We're continuing our series of chats with some of our fave clients - including the fab Jaqs! Here's a word from her below:
I'm Jacquie Hodgson. Previously a commercial lawyer, at the age of 30 I quit my job, went traveling for 6 months (no I'm not a millionaire yet) and drastically changed my career and general life priorities. I still have a corporate gig, but I am also a Martha Beck trained life coach and my happy place is coaching young professionals. You can check out my work on Instagram and my blog.
1. How do you prep yourself for a family photo shoot? (Any skincare, grooming, exercising etc tips)
Previously I had SO much more time to apply myself to prepping for a family photoshoot, but with a newborn, life is a little different ;) I've been following an amazing beauty blogger "Kiss Blush Tell" who has quick and easy make-up hacks which are particularly useful for new mommies. I also messaged Tori from "Kiss Blush Tell" as I was struggling with very hormonal and dry skin post pregnancy. She recommended two products that have been really helpful:
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion to sort out hormonal break-outs literally overnight; and
SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel to add some serious moisture during the extremely dry Joburg winter.
We have a pretty busy household at the moment with 2 golden retriever pups and a newborn, so I find the most beautiful pics of my family are when everyone is relaxed and taking life moment by moment whatever that might bring ;)
2. What is your best tip for keeping your little munchkin calm and happy during a family photo session?
Our little munchkin was 4 weeks old when we did our newborn shoot, so we were very much still getting to know him and his mysterious ways. He wasn't taking a dummy yet (he is now thanks to the persistence of our angel nanny!) So we resorted to putting our finger in his mouth to suck between shots if he started to shout ;) Just make sure you have hand sanitiser on demand! This hot tip came from out lactation consultant on day 2 of being parents and it literally saved us, albeit sometimes having a slightly water-logged finger.
3. What advice would you give to other new moms on how to prep for a family shoot?
Definitely have a few back-up outfits, especially for little boys who seem to wee through their nappies quite often when they're small! Just enjoy the process whatever it brings up. You are doing an amazing job and when you create a calm and happy affirming space for yourself, you bab will pick up on it and feel safe and happy too. And sometimes babies are just grubby and that's ok too. Pictures are there to create a memory of real life. Embrace your reality ;)
4. What is your best trick for getting a smile out of your little one?
Our little one wasn't quite smiling at 4 weeks, but now at almost 10 weeks the word "poof" seems to be hugely amusing to him! I've realised in becoming a Mom that I've really needed to learn how to play again and ignite my own inner child. Its been quite a special journey learning how to have fun with our little one in a way that makes sense to him - which is singing nursery rhymes, making the most ridiculous noises and faces and showering him with affection. I love this quote by Paulo Coelho - "A child can teach an adult three things: To be happy for no reason; To always be curious; To fight tirelessly for something".
5. What favourite moment/activity would you really love to have captured with your family?
We really love late afternoon walks with our little family, dogs included. Our little munchkin usually chills out in the Baby Bjorn and has a nap and we all get some fresh air which is lovely, no matter the weather. We did part of our shoot in Delta Park which was so lovely and I just love these shots. We also had my sister-in-law out from Germany and my father-in-law in town from Durban to celebrate his 60th birthday. It was really special to have a few pictures of us all together as we are seldom all in the same spot at the same time. Robyn just captured our little family so beautifully. The last time we did a family shoot was with my Mom-in-law before she passed away. I mentioned this to Robyn before our shoot, and she handled our shoot with so much love and care. Capturing moments like these with our new little person is still hard without her.
