Autumn is Here

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Lumix GF1 – 1/200 sec at f/1.7, ISO 100 – Below the huge tree in Magdalen College, Oxford. Everything was quiet and cold, with leaves starting to fall – a typical Autumn feeling.

After two warm weeks in the south of France, we’re back in London—and greeted by the classic British weather. Guilhem and Celine came over from Ireland for the weekend, giving us the perfect excuse to catch up and revisit some favorite spots. Highlights included a stroll through Richmond Park and a nostalgic stop at “The St Margaret’s” pub in Twickenham, followed by a trip to Oxford.

It was cold, windy, and reasonably wet (translation: could’ve been worse). A clear reminder that summer’s gone, and October and November are looming—with lots of work and not much sunlight to look forward to.

(All photos were snapped with our trusty Lumix GF1 and 20mm lens—still a perfect companion for weekend outings and outdoor shots!)

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Richmond Park, 4pm. Sun is already low, it’s time for the pub. Chiara is doing well even if the Bugaboo is not really a 4×4 pushchair.

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An example of her love for trees, Chiara could stay hours playing with leaves – but carrying her, we usually give up after a few minutes.

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Lumix GF1 – 1/1000 sec at f/1.8, ISO 100 – Chiara and JP in Richmond Park, dressed in winter gear. Chiara was pointing at dears feeding in front of us. We had to keep our distances as she was quite excited to see them, therefore noisy.

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Family pose in Magdalen College, Oxford. It was a bit early for Chiara to appreciate that she could be study here one day – but she was happy nonetheless.

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Trekking with a Backpack and a Baby

Chiara seems to have a soft spot for the mountains (or maybe that’s just what we like to think). After her first winter trip to La Grave at just 2 months old, heading to “Le Sauze” at almost 10 months felt like a breeze—especially since she got to enjoy the views from the comfort of a backpack.

We didn’t break any hiking records, though. In fact, we didn’t even match the guidebook’s estimated walking times. But let’s be clear—it wasn’t Chiara slowing us down. In the backpack, she moves as fast as her carrier can… so, who’s to blame here? 😉

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Canon EOS 5D Mk II – 1/40 sec at f/13, ISO 100 – Lac des Sagnes. On the first day, the weather was not that great, but the clouds helped to have soft light and after some post-processing got a few interesting images. This was taken without tripod Chiara + backpack help to be more steady.

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On day two, we managed a 500m climb—a solid improvement from the flat-line 0m of the previous day. The weather kept getting better, and Chiara was all smiles at the top. After a good nap during the ascent, she was ready to play in the grass, full of energy and joy. Looks like she’s really embracing the mountain vibe!

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Canon EOS 5D Mk II – 1/5000 sec at f/3,2, ISO 400 + fill-in flash – Sauze Resort.. This is a blue slope during ski season – but before showing her ski skills – Chiara was removing the grass, and seems very happy to do so.

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Canon EOS 5D Mk II – 1/250 sec at f/8, ISO 400 – On the last day we went to see marmots. They were close to start hibernation and keen to finish summer with some human food. Chiara was jumping and crying “kai” every time she saw one (the one on the picture did not go any closer to Chiara’s hand) 

All in all, it was a fantastic few days—fresh air, open spaces, and some scenic walks. The mountains are a top-notch destination for kids in carriers—highly recommended for family adventures! Next year, Mont Blanc? Who knows—we might just be up for the challenge! 😊🏔️

Paired Baptism

Back from two weeks in France with nearly 15,000 photos—time to start sorting! The highlight? Chiara and her cousin Noémie were baptized in Chalifert on September 5th. It was an intimate family gathering, just the close ones, so if you missed it, these few photos should help you feel part of the moment.

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Canon EOS 400D – 1/125 sec at f/8, ISO 200 – Chiara (middle  with Emilie), Noemie (right with Anthony) and all the crowd, just before lunch.

Our go-to photographers were busy with celebration duties, so only a handful of photos made it through the usual filtering process.

A big thanks to Diacre Pierre for making the baptism such a warm and intimate celebration. Shoutout to Anthony and Daniele for their fantastic help with the organization. And of course, a heartfelt thank you to everyone for the thoughtful gifts and kind words—it all made the day even more special!

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On the next two pages !

  • Top left: Noémie searching for the church (spoiler: it was just around the corner).
  • Bottom left: Noémie curiously inspecting what Diacre Pierre placed on her forehead.
  • Bottom right: Chiara sampling some local bread during lunch—clearly a foodie in the making.
  • Top right: Chiara and her mom patiently waiting after signing the registers, looking serene and happy.

Each moment tells a sweet story from the day! 😊