It’s funny, a lot of people think Tristan is super happy and friendly ALL THE TIME, thanks to all my Instagram photos and videos. The reality is, our little boy isn’t that cheery, especially when you expect him to be. Actually he is quite moody, and he really chooses who he will be nice to. But I guess I’ve managed to capture all of these happy moments so people think he is approachable and funny right off the bat. Well, my son is actually an introvert, so he doesn’t like all the attention on him, which is why he would much rather hide in a corner than interact with a roomful of people. He doesn’t like strangers, which is actually fine with me (all kids should be wary of overly nice strangers anyway). And he gets stressed out when all eyes are on him and he feels like he needs to “perform”.

Of course, we wouldn’t have it any other way. That is his personality, and we respect that. As another introvert, I super understand where he is coming from and as much as I can I will try my best to not push him so hard, especially since he doesn’t really understand what is going on. But at the same time, I am a proud mama, so I really cant help but share all his accomplishments and cute moments, until of course, he tells me to stop.

So, okay. When people ask me if they can do a photo shoot with me and Tristan I always get a little nervous. I know my son, and he hates being the center of attention, especially if he has to smile for the camera. He really only smiles for mom and dad, which is why practically all of his photos and videos are shot by us during intimate, private moments. When a third party comes in, especially when its a stranger, I expect the worst. Naturally, I was adamant to plan a photo shoot with Cocoon Studio (Instagram handle: @cocoonstudioph), but since it is headed by my good friend, top photographer Pat Dy as well as sought-after photographers Nelwin Uy and Jayson Arquiza, I was more open to give them a try. My little family was going on a Tagaytay getaway in Kasa Luntian, so I planned it then so (1) it is cold–Tristan likes the cold weather and he is generally in a better mood when it’s cold, (2) there’s more scenery and different locations to shoot, (3) they had a nice playground where our little boy can run and play so it doesn’t really feel like a shoot.

This was the best decision, ever. Because the results were incredible. Tristan was in a happy, playful mood all day, he was game to shoot and be photographed with his mama, and it didn’t feel at all like a shoot. Cocoon Studio was able to capture natural moments, and we were hardly directed or asked to pose. This is really the best kind of shoot because there is little effort on our part. The photographer found the nice angles she wanted, and snapped away.

Now, you have to understand that this was a team effort–Cocoon Studio brought their “baby whisperer”, Patricia Infante along for the shoot who basically made Tristan feel comfortable by playing with him. And boy, did she really do her magic on him. He was laughing, talking and playing with them, while I changed to different outfits (of course, I had to maximize this shoot). Tristan never allows us to leave him alone with people he had just met, so you can imagine how impressed I was with this team. And towards the end, our toddler was being carried by Patricia! That has never happened, ever! So while Patricia played with Tristan, our photographer Mara Lapuz took amazing photos. Mara has such a great eye and timing–she was able to capture seemingly normal moments and turn them into these wonderful photographs.

I absolutely love that Cocoon Studio focuses on family, maternity, baby, children, celebratory events and basically capturing all of life’s beautiful creations. These moments are fleeting, so we really have to make an effort to capture them so we can fondly look back at them through these photographs. As much as I try to produce photographs these good, I really cant! It has to be shot by a professional, so at least I can also be in the photos. This is definitely an investment for the whole family. I plan to blow up these photos and frame them, so I can see them everyday. They bring back such happy memories and good vibes, it really makes it all worth it.

For inquiries, call +63(2) 355 0296. Also, LIKE Cocoon Studio’s Facebook page: facebook.com/cocoonstudioph, and FOLLOW them on Instagram and Twitter: @cocoonstudioph.