“You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.” said my mommy when I announced I was leaving my auditing career to launch Sweetmama.
“Maybe there’s someone out there telling you ‘you can’t’. The good news is, you already have everything you need to prove them wrong”, she continued.
And like most things that involve making something out of nothing, my dream started with a humble “What if?” “What if I can create the first international-level couture-inspired portrait boutique in this part of the world!” No, not just Cyprus! This part of the world! (dream big, remember?)
Today I am ready to officially announce my new collection of Products, as well as my re-designed portrait process. I am so excited I thought about sending all my followers a chilled bottle of Veuve, just so they could pop their corks with me!
When you are photographed by me you are going home with a luxurious Folio Box that has been hand-made in a 17th century castle in Venice!
No kidding! As of Summer I have been offering the most luxurious photography product in the world, the stunning Folio Box that has been designed by my own mentor and renowned international photographer Sue Bryce. These Folios are made by hand using traditional methods by artisans binders who work from a 17th century castle in Pordenone near Venice (for real!). Enjoy the images below bearing in mind that it is impossible to convey the textural organic sensation of touching and smelling the genuine Tuscan leather. Indeed these stunning products smell like… a Louis Vuitton store! No wonder these Folios are considered cream of the crop and are offered by the top portrait photographers in the world to their clients.
Sweetmama’s new product line features two different types of Italian-made Folio boxes bound in real Tuscan leather. It also features three types of stunning albums, including the “Amaranth”, which has been inspired by the 19th century French artist sketchbooks. It also includes a series of wonderful solid-wood frames and wall-art!
The Juniper and Laurel Folios
My Folios are the most expressive and contemporary artpiece within the Sweetmama collection. A Folio is the marriage between album and wall art: it offers the flexibility to safeguard the beautifully matted prints, just like you would with an album and it also allows you take any matted print out of the box and display it framed as wall art.
My re-designed portrait process
The photoshoot is entirely customized to you. I know what beautiful is. I truly do! But here is the thing: I also want to know what YOU find beautiful: your favorite colours, your houses΄s decor and your style. In line with international best practices all my portrait sessions begin with discussing your vision in our Consultation meeting. Creating a plan and shooting for that plan results in a session that makes magic. Then a photoshoot is designed from scratch to make our vision happen. Just 6 days after the photoshoot we meet again to reveal the portraits and design together your totally customised products.
And that’s not the end! Since families often come to me year after year, from the start I plan knowing that more may come and design around that! The next time you work with me I will create art that coordinates with your previous sessions!
My three-meetings method has truly taken my portraits and the whole experience to a totally new level! You can read more about our unique Portrait Process here!
In just 5 days from the photoshoot you will have your photos!
Part of my re-designed portrait process is that you do not have to wait several weeks in order to enjoy your beautiful portraits! In just 5 days I will invite you to my studio to view your professionally retouched portraits for you to choose from. In fact, you can home with your Folio box on the same day!
When you are photographed by me you will go home with some of the most exclusive products in the world. I want every single client of mine to enjoy the experience of owning, touching and enjoying a truly luxurious product. I do NOT shoot and give out a bunch of images on a CD – this is not the kind of photography I do, nor is this the experience you should receive from a high-end photographer. I specialise in couture-inspired photography where the beautiful images I create for your family are presented in their full glory through thoughtfully designed and delicately crafted products. I do not “simply give photographs” – instead I create timeless albums, folios and wall-art. These are heirlooms intended to outlive our generation so they can be enjoyed by your children’s children and beyond.
The 9up
The 9up is a framed and wall ready set of 9 images displayed symmetrically in thick archival white mat for maximum impact. It is made of 100% solid wood and acid-free archival materials.
The Amaranth Album
Album making at its absolute finest, the Amaranth is a masterful album printed on deckled-edge fine-art cotton paper. It is inspired by the vintage sketchbooks of the 19th century French artists. It is made in Italy by one of the most renowned binderies in the world and is widely considered as the apex of album making worldwide.
The Lavender Album
This is a masterful handmade 20 x 30cm fine art piece. It is hand-printed by a master printermaker on German paper and hand-bound. It comes in a luxurious African Iroko box!
