I Think My Mother Is a Zen Master | Familjefotograf Stockholm

This autumn was a very busy season here at Jolly HQ. I knew in advance it was going to be a hectic time, but I hadn’t anticipated the last minute bookings for family photo sessions. I thought everyone was ready to go into hibernation early this year - I for one quite fancy the idea of sleeping until oh, I don’t know, maybe my birthday in March next year! That was not the case however and life at Jolly HQ got quite hectic.

As grateful as I am to have been so busy this autumn, there were a few occasions where I could feel myself starting to get stressed. Between business and family life, there was a lot going on and NO help! I realised one day though that I didn’t want to identify as a stressed person. I didn’t want to be the person rushing around in a flap, telling everyone how stressed I was, shallow breathing, pulling my hair out, and well, basically missing out on my actual life. What does all that achieve anyway?

And then I thought about my mother. I thought about her zen-like qualities. Her unflappable cool. The way she does things slowly and deliberately. The way she lives in the moment. The way she never hurries for anyone. The way she doesn’t take life too seriously. Stressed people are easy to find. Zen-like people, not so much. I knew which camp I’d rather be in.

With all that in mind, I gave myself a good talking to. I reminded myself I’m human (we tend to forget this sometimes). Everything doesn’t have to be done right now. You can let some things slide, but not things like looking after your mind, body, and soul. They should be your top priority. Do you know what I did then? I took even longer walks. I did yoga in the mornings and in the evenings I did longer, restorative yoga sessions. I meditated more. I drank more water. What use are we to everyone else if we’re not creating the best version of ourselves first?

I may not ever be a zen master like my mother. I can try though. I can remind myself to slow down, to breathe, and to actually be in my own life.

On that note, I’ll leave you with some of my favourite personal pictures from autumn 2020. I hope you enjoy them.

Peace and love xoxo

Fun Autumn Family Session | Stockholm Family Photographer

When it comes to photographing people, I notice there is a pattern in the kind of people I like to have in front of my camera. They have a certain openness, are unguarded, smile and laugh easily, don’t take life too seriously, have positive energy, and bonus points if they laugh at my bad jokes! ;)

If you were to have a family photo session, what would you look for in your photographer? You would want someone who would make it a fun experience, right? I mean, we’re not pulling teeth here! We are creating family legacies! As I often say, photos are rarely significant at the moment they are created. It is the passage of time that makes them priceless. In 20 years’ time, this family will look back at these images and wonder at how much everything has changed!

Feel free to get in touch via the contact page above, or mail me at sandra@sandrajolly.com, to start planning YOUR Jolly portrait session.

Peace and love xoxo

High energy fun family photo session | Stockholmfotograf

I cannot believe I’m only getting around to sharing this amazing family session now! To be fair though, this autumn season has been insanely busy here at Jolly HQ. I’ve been doing 7-day weeks and locking myself in my office for hours on end in an effort to stay on top of my work. Let the record show, I am not complaining about being busy, I’m just filling you in on what’s been happening lately ;)

Do you know that before a family photo session, I provide my clients with as much information as possible to prepare them for our shoot? I believe that the more prepared my clients are, the more successful the session will be. I provide them with lots of tips and inspiration on what to wear, how to choose locations, how a shoot will flow, how mom and dad can make the session better (it’s not all down to me, you know!), etc. Preparation is key!

From the minute I met this family at our location, they were bursting with positive energy! These three gorgeous girls made my job so easy - always ready to turn on the charm for the camera! And just look at how high energy and joyful their images are :).

Although autumn is fully booked, and nearly over, might I add, I can offer some winter sessions for those of you who are interested. All you need to do is go to the Contact page above or mail me at sandra@sandrajolly.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

Peace and love xoxo :)

Stockholm family session with new puppy | Stockholm family photographer

It’s hard to believe we are more than halfway through October already!! I don’t know about you, but I’ve been very busy on the work front, which has probably also contributed to the feeling of an acceleration of time. I’ve been shooting mainly family photo sessions, but I’ve also squeezed in a couple of personal projects, which is very important to the creative soul ;)

This fun family session was held on a very windy morning way back in early September. The family was high energy with a very positive-vibe (my favourite kind of family!), and had just gotten a beautiful and very photogenic puppy! I think the pictures speak for themselves. This little puppy is very loved and doted upon by his human family. I love it when my families include their pets in their photo sessions! It doesn’t matter if you’ve just gotten a puppy, have an old dog, or even a pet rabbit, it always adds something magical when there’s a pet in the family portrait.

Oh, and imagine my delight when the sweet mom brought along afternoon tea for my assistant and me! Very considerate :)

If you are considering gifting photographs this Christmas, NOW is the time to schedule your session! Don’t leave it too late! Mail sandra@sandrajolly.com, or go to the Contact page above to chat. I’d love to hear from you!

Peace and love xoxo