“Being a photographer myself, I know how important it is to get family photos taken. It’s so cliche, but Rosie is growing up so fast and I would love to capture every single moment to make it last forever. Once in a while we book a photoshoot so we can be photographed as a family, with all three of us, instead of just the candids that only have Rosie or two of us. A beautiful family portrait can make me so intensely happy. It stops the time for a bit and it makes me realize how thankful I am. Wike has made us so happy for the second time around with her talent. We are thrilled with these photos!

I’ve known Wike for 3 years now, since we’re both photographers and besides that we’re also friends now. This friendship is why we also feel even more comfortable standing before her camera. The vibe was relaxed, even though it was 90 degrees on this day. I’m in love with her colorful and dreamy photos ~ her style really fits us. She captured beautiful and genuine moments and those are the moments I want to remember 10 years from now…

“Rosie has enriched our lives in so many ways. Of course there are more difficult periods in bringing up a little one, but the love and joy we experience with her overcomes any difficulties. There was a time that I was afraid I would never become a mother. My husband and I have been together since we’re 16 years old (we’re high school sweethearts) and we’ve always dreamed of a family together. When we decided we really wanted to start a family of our own, we found out it wasn’t going to be easy for us to conceive naturally. After lots of examinations/research and some medical help, I finally got pregnant! At 20 weeks pregnant, we found out that I had already started to show signs of labor. It was a very unsure time and I had to be on bedrest for the rest of the pregnancy. The hospital was our second home at that time. It was such a relief when our beautiful daughter was born at 39 weeks! We’re so incredibly proud of her and I’m so thankful I get to experience being a mother. The road that led to her wasn’t always easy, but I would do it over and over again!” Alicia, Mother

“Alicia and I met three years ago during a fine art workshop in The Netherlands. About a year after the workshop, she and I joined two other photographers to form a group. It is through this group that she and I became friends. In this business it’s so nice to share thoughts on how to succeed as a business owner and to be able to leave the house and see some different faces once in a while. I think we all know that life as a photographer can be filled with lots of editing and colleagues that you don’t see on a regular basis like you would if you worked in an office.

When we started to hang out, her little girl was only a couple of months old. After you talk about business, the conversation turns to personal things. One day she shared how conceiving for them was really hard and it took some years before she got pregnant of sweet Rosie. From week 20 of her pregnancy until Rosie was born (around her due date), Alicia had to be on bedrest and wasn’t able to do anything at all because of the possibility of early labour. Now they have a healthy 2 year old girl and she is their everything!
I loved photographing this family for the second time and know that they will cherish these special moments together time and again as they look through these photos.” Wike, Photographer

WIKE ZIJLSTRA PHOTOGRAPHY
Additional Vendors: Film Processed by Carmencita Film Lab
Alicia’s Dress: H & M
Dad’s outfit: Zara