Before she was born, I hoped to take newborn photos and a 2 year old photo and call it good. But then I didn't find/reserve a photographer for Olivia's newborn photo shoot and before I knew it she wasn't a newborn anymore. In Okinawa and Korea, a baby's first photo is taken when he/she is 100 days old. One of my co-workers told me that she reserved the photo studio for her daughter's 100 days photo the day after she got out of the hospital. I didn't think about having Olivia's 100 days old picture taken until she was 135 days old.
When we in the States last summer, I was tempted to get some pictures of little O. So on a last minute plan and with the help of a tutu, we had a great 20 minute photo shoot in Minnesota.
Then I found out that many people take a picture of the child when they are a year old and I cracked. Besides I REALLY wanted a photo of Olivia in a kimono. Afterall she was born in Japan. So I booked an appointment with this off-base photo studio that specializes in children's pictures. The business advertises in the magazine I write for and I wrote a column about their business. This photo shoot would be a test to see if my assertions in the column were correct.
First the photographer took pictures of Olivia with a Japanese birthday cake, complete with fake strawberries that she loved to munch on. And yes, I did buy a real version for her birthday cake.
Olivia refused to stand by the cake (which I wanted her to do), but otherwise she was pleasant.
Then it was time for the kimono photo. So many options. First the photo tech asked if I wanted an Okinawan kimono or a Japanese kimono. Both I said. Then she asked if I wanted a a yellow or red. Yellow, I said. Then they proceeded to dress Olivia in the Okinawan kimono.
At first it went well. Then she started crying and wouldn't stop. I think she got hot under the two layers of fabric. Somehow they managed to snap this darling picture.
Next was the red Japanese kimono and since Olivia wasn't happy, I was willing to cut our losses. But the photo tech convinced me that everything was ready to go as Olivia did another costume change. The backdrop was a traditional hina doll display. Girls Day is celebrated on March 5 in Japan and since Olivia's birthday is near the special day for girls in Japan, it seemed like an appropriate cultural photo.
Again Olivia was not happy. Apparently she prefers Carters to kimonos.
Good thing Olivia only turns 1 once.
4 comments:
Adorable pictures! We don't go crazy on the prof pics either. The only reason we even did new born pics was because my mom offered to pay... I took some black and whites myself for 6 months (only cause I had a cute idea that worked out great). We did do 1 year pics but we don't do the birthday ones anymore. We just do our annual Christmas photo and that is it. Prof pics are cute but I prefer the ones I take of him being a goofball around the house, the real moments, those are the REAL memories I want to preserve.
These pictures are great! You would never know she was crying. What a great reminder you'll have of the wonderful memories of spending Olivia's first couple of years in Japan!
oh my god freaking cute!!!!!
I think those are awesome! You can't tell she was ever crying and you have the best "remember when" baby photos ever!
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