Relaxed & intimate family photography.

Shoots like this make me a very very happy photographer. This enquiry came in the middle of a very busy wedding season. The enquiry came all the way from Seattle where part of this family live, but who informed me they were coming to Warwickshire to celebrate a very special birthday with the rest of the family who live here. I knew this would be something lovely & intimate, & I was very excited to be able to photograph them as a family at this special time.

I turned up to the shoot practically like one of the family as I happened to be wearing the same colours & patterns, & we also discovered I went to the same school as most of them (just different times) - so it was definitely meant to be, but was down to good old Google how they found me - again, all the way from Seattle! 

Rob came along as my glamorous assistant & second shooter as you may have heard the saying, “never work with children & animals”, I knew there would be both, so thought I might need an extra pair of hands / entertainment! However you could say this backfired as the tiny dog hated Rob. Bringing Rob to most of my shoots is something we are seriously considering for the future. When we arrived at this gorgeous holiday home they were renting, we had a scope around the grounds & I knew I wanted to use the outdoor house 'porch' for some of the group photos as I felt it had an American vibe; however under the porch was a very heavy table & chairs, which of course Rob was there to help me move. This means I didn't have to disturb the family as they were finishing getting ready. This is just one example of why I love having 'an assistant', especially when it's someone I love ;-)

This was my ideal kind of family shoot. Not only because they were all PERFECTLY coordinated, but the fact it was one big family formed of little families. This meant I could take it in turns to photograph them in their own little groups & all together. It really broke up the time & made it a relaxing experience for everyone. Even though it included child tears, barking dogs & a dangerous slip on a bridge - we all had so much fun together & it was the most perfect working environment. I have been a wedding shooting / editing machine the past few months so it was a breath of fresh air being able to work in a way I want without any rush.

So if you are wondering my style & approach to family photography, this is the PERFECT example. I am looking forward to lots of family shoots in October, & if you are interested in me photographing your family - please don't hesitate to get in touch! :-)

This shoot came at the perfect time for me. It was just what I needed, to spend the morning stepping away from my screen & photographing in a way I adore, giving me a gentle reminder why I do what I do.