BOGGIO Volume 1, 2015 by Boggio Studios

BOGGIO

VOLUME 1, 2015 The magazine bringing photography and art to life

Tips on your travel:

Catalogue:

Editorial Shoots:

Features/News:

CAPTURE THE SPIRIT OF YOUR HOLIDAY

OUR BESPOKE PORTRAIT SERVICES

DREAMS OF DUBAI IT’S MY PARTY

CLIMBING KILI STUDIO EVENTS

editor’s letter

Welcome to the inaugural issue of the Boggio Studios magazine!

E Design by Gry Renate Muledal Printed by Cambrian Printers

very January, we sit down as a team to talk about what we want to do that year. Producing a magazine is something we have discussed many times, and, with a new website launch coming up and it being the 10-year anniversary of Boggio Studios in 2015, now seemed like the right time. We’ve tried to strike a balance between giving you interesting content and showing you what we can do for you as London’s top portraiture company. Our passion is to bring amazing photography to your life, so we hope that comes through in our magazine. In A Fluffy Kind of Love, we get to see the beauty of a mother sharing her love of cooking with her young daughter plus we get a great recipe for making marshmallows. If you are the nominated photographer on your family travels, then take a look at 10 Ways to Capture the Spirit of your Holiday, in which I offer tips on how to take better photographs. Tired of Frozen parties? Take inspiration for your child’s next birthday party from my shoot with luxury party planners, Les Enfants, and cakemaker, Cakes By Robin. Finally, check out our calendar of events for the rest of 2015 on page 13 and make sure to book in early for our special portrait days at the lavender fields and pumpkin patches. Enjoy the magazine!

Contributors Charlotte Hodgson

Maxine Briggs

Charlotte Hodgson is the studio manager at Boggio Studios. Graduating with a fine art and art history degree, Charlotte produced everything from sculptures to printed works and exhibited them while living in Ontario, Canada. Since moving to the UK, she has immersed herself into the photography world as well as blogging for both Boggio Studios and her own lifestyle blog, Mushy Peas & Me (www.mushypeas.co). Helping produce this magazine has been exciting for Charlotte for a number of reasons, but especially because it features all that has been happening in the busy Boggio world.

Maxine Briggs is the editor of You & Your Wedding magazine. Since taking over the brand, she has overseen the launch of the You & Your Wedding Bridal Retail Awards, celebrating excellence in the wedding industry, and has been nominated for Editor of the Year by the British Society of Magazine Editors. Maxine has over 14 years’ editing experience - she has edited several consumer and customer magazines, Sainsbury’s Fresh Ideas and her previous role was Editorial Director at digital agency TMW. “I adore working in a creative environment and weddings for me has the best of everything – couture, beautiful details, stunning flowers and amazing travel destinations.”

Julia Boggio Editor Julia Boggio is the Creative Director at Boggio Studios, which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this August. Before changing to a career in photography, Julia worked as an award-winning advertising copywriter. Writing has always been a passion of hers, so producing her own magazine has been a great way to flex her literary muscles. In 2011, Julia became a mother and produced Boggio Studios’ most photographed subject, Baby. Julia has won many photographic and business awards, including Merton Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010 and 2011 and Best Creative Business in 2013.

Location shoots: I LOVE CHELSEA Follow Julia on her shoot with American Girl in Chelsea blogger, Christy Osborne, and her family.

BOGGIO

VOLUME 1, 2015

The magazine bringing photography and art to life

Photography advice: 80 HAVE CAMERA, WILL TRAVEL Tips on capturing the spirit of your holiday in pictures.

Bespoke shoots: 14

Charity: 08

WHAT WE DO BEST

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MY PARTY

CLIMBING KILI

Be tempted by our extensive range of bespoke portrait services.

Alternative party themes for parents tired of Elsa and Spiderman.

What happened when Julia, Will Greenwood and 12 others climbed Kilimanjaro for Borne.

Catalogue: 41

34 DREAMS OF DUBAI A teen shoot at the luxurious Bab Al Shams resort in Dubai.

B Features/News: 04 IN THE FRAME

A FLUFFY KIND OF LOVE

Maxine Briggs interviews Julia Boggio, Founder and Owner of Boggio Studios.

Learn how to make marshmallows with The Flavour Company.

07 & 13 NEWS & EVENTS Must-not-miss dates for your diary and news from the studio.

INTERVIEW / IN THE FRAME

in the frame Maxine Briggs, editor of You & Your Wedding Magazine, chats to leading portraiture photographer, Julia Boggio, about balancing motherhood with her successful career.

t takes up to two years to become accepted by Chelsea Arts Club in London. You have to be recommended by two existing members, plus attend functions throughout your probationary period. But once you are in, you have access to a gorgeous low-key private club that’s a home from home for leading artists, architects, actors and generally impressive and high achieving, arty types. So, the fact that I was interviewing photographer Julia Boggio over a glass of champagne, relaxing in comfy shabby chic sofas at the club is testament to Julia’s standing within the artistic community. “I love coming here. You meet a totally random person – a famous writer, a grand hotel owner, an artist – and they’re unpretentious. You can come and just be yourself. There are no electronic devices allowed, so you can totally switch off.” I have to declare a slight bias here; I know Julia Boggio and her lovely husband James well. They are the sort of go-getting, amazing couple that you want to be. Throw in a totally cute four-year-old daughter nicknamed Baby (after Dirty Dancing – more on that later) and a gorgeous home in Wimbledon and you have the perfect city cool family. Originally from New Jersey, Julia Boggio started shooting weddings back in 2005, basing her business in the second bedroom of her house. She cultivated a certain look to her photographs that brides really loved and her name soon became synonymous with cool, cutting-edge, high-colour bridal shots. By 2009, she had become so successful that studio premises beckoned and she expanded her empire to include family portraiture and boudoir shoots and now employs over eight team members. I started off asking Julia what every mother wants to know…

INTERVIEW / IN THE FRAME

MB As a successful brand and working mother, how do you switch off? JB It’s very hard to find those moments. I try really hard around my daughter and make sure I don’t have an iPhone stuck to my ear, although she thinks I’ve got a camera for a head! I love musical theatre and we are really lucky to have the Polka Theatre nearby. I took Baby to see Swan Lake recently at the Peacock– she reenacted it the other night with her teddies. MB How do you create a work/life balance? JB I have lots of people to help out. We have great neighbours on our street, all with similaraged children, so we all provide babysitting services for each other. We have developed a great friends support network as my folks are in the US and James’ are in Wales. I take every Friday off to spend with Baby in the run up to her starting school next September; we go swimming, have lunch with pals, and go to ballet classes. MB What inspires you as a creative person? JB I take inspiration from everything I see around me. People on the street, art exhibitions, movies, books, my daughter. There are great exhibitions here at the Arts Club that I love. MB Did you always know you would go in to photography? JB My great-grandfather was a post-mortem photographer and my grandfather was a documentary photographer, and worked on the railways during the Second World War whilst his family was hiding in the Alps. He used to visit at weekends and take their pictures to document what was happening. So, I always knew it was in the blood from my Italian side of the family. MB What has been some of the business highs over the past few years? JB I launched Vintage Boudoir pin-up in 2009 and introduced it to the bridal market, which nobody was doing at the time. I brought that concept of brides creating a personal present for their husbands to the market. There have been lots of imitations since, but I don’t believe anyone matches us on what we can deliver to our clients. Starting a family studio was a big dream for me – I wanted to have a family so the timing was right to launch a family studio at the same time as starting my own. I love children, and I think it’s important for families to capture their memories. IPhone

photography has been around long enough for people to realize that professional photos just add another dimension – something different. They deliver good composition, good lighting, and proper exposure. As a parent, I know it’s difficult to get your child to do what you want, so a professional photographer can do that for you. Also, if a parent is taking the shot, they’re not in them! On our recent holiday in Mauritius, I hired a professional photographer to take family pictures of us. I wanted to be in them with James and Baby. People hate themselves in pictures; I even suffer from that, too! I am totally getting the pictures of me Photoshopped and I am reducing the food baby that James developed on holiday. MB You are celebrating your 10th wedding anniversary next month. What’s your secret to a happy marriage? JB Our sense of fun. We enjoy each other’s company and make each other laugh. We have a shared love of performing and we actually met whilst I was playing Anita in West Side Story and James was appearing as Don Pedro in Much Ado About Nothing with a Pride-and-Prejudice twist. I thought: “I’ve found my Mr. Darcy!” For our anniversary, we are going to Secret Cinema dressed as Princess Leia and Hans Solo. We are having the costumes specially made in China, can you believe? MB You were the very first couple in the world to do a dance bomb at your own wedding? Did you ever think you would be the trendsetters for a worldwide internet craze? JB When we surprised our guests with a fully choreographed rendition of Dirty Dancing’s “Time of my Life”, we also filmed it for friends and family back home in the States. A year and a half after our wedding, we uploaded it to YouTube at a time when YouTube had only just started to get going because friends were asking to see it. On the first day after we uploaded, we had 200 hits and thought: “Something is happening here.” We ended up on The Oprah Winfrey Show where we re-created our dance. The audience was clapping along politely and then all of sudden they went mad and started screaming – we thought: “Wow, we’re not that good,” but then Patrick Swayze appeared and I finished the dance with him. It was amazing. James didn’t want to be left out so he insisted Patrick do the Lift with him.

MB That is one of the best claims to fame ever? What was Patrick like? JB He was so lovely and said he could tell from our YouTube video that we loved each other very much and that’s how he felt about his wife. I was so sad when he fell ill and I have done fundraising for pancreatic cancer charities. MB You recently climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for charity. Tell us about that experience… JB The charity Borne (that helps to prevent death and disability in childbirth) was putting together a team and asked me as I have done things for the charity before. I never shy away from a challenge – I wanted to seize the moment. It took five and a half days to get up there and one day to come down! It was an amazing experience, and I also had my 40th up there, too! James had secretly organised for a parcel to go up with me – inside were letters from friends and a locket with a picture of James and Baby inside. MB What are you most excited about for 2015/16? JB I am really excited about the new team at the studio. Our employees are really invested in what we do and we are continually coming up with new and exciting ideas for our clients. We have just launched the Family Fairytale experience – a family can choose whichever story they want to appear in and we make that happen. I shot a supermodel and her two boys as a princess and princes and created a book as a present for their dad! Our new Family Books are also really exciting. They mix our photos with the client’s to create a real doctumentary of their year. MB Describe your average day. JB I drop Baby at pre-school. Then I meet with the team and talk through the day’s work. Then a client will come in for a shoot and we’ll chat about what they are looking for. We’ll often talk about their insecurities – we all have them – to make sure I keep them in mind while photographing. We have fun choosing the props and trying out different scenarios and costumes. We then run through the plan for the shoot. Whilst the client is in hair and make up I start sorting the lighting, we all then have a glass of champers to get the mood going and off I go with the camera. I wrap around 5pm and go and fetch Baby. MB And finally, how would you describe your brand in three words? JB Boutique, caring and creative! We offer amazing customer service – that’s what I am most proud of.

INTERVIEW / IN THE FRAME

in the frame JULIA’S LONDON LIST Having lived and loved in London for 18 years, here are my top places to go.

Restaurant:

Department store:

Bob Bob Ricard. Anywhere with a button that says Press for Champagne at every table has to be a winner in my book. Food is delicious, too.

Liberty. It’s the designer’s department store. Chic and classy, in an amazing historical building and a quirky selection of goods. Totally up my street.

Family-friendly restaurant:

Park:

You can’t beat the Rainforest Cafe. Despite the fact that you enter and exit through the gift shop, it’s a really fun experience for kids.

The Kyoto Garden in Holland Park. When I first moved to London, I would run through this oasis of calm and free-roaming peacocks every day. Eighteen years later, it’s still my favourite.

Place to hang with Baby: Purple Dragon. It’s a private members club for kids and, boy, do I wish I’d had somewhere like this when I was young. So many great mind-expanding things for kids to do. Cooking classes, art, music, swimming, soft play. And a yummy, healthy menu, too.

London Museum: V&A Museum of Childhood. For a South London gal like me, this museum is a bit of a schlep in Bethnal Green, but so worth it. Although it’s always a little disconcerting to see toys I played with as a child behind glass as an exhibit.

Museum outside of London: Brooklands Museum. Located next to Mercedes Benz World in Weybridge, Brooklands has loads to do. Sit on a Concorde, explore the 70s-tastic plane of the Sultan of Oman, visit the London Bus Museum and ogle a replica of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang while trying to remember the words to the song.

Children’s Theatre: The Polka Theatre. Wimbledon is lucky to have one of London’s leading children’s theatres on our doorstep. We’ve been taking Baby there since she was 2 years old and will be for many more years to come. Book early as tickets go fast.

BOGGIO / NEWS

NEWS boggiostudios.com is revamped and up and running. With 80% of web searches happening on mobile devices, we built this new site to be responsive on your phones and iPads. Julia says, “I wanted our new site to show off not only the beautiful work that we do, but also to showcase how we like to take care of our clients. I hope you enjoy exploring it.” Please go have a look and let us know what you think.

W WW

Fine Art Portrait

This year, we’ve launched a load of new shoots, including our Fine Art Portrait and our fun Family Fantasy. Take a look on our new site for information or look at the section in the middle of this magazine to see our full range.

boggiostudios.com

B Family Books The new Family Books are creating a stir, with a number of families already signed up for this annual album. Designed with our professional photos and your snapshots to create a true representation of your year. Find out more on page 63.

B 10 year anniversary

B Frozen over? After having both a Frozen birthday party and a Frozen Christmas party, Julia teamed up with the luxury children’s party planners, Les Enfants, and creative cake maker, Robin Green from Cakes by Robin, to give you stylish alternatives to Elsa, Anna, or Spiderman. Page 14.

W Runs in the family WW

Julia is a fourth generation photographer and artist in the Boggio family. Check out the Our Heritage section of the new website for interesting stories about Julia’s great-grandfather, Marcello (pictured), and her grandfather, Federico.

In August 2005, Julia started her photography company from the second bedroom in her home. Now in its 10th year, Boggio Studios celebrates its rise to becoming London’s top family portraiture studio. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter via the website, so you can be the first to hear about special parties and events that we have planned for our amazing clients in 2015.

See page 96 to win your very own Boggio Studios luxury photo shoot package. 9

Climbing Kili In August 2014, Julia Boggio and 13 others, including rugby legend Will Greenwood, climbed Kilimanjaro in aid of Borne, raising over ÂŁ400,000 in the process. This is what Julia has to say about altitude sickness, cream-based soups and sporks. BY Julia Boggio

CHARITY / CLIMBING KILI

will never, ever use the words “hard” or “difficult” in vain again. When I went to my first meeting about climbing Kilimanjaro, Charity Challenge told us that it classified as “extreme fundraising”. One of my clients told me it was more painful than the time he had tuberculosis as a child. How hard could it be, I thought to myself. I had walked the Inca Trail (carrying my own pack the whole way) and run a marathon (albeit over 10 years ago). Those weren’t easy. Now that I’ve done it, however, Kilimanjaro has become my yardstick for measuring how hard something is. I call it the Kilimanjaro Scale. The only thing that remotely comes close in my experience is childbirth. But frankly that only went on for a mere 24 hours. This lasted 7 days. Of course, the first question people asked upon my return was: what made it so hard? Ironically, that’s a difficult question. Not difficult as in “Kilimanjaro difficult”, but difficult in that it’s not really tangible or easily explained.

IT WASN’T THE PHYSICAL ASPECT; IT WAS THE MENTAL ASPECT. I am a generally fit person. I run. I have an active

job. I enjoy the great outdoors. But you don’t have to be in great shape to achieve the summit (I wouldn’t recommend being completely unfit either). The things I think you need to climb Kilimanjaro are a will of iron and a little bit of luck. A will of iron because you know that for 5.5 days, you are walking very slowly – and I mean

veeeerrrrrryyyy slowly – towards a goal, while feeling horrible, wondering why you agreed to do this thing in the first place, and missing your family like hell. A little bit of luck because even a will of iron and being über fit do not guarantee that you will reach the summit. In fact, the only person in our group not to reach the final peak had both of these in spades, but altitude sickness doesn’t discriminate. 11

CHARITY / CLIMBING KILI

Climbing Kili

LEFT: Hydration is really important when climbing Kili (pictured: Will Greenwood). BELOW: Our porters (60 in total).

IT WAS THE ALTITUDE. I don’t think there was a single person in our group who didn’t suffer from the altitude. I expected to feel sick the closer we got to the peak. I didn’t expect to feel horrible at the end of the second day. With 3.5 days still to go until we reached the summit, I had intense headaches and nausea, which we treated with paracetamol and anti-nausea drugs (Some of the group elected to take Diamox, which treats altitude sickness, but also increases urination, which I didn’t want, especially on the final ascent). Looking back at my diary for this day, I wrote: “Today was very hard and I’m finding it difficult to think about the other days and the fact that we still have 5 more.” After that, when we gained more altitude, the headache came back. And it came back in force on the summit night. AH, SUMMIT NIGHT. That was fun (not). We were awoken at 11:00pm for a dinner of watery porridge (most of the food on the trip was pretty good, but summit night was not a culinary masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination). By midnight, we were in a single file line and marching slowly up for the next 7 hours. I think the best thing to do here is to share what I wrote in my diary:

“I expected it to be hard. I am not a complainer and believe firmly in the philosophy of just putting one foot in front of the other. But it was cold. And it was windy. By the end of the first hour of this 7-hour journey, I was starting to panic a little. My pack was heavy and the slow, constant uphill zigzagging seemed like it would never end. “By the third pit stop at 3 hours, I was crying. I felt nauseous and I had a bad headache. I wasn’t hungry or thirsty and I doubted my ability to continue, especially if I had to carry my pack, which seemed to feel heavier by the minute. “Thankfully, one of the guides noticed

CHARITY / CLIMBING KILI

‘As soon as we passed Gillman Point, we walked straight into a blizzard.’

ABOVE: My porter, Adam, and me. He put up my tent and brought me washing water every morning and evening.

my distress. He offered to carry my bag. Rhiannon [our tour leader] also gave me some Paracetamol and anti-nausea drugs, so that helped, too. “The walk got better, but not easier after that. It was relentlessly uphill and, even though we took baby steps, the pace was tiring. “That being said, Richard was singing and Nick, Will, and Robin were discussing chocolate roulade at the back. Rhiannon said she had never led such an animated group up the mountain. “She also said we had to deal with the toughest weather conditions that she had seen in all of her tours. It was extremely cold (-20°C) and windy – we even had a snowstorm at the top. “So why was the walk so hard? First, we’d had little sleep. Second, the weather. Third, it was a constant slow plodding for 7 hours. Fourth, we were walking for about 5.5 of those hours on scree, which is basically coarse dust and moves underfoot and it also kept blowing into my eyes. “The climb got harder and harder as it became steeper. The path zigzagged back and forth, always at an incline. The scree eventually became rocks covered in scree, which was slippery, and then it became just rocks (boulders). The final two hours were incredibly steep and we were climbing them in the dark. “The guides were a great help. They sang and shouted out encouragements in Swahili. ‘Tunaweza!’ ‘Hakuna matata Kilimanjaro!’ ‘Pole! Pole!’ Milange, who was carrying my pack, was in the lead up the mountain, so I just slotted myself behind him and away we went. I concentrated on my breathing and my poles. Pick it up, put it down. Pick it up, put it down. He would even shove the Camelbak tube in my mouth once in a

while and say, ‘Drinky drinky’ because I was in no state to do it myself. Staying hydrated is really important on the mountain. Seriously, I couldn’t have climbed that mountain without him. “In the final hours, the sun rose over the clouds as the full moon disappeared behind Kili above us. It was beautiful. None of us have photographic proof though because we were that tired and the thought of taking my gloves off to handle the little buttons of a camera – well, it just wasn’t going to happen. “As I walked over the final rocks onto Gilman Point, I broke into tears. I was tired, my lungs were on fire, my legs ached, but we had reached the first hurdle. We all hugged in relief. “But this was only the first hurdle. An hour and a half of walking still stood between us and Uhuru Peak [the highest peak in Africa at 5,895 metres]. Also, as soon as we passed Gilman Point, we walked straight into a blizzard. “It was another hard slog. Mostly uphill. In a snowstorm. But we got there. More tears ensued.” When we got to Uhuru Peak, the weather suddenly cleared up for us to enjoy the view from the top. As soon as we had taken all the obligatory pictures, the blizzard descended again and we had a few hours of descent to hit base camp and then another couple hours’ walking to get to the camp where we would sleep that night. All in all, from midnight, we had walked about 15 hours that day. And finally…

I TURNED 40. I won’t ever forget where I was on my 40th birthday! I was climbing a mountain 13

CHARITY / CLIMBING KILI

in Tanzania with 13 crazy people and 60 amazing support staff, contemplating midlife and wondering if I could get myself up that mountain.

AND WE RAISED MONEY FOR A GREAT CAUSE. Let’s not forget why 14 city slickers did this crazy thing. Although I’ve read some articles lately criticising people for doing these kind of charity experiences, thanks to Will we collectively raised £411,000 for Borne, a charity that we all believe in and that does work that touches all of our lives in one way or another. The money will go towards preventing death and disability in childbirth and creating lifelong health for mothers and babies. Would I do it again? Not on your life! But am I glad that I did it? YES YES YES! At the risk of sounding like I’ve just come back from Girl Scout Camp, I feel that I met 13 people who I will be friends with for the rest of my life. (Although, to be fair, I am not friends with anybody that I attended Girl Scout Camp with, and I went for about 10 summers). Well, at the very least, we’ll meet up for drinks once in a while and chat about the good ol’ days of Kili.

MOST USEFUL ITEM A Camelbak water bag LEAST USEFUL ITEM A spork ITEM I WISH WORKED BETTER My mobile phone LUXURY ITEM I’M GLAD I BROUGHT My Kindle LUXURY ITEM I’M GLAD THEY BROUGHT Toilets LUXURY ITEM I’M GLAD MY TENTMATE BROUGHT

Flashing disco lights LEAST FAVOURITE MEAL Cream-based soups that also

doubled as pasta sauce FAVOURITE MEAL My birthday cake

EVENTS At Boggio Studios, our goal is to give you an amazing selection of ways to capture your family memories. Here are some special events that we are holding this year. Get out your diaries!

JUN

JUL

FIFTIES DINER BOGGIO STUDIOS, LONDON Our theme wall in the studio will be getting a makeover and turned into a 50’s diner scene for the summer. Shooting your children in front of this wall can be incorporated into your 1-hour family shoot.

AU G

PORTRAIT DAY LAVENDER FIELDS, UK On the 18th, we’re holding a very special portrait day at beautiful lavender fields just outside of the M25. There are only 10 slots available for the day – 5 with Julia and 5 with Eric – so call soon to book your space.

AU G

HOLIDAY SHOOT

I LOVE LONDON

ON LOCATION

A popular August activity for those visiting the Big Smoke and a great way to create the most amazing holiday photos ever. An I Love London shoot is a fun experience for couples or families.

ON LOCATION

If you want a photographer to join you for a day on your holiday in France (or wherever!), then book this in early as we have limited availability.

O CT

SEP/OCT

PORTRAIT DAY

CHRISTMAS

PUMPKIN PATCH, UK

‘Tis the season to book your Christmas family shoot, either in the studio or on location. It’s a great time of year to refresh your family portraits, get an amazing Christmas card image, and take care of your gift list – all in one go. Book early as weekend slots in October and November fill up quickly.

Nothing celebrates the change of season like a pumpkin patch shoot. Join us at a special location to capture your little ones choosing their Halloween pumpkins. This really is an experience that is fun for the whole family. Date TBA. Please register your interest now as spaces will be limited.

To book your shoot, please contact us on +44 (0) 20 7042 9777 or email smile@boggiostudios.com. 15

More images and behind-the-scenes videos. PHOTOGRAPHY JULIA BOGGIO PROPS LES ENFANTS CAKES & CONFECTION CAKES BY ROBIN ART DIRECTION HANNAH COATES CLOTHES STYLING JO SAWKINS HAIR & MAKE UP KAZ FERNANDO MODELS CREATIVE KIDZ

IT’S MY PARTY YOU ARE I NVITED LOOKING FOR A PARTY THEME THAT DOESN’T INVOLVE ICE PRINCESSES OR SUPERHEROES? JULIA BOGGIO TEAMED UP WITH CHILDREN’S PARTY PLANNERS LES ENFANTS AND CAKE-MAKER EXTRAORDINAIRE, ROBIN GREEN, TO COME UP WITH FUN PARTY THEMES THAT REALLY SHOW THE PERSONALITY OF YOUR CHILD.

LES ENFANTS / UNDER THE SEA

BIRTHDAY GIRL CHARLOT TE TH EME UNDER TH E SEA

Can you spot the octopus cake?

CHARLOTTE IS WEARING: Top, Zara; Headband, Topshop; Necklaces, H&M; Mermaid tail, custom made.

LES ENFANTS / WESTERN

BIRTHDAY GIRL EM MIE TH EME WE STERN

Those cacti look good enough to eat…and you can because they are all edible. Even the pots.

EMMIE IS WEARING: Shirt, River Island; Skirt, Miss Honeypennys; Boots, Footwear Sensation; Waistcoat & necktie,

The Toy Shack.

LES ENFANTS / WESTERN

LES ENFANTS / SPACE

BIRTHDAY GIRL DEMI TH EME SPACE

If only the real solar system tasted so delicious.

DEMI IS WEARING: Jacket, H&M; Shorts, Billie Blush; Boots & socks, Marks & Spencers; Cuff, Accessorize; Helmet, Disney; Sunglasses, Topshop.

LES ENFANTS / PANTONE

BIRTHDAY BOY OS CAR TH EME PANTONE

What colour would you choose for your Pantone Party?

OSCAR IS WEARING: Shirt, trousers with braces & shoes, all Zara.

LES ENFANTS / INSECT

BIRTHDAY BOY THOMAS TH EME INSECT S

Those big beetle cakes have yummy chocolately insides.

THOMAS IS WEARING: T-shirt, shorts, backpack & socks, all Zara; Boots, Marks & Spencers; Cap & necktie, Simply Fancy Dress.

LES ENFANTS / INSECT

LES ENFANTS / PARIS

BIRTHDAY BOY CAMERON TH EME FASHION IN PARI S

That poodle is actually a cake. Ooh la la!

CAMERON IS WEARING: Suit & shoes, all Zara; Shirt with bow tie, Marks & Spencers; Glasses, Claireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Accessories; Beret, Imagine Nation.

LES ENFANTS / ARTIST

BIRTHDAY BOY CALVIN TH EME ARTIST

How many crayon cookies can you see?

CALVIN IS WEARING: Smock, H&M; Jeans, Gap; Trainers, Next.

LES ENFANTS / ARTIST

LES ENFANTS / 50s MILK BAR

BIRTHDAY GIRL JULIANA TH EME 5Os MILK BAR

Those cherries in her hair are made out of sugar.

JULIANA IS WEARING: Jacket, Marks & Spencers; Dress, River Island; Tutu, Angel Face; Shoes & socks, Next; Glasses, Claireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Accessories; Bangle, Anna Lou.

LES ENFANTS / THE TEAM

TH E SHO OT TEAM The success of a shoot is down to the talent of all the individuals involved. Meet the ladies behind the cakes and props in our party shoot.

ROBIN GREEN, CAKEMAKER model of a dragonfly on top. This was one of my favourite designs this year and has proved very popular with our brides. So in answer to your question, our ideas for cakes come from everywhere - which makes for a pretty varied working week. Just how we like it!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE CAKE YOU’VE DONE SO FAR? My favourite cake changes so frequently, as I fall in love with many of our designs. I’ll declare a cake to be my favourite cake we’ve ever done and then my team comes up with something else and I love that, too! I couldn’t pick one favourite, but a few of my top cakes are a 3-tier brightly coloured Indian cushion cake with a bejewelled sugar elephant on top, a Singer sewing machine made of cake, and the 3D Poodle cake we made for the Fashion in Paris shoot. The cake bugs we made for the Insect Party were pretty cool, too.

HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH IDEAS FOR YOUR CAKE DESIGNS?

HOW MUCH NOTICE DO YOU NEED TO CREATE YOUR MASTERPIECES?

The ideas for our cake designs come from many different places. Sometimes our clients will know exactly what they want and send us an image; others will know a theme, but will ask us to come up with a cake design that works for the other elements of their party. When we are designing cakes for our own collections, we take inspiration from everywhere. Recently we made a gorgeous wedding cake that was based on the pattern and colour of a dragonfly wing. It then had a sugar

We ask for a minimum of 2 weeks’ notice. With this time scale or preferably longer we can guarantee to make any cake, but it is always worth giving us a call to see if we can squeeze something in. We’ll always try to accommodate, but often we reach maximum capacity in our ovens and then sadly we have to turn away orders.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE FLAVOUR CAKE? I love a classic Victoria sponge. I think it reminds me of my own childhood parties. My mum used to bake these and then decorate them really badly! (I didn’t think so at the time.) The combination of a sponge with a light vanilla buttercream and raspberry or strawberry jam is so delicious. We have also recently started making a really yummy chocolate cake with a salted caramel buttercream, which is then drizzled with salted caramel. It is amazing! Either of those flavours would be the perfect accompaniment to my cup of Earl Grey.

LES ENFANTS / THE TEAM

KATIE BURNETT, LUXURY PARTY PLANNER HOW DO YOU APPROACH COMING UP WITH IDEAS FOR CHILDREN’S PARTIES? Clients tend to have a good idea of a theme or the type of party they want us to plan when they approach us. This idea often originates with the child. We develop a clear brief from the client and then start the research process, which begins with securing a venue. Next we create a bespoke party proposal for each client. These proposals can be anything from 5 to 15 pages long and include mood boards. Pinterest and Instagram are immensely helpful. We always try to look at creative and stylish ways to present each theme.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PARTY THEME THAT YOU’VE DONE SO FAR?

Les Enfants

lesenfants.co.uk Cakes by Robin

cakesbyrobin.co.uk Kaz Fernando Make-up

kazfernandomakeup.co.uk Jo Sawkins Styling

josawkins.com

Creative Kidz & Adultz Agency

creativekidzandco.co.uk

We have created so many different themed parties that it is a difficult to pick. However, we have a wonderful client who is an interior designer and really lets us get creative with her parties. We held a Grease-themed party last year at The Mandarin Oriental for her two children. This party stands out for me as we were able to transform the space with some fun entertainment options, like a fairground train (very heavy to carry up the stairs at The Mandarin); we brought in a Cadillac car as a photobooth prop; the vintage-styled Powder Puff Girls were there for minimakeovers; all the staff had Pink Lady or T-bird jackets on; and the whole party was styled in a very striking pink and black that included some fabulous

personal signage and backdrops, not forgetting our signature sweet tables. I love it when we have such a great relationship with our clients that they trust our vision for the party.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR PARENTS PLANNING PARTIES? Never lose sight of the fact that it is a special event for your child and that their enjoyment of the day is paramount. I have three children myself, 14, 10 and 6, and I like to feel that, as party planners, we always bear this in mind and try to be honest in our approach to what will work at a party. I think it is important to involve your children in the planning process and get their input. I have attended quite a few meetings with children in attendance. Let them make some choices so that when the big day comes they can enjoy it all the more.

HOW FAR IN ADVANCE OF A PARTY DATE SHOULD PARENTS CONTACT YOU? In an ideal world, I would say one month. In reality, this does not happen. Two to three weeks tends to be the norm and, yes, we have turned around VIP parties who have only given us a couple days’ notice. We can be contacted 24-hours-aday, so we often have PAs getting in touch, asking us to create events at very short notice and we will always do everything we can to make this happen.

TEEN SHOOT / DUBAI

PHOTOGRAPHY Julia Boggio LOCATION Bab Al Shams HAIR & MAKE UP Hannah Lisa Makeup MODEL Rachael Ostrowicz

dreams of

DUBAI

TEEN SHOOT / DUBAI

When our creative director, Julia Boggio, went to Dubai on a working holiday, she decided it was the perfect opportunity to do a teen shoot in an exotic location. The exclusive Bab Al Shams resort provided a gorgeous backdrop.

TEEN SHOOT / DUBAI

Make-up artist Hannah Lisa said, “It’s nice to see a photographer who gives direction and makes the model feel at ease.”

The Boggio Studios team is available for assignments around the world. 40

TEEN SHOOT / DUBAI

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / WHAT WE DO BEST

the catalogue PHOTO SHOOTS FINE ART iconic portraits; gracious portraits with your PREGNANCY bump; in their first 10 days NEWBORN; BABY’S FIRST YEAR when they change so quickly; make memories with your FAMILY; PETS and other beloved beasties; THE TEEN YEARS when they are young and beautiful; feel good about yourself in COUTURE PORTRAITS; remember that you’re sexy in our boutique BOUDOIR; images with the love of your life in COUPLES; capture life’s milestones in CELEBRATIONS 43

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / FINE ART

Iconic portraits, created by Julia & her production team

Fine art portraits are generally photographed on a Hasselblad camera by Julia herself.

Our fine art portraiture is a collaborative process, shaped by your ideas and our creativity. We want to know what kind of portrait youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always wanted and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll work to make it a reality for you. A fine art portrait session is a chance to have a truly magnificent experience while creating works of art. 45

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / PREGNANCY

Gracious, sensual and intimate portraits with your bump Being pregnant, you’ve probably never looked more vibrant, radiant or content.

“As an international top model, I have worked with some of the best photographers in the world, but when it comes to capturing my family’s special memories, Julia is the only one I would trust. Thank you, Julia!” – Brenda Costa Al Fayed –

A pregnancy photo session is a stunning way to capture this momentous lifechanging event. Your pregnancy photographs will be sensual, graceful and intimate. And capture perfectly your excitement, apprehension and hopes for your new baby.

Best taken between weeks 32-36 of pregnancy

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / NEWBORN

“Boggio Studios came highly recommended to us and we absolutely love the photos that the team took of Etta and Artie. We were looked after by friendly and professional photographers, who made the whole process enjoyable from start to finish. The pictures are beautiful, and are the perfect way to mark such a special time for us as a family. Thank you to everyone at the studio.” – Holly Branson –

Best taken within the first 10 days of life

Artistic and personal images from baby’s first photo shoot 47

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / BABYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FIRST YEAR

Capture those precious early milestones in a year when babies change from week-to-week

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / BABYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FIRST YEAR

Our baby shoots last for one hour in the studio or two hours on location. The best times to photograph babies in the first year are: Around 3 months when they are really good at tummy time Around 6 months when they can sit up unaided Around 9 months when they start to crawl/shuffle Around 1 year to celebrate the first birthday with a Cake Smash shoot

As they grow up so fast, babies are probably the most photographed members of the family. But, nowadays, these are often just digital snaps that rarely see the light of day. A baby portrait photo shoot is all about creating a work of art.

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / FAMILIES

the catalogue

capturing real moments Family portraits are an important part of our history. They tell us where we’ve come from, where we’re going and how we’ve come to be the way we are. Family photos capture passions, interests, loves and relationships.

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / FAMILIES

Captured in the studio or in your own home

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / TEENS

the catalogue

Preparation & tips

An experience that inspires a sense of individuality and confidence Our teen fashion shoots help to capture your teen or tween as they are during this special time in a safe and nurturing studio environment. Captured in the studio, in your own home, or on location in London. A Warehouse Location is also available. 53

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / PETS

Pets can be worked into most of the shoots that we do here at the studio, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a family shoot or even a boudoir shoot, so let us know what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thinking.

We love your furry family members, too

Pets are often the other half of our selves, so they deserve to be photographed in a way that captures their personalities while also hinting at the relationship you share. The portraits we create will serve as a happy reminder of your animal counterpart for the rest of your life.

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / FAMILY FANTASY

A fun-filled and creative shoot for families who want a once-in-a-lifetime experience Have you ever wanted to star in your very own storybook? Whether you love a good fairytale or you are Western fans or always fancied yourself as all-powerful superheroes, this is a fun, bespoke experience that will leave you smiling from ear to ear. You tell us the theme and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll create a story for your book.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll organise costumes, hair and make-up; all you have to do is turn up with a desire to have fun. This shoot makes a great gift.

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / FAMILY FANTASY

“MY BOYS LOVED IT. BOGGIO STUDIOS IS MY CREATIVE DREAM TEAM.” – Ta t i a n a K o v y l i n a , s u p e r m o d e l

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / COUPLES

Preparation & tips

For couples that are having an anniversary, getting married, or just on holiday in London Romance is definitely alive at Boggio Studios. Couples come to us from all over the world to experience our unique range of shoots, whether they are on location around London or at our Wimbledon photography studio. Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve decided youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to be photographed with your partner, give us a call so that we can talk through your ideas and help you choose the shoot that is right for you.

Captured in the studio or on location in London 58

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / COUPLES

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / COUTURE

the catalogue

trust your image We specialise in making women of all shapes, sizes and ages look amazing in photographs. Let out your inner Hollywood star in these glamorous portraits.

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / COUTURE

Preparation & tips PREPARATION TIME / 1 HOUR SHOOT TIME / 2-3 HOURS REFRESHMENTS / PROSECCO

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / BOUDOIR

“The transformation was wonderful and having time for me was a rare treat. That part of the experience was life changing in some ways – putting yourself in the hands of experts and letting go does not come easily but it was liberating!” – Helena Cutts –

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / BOUDOIR

world-renowned boudoir shoot Whether you want to feel like Rita Hayworth, Wonder Woman or Marie Antoinette, we’ve got a specialist boudoir for you. Or you can try one of our Cinderella Shoots and get a taster of three of our boudoir styles.

Preparation & tips PREPARATION TIME / 1 HOUR SHOOT TIME / 2-3 HOURS PROPS/COSTUME / BOGGIO STUDIOS REFRESHMENTS / PROSECCO 63

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / ALTERNATIVES

The alternatives

headshots that sell

advertising & look books

birthdays, anniversaries, & ceremonies

Venue: BOGGIO STUDIOS OR YOUR LONDON OFFICE

Having good headshots for your employees that portray them as both professional and approachable is important for every business.

Venue: BOGGIO STUDIOS OR LOCATION We have worked with a number of brands to create images for advertising, websites and look books, including INTU Lakeside, St Berts, Jane & Marilyn and La Loi.

Venue: LOCATION Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, or a religious ceremony, you can enjoy making memories; we’ll take care of capturing them to remind you of your family’s special celebrations for the rest of your life.

To book your shoot, please contact us on +44 (0) 20 7042 9777 or email smile@boggiostudios.com. 64

PRODUCTS / FAMILY BOOK

Introducing the

FAMILY BOOK Boggio Studios prides itself on creating new and exciting products that families will love. This year, we’ve introduced the new Family Book, a beautifully designed album that brings together our professional photography and your snapshots of daily life. Together, these images give a true and honest picture of what your year is actually like. It is estimated that, every two minutes, people today take more pictures than the whole of humanity in the 1800s. That’s a lot of photographs. To store them and keep them safe, we rely on hard drives or the Cloud. But once the images are there, can we truly count on them to be there forever and ever? Vint Cerf, the father of the Internet, doesn’t think so. He says, “We don’t want our digital lives to fade away…If there are photos you really care about, print them out.” That’s why we created the concept of the Family Book. With it, we are working to ensure that your family has something tangible that they can look at and enjoy for generations. Our aim is to take the staggering amount of graft that is needed to create an heirloom of this magnitude off your shoulders. As we all know, life can get a bit busy. Sometimes important things that don’t seem urgent get pushed to the side. We don’t want that to happen to our families. The Family Book can be started at any time – whether you are having your first child or your children are already older. Each book is a year long project, including 4 professional shoots with us.

If you’d like to make an appointment to see our new Family Book in person, then please contact the studio on +44 (0) 20 7042 9777. We’re very proud of this album and we would love to show it to you and hopefully create one for your family.

LOCATION SHOOT / I LOVE CHELSEA

we love Chelsea

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY Julia Boggio

With its beautiful, wisteriacovered backstreets, amazing shopping and world-class restaurants, Chelsea is the perfect backdrop for an I Love London shoot. Especially when the family youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re photographing is the Osbornes. 66

LOCATION SHOOT / I LOVE CHELSEA

fter all, Christy Osborne’s

the area, which is nice. The shopping and

blog is called An American

restaurants are pretty fab, too!”

Girl in Chelsea and it has become the place to visit for

chic Americans seeking LA girl-approved

Studios, as it’s a great way to celebrate their

suppliers in the UK. In the 8 years since

time in this gorgeous and photogenic city.

she’s moved here from California, this

As I walked the backstreets of Chelsea with

lawyer-turned-blogger has changed careers,

the Osbornes, the walk brought back happy

started a family, and founded an exciting

memories. They would point to a building

social media & PR company called Hashtag

and exclaim, “We used to live there!” or

Haute – all from her base in Chelsea.

they’d touch a brick wall and say, “We have

When asked why she loves Chelsea so

I Love London family shoots are very popular with our ex-pat clientele at Boggio

a photograph of us with our daughter

much, Christy says, “It’s so homey. You can

standing in front of here on the day we came

walk almost anywhere you need to be and

home from the hospital.”

the homes and architecture are beautiful.

Our path led us from the Cross Keys

I particularly love the section called ‘Old

pub on Lawrence Street all the way to the

Chelsea’. There’s also a lot of Americans in

Saatchi Gallery, where we had to stop off

LOCATION SHOOT / I LOVE CHELSEA

you can walk almost anywhere you need to be at the food market to sample some cookies (which may or may not have been used as incentives to get the children to play ball). After saying goodbye on the steps of the museum, I smiled, knowing we had created a beautiful memento for the Osborne Family. And then I headed back to the market for a delicious Mexican taco. Turns out, I love Chelsea, too. 69

LOCATION SHOOT / I LOVE CHELSEA

Christy’s Guide to Chelsea

Places to dine out THE IVY CHELSEA GARDEN

KUROBUTA

My all time favourite in the

Japanese comes to life! Make

neighbourhood. While my

sure that you order the beef

husband loves the Sheppard’s

fillet tataki with onion and

Pie from the original Ivy in

ponzu and garlic crisps, the

Soho, I love the girly options,

tuna sashimi pizza with truffle

like granola with almond

ponzu, red onions and green

milk, tuna carpaccio, and

chillies (honestly one of the

Eggs Benedict with avocado

best things I’ve ever eaten),

available on gluten-free bread

The Wagyu beef sliders,

if you ask. If you can, snag a

brioche bun, crunchy onions,

table in the gorgeous garden,

cucumber and umami mayo,

order a bottle of rosé, and stay

and the spicy tuna maki rolled

as long as you possibly can to

in tempura crunchies.

soak up the sun and people watch. 197 KING’S ROAD, CHELSEA, LONDON SW3 5EQ T: +44 (0)20 3301 0300

312 KING’S ROAD, LONDON SW3 5UH T: +44 (0)20 3475 4158

MAZE GRILL CHELSEA Gordon Ramsay is back! maze Grill feels like a grill room from NYC, but there’s actually a lot more to it. If you are a steak fan then the restaurant specialises in rare-breed prime steaks from fillet to rib-eye and triple-seared wagyu, all perfectly dry-aged in a Himalayan salt brick-lined aged chamber so that they taste delicious. More excitingly for me, there’s also an incredible sushi and salad selection. 79 ROYAL HOSPITAL ROAD, LONDON, SW4 3HN

THE CROSS KEYS Recently my favorite pub in Chelsea, The Cross Keys reopened its doors and it’s better than ever. I’ve been a few times already and it’s always packed, with a few current London celebs hanging out in the cozy booths. This is definitely a chic gastropub, with a mix of British pub classics and modern dishes with European influences. My favorite things on the menu are the garlic soup and the cauliflower tempura, both amazing. There’s also a great burger on the brunch and lunch menu! 1 LAWRENCE STREET, LONDON, SW3 5NB

LOCATION SHOOT / I LOVE CHELSEA

Great shopping spots DONNA IDA My go-to for denim, Donna always has an incredible selection of jeans. Book in for a denim clinic with the lady herself to make sure you get the perfect fit.

THE SHOP AT BLUEBIRD For both designers you know and love, and some wonderful ones you might not have heard about yet, head to the Shop at Bluebird. If I could buy everything in there I would.

106 DRAYCOTT AVENUE, LONDON SW3 3AE T: +44 (0)20 7225 3816

350 KING’S ROAD, LONDON SW3 5UU T: +44 (0)20 7351 3873

TRILOGY From the most feminine silk Equipment blouses, to one of the best denim selections in London, I sometimes have to stop myself from going into the Duke of York Square store because of the damage that I will do to my credit card. The shop girls are also so sweet and helpful, that you know you’re always going to walk out with some great purchases.

SALT RESORT WEAR Located on Walton Street, Salt is my go-to to stock up on bathing suits and cover-ups before a holiday. They also have the cutest beach bags and accessories. 69 WALTON STREET, LONDON SW3 2HT T: +44 (0)20 7590 9756

33 DUKE OF YORK SQUARE, LONDON SW3 4LY T: +44 (0)20 7730 6515

while studying at the LSE, I realised I had to move to London

LOCATION SHOOT / I LOVE CHELSEA

My health and beauty spots HAIR COLOUR I have Mathieu Clabaux come to my home. He is a genius. Mathieu’s color is all ammonia free and the closest to natural that you can get for hair tint. Moreover, it’s the best blonde I think I’ve ever had. Even though his product is so good, Mathieu makes sure that he does his signature Le Smoothing treatment one week after colouring, and he always gives me a the perfect trim so my hair is now in amazing condition.

SKINCARE Dr. Shawanna Vali at the London MediSpa. She has totally and completely changed my view of skin care and facials. I only see her now and will only use the products that she recommends. She’s gotten my skin in such great condition!

T: +44 (0) 792 257 1532 W: mathieuclabaux.com

MAKE UP Scarlett Rainer has worked on international fashion shows everywhere including Gucci, Versace, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Alexander McQueen and Yves St. Laurent, to name but a few. After building up an extensive portfolio of private clients, Scarlett now works on special events such, as fashion shows, parties and weddings, or basically anything you could want to look perfect for!

LASHES I have the most incredible false-eyelash-expert-lady on the planet, Claire Linnette from Eyelush. Claire uses special Russian Volume lashes. The Russian Volume technique provides a way of giving extra volume without overweighing or damaging your natural lashes. Individual lash-to-lash extensions are applied like other brands, however the Russian Volume technique sees between 2-6 much finer/lighter lashes applied (instead of single thicker extensions) which means they look better and are so much healthier for your actual lashes. Claire can come to your home, or out of one of the beauty rooms at Neville Salon on Pont Street. T: +44 (0)7525 536 537 W: www.eyelush.com

T: +44 (0) 792 257 1532 W: thelondonmedispa.com

T: +44 (0) 7787 289005 W: makeupbyscarlett.com.

CAFÉ Tanya’s Café in My Hotel, Chelsea: If you love being healthy, try a little raw! There is already a huge demand for Tanya’s delicious cold-pressed juices, raw food, and delicious raw sweets. Sometimes I even dream about her chocolate. Tanya turns her cafe into a bar in the evenings where she has created super-food cocktails with her juices, natural sweeteners, and, I think, a little bit of magic. 35 Ixworth Place, London, SW3 3QX T: +44 (0)20 7225 7538

LOCATION SHOOT / I LOVE CHELSEA

My exercise regime RIDE REPUBLIC Located in Parson’s Green, just a hop skip and a jump from Chelsea, Ride Republic offers a high intensity, low-impact, fullbody workout on a bike for all fitness levels. There is no joining fee, classes are offered on a pay-as-you-go basis. The state-of-the-art indoor cycling studio boasts top of the range clip-in shoe bikes and competitive statistical technology during classes to push yourself to the limit, if you choose to go that far. You can even set goals and track all of your rides on their mobile app. (I haven’t found a spin studio in the area that does the clip-in spinning shoes and it really does make a huge difference in the ride.) Ride Republic is a 2-minute walk from Parson’s Green Station and a 5-minute walk from Fulham Broadway Station.

Chelsea for children MY TOP 5 PLACES Purple Dragon is great for the rainy days and we all know there are A LOT of those. I love St Luke’s Park when the weather is nice. If we are going to eat out with the kids we’ll do Riccardo’s on Fulham Road (my daughter loves the pasta and my little man loves the pizza). Byron or The Goat on a Sunday for their kids’ lunch.

709 FULHAM RD, LONDON SW6 5UL T: +44 (0)20 7736 7495

You can read more reviews and recommendations on Christy’s blog www.americangirlinchelsea.com 74

LOCATION SHOOT / I LOVE CHELSEA

For more information on our I Love London shoots, please contact the studio on smile@boggiostudios.com. They last 2 hours and can take place anywhere in London. 75

LIFESTYLE SHOOT / MAKING MARSHMALLOWS

A photo story about a mother and daughter making marshmallows. Words & Photography by Julia Boggio

LIFESTYLE SHOOT / MAKING MARSHMALLOWS

hen long-time Boggio Studios client, Melanie Corbett, dropped off a batch of her homemade marshmallows on Valentine’s Day, it was love at first bite for me. Eating them was like hosting a lemony party on my tongue. They weren’t firm, like store-bought marshmallows, but rather soft, squishy and full of flavour. I loved them so much that I immediately ordered a batch for the goody bags at my daughter’s birthday party. Having photographed Mel’s wedding in Italy and both of her children since birth, I know her pretty well and I understand how important food is to her. I’ve watched her pass on her love of cooking to her little girl, Florence, who is the youngest gourmand I know at 4 years old. For this reason, we thought it would be fun to capture them sharing their culinary passion while making the most delicious marshmallows I’ve ever tasted.

You can buy Boyajian oils at Selfridges. 78

LIFESTYLE SHOOT / MAKING MARSHMALLOWS

A PHOTO SHOOT CENTRED AROUND AN ACTIVITY THAT YOU LOVE TO DO WITH YOUR CHILD IS A GREAT WAY TO CREATE A LASTING RECORD AND AN ENDURING MEMORY.

Involving your kids in an activity like cooking helps to give them a love of food while flexing their creative muscles

LIFESTYLE SHOOT / MAKING MARSHMALLOWS

In a large saucepan add the liquid glucose syrup and caster sugar with 250ml of cold water. Gently stir on a low heat to dissolve the sugar. When the liquid is clear and the sugar has melted, you are ready to move on to the next stage. Add the gelatine to 125ml of cold water in a small pan. Now back to the large saucepan with the sugar solution. Turn the heat up to full and put in your sugar thermometer. When it reaches exactly 110째c put gelatine on a low heat and stir to dissolve. Whisk the egg whites in the mixer until stiff peaks have formed. When the sugar solution has reached 122째c, turn off the heat and slowly and carefully add it to the stiff egg whites in the mixer. Now add the melted gelatine in the same way. Halve the vanilla pods lengthways and scrape out the seeds and add to the marshmallow mixture. Let this whisk together for 5 minutes on a high setting. Now prepare the tin: a clean small roasting tin with high sides is best. Sift half the corn flour and icing sugar into the bottom of the tin and save the rest for later. After 5 minutes, add the flavoured oils and any colour you may wish to add and beat for another minute or two to combine. Pour the mixture into the tin and smooth with a large spatula. Cover with the remaining corn flour and icing sugar and leave to set. Cover with cling film to keep them soft. When they have cooled, cut into squares and enjoy. 80

LIFESTYLE SHOOT / MAKING MARSHMALLOWS

“The thing I loved the most when making mummy’s marshmallows is that I get to use the mixer and lick the spoon and get sticky!!! Marshmallows are yummy.” - Florence, age 4

“There is nothing better than making something delicious for your family, but seeing the delight on Florence’s face when she gets to lick the spoon is exactly why we do these things.” - Melanie

For those that find making marshmallows too difficult (like me), you can order yours from Melanie at The Flavour Company. www.theflavourcompany.com

ten WAYS TO CAPTURE THE SPIRIT OF YOUR HOLIDAY IN PHOTOGRAPHS WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY Julia Boggio

TRAVEL / MAURITIUS

Whenever I shoot for anything – whether it’s a family portrait shoot or my own holiday photos – I think of how it would look in an album. On a recent trip to the Lux Belle Mare in Mauritius, I put together this guide for our Family Book clients, aimed not just at improving your travel snaps, but rather at helping you to take photographs that capture the beating heart of your holiday. 84

TRAVEL / MAURITIUS

FUN ALWAYS WINS (01) What do I mean by this? Sometimes, it doesn’t matter what the light is like or what your composition is. You’re just capturing the fun of what’s happening at the moment. These photos have just as much place in your album as anything else.

TRAVEL / MAURITIUS

holiday photography

But nice light is great, too. (02) If beautifully lit portraits are your goal, then your best bet in sunny climes is to take them just after sunrise or before sunset. During the hours of bright sun, you can photograph in shadow to achieve an even light. This image was taken at lunchtime under the cover of palm trees. PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: When photographing under a tree, make sure the sun is behind your subject so that the light is unblemished and you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get dappling from the leaves.

Consider your clothing choices. (03) What you or your children are wearing can make a big difference to the outcome of a photograph. I had a lot of fun thinking about the outfits I wanted Baby to wear on holiday, investing in fun and lively prints and accessories that really worked with her personality.

What Baby Wore Check out Babyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Holiday clothing edit on page 94-95. This dolphin swinsuit by Mini Rodini was a big hit. 87

TRAVEL / MAURITIUS

holiday photography

TRAVEL / MAURITIUS

Mix it up. (04) Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard people lament that they take too many landscape photographs when travelling. Or, conversely, too many people photographs. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to take both. Photographs of your family enjoying themselves are great, but take landscapes to set the scene and create a more complete picture of your holiday. Mix close-ups with shots from further away to create variety and tell the story of your experiences.

Outfit detail on page 95 89

TRAVEL / MAURITIUS

holiday photography

Remember the details. (05) Whenever I look at a frangipani flower for the rest of my life, I will think of Baby picking them up off all the laundry baskets at our hotel in Mauritius and giving them to me. “For you, mummy!” To remember this, I’ve taken a picture of a frangipani bloom on its own because looking at it will unlock these memories for me.

PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: Take pictures of local souvenir stands and postcard racks. They make great memory aides, but also look colourful in holiday albums. 90

TRAVEL / MAURITIUS

Get up for at least one sunrise. (06) As a traditionally late riser, I didn’t want to do it, but I knew that I’d regret it if I didn’t see at least one sunrise in Mauritius, especially as it happened right outside our hotel room door.

PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: If your camera has a sunrise or sunset mode, great – use it. If not, try taking your exposure for the picture from a darker piece of sky (i.e. not the bright sunny bit). See if there is anything you can put in the foreground to add interest. 91

TRAVEL / MAURITIUS

Local signage makes a great background. (07) Signs or old peeling walls can make great backgrounds for photographs. I loved this Cuban-style food truck, paired with a classic Rolls Royce at Lux Belle Mare. I bet everyone who stays there has at least one photo of it. And “El Jefe” means the Boss in Spanish, which I think is pretty apt for this little madam.

Use your sunglasses as a polariser. (08) Have you ever wondered how pro photographers get deep blue skies in their images? We use a filter that we can attach to our lens called a polariser. What most people don’t realise is that they have a polariser with them on holiday, too. Try putting your sunglasses lens in from of your camera lens to see what kinds of interesting effects you can achieve. 92

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holiday photography

Photograph their firsts. Outfit detail on pages 94-95

(09) Chances are, your children (and you) will probably be enjoying many novel experiences on holiday. In Mauritius, Baby had her first massage in a spa (loved it) and her first blessing in a Hindu temple (also loved it).

Remember to be in the photographs. (10) Our holiday albums often look like James and Baby have been on a really great trip together, but mummy is nowhere in sight. For this reason, we hired a Mauritian photographer to take portraits of all three of us. Now Baby will have photographic evidence that I was there, too. Boggio Studios offers a limited number of holiday photography sessions over the summer, so please book early if you want us to capture you at your European hideaway relaxing as a family. 93

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Lux Belle Mare, Mauritius *****

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The Lux Belle Mare has created the standard by which I will judge all other resorts for the rest of my life. I’ve been to many resorts over the years and this is the first one I’ve stayed in that has an actual personality. There is nothing generic or stuffy about this luxury resort. To say the staff are friendly is an understatement; they really can’t do enough for you and make it their mission to be helpful and courteous, without being overbearing or obsequious. As a parent, I really loved that they went out of their way to make it a great experience for Baby, too. There are loads of personal touches at the Lux Belle Mare: the ice cream shop next to the pool, the kids’ club activities, cooking lessons, water sports, cocktails served poolside, diner food served out of a grease truck attached to a classic Rolls Royce – all part of the All Inclusive package. And the

food – the food! Let’s just say I came back bigger than I arrived. I really should have taken advantage of the exercise classes they offered. I can also highly recommend an Ocean View room. We spent many afternoons playing Go Fish on our balcony, watching the waves and water sports. One of my favourite places at the resort was the Lux Me Spa. I spent (probably) too many hours there, but it was worth it. Baby and I even had a Mother and Daughter massage. The last thing I heard from her after she was covered in chocolate oil was, “Mummy, I’m not tired anymore,” followed by gentle snoring. The hotel is located on the northeast side of the island, perfectly situated for sunsets and family fun. Highly recommended by the Boggio Derbyshires!

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Baby’s holiday edit With a trendier trousseau than either mummy or daddy, Baby was rocking the holiday look in Mauritius. Here were a few of her favourites.

Molo White cat’s eye sunglasses are great for hiding behind when causing mischief. www.alexandalexa.com Billy Bandit Speaking of felines, this cowboy cat t-shirt is ideal for cheeky little boys and girls. www.childrensalon.com Accessorize A slice of lemon is a refreshing place to hide your cat’s eye sunglasses when relaxing in the shade. www.accessorize.com

Sun-San Sandals Say this three times fast: Sun-San Sandals in silver! These were a must-have in Mauritius. Not only were they comfortable, but they also went with almost every outfit. www.millymog.com

Beau Loves Nothing keeps you comfy and stylish when travelling from country to country like this oversized dress and bunny sweatshirt combination. Perfect for the plane. www.millymog.com

ilovegorgeous The perfect outfit for sightseeing, this yellow jumpsuit would brighten anybody’s day. www.alexandalexa.com

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Mini Rodini Mummy is a big fan of the graphic and eclectic Mini Rodini prints and now Baby is, too. Well made and fun to wear. Crocodiles, snap snap! littleconcept.com

Smalls & Desigual A cute combination, this Smalls merino tank keeps her upper half at the right temperature in hot or cold weather while the Desigual Floral Print Jersey skirt adds a splash of colour. www.lovemysmalls.com, www.childsplayclothing.co.uk

No Added Sugar If your child is a little wild thing, then this cloth crown and shirt combination is great for wreaking havoc. www.childsplayclothing.co.uk

Barts This dusty pink Sashimi Hat was great for protecting Baby’s delicate skin from the sun, while looking fabulously floppy. www.iglookids.co.uk

St Berts Hands down, Baby’s favourite clothes for both being active and relaxing after a hard day in the pool. Comfortable and colourful with a great 70s vibe. www.stberts.com

Popupshop Roar, said the little lion as she ran into the watering hole. Baby’s favourite swimsuit by far. www.littlesunflowers.com

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