Chiriqui Coffee...More Than Just A Bean!!

Whilst I am not able to publish the pictures yet until they have gone out in the press, I have just come back from 3 days in Boquette photographing coffee fincas. It was for a publication due out early next year, so I will add the pictures then. It was so interesting to learn all about the coffee manufacturing process. I didn't realise how much skill goes into it all. It is akin to wine making. If you have time then it really is worth a trip up to Chiriqui to experience some of the tours. Panama produces some of the finest coffee in the world, and the scenery is breathtaking!


Pictures coming in the new year!! 

Christmas Family Fun

Here is another beautiful family Christmas session. We made time to grab some beautiful shots of the children... gifts for the family!! Kids really are easier to photograph when they are doing what they do best...having fun. Plus the chocolate chip bribe may have helped too!

                                  

Christmas Family Photos

Tis the season to be jolly...or it soon will be. I have just started with the first of my Christmas family photo shoots, family pictures for presents and cards are always going to go down well with close family and friends. This one went really well and we had a beautiful result!! 

Miami River

Ignacio

This was a family portrait session that I did last week. Little baby Ignacio had just had his vaccinations so he was not on form. Using a lot of coaxing with toys, we still managed to capture some gorgeous images.

Manrey

This image was for the cover of The Visitor newspaper. Manrey have launched a new waitress service in their Pool and VIP area. The shoot was done on the terrace of the VIP lounge at dusk. It was a little hairy as dusk is a very brief thing here in Panama, and the final image ended up being at night...but it was a great shot. The girls were great and kept smiling whilst I snapped away!

Nicholas & Caterina

Nicholas and Caterina had chosen to marry in the beautiful gardens of The Deepwoods estate in Salem, Oregon. It was a truly magical setting for their wedding. The couple said their vows in front of family and friends in a small formal garden, as the sun dipped behind the treetops. This tranquil setting provided many hidden spots for me to photograph the couple and I was spoilt for choice. But very soon the sun was set and the photographs were taken, and it was time for the couple to join their guests to dance the night away!

Sophie-Claire

Sophie-Claire...what a little star! Having your picture taken over and over an constantly being encouraged to smile can be confusing for little ones (Why have my usually sane parents taken to calling my name over and over, and why do they keep waving toys at me???), but Sophie-Claire took it all in her stride! After 2 hours when she finally decided to call it quits, we had a lovely set of images for her parents to pick from.

Haras Stud Farm

This has to be one of my favorite jobs I have done in Panama. I was able to spend a morning strolling around the beautiful Haras Stud Farm in Cerro Punta, Chiriqui, capturing images of the horses as they grazed. The farm has recently begun to offer tours to the public of its facilities, and the images were for the upcoming edition of Focus on Panama. Haras Stud with it's stunning mountain back drop is a picturesque destination for a mornings sortie and is well worth a visit. I was lucky enough to arrive just after the foaling season and as a result was able to capture some fabulous pictures of the newborn foals at play.

Golf in Paradise

Last week I was off to Chiriqui to photograph a new development, Cielo Paraiso. The job was for an article in The Visitor news paper here in Panama. At 3000 ft on a hillside high above Chiriqui, the development includes a golf course with breathtaking views of the surrounding area. Check out my images to see what really makes the development special!

Kayla & Brandon

A few weeks ago I was off to Florida to photograph the wedding of Kayla and Brandon. The nuptials took place on South Lido Beach, Sarasota, Florida. The bride arrived, unusually, on an LCM, and greeted her beaming groom under a muslin and flower festooned bamboo arch. Ninety family and friends joined the couple on the beach for the service and then at the reception venue to party into the night. 

                           

 


It was a beautiful day in which one could see aspects of the newly wed couple reflected throughout. I had a wonderful time capturing the moments as they happened. 

Gamboa Monkeys

Yesterday, I took a trip up to Lake Gatun to see the wild monkeys that reside in the rain-forest that make up its banks. Lake Gatun is a man made lake formed when the Gatun Dam was completed in 1913 during the construction of the Panama Canal. 

There are two main types of monkey to be found here, Black Howler monkeys, and White Faced Capuchin monkeys. Although we saw Howler monkeys relaxing in the tree tops, they were reluctant to be photographed and proved elusive. However I was lucky enough to photograph the White Faced Capuchin monkeys, a selection of which can be seen here. The highlight was of course the mother and baby who can be seen below, however they are pretty bold little guys, and some even jumped onto our boat!