Raj & Jamie Capture Stunning Babymoon Portraits in The Bahamas
Embarking on the journey to parenthood is an exciting and transformative experience, and what better way to celebrate this particular time than with a babymoon in paradise? Raj and Jamie did just that, choosing the breathtaking Bahamas as the backdrop for their unforgettable babymoon portraits.
My island provided the perfect setting for Raj and Jamie's photoshoot with its clear turquoise waters, white sand beaches, and breathtaking sunsets. The couple wanted to capture the essence of their love and anticipation as they awaited the arrival of their first child.
Jamie wore a fitting black dress that made her look like a goddess. In a crisp white shirt and trousers, Raj gave us "relaxed Dad elegance," his outfit perfectly matched the tranquil beach. Together, they walked hand in hand along the shoreline, leaving prints in the sand as a reminder of their journey. The gentle waves lapping at their feet and the sound of the ocean created a serene and intimate atmosphere, allowing their genuine emotions to shine through in the photos.
As the day drew close, the sky transformed into a canvas of rich purples, pinks, and gold, creating a stunning backdrop for their final portraits.
Raj and Jamie's babymoon photo shoot in the Bahamas was more than just a series of beautiful pictures; it celebrated their love and growing family and the new adventure awaited them. The stunning landscapes of the Bahamas provided the perfect setting to capture these precious moments, creating a lasting memory they will cherish forever.
Rapper/Singer Chase Fernander kills in ROYALTY: A Maternity Editorial
I wanted to work on something that I'd grown to love in my work. Maternity has been a growing part of my portrait work, and I felt the need to shoot a series that would tie in all the things that are apart of my overall style as a photographer. Lisa Sands, MUA and I have wanted to work together for a while, and when I pitched the idea to her, she loved it. It's just that we needed to put together a team to thoroughly execute the production, oh and we needed a muse!
Several weeks later, during lockdowns and quarantines, we finalized our team and after multiple screenings, decided to approach Chase Fernander, a larger than life rapper/singer here on the island of New Providence. We just needed the ok to meet in person to start work on, ROYALTY.
Our first two looks were edgy, bold and to me, very sharp. Shan, our stylist, really flexed her talent on them so when it came down to look three, I knew I wanted something comfortable, painterly and feminine. In fact, this look was nearly scratched because initially, the team felt it wasn't complete.
The overcoat was mine that conveniently hung in the studio, I usually keep a few pieces for when I shoot male clients. We knew we wanted to use it for the series. So literally minutes to call time I asked Chase in our WhatsApp team group if she'd bring jeans from home. She regrettably had none that fit. I don't know why I asked her to, but I realized that pairing jeans with the coat would be the look I wanted. Shan jumped in and said that she'd turn around, go back home and grab the "perfect pair!" ⠀
This entire shoot was a collaboration between very talented creatives and the planning and time that went into producing the shoot was a massive factor in the success of these images.
ROYALTY ft Chase Fernander
Image: @scharadlphoto⠀
Styling: @_thestylegroup⠀
MUA: @lisa_sands_beauty⠀⠀
Hair: @metamorphosis_bs⠀
Dress: @javiebethell
Props: @jlavishaccents⠀⠀
Film: @truevisionfsc⠀⠀
PA: @amaris_touch @kcbferguson⠀
VIEW THE GALLERY
ENJOY THE “ROYALTY” REEL from TRUEVISION
Beautiful Maternity Couple shoots at Luxurious Location.
Sometimes I feel fortunate to attract a particular type of clientele. I love shooting in new places and exceptionally beautiful homes. When Jaynna and Jamal reached out about commissioning some maternity portraits, I was ready to fill their request. Jaynna had sent me some photos of concepts she wanted to shoot, and that got me inspired to create something memorable for them.
I told Jaynna in our consultation that we needed to photograph at an amazing location. She took a few seconds to reply, but when she responded, she said: “Scharad hold on, I may have a house we can use.” Shortly after sending me photographs, I replied confidently, “this WILL work!”
We met later on that week to do a walk through the site, and this house was nothing short of amazing. Endless ceilings, perfect marble floors, sky-high glass panels and a view to marvel at were just a few of the things that sold me.
Usually, when I’m inspired by a location, I know the shoot will go well. I put together my shot-list in a few days and gathered my team to work. We shot a full day using only a third of the property, ( it was HUGE) but for me, I knew getting that shot outside on the private beach at sunset was vital. Jaynaa looked amazing in her dress and Jamal was equally as dapper in his custom look.
I was trying to be long-winded with this post, but it didn’t make sense because I wanted the images to speak for the work we did. Usually, I would have shot this natural light, but I decided to shoot using 1 strobe and a broad softbox modifier.
Please enjoy the images below.
Makeup: T’s Artistry
Hair: Tara Miller (Metamorphosis Salon)
Jamal’s Look: KIS Bespoke
PA: Kenton Ferguson Tariq Cartwright
Cinematography: Kyle Ferguson (Jiggy Productions)
WATCH THE CINEMATIC BTS VIDEO
Whimsical maternity session with Star and Carlos Palacious
The more I shoot maternity sessions, the more I fall in love with this type of portrait work. My approach after a client contracts me if to create something different and I usually try to start away from the traditional pregnancy sessions I’ve seen before.
When Anastarcia aka Star approached me about shooting her maternity images, this was just the case. She wanted something unique and told me that she expected me to produce images that were whimsical beautiful and timeless. Even though my focus is the mother to be, Star insisted on including her toddler daughter Cairo and husband Carlos. That’s a lot of pressure for one shoot, right?
Star sent me a few images of what she wanted her and Cairo to wear. Seeing the dramatic dress sparked so much inspiration in me because I knew immediately after seeing the dress where I would want this to be photographed. We also selected a stylish suit and shoes for Carlos to wear which complimented the theme and then went on to think of ways to make the shoot work. We were coming off strict restrictions placed by our government due to COVID-19, so we had to take into account safety as well as her high-risk status.
In the photography world, there are ideas that you think of that are seldomly a “first”, and I googled for days under the search topic “Maternity shoot on a horse ranch.” After coming up with very little, my excitement grew even more, especially since the couple was one of colour. It took a few weeks to put together a mood board and shot list, and since I was quarantined at home, I had lots of time to perfect it. Ironically enough, we were supposed to shoot way before the country was shut down, on a much larger scale but COVID forced us to keep things simple.
We took the couple, their housekeeper and my PA and executed within our social distancing guidelines. Using one large modifier and one light, I was able to mix ambient light and an artificial strobe to create lighting that was effortless and natural. Star performed like a champ and Carlos was a good sport doing everything we needed him to do. Cairo, the couples two and a half year old gave us about 15 mins of her time before she retired back to her quarters, typical toddler behaviour!
We got beautiful shots of the family together, the couple and Mom to be, all in 45 mins before the sun went down. The location, lighting and styling all worked seamlessly together.
Please enjoy the images below.
Makeup and Hair: Anastarcia Palacios
Floral Arrangement: The Greenhouse Bahamas
Dress: Katharina Hakaj Couture
PA: Kenton Ferguson