Although many of my photoshoots involve activities indoors and outdoors, there are times when my clients have a specific location in mind. Somewhere that encapsulates an era in their children’s life. On this occasion, the family were moving house and school. So it seemed fitting to have an outdoor children photography shoot in the grounds of Cheam Prep school, Newbury, Berkshire, where the girls had both been at school.
We started the shoot by playing lots of games in the main grounds, using the beautiful avenue and stunning gardens as backdrops. And then headed to the fabulous outdoor play area, which offers an abundance of entertainment. We had so much fun. Playgrounds are perfect locations for outdoor children photography. I love to capture the children’s adventurous spirit whilst they explore, climb, slide and swing. Indeed we explored every nook and cranny, climbed every ladder, slid down every slide, and swung high into the skies. I find static swing shots can look as void of emotion as motion and prefer to capture them moving. This is obviously more challenging photographically but nothing beats that feeling of wind through your hair as you swing high and low.
This shot was one of my favourites. I absolutely love it. There is so much joy, energy and movement. You can feel her excitement at reaching high into the sky. It’s an image that is full of emotion and spirit. It can’t help but make you smile when you look at and remind you of those exhilarating feelings of ‘flying high’ when you were little. This is what I strive to provide in my children photography sessions.
For more examples of my children photography, please do visit my children, teenage and family galleries. Please do get in touch if you would like to discuss the possibility of me coming to your home and photographing your children and family.
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.
