Posted on January 31, 2012
How wonderful to be back in South Africa, in the beautiful Pretoria. We have started to settle back in and are already enjoying the absolute fabulous nature around, the friendly people. Thanks to everyone for making us feel so welcome.
We’ve been away for 8 years, so we are still learning how things have changed and how things work, but we are getting there. Well we’ve got our internet now and DSTV, the kids are in school and we know where all the building supply shops are around us, so we are all set! We’ll have to find Architects etc in the next few months (studio renovations), some more builders and so on. A busy and exciting time forward.
I will be taking sessions from March 2012. If you are interested please mail me at brunilda@brunilda.me. For a while packages will be digitally based with the option to add additional products later on. I need to work out which print labs would work best for me. I usually test everything from prints to canvas with my own family’s prints until I am 100% satisfied before I offer that product.
At the moment, the studio is not ready but I will be able to travel my studio in the interim, with careful planning I could bring the studio to you. Mostly sessions will be outside in my own garden or the bird sanctuary right next to my house.
I can’t wait to meet new clients and to make you feel like part of my family. Photos are so amazing to record our families as they grow and change. We’ll capture feelings and not just take a picture. Together we’ll create art work. Be it eventually for your walls, a lovely album or just for sharing digitally.
So without further ado, let’s get down to some prizes! I held a competition for some free sessions. At first I thought I’d do only one session and then I decided to give a little more. Everyone that entered will get R250 credit toward future sessions (this is for additional sessions to the ones given away). To claim this all you need to do is hang onto the email you sent me for the competition entry and when it gets time for you to book a session, forward or attach that email to me with your request for a session. Your competition email becomes your gift voucher for R250.
Sessions must be taken between 1 March and 31 August 2012. The R250 credit can be used once only on any regular type of session you would like, for example baby session, family session, maternity or newborn. (not on mini sessions). Remember to book well in advance of time to make sure you don’t loose out because my session slots have all been booked out.
Then we have 3 mini sessions to give away! These sessions are from 15-30 minutes and you’ll see from 8 images onwards in an online gallery. Once you receive your rough edited gallery you choose which images I should artfully edit for you. For this competition you are entitled to 8 edited images digitally on a CD. I add a print release on the CD so you will be able to print anywhere and images are of the highest quality and resolution to print in any size you’d like. The CD will also have a free of charge conversion for each images into black and white, sepia, chocolate and vintage of each image.
The three mini session winners are:
- Carle
- Tarni Hardick
- Liezel Chapman
Remember to claim your session between 1 March and 31 August!
And finally but definitely not least is the main winner! A full session, lasting between 60-90 minutes and we can do up to 3-4 outfit changes (if baby allows). From 25 onward images will be placed in a rough edit online gallery for you to choose from. I will then artfully edit the images you chose. For this competition you are entitled to 30 edited images digitally on a CD. I add a print release on the CD so you will be able to print anywhere and images are of the highest quality and resolution to print in any size you’d like. The CD will also have a free of charge conversion for each images into black and white, sepia, chocolate and vintage of each image.
The winner is: Zodwa Mzinyane
Remember to claim your session between 1 March to 31 August
Important info regarding claiming your session:
Please contact me with your suggested timing at least 2 weeks ahead of time. For a week-end session its better to book a month or more in advance. Please do not wait till the last week in August to book your free session as I might not have any more slots available and you could loose out on your session. These prizes are not redeemable for cash and are not exchangeable or transferable.
If you have specific ideas for your session please sort this out with me at least 2weeks to 1 month in advance. To wait a day before the session to request a specific theme or idea, might mean it will not be able to arrange.
I can’t wait to give you lasting memories of your family too! Here is some of my family. Everyone on this picture is part of my family. My two daughters, their grandparents and their cousin. I wish I could already get into my archives to have shown you how my daughters grew up in front of the camera, but for now this will do to introduce ourselves to you.
@ Brünilda Mönnig Photography
www.brunilda.me
Please do not copy, print or save any images without written permission
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Posted on May 11, 2011
It’s been a bit quiet on the blog, but it’s certainly not because I am not busy, just the opposite. I am trying my best to work through a ton of edits, designs, order preparation and have a few sessions also waiting for proofs. I work down the to do list one at a time and we are getting there, so bear with us.
More fun things that have been keeping us busy is Mother’s day and Bianca’s birthday. For mother’s day we went to her school and she gave me a mani and pedi cure. She loves colours and therefore chose three different colours to paint my nails with. The whole week last week she kept asking what my favourtie colour was and of course I answered blue. I love blue, even got married in blue. But how was I to know she asked because she plans to paint my nails with it? Luckily I did get to choose whether I want the blue on my hands or toe nails. So I am now sporting some really shockingly blue toenails! For the hands she decided to paint one hand pink and the other purple. It looks weird, but this mommy is proudly walking around in her manicured and pedicured state. I promised for 6 days since she is 6!
Yesterday we had another fun event, she turned 6. We had so much fun. She was terribly sick the day before and turned out its her ears so we tried as best we could to keep her ears out the water. Whether it worked we will know later but for now she sure had fun. She says 6 is her very best favourite number (at least for now). As we walked back to the car she asked “Mommy how many days until my next birthday?” I just laughed. Kids give us so much fun and laughter, how can one do anything but just adore them!
Here is the birthday girl with the evidence of a chocolate mousse cake that definitely did not survive the party.
Brunilda Monnig Photography
www.brunilda.me
copyright 2011
Download, copy, crop, alter or print of any images not allowed
Posted on May 1, 2011
Hi there everyone. The blog has been quiet, because I have not been quiet, in fact quite busy. Within the next few days there will be video sneak peeks of a mother and daughter and two families. For now I am trying my level best to catch up with older orders as well. I received a multitude at the same time when we went over to new pricing and procedures so the to do list is worked down one thing at a time.
I realised its been some time since I shared some general ramblings and thought its about time. I always have, but specifically the last few weeks I have really tried to keep a lookout for times to take pictures of my own two darlings. One day when I have time maybe over my really long vacation in July/August I would love to be able to sort through my whole arsenal of pictures of them and make a massive video slideshow but to be able to do that I have to make sure every month of their live’s are in fact recorded. There has been too many months where I didn’t even take one image of them and I vow that will not be the case forward.
Since I have really started to love studio work more and more and also because I am a great big sissie and dont like to be outside when its too outragiously hot, and my girls would rather be playing in the times its not too outrageously hot, I have just tried to keep an eye out for times where a quick photo here and there would be a good idea.
I’d love to inspire others to do the same. That day when your child is in a calm zone, playing and/ or their own make belief world, go up and take a few pictures. Some days on when they just look gorgeous get them into good light and take some more pictures. Just 3-4 each time, When you look at the pictures later choose the best one. Well I usually just choose one, edit one:) I never take more than 5 minutes.
One definitely get more out of the little ones if there is as little distractions as possible. Today my 2 year old were dressed in this really lovely dress, I immediately realised I have a headband that will go perfectly with the dress. Nothing was planned but I just immediately knew it would look great I even thought what background and prop would be perfect. Since the kids are so used to me asking for one photo every now and then they are pretty good about it. Mom dont keep them long, I always show them on the LCD and they get to do what they’d like. My eldest have even come up to me and asked for another picture. Taking video’s have also become a pastime of us, with my eldest composing her own songs etc.
Bonding time, fun, unbelievable sentiment when looking back on it later, rolled into a record of your little ones as they grow up, what more can one ask for. I love love love being able to do this.
So what am I rambling about? I felt such love and wonder today again that I had to share it and encourage everyone to have a look out for those opportunities to take pictures. Of course I will do my yearly family session as well since I also want to be on some pictures, not a good thing to always be just behind the scenes. I’ll also capture longer sessions with each as they reach a specific milestone, but in the mean time I am always on the lookout to have one image here, one image there.
If I wasn’t prepared I might have missed this one:
I was alone with her, I had a little conversation and we sang a song. Here is a short video, please excuse my absolutely terrible singing, but if you ever have a session with me with little ones, it might be good that you are prepared because I always end up singing:) Listen how quiet it is, how calm the setting is. And the result is a fun time, with a beautiful image. I have some images too where she is sitting, and even standing on top of the column, yet the photo above is the one that spoke to me… (video not great quality, I didn’t bring in any lighting and I am still only at “point and shoot” stage when it comes to video:))
I’m so pretty, oh so pretty… from Brunilda Monnig Roode on Vimeo.
A calm and enjoyable photo session with my own little girl. It took all of 10 minutes, singing show included. The lighting was natural light and the photo and video both was taken with my canon 5D II and 50mm lens.
Posted on April 9, 2011
I haven’t posted about my little darlings in quite some time. The last few weeks have been all work and no play I’m afraid. This week the new website went life, I built on new functionality into Facebook, had several brochures and stuff printed and had a few sessions, loads of orders. I am still busy doing the edits of last week’s sessions but thought we all needed a break. We headed to the water park on the corniche.
I don’t take the camera along most of the time when we go out and about, relaxing with the kids instead. For a change yesterday I thought I will get just a few, even one each and I would have been happy (just enough every now and again to remember them always as they grew up stage by stage, year by year).
I was standing on my knees, pants getting soaked while I took some impromptu photo’s. We laughed since our one girl went crazy full of fun underneath the water and the other moaned if even a drop got on her. She played with the little fountains but one dare not let water spray on her. So funny.
here is a quick collage of the few pics I took.
Posted on December 25, 2010
We celebrated Christmas eve this evening and Santa visited while the children weren’t looking. I love that they completely are in a make believe world, they loved putting out cookies and loved seeing it was gone. I wish all of you had a wonderful Christmas too. If you aren’t celebrating Christmas I hope you have wonderful family time!
I love December’s lots of Christmas parties, a birthday and back home usually a long vacation to boot. Since I come from South Africa I have never been or seen snow and so a warmer Christmas is completely natural to me. My poor husband’s Christmas present from me (a kindle) did not arrive in time, because of snow in Europe:(
Here is my family’s Christmas card for this year. I printed it on watercolor paper and parchment envelope. The texture and feel of the card were so wonderful its almost as if I just wanted to keep touching it. The colours I chose really works with the watercolor paper too. Rin Nelson from Australia took the images and let me edit them ( I owe her big time for that, will repay the favour when she moves to Dubai next year!). Here is the front:
And the back:
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Posted on October 21, 2010
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I am back from visiting South Africa and welcoming my new nephew. He is teeny tiny. I fell in love with him at first sight. I am turning into a big ol’ softy as I grow older (yeah I am turning 40 this year so feel I can say that, haha). I get so emosional and are so passionate when it comes to gorgeous little babies. Well anything sweet, anything wonderful.
I am currently finishing up client galleries from just before my trip so will focus on those before I show more of my nephews pics. So here is just one of my handsome nephew, for now.
Posted on September 15, 2010
Today was the first day Bianca went to school for the 2010/2011 year. Her second year in “big school”. She was so excited to get back to meet new friends and super excited when she saw her new class room, and saw some new friends. To celebrate our first day I am offering a 10% discount on everything to anyone that have children that have started a new school or gone to school for the first time (one discount per family of course). If you are new to the country and in need of family pictures or have a little one that just started school (or nursery for the first time ever) then you qualify. Contact me to find out if you qualify if you are unsure. (Previous clients, this is for you too, you may order additional items at 10% discount if you do not wish to have a new session!).
Book before 15th of October please (sessions may take place up to 15 December 2010)
Here is my two this morning before school and at the bottom is one of Erika the day she started nursery two weeks ago:
And Erika before her first day:
Posted on September 12, 2010
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I enjoy reading about people around me, I love news but I am just not a news reader (or watcher). I know that might make me sound ignorant. It all began when there were very little TV that is interesting when I was young. We were allowed to watch what we wanted but then at a certain time it would be news time. As you can imagine super boring to the two of us (my brother and I) to hear the same kind of news day in and day out. I guess what made it worse was that right after news time it was bed time (and I’ve always been a night owl, not ready for bed at 8)!
So is it any wonder really that I just never got into it. I do like to hear little tidbits and therefore I love hearing the news on the radio (and I generally only listen to the radio if I am in the car and the kids didnt win out to have the Dora CD in. I’ve discovered a few things to help me read all kinds of interesting things while not being the traditional “news at 7″. Twitter and blogs and even facebook, you name it I’ve discovered lots of ways to hear about the relevant news through those methods and the odd internet forum board.
I discovered a particular twitter handle @Abudhabilife that pulls blog header through from somewhere I honestly don’t know how they do it, but I love following their tweets. Through them I have discovered several blogs within our city and it is so much fun, reading from other expats. Local things going on etc.
Once you know of a blog that you like how do you follow it? Subscribe to the feed, sure, then remember to go into your browser to go see which feeds changed or just copy whatever link you originally saw that you liked and open your google reader account. In google reader on the left say subscribe paste that whole link in there and voila the whole blog will be pulled in. Older posts too, neatly almost like a book.
I have grouped my blogs that I keep track of in folders: Abu Dhabi, Photographers, Miscellaneous. Whenever there is any of the blogs with new entries it will show up as having unread posts. Quick way to read and stay abreast of them all and not accidentally missing out:) I love that its only one bookmark on my favorites, I click that one button and up pops all the blogs I follow at once.
When a certain post is really good you click on the title and it will instantly take you through to the real post on the particular blog and you can place your comments there. Because you do want to post comments, make the writers know that their blogs are read, make a connection!
Try it, its so much fun.
I have to post some of my heart poictures too since I haven’t in some time. Here are some I took yesterday afternoon. I played with a few things in camera so the pictures aren’t perfect technically but I love them dearly as they captured little pieces of my darlings’ personalities:
Go try out following other blogs and if you find any worth mentioning please come back and tell us! Oh, and look at the bottom of the blog, there you will find the new toolbar to take you to my own facebook and twitter account for instance where I always make new promotions and ideas known first…. You can read the latest without even leaving this page:)
Posted on August 26, 2010
Every so often I remind myself I need updated photos of the children. It really takes me 5 minutes. i go to where they are playing, snap away. When they would let me I would comb their hair and sometimes like today I got to have Bianca dress in a special dress but that is about it. Those images add up and if you get only 2 images every few weeks, pretty soon you have enough stunning ones to make an unbelievable album.
I adore Erika’s eyelashes and have been meaning to get a shot of them. She is in that stage of her life where Mommy could do cartwheels and she will not look at me:) They go through that at about 2years old and it really is difficult to catch them as they truely are. Even for their own parents not just for stranger photographers:)
It suited me today as I wanted to have her look down. Its really a snapshot and I didnt even take time to clean her face. I adore this one though and it will surely be printed for some nook and cranny in our home:
I told Bianca today was snapshot day and I had taken a few pictures of Erika. She was not too keen but I told her we would take some of her sleeping buddy Mr “Botha” her teddybear too. I took several of only him, where Bianca “posed” him for me. It might look silly shooting a toy but he wasn’t even visible in most shots and I got her to consider letting me take her picture and the result is simply amazing. Some of her most beautiful ones of date. I will take pictures of childrens toys over and over again if that is waht gets them to open up. If they get to see the little image on the lcd screen their little faces just brightens up.
For Bianca I am actually going to make a storyboard with several images of her teddybear and herself for her room, as she has specifically requested a “block with lots of rounded pictures of me and Botha mom”. I just laughed and said sure thing. Amazed that my child is truely changing into a photographers child, knowing about pictures needing to be printed and even realising you can add them together to produce something interesting and arty.
Posted on August 1, 2010
It’s been a while since I’ve done the snapshot posts. But this snapshot is super special, my eldest lost her first tooth. Last week already I have just been too busy to come share. She’s so very proud of it.
Posted on June 29, 2010
Its not a Wedsnesday but I thought its time to share some snapshots again.
As many of you know for the next 2 weeks Grandma is the most important in this house. Its double, triple bonding time and the only time I edit will be during nap times. We’re also taking her for a quick break to Furjeirah. If you have galleries owing, remember I will reach you I am going down the list one by one. For orders and to extend galleries please contact me via email. I wont be able to do admin from Thursday to Saturday though as we are not available.
I will be doing a summer project that involves tons of photos of grandmom and the girls. Here is some snapshots taken yesterday during play at the park. This photo was taken through the fench:
While Bianca was playing tennis Erika enjoyed the water
Posted on March 8, 2010
I asked Bianca some questions to see what she is all about. Pretty boring answers but here goes:
- Q: How many brothers and sisters do you have A: 3 brothers and 1 sister
- Q: What is your favourite thing to do? A: Building blocks (I assume playing with them, maybe because she does this with her sister)
- Q: What is your favourite food? A: chocolate (no shocker)
- Q: What is your favourite book? A: Princess book
- Q: What is your favourite song? A:Oh Canada (the anthem, who would have thought?)
- Q: What do you want to be when you grow up? A: A dinaosaur (t-rex) and an astronaut (that should be interesting)
- Q: How many kids do you want when you get married? A: 7 (Oh boy, what are we in for?)
- Q: What is your favourite thing about mom? A: She’s nice
- Q: What is your favourite thing about dad? A: He’s funny
- Q: What is your favourite thing about yourself? A: being good (hmmm must remind her of this one more often)
And by her request we added another Question:
What is your favourite colour? A: No shocker, its pink!
Posted on February 8, 2010
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My poor little one had a terrible week last week. Doctors told us it was a heavy allergic reaction, we still believe it was a virus. What ever it was it covered her little body in rashes. But luckily its gone now and hopefully the little scars will also disappear soon. She is much better and I couldnt help taking some snaps today. I wish I had planned it out more as these are just snaps. Maybe next week I could do a more planned out shoot with her.
Posted on January 17, 2010
This week’s post about something I have a special place in my heart for, is:
Posted on January 13, 2010
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I took this one a while ago during a play date at my house, Only took about 3 pics and this one I immediately knew could be special.
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