A while ago I photographed a Mother and Daughter together for the first time. They came in and had their hair and makeup done and spend a nice afternoon in my studio. It was relaxed and they enjoyed playing in front of the camera. This is the film behind the scenes we made to show you this experience. Enjoy!
One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl. I wear colors that I really like, I wear makeup that makes me feel pretty, and it really helps. It doesn’t have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see.
Gabourey Sidibe
The mother and daughter relationship is the biggest there is, the biggest bond. It has a powerful connection that goes beyond words and physics.
Scientists say: “Each of us takes in at a cellular level how our mother feels about being female, what she believes about her body, how she takes care of her health, and what she believes is possible in life.” (Dr. Christiane Northrup).
Spending time with your daughter, creating memories together, will impact the rest of your daughter’s life. “I’m a big believer in mother-daughter time,” Anglicare WA’s Jennie Hannan says. “I think we underestimate how important it is for mums and daughters to do things together in those early years. Doing that builds a foundation that will help you get through adolescence.” (Karen Fingerman)
If there’s something I miss the most while moving to another country to live, is spending quality time with my mother. Even thinking about it now, makes me feel peaceful and full of joy. I can remember her smell and I can feel the way she plays with my hair, the stories she tells me and how mesmerised I am, looking at her. My mum is the most beautiful woman there is, for me.
This is why, this year, launching on Mother’s Day, I have designed a session called the Mother and Daughter Day, which allows you to spend time with your loved one, getting pampered in my studio and creating a memory that lasts a lifetime. You both come in and get your hair and makeup done, while you chat over coffee and snacks. Then, the photoshoot session starts and you get to be yourself and cuddle, kiss, hug in front of the camera. Mother hugs are the best ! At the end, you will both look so gorgeous, that you will want to go out, dining at your favourite restaurant. The photos of yourself will be printed and presented to you on a wall, like an exposition of yourselves. You get to pick the ones you love, these will stay in your family for 100 years.
Celebrate your relationships. Create memories that will last. Exist in photos for people who love you.
Bookings and enquiries info@cristinastoian.nl
After much deliberation, grey with a green undertone seemed appropriate. Inspired by Cézanne and his studio, hope to give my studio a sophisticated and more elegant touch.
I love printing my work. It is another dimension of photography that I was missing before I held a print in my hands. In 2010 my mentor in photography, Paul Butterfield, gave me a present. He printed and matted twenty of my iPhone pics. Right then I realised that a photo is so much more than an image on a screen. When you touch a photo, you start understanding the purpose of it. You feel it. It touches you in a deeper way. Now, I make these prints for people and they will look at these for ever. Start printing your photos. It’s so much more powerful than having it on a folder on the computer.
“I am a daughter, a sister, a wife and a mother. I AM A WOMAN.
And here I AM, at my 40’s, feeling more FEMALE than ever.
Among many other things, my body has swum for many years, my body has given birth 4 times, and has feed all my children. Yes my body has created 4 children. My mind has not only designed systems, founded my own company, but has dreamt of my life and WHO I wanted to be, as a woman, as a wife and as a MOTHER.
This picture comes as a result of an extraordinary work made by Cristina Stoian Photographer , many other pictures were taken, and I have chosen this one cause it shows me the incredible power of being female. This picture shows me WHO I always dreamt to be, THE WOMAN WHO HAS CREATED HERSELF AND HER WORLD.
Cristina Stoian, the experience you have given to me has gone far beyond any expectation I had. I am profoundly touched. Your work has given me a precious gift, that of seeing me and enjoying who I am, and I have learnt something really beautiful with you, I have learnt to not forget the reason why I wake up every morning, to give the best of me to my daughters, my husband and to all mothers.
Thank you,
Amelia”
photo by Monique Shaw
Today I met international photographer Lara Jade at Shoot Amsterdam. I was waiting for this event, mainly to see her speak live. She’s a good friend of Sue Bryce, my new role model, so seeing her and talking to her in real life made me feel a bit closer to Sue. :) I told her I am starting Glamour Photography in Amsterdam and she said, “oh yeah, I think it’s a great market here”. She encouraged me to do it.
It was refreshing to see how she was interacting with the model, she is using a familiar special posing language, using her hands and key words, language that I learned as well through doing the CREATIVELIVE courses with Sue.
Her keynote/demo was all about ‘mastering one light’. It was sponsored by #broncolor so the stage was decorated with Giant Parabolic reflectors, the one she was using was really huge, a third of the stage. She was controlling the lights via her iPad, with the bronControl app, cool gimmick that raised some eye brows in the audience.
But one thing that stuck to me from everything else that she taught. To her, more important than all the lighting techniques in the world, is the connection with your subject. When you take your time and have have a coffee and a chat with your models before the shoot, connecting on a human level, it makes a huge difference, your portraits will be showing more the emotional side, which is one of Lara’s most compelling quality.
Photo by Monique Shaw
Photo by Monique Shaw
How many times are you looking for that “wonderful you” picture? A picture that you like and that you think it is really who you are.
The beautiful YOU – personal glamour photo shoots, blended with hair styling and make up is my new venture. I’ll launch this early year to celebrate women and their true beauty. So yes, YOU too!
After a half decade of photographing women, I realise that we all have something in common. I’ve heard it so many times during my photoshoots: ‘oh, I never look good in my photos’, ‘oh, I don’t like how I look’, ‘I’m not photogenic’ that made me want to prove it wrong. :) I want to dedicate the year of 2015 to the beautiful women around me. They all deserve to be seen, they all deserve to shine, they all deserve to be celebrated.
What is the last time you have taken time for yourself to really consider what you want and need.
When have you been paying attention to you in particular without being a mum, wife, sister or daughter.
We neglect ourselves in our daily routines and we don’t feel special anymore. When the kid is screaming in the house that he doesn’t want to get dressed while you are late for the meeting and also you need not to forget to put the washing on and feed the cat. Somehow, all at the same time. It’s easy to forget yourself in all this madness that is called motherhood. Who else but you has the guilt for it? Take the time to be with yourself for the sake of your sanity and also your family. Get yourself pampered and connect back with yourself. It’s the only thing which has outmost importance of keeping yourself balanced and on top of it all. Whether it’s a spa day or a refreshing day talking with your girlfriend, take time for yourself. Because you deserve it now.
In my photography I combine the two together and I offer you a way to get back to your real self through photography. My makeup artist and hair stylist will take care of you in the beginning of the day and then we’ll dress you up in pretty dresses that make your heart sing. I’ll photograph you afterwards in all your splendour and it will feel more like a conversation than a professional photoshoot. I will be your friend that listens and portrait you when you feel your best.
My mission is to empower women feel special again. Take the leap and connect back to yourself through photography.
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” – Harriet Tubman