veronica kiefer photography ~

New year news

January 15, 2011 § Leave a comment

It’s been a little quiet from my side on the blog posting, sorry about that. Over the holidays I worked on the website, put it on my own domain, and have been looking at some planning for 2011. But not too much planning, otherwise there would be no room for exciting surprises! Just this week some surprising and fun opportunities have popped up and that has energized me, so I will have to put a bit of organization on my blogging time and coordinate that with other social media and work which is also current.

Next month I will be traveling to China and the Philippines where I have planned to shoot some photo-essays along with other work and visiting the non-profit missions-organization Onesimo in Manila where we support a young teen to be safe from living on the streets and finalize her education in order to have better chances for her future. It will be great to visit her, and the other children, to speak with them about their lives and hopes and see if some ideas which have been going through my mind can someday help produce opportunities for these kids to sustain a future for themselves.

For today I will just post a few photos from our Christmas celebrations. It’s a season I just love enjoying, way past the celebrations and sales. In the near future postings, I will do some looking back to 2010 as well as looking forward to an exciting 2011!

Wishing you all a wonderful continued start in the New Year,

Christmas Gala Event

December 10, 2010 § 1 Comment

Last Friday, not only did I have the honor to photograph a gala event held by the Day Away Organization in Basel, but I hemmed the tablecloths, assisted to prepare the venue, served a bit (however almost tripping in the stairs due to my long dress!) and helped to clean up afterward. I really enjoy being part of such a wonderful group of women, putting on seminars on current life issues for women, a few times a year.

This is a special event, where also men were warmly invited. Last year we celebrated our 10 th seminar with a Gala Event before Christmas which was so well received, we decided to do another such event this year. A light dinner was served at cosy dinner tables while the guests were listening to piano jazz by Oliver Friedli and all were dressed up in gala attire enjoying the gorgeous venue at the Hirzen Pavillon in Riehen by Basel, Switzerland. Snow was lightly falling outside and a fire crackling in the fireplace. Like in the movies. Heavenly!

Everyone was given a symbolic gift of salt and light as they left, as well as a free CD from Oliver himself. A truly wonderful evening it was!

Newborns and big sisters

November 16, 2010 § 3 Comments

Today I got a letter in the mail. A real letter, written by hand, in a colored envelope. WOW. I ripped it open, unlike the regular machine printed envelopes I usually get.

It came from a friend with whom I met up with a little while back, before it got cold and rainy. She had just had her second baby girl a few weeks prior to that day. I asked her kindly if I could take some pictures and test some poses with such a new (and flexible) little blessing. The only hitch was that the beautiful baby didn’t want to sleep, which would have made the posing easier. Even though she was wide awake and stretching her arms and legs as far as she could, we caught some precious photos of her and her older sister (who wanted all the attention of course!) .

I had gotten a few props that might just fit a baby in them, like baskets. But you can see in the wrinkles on her forehead, she was not real convinced about it.

Big sister, in a rare moment of stillness.

A short nap in a basket, but not long..

Big sister wanted to help and check out if baby sis might be needing a diaper… ‘Nope, no kaka!’

Catching a beautiful butterfly, while she was playing in her kitchen.

Most of the time, she was awake and stretching her little legs and arms. So no real newborn-folded-poses possible. But that was fine too!

Slowing down time, sweet.

Thank you so much Sonja for letting me spend a few mornings with you and your beautiful girls. Looking forward to seeing them again for the next session!