Atlanta Botanical Gardens Engagement
It is always a joy to be part of people's lives for the long run. A friend of the family, I've known Ronald since we both lived in NYC. He was Chef de Cuisine at 3 Michelin starred restaurant, Le Bernardin. I was working in fashion photography. Fast forward a few years and I was so honored to be asked to shoot his Engagement photographs with his love, Jackie. We met at my studio in downtown Atlanta to warm up, dance around and share some stories. Heading to the Atlanta Botanical Garden after, we talked about their ever evolving plans for their wedding, the restaurant scene in Atlanta (where Ronald's family owns and operates multiple spaces such as Sweet Auburn BBQ and Lazy Betty Pop-ups), and everything in between. I always love being a part of my client's + friend's big moments in life and can't wait to see these two tie the knot !
Atlanta Photo Studio Engagement Session
I worked in fashion photography in NYC for 5 years. It was kinda grueling hours and competition, I'm not going to lie. There were often 16 hour days on your feet, slaved into an Eizo monitor, trouble-shooting and keeping cool. I'm obviously glad I did it for many reasons like the incredible photographers I got to assist, light and digital tech for. Today, I'm glad I have the skills to create a multitude of moods in the studio.
Judith and Ariel are my typical clients = totally in love, a little goofy at times, show up uncertain in front of the camera, and leave saying "that was so easy/fun/awesome".
More of all this, please
XO,
GK
Venice Canals, California Engagement Session
I adore traveling back to California to capture couple's Engagement Sessions. Knowing that I'll be hiking, surfing, eating hella tacos + burritos and just aimlessly wandering the 1 all in the name of "location scouting" for photoshoots makes my heart skip a little beat.
Olivia + Scott were SO easy to work with, and their sweet pup even joined us for a bit of the photoshoot. I can't wait to capture these two's wedding this autumn !
If you're searching for the perfect destination Wedding or Elopement photographer, drop me a line and let's chat. Posting 2018 travel schedule soon! WWW.GIANNAKEIKO.COM
Sope Creek Maternity Session // Unexpected Astrology
Saturday was unusually cold. Our plans for a flowing maternity dress went out the window, but Seiko assured me that she had a "natural heater" in her tummy. We walked around trails and ruins, and talked about Japanese culture. My grandparents are Japanese, and sadly, I don't speak the language. Seiko + Yutaka told me about seasons to visit Japan and what job interview process is like (did you know that companies factor in your astrological sign?).
I told them my lineage names- Ishino, Kobayashi. They mentioned there's lots of "stone" in those names. Seems fitting, in my family we have a joke "Ishino stubbornness."
We talked about their baby's name, Ren, meaning lotus flower, and also easy for Americans to pronounce.
The end of the session left me ready to travel to Japan, to learn more about my heritage, and missing my grandparents a little bit. In a good way.
Arabia Mountain icy cold, yet smokin hot Engagement Session
Adventure feeds the soul. If I could exist on passport stamps, local mystery dishes and accents, I tooootally would. I was stoked when Austin, Texas couple Janan + Shane asked me to photograph their intimate Todos Santos wedding this Summer.
Luckily for me, and a bit of serendipitous timing, they were in Atlanta for a long weekend and we were able to head out to Arabia Mountain and brave the freezing cold in the spirit of love.
They said it reminded them of a spot not too far from Austin, and totally would never have guessed this was only 20 minutes from Atlanta. We hiked, talked about pro soccer teams and tacos, and realized we're both new homeowners.
I always see Engagement sessions as a way to have a little fun, and go through a bit of a test run. There should be some bad jokes and silly suggestions and lots of belly laughs.
XOXO to finding your adventure partner for life,
Gianna Keiko
If you were gonna make a queer joke, would you make it to me?
Will is not what I would call a hippie. He has about as much patience for Millennials as I do for mosquitos and the man eats a steak every single night. He's a self-proclaimed grass farmer. He didn't change the cows' diets so his customers would taste the emotion of love in the meat (or whatever else clever Marketing is out there). Will chose to "take care of the land and the herd, and they take care of us."
Recently, I had the opportunity to photograph and stay on a 5th generation family farm in Southwest Georgia. Founded soon after the Civil War by Captain James Edward Harris, White Oaks Pastures is a massive beef, poultry and vegetable operation owned and operated today by the founder's great-great-great grandson, Will Harris.
Will is a powerful presence. A passionate and proud farmer, father (and Southerner), he chose to do things /his/ way. I'd heard that Will is the man who took this 1,000 acre industrialized, grain-fed operation and chose to do things differently. But not for the reasons you'd expect. Will is not what I would call a hippie. He has about as much patience for Millennials as I do for mosquitos and the man eats a steak every single night. He's a self-proclaimed grass farmer. He didn't change the cows' diets so his customers would taste the emotion of love in the meat (or whatever else clever Marketing is out there). Will chose to "take care of the land and the herd, and they take care of us."
Will's philosophy with farming is cyclical and big-picture, not about calorie per pound outputs. He answered questions about herd size by commenting on the number of bites per blade of grass. Instead of condemning prior farming practices or claiming animal welfare, he’d simply retort: “Nature abhors a monoculture. Chickens were born to scratch and peck.” And, in a town whose population is 99 persons, Will employs close to 150 (yes, people commute to WOP). He's basically the Mayor.
My (vegan, yoga teacher and slim fitting trouser wearing musician) friends and I had questions.
How is this man making all the choices with ethos similar to ours, yet he seems so…
During dinner (and after a glass of wine), we mustered the courage to ask about two things that we were curious about. Will recently became a grandfather, his daughter (who also works full time on the fam) is a new mom and a lesbian. Wasn't it challenging, down here, aren’t people’s minds small or judgmental? He simply said: “if you were gonna make a queer joke, would you make it to me?”
Fair. (and, duh, nope).
There are a number of things captivating about WOP. Early in the morning, outside our cabin, I swam in the same pond where Will grew up cooling off. “There’s gators, but they’re friendly. They don’t bite.” I took his word for it, and still: 10 fingers, 10 toes.
Not everything is what it seems, and I'm grateful for the experience to confront my assumptions about South Georgia farmers. Some people are strong and make choices that greatly impact the welfare of other animals and humans and the earth not from a stance on moral crusade or "fixing" a problem, but just because it’s what they know and choose as right in their soul. Whatever the divine reasoning, I’m glad to have found this farm, met the man, and buy the beef.
“A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” //Albert Einstein
