I am so excited to be in Japan. It's been at the top of my bucket list for a long time now! So far, this beautiful, organized and super-polite country has NOT disappointed. (alternate headline: my matcha green tea obsession continues!)
Color Psychology with Fiona Humberstone in Manhattan
Branding your business can be daunting. But when you work together, it gets easier! Fiona Humberstone, the Brand Stylist, leads an intimate crew of creatives through an enlightening, fun and thought provoking workshop in Manhattan.
The Brand Stylist, Fiona Humberstone
Fiona is a passionate teacher. She is warm, enthusiastic and a great listener. But you're well served to do more listening than talking! She's overflowing with knowledge to share.
This workshop was a brilliant day for me, because I got to "audit" it while I documented it!
Aren't these hanging green things amazing?! They're kokedamas! I need them all over my house. Need! Eco-florist Gloria B. Collins created these gorgeous green miracles, and I'm absolutely in awe of them.
The food was divine as well! Catered by Poppy's in Brooklyn.
I'm now obsessed with confetti shooters!
Good Light Studio was a beautiful location for a workshop!
Ana for Cup of Jo!
I recently shot some fun photos for Joanna Goddard on Cup of Jo! The girls were all wearing Hatch, who makes such stylish stuff. You can wear their clothes during and after pregnancy, or when you're not pregnant at all! Click through to see the whole post.
BONUS: A squirrel threw flower petals at us!)
Portraits by ANA on the road!
Ana is hitting the road this Spring, and has photo session availability in many cities around the world. It can be a commercial inquiry, a brand project, a family session, an event or a portrait! Email ana@anaphoto.co for more information, availability and rates.
Clinton Hill's 5lb. new resident, and his puppy | Ana Gambuto Photography
I am so excited to share these photos of baby Kaden! I've known K's mama for many years, and she's a total NYC bad ass, having worked for every A-list photography production house in the entirety of New York City over the last 10 years, AND being my hilarious, loving and beautiful friend.
Introducing baby to pup can be stressful... or just hilarious!
Photography on a a rainy day in Clinton Hill is never dull with a cutie like this!
Happy St. Patrick's Day from Battery Park City!
I'm a quarter Irish. I feel like that counts, don't you? I sure do feel lucky these days.
Lucy is sporting these glasses even better than I ever could, so I'm letting her keep 'em.
Galway, Ireland
I visited many towns and counties in Ireland during my stay. Though I only had one day in Galway, it left a lasting impression on me. The charm of the streets and the friendliness of the shop owners impressed me. I learned about a progressive Swedish Illustrator and the slow fashion movement, not to mention that I stumbled upon some serious foodie delights!
Dawn hits the rainy streets of Galway.
With the help of my friend Cliodhna, I discovered a coffeeshop named Coffeewerk + Press! Such style within these doors. Shop owner Daniel humbly turns out a selection of goods that is as elevated style-wise as any cool-kid boutique in my Brooklyn neighborhood. I took forever picking through his collection of goodies. He supports artists all over the world! The coffee options at Coffeewerk are also certainly worth a mention. Take it from this coffee snob--you're in good hands here!
I knew I would love it just by looking at the logo and facade! Coffeewerk + Press, Galway, Ireland November 2015
Dan's coffeeshop is across the street from the sweetest toy shop called Wooden Heart, which is run by his parents! The family has been in Galway for many years, and both shops are beloved.
This is a sweet little book that I purchased over at the Wooden Heart, and then photographed at Coffeewerk + Press, because how beautiful are these tiles?
The author of this book, the much-loved Swedish author and illustrator Elsa Beskow, has quite a wonderful story of her own.
Elsa Beskow always loved fairy tales, and started telling stories even before she could speak properly. She told stories to her older brother Hans, who would help her find the right words and give suggestions on the plot.
Her upbringing was liberal and she was raised to stand up for her ideals. These values are reflected in her children's picture books. The Flowers' Festival, from 1914, argues for freedom of speech for everyone, and some suggest that Mrs Chestnut, in her loose-fitting dress, is depicted as pregnant - a daring thing to do at a time when the middle classes were of the view that pregnant women should be kept out of sight.
Elsa Beskow's aunts and uncle had progressive views of parenting and education, and they began a school where children learned through games and enjoyment and with focus on understanding what they studied.
How wonderful that such a talented artist was also one of the original believers of what we call play-based learning today! I'm fascinated by her. Read more about her here, or get one of her books for yourself and see what I mean!
A table at Ard Bia, where brunch is a whole new version of wonderful. An empty table is rare! I snapped this in the five seconds after it was cleaned before the new eager patrons were seated.
There is SO MUCH talent in this town.
The hottest table in Galway is certainly Ard Bia, whether for lunch or dinner. The things coming out of this kitchen were absolutely fantastic. I wish I had more photos of the dinner I had (I ate there twice in 24 hours!) but sadly they were eaten too quickly to be photographed.
Ard Bia owner Aoibheann is also a partner in the Tweed Project, and I couldn't resist buying their beautiful shawl! The Tweed Project creates handmade, one off pieces that combine beautiful Irish fabrics with modern tailoring for a truly authentic expression of Irish design. Their aesthetic and their website is really wonderful, I highly recommend clicking over.
Galway is a special place, and not just because it's so photogenic. (The photographer's bias!) My experience there played a huge role in how much I came away from Ireland absolutely in love with all things Irish!
Fall Family Shoots with Ana
I'm excited to bask in the golden glow of the changing leaves on the East Coast this year. My family portrait shooting season is cut short this year due to a big, juicy travel trip coming up, so I'm making the most of the sessions I get in October! I'd say the leaves are cooperating nicely.
Connecticut always gives us the truly postcard-worthy Fall experience!
Behind the Scenes: An Editorial featuring Tristin and Tyler!
Lights, camera, HUGS! This sweet, energetic video was created by Tristin and Tyler, who were a part of my Elephant In The Room editorial for Little Revolution magazine earlier this year.
Tristin and Tyler are twin brothers, media personalities, models + actors who live in NYC and love to check out and share what’s cool for kids on this website and their YouTube Channel! Whether they are sharing the coolest activities for kids on television, checking out the hottest spots for families in NYC in their series What’s Up, City Kid!?, doing a live cooking demonstration or getting silly in their upcoming series What If?, Tristin + Tyler are taking media by storm!
Thank you so much, T&T for this fabulous memory!
BEAU for The Fount Collective
I had a special session with a cute little boy last month in the rain, in Greenwich, Connecticut. He charmed me within an inch of my life, and we ran around like mad, running in between the raindrops.
I wrote about it in a feature I have this month on The Fount Collective's blog.
I wrote about what it means to me to spend time with so many loving families and kids, and how much you give back to me as I make pictures for you.
Kristy + Brian: Married!
Romance in the city... there's nothing like it!
We all have so much on our plates each week, so to dress up, go out and celebrate the long-time love of two of your friends is a wonderful treat! Kristy and Brian have killer style, and they tied the knot at an incredible old warehouse in Brooklyn called the Liberty Warehouse, with views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.
The view from the Liberty Warehouse
Kristy has old-hollywood beauty, and when the guests turned to see her for the first time as she floated down the aisle, there was an audible gasp and cheer!
Her Pronovias dress and rose gold Meredith Kahn engagement ring give you a taste of the luxe details from this March 2015 stunner celebration. Man, I love a proper glamorous NYC wedding!
Leah and Peter: MARRIED!
The BEST part of Leah and Pete's wedding was witnessing their love for each other. But the SECOND best thing about their wedding was discovering the beautiful little paradise called Spring Lake, New Jersey! It's a sweet little town on the Jersey shore that is absolutely charming. The streets are tree-lined and quiet, and the light in the afternoon is golden.
The Flood's guests enjoyed a long weekend at the beach. There was so much beachfront to explore! I woke up early and strolled the boardwalk with other early risers in town, who seemingly all were walking cute dogs and all waved hello.
On the day of the wedding, I woke up in our Bed and Breakfast, the wonderful Hewitt Wellington, hearing all the laughter and splashing of the kids, already up at the pool! It was fun to see how wanted and incorporated the children were in the wedding festivities. At the rehearsal dinner, the kids all gave advice for being married! Complete with handmade signs. How adorable!?
And then - it was time to begin the day!
The wind was in full swing! It kept swooping in to join the party, taking us totally by surprise! I loved the spontaneous hilarity it caused, and was happier with every gust.
Wahoo for Leah and Pete!
<3, Ana
ICELAND
Landing in Iceland looks like landing on the moon. It's expansive, and it's really volcano-y. It has a fresh smell and a sheer quality, like the whole country was edited in photoshop to be -10 saturation.
Reykjavik, 2015
Our first day was long, but we jumped right into exploring. The sun in Iceland in May rises around 4am and sets at 11:45pm, so landing at 7am that morning gave us 16 hours to play! A nap did occur, I admit. And COFFEE. Coffee definitely happened.
On recommendation from at least three people, we ate at Snaps three times! It really was the most reliably delicious option in the non-fancy realm of dining in Reykjavik. There are lots of set-menu fine dining options in town for those with aims on super-fine nordic cuisine, but we stuck to tried and true favorites in the glass-domed dining room at Snaps. You can enjoy the fading light while you eat, because it stays light or at least magic hour for HOURS... and then ultimately never really gets dark-dark!
This is "night" in Reykjavik in May!
All over Iceland, there are fabulous pops of color amongst the muted tones, when you least expect them!
Our AirBnB was a sweet, bright, quiet place. Felt like such a lucky find! We spend quiet afternoons watching the long hours of Icelandic afternoon light shine in our many windows. With the faint echo of our upstairs neighbors' singing to keep us company, our minds took time to wander.
Road-tripping to a tiny town down South, along the Golden Circle of Iceland. We just did day trips, but you can spend a whole week traversing the whole country on a single road!
I had a total moment with this beautiful horse. She waited by the fence until I drove away.
You've probably heard of The Blue Lagoon. It's a fairy-tale-looking geothermal spa just outside Reykjavik, and it'll be the first thing you are inundated with when you do your very first Iceland Google search. Because of the popularity, I assumed the experience of visiting the spa would be overrated and touristy. Here's the thing though. It really LOOKS LIKE THIS. Like, no Photoshop required. It's the ace up Nature's sleeve and it's a WIN.
There are so many more horses to pet, day trips to take and lovely people to meet. My biggest recommendation is that five days is NOT ENOUGH to experience Iceland! I will be back.
LUCA
This lucky little man landed in a house full of girls! With three sisters and his gorgeous mama to dote on him, it's no surprise that this was one of the most sweet and serene newborn sessions I've ever done. At 7 days old, baby Luca was just totally calm and collected, enjoying the attention, giving me a chance to shoot while he was awake, and then soon enough, sound asleep.
Just dreamy.
Snooze away little Luca! We are happy to just pass you around and around. We'll even let Papa have a turn.
<3
Family circle
Wedding Video: Rachael and Cooper
Ana now shoots wedding videos! This first one will always have a special place in my heart, for so many reasons.
This magical woodland wedding took place in San Gregorio, California on May 24th, 2014.
<3
ISLA
“Making the decision to have a child - it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ”
My favorite neighbor had a baby! And our little world of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, becomes just that much more special. My BFF, my partner in crime, is the most beautiful mother I could imagine. Baby Isla so beautiful already. It's so powerful how this little person arrived as if she was always here, already so calm and inquisitive, already the little Isla she will be.
Already Isla Lucille can't take her eyes off of her sister!
ANA is shooting in Los Angeles in April!
I'm eagerly going out West to wear flip-flops, eat real tacos, and shoot families and kids in the most incredible golden light in the world (that's right, that perfect light is only in California, my home state!)
Space is limited, but please do email for information! Newborns, teenagers, big families, small families, it's all worth documenting. Call me!
ana@anaphoto.co
With Love
In loving memory of my friend and client Janice Hegemier, who left us too soon. I absolutely adored her, and am very saddened by the news of her passing. Taking a moment, to remember.
Stella
When your bestie has a baby, it's always an exciting time. But this little girl's arrival was extra special because I'm already so in love with her older sister!
Newborn shoots at home can be the sweetest experience for a photographer. It's a moment to be a loving, active contributor by directing tired parents into poses that you know they'll feel beautiful in later, but also it's being completely invisible, being the silent documentarian to the momentous occasion that a growing family at home really is. It's their first few hours as a whole. It's such an honor.
I kinda think my job is rad.
Welcome to our world, Stella. I plan to eagerly over-document your life. (with love!)
Battery Park City, New York
A Twinkling Baby Shower at ABC Kitchen
I've always joked that ABC Kitchen is my happy place. It's white and bright and full of the most wonderful objects, the best of the best from the wonders of ABC Home.
The table setting included little cards for other moms to give their words of advice to the mama-to-be!
And that's all before you've tasted THE FOOD. Oh, the food!
Cake pops and sugar cookies
As a guest at Marcella's shower, you could peer through the glass wall at one end and view the Willy Wonka-esque room of blue desserts just beyond. She planned and designed the entire party with meticulous detail and taste, and the folks in event planning at ABC were so good-natured and smile-y. They work fast and they are crazy-efficient in running an event! Impressed. (Follow them on insta! I do.)
This baby shower was literally twinkling. The lighting, the happy faces and of course, the SWEETS!
From chocolate cupcakes with vanilla icing to glazed doughnuts to snowball cookies, no sweet tooth was left unsatisfied. And the crowning glory? A custom cake by Marcella's very talented cousin, Melissa. The white tower was adorned with tiny, perfect white letters all over for some serious tone on tone loveliness, and then the baby's name in blue. Dreamy!
Most people couldn't take their eyes off the desserts, but the lunch was beautiful too. There were toasts with kabocha squash, fresh ricotta and apple cider vinegar followed by a pear and apple salad with blue cheese dressing, fines herbs and candied pecans and mini akaushi cheeseburgers with herbed mayo and pickled jalapenos, as well as about 50 other amazing things not pictured here. Big fan. Huge!
Marcella's gift bags included these cute little jars that contained all the ingredients to make a batch of cookies! The layers of the ingredients are visible through the glass, they are like a work of art. Absolutely gorge! Find them at DJars Cookie Co.
The kids in attendance had their own craft table where they could make their own crowns, make drawings and paint onesies for baby Luca!
One of my all-time favorite venues, period. ABC Kitchen!
Sharing this event was really so much fun, poring over everything for hours, re-living the day. I'm resolving to blog more of my special events along with my portrait sessions - especially when they're filled with such DIVINE food!
x