Frequently asked Questions; Family and child portrait photographer London
When Lara contacted me I felt excited about the pictures we could create straight away. I always love to hear that someone has picked me because they feel that my photographic style fits in with their own style and way of seeing.
Lara chose to have an extended session with me as she wanted a day in the life feel to her session, capturing all the little things that her and her little girl do everyday together.
Also, because they were moving to a new home soon, they wanted to record their first home together. As with many mothers, Lara was aware that she was rarely in any photos herself, and could see that it was important for her daughter to have memories recorded of them just hanging out together.
I decided to take a mainly ‘fly on the wall approach’, and allowed all the action to flow undisturbed. I love this way of working because real life always provides far more than I could ever imagine. If families want more group shots fitted into their session, I fit these in once everyone is comfortable around the camera, and they barely notice that they are being taken.
I loved our time spent together, where this beautiful mother and daughter team went about their usual tasks and I snapped away capturing all the magical, quiet moments. During their 4 hour session, I photographed all their routines…doing yoga together, making the bed, having a bath, and later on, popping round the corner to meet granny Thea (another Thea!) in their local cafe. You can see from all the tinsel that Christmas was around the corner, adding a little festive excitement to the cafe trip.
Here are some Q&A’s for those families who are looking for a photographer who are wondering whether I am a good fit for them
1. What do you focus on as a photographer?
Recording the connection families have with each other is one of my main aims during a session. There won’t be any requests for forced smiles nor any awkward posing.
2. My home is a bit dark. Do you use lights and a flash?
My work is always based on location rather than in a studio. It means we can use all of the beautiful natural light that’s available without the need of studio lights. It also means that there’s often something in the photograph (in addition to the people) that’s special to you, and will grow in significance the more that time passes and life around you and your home changes. My camera has the ability to work in low light, and we won’t need to use a flash as long as there is some natural light coming in from a window.
3. Do you help prepare us for our session, as I feel a bit worried about one or two things, like the mess in our house at weekends!?
I feel as though all of my past clients are now my friends…I really try and capture all of the moments that I think they’ll love, both now and in years to come, and I also feel very blessed that they have entrusted me into the heart of their family story in order to capture all the love, all the quiet moments as well as the chaos, laughter, mess and fun! Getting to know each family that I photograph is part and parcel of their session, so that we can work well together as a team, and have lots of fun on the day of the session. If I know that you love to make pancakes every saturday and that your kids love to play twister, we’ll incorporate these things into your session….no two families are the same and so each session is entirely bespoke as well. I can advise you on the best time of day to plan a session, and where the best light in your home is, in order to achieve beautiful portraits of everyone. I’ll also send out a pdf guide to help you to prepare for your session.
4. How much does a session like this cost?
Investing in images is just that- an investment. Don’t just pick a photographer based on their prices- pick the one who’s work you like the most. My pricing is totally transparent and there’s a range of packages and products available. My digital packages start at £250. Contact me for a digital information pack for more details.
