this past saturday was the Mayday picnic for the Broken Hearts of the Big Bend, an organization dedicated to support pediatric heart patients and their families in the Florida region. it was held at Lake Wauburg, a hidden oasis near Gainesville. and docs, like my husband, were invited to join their patients who had heart transplants and other surgeries for a fun-filled day.  and fun it was….food, swimming, pedal boats, mini-massages and more.  and they so kindly asked me to take photographs of their kids and i felt so honored to contribute.

the children relayed their stories about their surgeries, scars, stays in the hospital, recoveries and more surgeries.  and i was amazed at their strength, resilience and courage. but what touched me the most was their special bond with each other.

take a look at some of the photos from the day….

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

i had to share one of my favorite images of miss savannah king. this was taken during our giggle cover shoot at kanapaha park. i love her in the color yellow with her beautiful serene expression surrounded by green.  there is something about her eyes that makes it hard to look away.  she’s gorgeous!

thanks for reading,

mikifoto by mallika malhotra

i am thrilled to share my first magazine cover! if you live in gainesville, check out this month’s Giggle Magazine (found in the Haile Publix and many other places) and see my image of the beautiful Savannah King.  i am so honored that they asked me to shoot the cover.  this has been a long time goal for me and my business.  come and take a look!

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

there must be something in the water in bell, florida. so many beauties for such a small town. one of which is a talented photographer and friend, amy of bellamy photography.  she was the mastermind behind our successful workshop.

so here is my last round of images of the lovely ladies of bell, florida. enjoy

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

meet courtney….a beautiful senior at bell high school. she’s a self proclaimed country girl but i think her images will prove that she’s a little bit country and a little bit rock n roll

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mikifoto by mallika malhotra

meet amanda and sam…….teenagers, models, cousins and friends. both are students at bell high school who participated in last weekend’s workshop. these gorgeous gals definitely take a good photo. but the images i liked best were those taken of them together. something about being in a dynamic duo that brings out your inner diva.

take a look…..

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

only 16 years old and this gal already has poise, mega-style and sophistication. a senior at cornerstone academy, hannah has plans to study english literature in college. and maybe one day move to boston and attend emerson college (where i went to grad school!!!). there is no doubt that this young woman will go far….she has the complete package of beauty and brains.

we photographed her senior session in Alachua on the Rembert’s beautiful farm property. there is nothing better then barns and old cars and trucks with ginormous tires and rusted farm equipment. so many awesome pockets and backdrops. i was in HEAVEN!

here is miss hannah’s sneak peak…..

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

can you believe we are in march already!?!?  this month will be nice and busy on my blog because i have a zillion new images to share.  this past weekend, i met some photographer friends for a workshop out in bell, florida.  we photographed a handful of teens and i learned a ton of new stuff, especially in studio. i NEVER shoot in studio bec i’m a bit intimidated by the whole light setup, wires, backdrop thing.  but with a lil help from my friends, i was able to shoot and actually like it.  here is round one of a series of images, the young and gorgeous miss preslee….

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

i’ve been loving my teen sessions.  as a mom of three boys, they totally fill my girl fix.  i love the wardrobe wearing, hair styling, makeup applying parts.  the super model poses.  the story telling eyes.  but my favorite part is the sparkle that lingers after the camera is put away.  the feeling of confidence that comes over.

meet megan and samm.  friends since fifth grade, they are now both juniors at santa fe high school in alachua. both active in color guard (which is part of the marching band - i had no idea).  both funny and sassy and clever and soulful.  and both so surprised that they could look pretty.  and yes of course, they looked soooooo pretty and at times, drop dead fierce.

enjoy your sneak peak pretty ladies….

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

maloy and cameron are back on the blog.  simply because they rocked their session and i have so many beautiful images.  so so many, that i had to share a couple more that really showcased their sisterly bond.  these photos tell a story of how close they really are.  the first one is my absolute favorite!

thanks for reading,

mikifoto by mallika malhotra