We Didn't Stop Time, But We Tried

You never notice the exact moment a year begins.
You notice it later, when you realize how much has changed.

At first, 2025 moved quietly. January arrived with plans and tidy intentions. March blinked. Summer rushed past. October disappeared. Before anyone thought to slow it down, December was already here, carrying the kind of memories you don’t always recognize while they’re being made.

But 2025 did happen.
And many of you were part of it.

Some of you came into the studio this year. Others followed along from a distance, cheering quietly, watching stories unfold, or holding the idea that one day, you might step in front of the camera yourself. However you showed up, you were part of the rhythm of this year with us.

You showed up in different ways.
And that matters more than it sounds.

For those who did step into the studio, trust sat at the heart of every session. You placed something meaningful in our hands, your face, your story, and the quiet moments in between that don’t announce themselves but matter deeply all the same. That choice is generous. It’s vulnerable. And it’s something we never take lightly.

What happened inside the studio this year went far beyond photographs.

There was laughter and new beginnings. Families coming together, milestones celebrated, brands launching. What began in our space often stayed with people long after the session ended.

We were lucky enough to witness much of it from behind the lens.

And none of it happened alone.

Every session was supported by my remarkable team working just outside the frame, making the experience feel effortless even when dozens of details were quietly in motion.

Kitty, my assistant, seemed to be everywhere at once, a second set of eyes and hands, keeping V-flats upright, flashes obedient, hair behaving, and occasionally stepping in when physics or gravity got ambitious.

My hair and makeup dream team, Alissa, Diane, and Laura B, brought a steady kind of magic to every session, helping clients feel confident, cared for, and ready to step in front of the camera. 

And Nancy, our talented wardrobe stylist, has a rare ability to remove the drama from getting dressed and replace it with ease, clarity, and intention that quietly says, “Yes. This is me,” often right before someone realizes they’ve been arguing with their closet for years.

Everything you see here is possible because of them.

Once the stage is set, though, the story always returns to the person in front of the camera.

There’s a moment in most sessions when something shifts. Shoulders drop. Breathing slows. The camera fades into the background. Somewhere between the first few frames and the last, what’s real steps forward without being asked.

And then there was the music, shaping the space around it. 

Sometimes playlists were brought in. Other times, they were built together. The room filled with The Beatles, Bob Marley, Morgan Wallen, Tina Turner, Ice Cube, Enya, and everything in between. Some sessions felt reflective. Others included dancing. Each carried its own rhythm.

Those songs became part of the memory. Part of the energy. Part of what stays when you look back.

If 2025 reminded us of anything, it’s that portraits aren’t about perfection. They’re about presence. About being seen. About pausing long enough to capture a moment before it quietly becomes part of the story told later.

As we look toward 2026, we feel energized. New ideas are forming. Fresh creative projects are taking shape. A few surprises are already in motion.

Mostly, though, we're excited about you, about what you're building, what you're becoming, and what you chose to hold onto, and that the images we created together reflect an important moment in your life. 

What follows is a small visual keepsake of this year. Faces and moments, gathered in one place, worth returning to.

You don’t remember when a year begins.
You remember it later, in what remains.

This year left its mark.
To what stayed with us.
And to the moments still waiting to be photographed.


With gratitude,
from all of us at Vivek Narula Portrait