and several celebrations. Both of my children, my husband, and my dog have their birthdays in summer, and it’s also our wedding anniversary! Phew! Have you any idea how much time I spent baking for all these occasions in our unnaturally hot kitchen?!

It was also this summer that I finally realised something about myself that I have long since suspected… I am SO NOT a beach person!! Oh Lord, I tried, I really did. I went to several beaches with my family to see if there might be a beach person inside me screaming to get out. I threw myself on a towel, or in a beach chair and tried to enjoy the sweltering, sandy experience. After all, everyone else on the beach seemed to be having a blast. I did notice that not everyone, however, had skin that was sizzling faster than a flank steak on the barbie. Sunblock be damned, the sun was hell-bent on scorching me. So no, there is not a pool-side holiday in my future. Ever. I will not die looking like a forlorn lobster.

Right now, the kids are back at school and it feels like the summer holidays are officially over. That doesn’t mean the fun is over though, right? You gotta create fun memories whenever you can. Yesterday a friend and I went for a walk, sat on a big boulder, and had tea and homemade banana bread that I’d brought along. We chatted and laughed as we watched the sun dip lower in the magenta sky. Eager for the fun to continue, we’ve already planned a night out on Friday. I think we all need a little more fun in our life, don’t you?

Peace and love xoxo