Documenting real life for real families: a Vienna-based family photographer
Unique Family Portraits by Vienna-based family photographer, Christine Benally Peranteau. As a professional photographer specializing in images that tell the stories of her client's lives, Christine creates stunning environmental portraits, authentic newborn photos, and emotional family photo albums.
I have the pleasure of working with The American Women's Association of Vienna on a charity to support Verein Wiener Frauenhäuser. Women's organizations and charities that support women have a special place in my heart. I hope you enjoy this preview of some of the dresses that will be up for auction and that you will join us October 10th for a night of drinks, dresses, shoes, and more!
How do you celebrate the Fourth of July when the rest of Austria thinks it is just another Monday?
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It's a regular afternoon in the Peranteau household. Around 4 o'clock I gather the littlest and head over to pick up my son at KiGa (for those of you not in Austria, KiGa is short for kindergarten, which is basically daycare or nursery school for kids form 1 - 6 years old). Like most days, once we get out the door, my son says "See the fishes." And our adventure begins...
We got our first Jahreskarte (Annual pass) to the Haus Des Meeres (Aquarium) two years ago upon the recommendation of a friend. Little did I know then what a life saver it would be, nor how often I would be stopping in on the "fishies." The Haus des Meeres is situated inside one of Vienna's Flaktürme (flak towers) located near Mariahilfestrasse in the 6th district.
Being that the original structure is a tower, a visit to the Haus des Meeres means stairs: a lot of stairs. Which is ok, because with an active toddler, I would pay good money to tire the kid out, and I get some exercise too. It's been a great place for us to head to on rainy days (of which there are many in Vienna) or in the winter when the daylight wanes rather early (watch out - there are bats in the Tropfenhaus).
Now, in the summer, it can be a bit hot in the the Tropfenhaus (which has a great swinging rope bridge thing that my kid LOVES) but it is also a bit less crowded (especially in July/August when most of the locals head for the hills on holiday). These days, I hear "See the fishes" at least once a week. So, regardless of the temperature, we hop on the 13A and make our way to "See the Fishes." Maybe I will see you there?
What is your favorite spot to take the kids on a regular afternoon? Leave a comment and tell me about your go to places.
One of my favorite aspects of working as a family photographer is the opportunity to meet other expat families. Vienna is a wonderful city for children, and it has many, many international couples and families. I was recently connected with an American expat family through the Vienna Babies Club (a wonderful English-speaking parents' support organizations).
Very often, during a session (usually when I am working with a family on a longer for session like a Day in the Life or Afternoon in the Life session) one of the family members becomes what I like to call my muse. They capture my attention and always seem to be in the middle of all the action. During this session, the older son, absolutely became the muse.
It was a lot of fun following him around. And, before I left, he bestowed upon me the honor of wearing a sticker of one of his favorite pieces of construction equipment, the ubiquitous crane. With the number of cranes that dot the Viennese skyline, it is no wonder he chose that vehicle as his favorite (for that day at lease).
Do you stop to notice the many cranes around Vienna? Or know someone who does? Then share this post in solidarity with your fellow crane (or construction site) enthusiasts.
One of the perks of being a documentary family photographer, given that I live in an international city like Vienna is that I get the chance to photograph families from all over the world. I recently had a session with a cute couple who just had their first child. The mom is from Europe and the dad is from Asia. This couple, like others in my friend set, have opted to give their son a name that combines their backgrounds. I have found it to be so interesting the ways in which we pass on our own culture and heritage to our children, often the first meaningful choice we make on this matter is what to name our child.
The session itself was quite, and easy; much like their little boy was in temperament. It was such a pleasure to photograph this family, not just because I have a personal connection to the multicultural aspect of their budding family; but because it was so clear that they were in love, with each other, and with their baby boy. Here are my favorite images from the session. Enjoy!
