portrait photographer hampshire;

sibling portrait in landrover

Posted on in Children photography, Family photography, News, Portrait photography, Sibling photography

Ancestry and National Portrait Gallery competition

Ancestry and the National Portrait Gallery are collaborating to create a Nations Family Album – the first ever holistic visual representation of the British population in photographic form.  So they are inviting the British Public (all ages, backgrounds, cultures) to submit photos of family members (old, recent, together, separate).   The winning entries will not only feature in this online Nations Family Album gallery, but also in an exhibition in the National Portrait Gallery when it reopens early next year.

I am honoured to say that I’ve been elected as one of the four judges on the panel of experts, along with the baritone singer Peter Brathwaite, renowned for his series of photographs on Rediscovering Black Portraiture, the National Portrait Gallery’s Chief Curator, Dr Alison Smith and Simon Pearce from Ancestry.

Themes for the photos are: legacy, belonging, connection and identity – all of which reflect the emotions experienced when looking through old family photos or starting a journey on your family history.   You can submit up to 3 photographs per person.  And the deadline is 11.59pm on 30th June.   For more information, visit the Ancestry website.

I’m really looking forward to seeing all your entries.

Children photoshoot near Newbury, Berkshire

Posted on in Animal photography, Children photography, Family photography, Portrait photography

Children photoshoot near Newbury, Berkshire

The saying never work with animals or children would put me almost instantly out of a job!   As a children photographer, I find myself working with both all the time, and thankfully I love it!   In fact I find the spontaneity that comes with pets often results in my favourite photographs from the day.   This portrait from a children photoshoot near Newbury, Berkshire, is a classic example.   The way the girl is rolling her head back exudes pure joy, love and happiness.  I also love the dog’s crossed paws and patient expression.   No doubt this is a result of  years of being smothered with love, poked and prodded.

I often start a shoot with a ‘lightly’ staged group shot of you all together.  I find it best to do this first thing when the children are fresh and most co-operative.   It also provides a fall back if we don’t succeed in capturing a spontaneous family portrait.   But I like to spend the majority of the shoot photographing your children at play, inside and outside.   This might include cuddling their pets, climbing a tree, riding a bike, a game of cards, cooking etc.  Whatever takes their fancy.  These provide wonderful opportunities to capture informal and spontaneous images which best reflect your children’s personalities.   They are also wonderful ‘story telling’ images which will remind you of their childhood.

Many of my clients opt for a photo album which includes all the images from the shoot.    These are lifetime heirlooms which you will treasure forever.   They can be any size, but I usually offer 12″ x 12″ as I find square the best format to display photographs.   They can be embossed on the front and spine, and handbound in either pellaq or leather.   My printer has the royal warrant, so it goes without saying that the paper is lovely and thick and the end result is top notch.

Please do get  in touch if you are are thinking of booking a family or children photoshoot.   I’m based in Dorset but happy to travel all over the country – I’m regularly in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Berkshire, London, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.   Do also look at some more examples of my children and family photography to give you a more extensive feel of my style of children and portrait photography.

children photography on a swing

Posted on in Children photography, Portrait photography

Children photography of girl on swing

I started out as a wedding and children portrait photographer in 2000, when I was living in London.   Most of my children shoots in those days were in my studio in Wandsworth – the rage then was for clean white backdrops.   But I quickly found that these were not so appealing for those living in the country, where understandably parents were wanting the photoshoots at home and in their garden.    I have therefore spent the last 12 years, traveling all over the south west photography children in their home environment.  Although this is more time consuming for me, I can honestly say that I haven’t looked back.

This not only makes each shoot unique and personal, but it’s also where the children are most at ease, enabling me to capture the best images of your children.   I capture them at play inside and outside in their garden, in their favourite places, doing what they love most.

This is an old favourite from a lovely family photoshoot in Hampshire.  I love the movement in her skirt and hair, the way she is looking down but flying high, in a world of her own.  A timeless moment of childhood bliss on a favourite swing in her garden.  It’s full of emotion and energy, and makes me smile every time I look at it.  I hope you like it too.

If you are interested in booking a family or children photoshoot, please do get in touch.  I’m based in Dorset but happy to travel all over the country – I’m regularly in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Berkshire, London, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.   Do also look at some more examples of my children and family photography to give you a more extensive feel of my style of portrait photography.

Frontispiece Country Life Magazine

Posted on in Editorial photography, Portrait photography

Country Life Magazine Frontispiece

Another very enjoyable portrait commission from Country Life Magazine: photographing Cecily Offord at home in Devon for the frontispiece with my great friend and very talented make up artist Amanda Jackson Sytner.

Although the weather was rather dreary, the light was soft and there was little wind – so great conditions for portrait photography.    The only set back with soft lighting is that it’s flat and lacking in shadow which adds a depth and mood I love particularly in close up portraiture.    However, I found an ideal location under a pergola offering opportunity for creating soft shadows, a lovely wall with plants growing up in the background, and soft light flowing in from the front and right.   I positioned the chair towards the front on the right, where there was sufficient light behind to avoid her her being lost in the dark background, and angled it so as create some soft shadow on the left of Cecily (from the viewer’s perspective).

We then worked through a variety of poses on & around the chair, which resulted in a wonderful selection of stunning portraits.   The combination of a stunning model, make up, red velvet jacket and set up all worked in my favour.   The one Country Life chose is but one of my many favourites.

family portraiture

Posted on in Children photography, Portrait photography, Sibling photography

Capturing a moment between sisters

As a mother of three daughters myself, I love photographing girls.

There was something so special about these two sisters (aside from both being naturally beautiful and photogenic).   A combination of their contagiously happy spirit, gentle confidence, humility, kindness, and deep routed love for each other.   Whilst I captured a variety of stunning portraits of the two of them together (and individually), this image epitomises their relationship.     The subjects don’t have to be looking into the your eye to capture your attention – a moment can be every bit as powerful.    This was a moment for me.

Family portraiture

Posted on in Children photography

Portrait of siblings on their trikes

As I peer out of my kitchen window today, it’s raining ‘sideways’ and last November’s sunny day photographing this wonderful family in Gloucestershire already seems a life time ago.   Where does time go?

I love this portrait of these two siblings on their cherished trikes.    All the elements work perfectly – framed between two trees, lovely backlight making them stand out from the background, and both giggling in anticipation of the race!    A moment of magic.

 

Portrait of a boy playing the piano

Posted on in Children photography

Portrait of a young pianist

This is a portrait of Milo – future musician of the year!  Well, at least his hand positions on the piano certainly suggest this – he looks like a total natural. However I can assure you the noise coming from the piano suggested otherwise!

As a portrait photographer nothing could stop me picking up the camera and photographing this friend’s son whilst they were staying with me in Dorset this last weekend.   His captivating eyes, engaging smile and happy & relaxed temperament made him the perfect model.  I can’t wait for our photoshoot in the New Year.

Portrait of a boy with apple

Posted on in Children photography

FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY IN HAMPSHIRE

I had such a happy day photographing 3 generations of a wonderful family in Hampshire, ranging from an elegant and charming grandmother down to this divine 2 year old boy, Arthur.   This year seems to be ‘year of the grandparents’ as this must be at least the tenth family photography booking I’ve had this year involving 3 occasionally even 4 generations.

As a portrait photographer, I photograph people of all ages, but children photography is my passion.   Whilst children can of course be challenging, as long as you keep the session fun, they are immensely rewarding.  Their expressions are so diverse, their energy and enthusiasm boundless, and they are blissfully unselfconscious.

Read more…

Posted on in Children photography, Editorial photography, News

FRONT COVER FOR LUCINDA MILLER’S NEW COOK BOOK

I had such a happy, quite intense, day photographing Lucinda’s gorgeous children and nephews and nieces for her new cookery book. This is potentially the front cover – deemed the winner by our Facebook followers.

Lucinda is a highly respected and sought after naturopath who is in the process of writing a book full of wonderful recipes to help children stay healthy and strong. I arrived with Amanda Jackson Sytner, my lovely make up artist friend, in time to photograph the children having breakfast, and staying until tea had been served.
Read more…

Country Life Frontispiece

Posted on in Editorial photography, News

“CUSTARD” FINDS FAME IN COUNTRY LIFE

Not exactly your usual frontispiece, but this is one of my favourite photos for Country Life.   My great friend and hugely talented make up artist, Amanda Jackson Sytner, and I headed down to the dark depths of Devon on a cold wintery day in early March.    

Publication was set for the end of April, so I’d been briefed to capture the colours of spring. but there was not a flower let alone a bluebell in sight.   Fortunately the yellow derelict digger, aka “Custard”, caught by eye and invited some quirky compositions, and worked particularly well with Freddie’s bright green dress.  The red wellies provided the final touch.

This portrait may not have captured any spring flowers, but the bright colours made a pretty good substitute on this bleak midwinter’s day!