Holy Communion Photo Session
Graduation Photo Session
Family photo shoot
In a family photo shoot, whether you like it or not, kids are the ones who run the show, it’s the same with Claire’s family.
I love the nature emotion when a family get together.
It’s just beautiful.
When I captured a beautiful photograph like these, I feel my job is important and worth having — I preserve the precious memory for people and I know the photo will be up on the wall in the home and they will cherish the photograph forever. The memory is priceless and no money can buy.
It’s a photographer’s pride and joy.
That’s why I love photographing a family. It’s challenging as it’s involving many people with different age. Everyone needs different direction and guidance and kids are not very good at taking instruction.
It’s important to keep everyone happy and maintain the playful and upbeat atmosphere. I usually ask parents to bring kids’ favourite toys and snacks to keep them fed and happy.
So how to get a great family photo?
Creating a great family photo is never an easy task and I do everything I can to make it happen.
My method is simple. I separate them into small group and individuals. I photograph each adult family member, give them instructions and make them feel comfortable as much as possible. So when the kids are coming to the scene, at least the adults are ready, all I have to do is to catch the attention from the children.
I usually just let them play around, chase them and also play with them.
This is usually what the photo shoot look like. It’s totally normal. If children are having a good time then I know I can get some really good photos.
Parents always thank me for my patient. And I do enjoy spending time with a family and get to know them. It’s not often that people would bring you their kids so you can play with them for a couple of hour. I can get the opportunity like that I think it’s a privilege. Sometimes, I am THE “Miss Amanda”.
Photo shoot story: with another photographer
This is one of those shoots that I totally enjoyed it and forgot about time.
Kersty is a very talented architectural photographer who picked up the camera only a few years ago and she just had her exhibition recently. I love her work, it was a thrill that she contacted me for a photo shoot. “Wow! That’s so cool that she would let me photograph her!”
She is open minded and she was up for all type of suggestion for the shoot. It was great that she gave me the trust and a lot of room for creativity. We had a lot of fun during the shoot and the results are so good that I decided to share it on my blog.
I wanted to make the blog article more interesting so I asked her if she would answer a few questions for me and also to encourage fellow photographers to do a photo shoot with me like she did. Kersty is the most kind and generous, I am so appreciate that she spent the time to write for my blog.
Here are the Q&As with Kersty:
1) What is the initial idea that you to do a personal photo shoot? How did you actually make it an action?
Before finding my specialisation in photography in Fine Art Architecture and Landscape, I tried out many different genres, including portraiture and nude photography. I myself feel quite tense and vulnerable being photographed, meanwhile I feel very comfortable being behind the camera. Two completely opposite emotions caused by a piece of plastic…..! One day this thought hit me and I decided to challenge myself and this feeling of contradiction. I decided to look for a professional photographer to ask for a photoshoot. Since quite a while I followed Amanda’s work on social media and I liked her style, so I decided to contact her for my first proper photoshoot.
Since our first contact via email she gave me an excellent first impression. I noticed her great professional approach and guidance in how to prepare myself for the shoot.
2) What is the photo shoot like with Amanda?
From the moment I entered her studio, I felt already at ease with her. She is a very friendly person with a very calm voice. The Make Up Artist started applying Make Up for the shoot, which gave me the chance to get even more used to the surroundings of her studio. It was a completely new and different sensation for me.
Amanda took some test shots of me after the application of Make Up and I was impressed by noticing both commenting on the test shots in order to improve the Make Up. For me it was great seeing such a close cooperation between photographer and Make Up Artist. I immediately felt more and more relaxed about the upcoming shoot.
Amanda is excellent in her guidance throughout the shoot and pays attention to detail. She is able to make you feel comfortable independently of a simple portrait or nude shoot. As a photographer I could not notice that she is using mainly window light, which is another thing I really love.
My photoshoot was a real fun shoot up to the point that I already decided to do a second shoot with her.
Amanda through her professionalism, makes sure that you enjoy every minute of your session. Not only that, but most important, the final images are breath taking, original and bound to be noticed.
Amanda has the skills, the smartness, the love for her work, the imagination and the passion which shows in her work. I can recommend her wholeheartedly to anybody who is looking for a cooperate shoot, portrait shoot, couple shoot, wedding shoot, nude shoot etc.
3) You’re a photographer also, what is the difference between in front of camera and behind the camera?
It is a big difference if somebody is taking some snapshots of you or sitting for a proper photoshoot. As already mentioned before I feel comfortable behind the camera, but vulnerable in front.
When you sit on the other side of the camera, you learn more than you could ever have imagined. It was an incredible experience, as I did not learn only about how clients feel who are photographed, but even more important for me, I learnt about myself. Being in front of the camera, you perceive small things like the shutter noise for example, which you are used to as a photographer, completely different. I felt the shutter noise initially quasi menacing. The reason was that I realised that I was the subject this time. But after the first shots, I realized it was just a camera, and a camera I am used to as a photographer. The camera was not judging me, neither the photographer – I was. This opened my eyes and I started becoming more relaxed and adventurous during the whole shoot up to the point that it turned out to be a real fun session for me.
4) How did you feel when you see the result of the photographs?
I definitely noticed in the first images taken, that I was a little nervous in front of the camera, meanwhile after a short time I felt completely relaxed and enjoyed the shoot. This can also be noticed in the series of images Amanda took, from beginning to the end.
Honestly I would have never expected a similar excellent outcome and so many lovely photos, she gave me a hard time to choose from the hundreds of photos she took.
5) Would you recommend other photographers to do a photo shoot? why?
I personally would recommend ALL photographers (portrait photographers and NON) to sit for a photoshoot. You can only gain from a similar experience.
As you sit on the other side of the camera, you fully put yourself in the place of each of your clients.
It teaches you to understand of how your clients feel in front of the camera and that makes you more understanding when shooting the next time. You learn to empathize with your client. You learn to be the mirror for your customer.
The learning experience won’t be the only great result you’ll get from your photography session. You’ll also have a wide range of photos of yourself that you can use for your professional headshots. Even if you don’t use them for professional purposes, you’ll still personally have great memories of yourself at various periods throughout your life, which is one thing especially we photographers are missing in life!
Glamour Photo Shoot
What’s the word for 50+ women? I think it’s fabulous.
I love photographing matured women, they are so much fun to be with. They are witty, smart and they know what they want. I often get inspired by them.
I’m curious about life and people. I like to be with people who can give me different prospective about things in life and sharing invaluable life experience. That’s why we always talk a lot during the photo session and that’s also how I get the most beautiful photographs of them.
I let them to be who they are, then they shine.
Marthese
Everyone is different, I always want to create something special and beautiful. I love this black and white portrait.
Lorraine
Stylish and elegant.
Kersty
Celebrating young and beautiful. We absolutely love the results.
Artist Portraits for Art Exhibition Incontri
It was real fun to photograph four artists and all of them utilize different media to express their art. I think artists are the most playful, they were like children in my studio. I photograph babies and young children and babies every week, so I’m well trained.
I often get the compliments, “Amanda, you are very patient.” Yes, I am and I think playing is a way of life, the way we learn new things, the way we live, laugh and have fun.
Here are some “Behind the Scene” photos when we were having the photo shoot.
Getting their makeup done.
They were curious about how makeup artist Martina and I work together. We were adjusting the makeup 🙂
When I photograph another photographer, I often got photos taken also. XD That was Enzo photographing me.
Discussions with Enzo about photography while shooting.
The artists managed to find toys in my studio to play with while I was shooting. They were just like children, very playful and fun to be with.
Photographing Josette, this was the second time I photographed her. She is beautiful as usual. And the guys managed to make her smile all the time.
Shooting and giving instructions for posing.
Thanks Enzo for the lovely photos of me shooting.
Discussing ideas with Josette and Samuele.
It was a pleasure to photograph artists. These four artists each everyone has their own unique work.
Josette Fenech, a Maltese abstract painter, her main media are acrylic and canvas.
Enzo Giummarra, a Sicilian photographer, using shadows as his main subject in this exhibition.
Samuele Ventanni, an Italian artist, work on different fabric media.
Emanuele Ventanni, an Italian artist, painting on wood.
The four artists’ exhibition, ‘INCONTRI’ is an art exhibition that brings together four unique artistic expressions. It is also a meeting point for local and foreign artists, where art meets science. This Art Exhibition is in collaboration with RIDT in aid of Brain Research, a charity exhibition.
The exhibition in University of Malta Research Trust, Valletta, from 9 April to 22 April.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1170480859652207/
Presentation at photography workshop in Ragusa Sicily.
Thanks so much for the Associazione fotografi Iblei for inviting me as a special guest photographer in the workshop in Ragusa. I was happy to have the opportunity to share my work with fellow photographers.
I talked about my fine art self-portrait project “Her” and receive many good responses. I talked about how I made the photographs and the stories behind them. They are very generous with applause, I was very encouraged and feeling grateful that people appreciate my work and the concept behind them. I’ve also shown some of my recent fine art works which I haven’t shown to public before.
I had an interpreter Ric for the translation from English to Italian. He had done a great job.
The workshop organizer Enzo. 
I talked about my exhibition project last year Women in Malta, showing the behind the scene video.
The photographers came from allover Italy. There were 4 master photographers hosting 4 different workshops. They are wedding photographer Vincenzo Ferraro, reportage photographer Charley Fazio, post production Giuseppe Andretta and wedding videographer Vito D’Agostino.
The workshop event was covered by television and newspaper. I was interviewed a few time by local medias.
Photo taken with the master photographers.
Thanks to the organizer Enzo Giummarra and people work for the event, they are so hospitable and friendly, everyone had a great time. Learning and having fun should always go together.
It was a very nice and special experience for me. I had a wonderful time.
Malta Notarial Archives On Maltese TV programme Madwarna
This is one of the projects I am working on, photographing the Maltese national treasure -the notarial archives. The program is done very nicely, you can see how people working in the archives including me. 🙂 I bump into them while they were filming. It’s been a pleasure to work in the archives. Thanks Madwarna for including me in the programme.
You can watch the programme online:
https://www.tvm.com.mt/mt/programmes/madwarna-2/ondemand/
There are many volunteers involving and working at the archives including myself. It’s a great feeling to be able to “give” something to people and to help.