Let’s be honest for a second. The hour before a family photo session is usually chaos. You’re sweating, someone spilled juice on their top and you are desperately bribing your kids with snacks just to get them in the car. I get it. I really do, I would be the same with my toddler too.
But I want to tell you a secret that will hopefully take all the weight off your shoulders: I don’t want your kids to be perfectly behaved.
In fact, I actively don't want them to sit still. There is absolutely no pressure for them to perform, look at the camera or give me a fake "cheese" smile. When we force kids to pose they freeze up and you end up with photos of a tense family staring blankly at a lens ~ and that’s not your family.
Your family is dynamic. It’s messy, loud, funny and beautiful. What I REALLY want to capture is your genuine connection. I want to photograph the way your child's nose crinkles when they laughs at your jokes or the way they safely wraps their arms around your neck. I want to capture the real emotions for you.
So, how do we actually get there?
You don't have to figure it out on your own. My job is to gently guide you into beautiful light and then give you the tools to connect. We will play games. I’ll give you silly prompts and cues like asking you to whisper your favourite drive-through order into your partner's ear in your best robot voice or starting a surprise the kids with a tickle attack. I'll give you something to do together and then I want you to completely ignore my camera and just be present with your family.
How this looks depends slightly on where we shoot, so let's break it down:
The Outdoor Adventure
Being based in Derbyshire we are so fortunate to be surrounded by so much greenery, parks and National Trusts around us. The hardest job should be deciding where you'd like to go! When we are out in nature, the world is our playground. The best way to approach an outdoor session is to let the kids lead the way and we follow along. If they want to collect rocks, pick flowers or even sticks, let's get down on their level and do it with them. We’ll play tag, swing the little ones by their arms and let them run until they tire themselves out and need a cuddle. Parents ~ your only job here is to engage. There is no need to worry about looking at the camera, you just need to look at your kids. Play with them. Kiss them. Snuggle them. The more you let go and embrace the wildness of the outdoors, the more breathtaking and authentic your photos will be.
The Cozy In-Home Session
Home is where your kids feel the safest, which naturally lowers their guard. For an at home session we can lean into your everyday routines. Don't worry about having a spotless, magazine ready house. We want the lived in reality. We can put on some music and have a kitchen dance party, jump on the bed, read a favourite book on the sofa or even bake some cakes!
At home sessions are all about quiet intimacy and the beautiful chaos of your four walls. The session is about curling up together and just letting me document the feeling of your home life.
What to Wear
To pull all this off you need to feel good in what you're wearing. When you're comfortable it absolutely shines through in your gallery. Here are my top tips for styling your session:
~ Coordinate, don't match: ditch the 90s look of matching jeans and white t-shirts (unless you are going for a matchy vibe). Instead, pick a colour palette and choose pieces that complement each other.
~ Embrace earthy tones: think warm rust, mustard, olive green, muted blues and warm neutrals. These tones look incredible on camera and blend beautifully with both natural landscapes and cozy home interiors.
~ Avoid heavy patterns: no big logos, neon colours and especially tiny stripes (stripes can actually create a weird vibrating effect on digital cameras) but solid colours or very subtle, timeless prints are the way to go.
~ Think about movement and texture: wear fabrics that catch the wind, chunky knits you can wrap up in or soft linens.
~ Keep it practical: most importantly, wear shoes you can actually walk in and clothes you don't mind getting a little dusty outdoors or wrinkled on the sofa. If we are having an outdoor shoot in the beautiful Derbyshire landscape then bring wellies just in case of rain (which we all know is always a possibility).
At the end of the day, I want you to look back at these photos and remember exactly how this season of your life felt. So take a deep breath, leave the stress in the car/at the door and get ready to just hang out with your favourite people.
Let's document your story
Let’s head outdoors, let the kids run wild and capture your family in its element. From golden hour light to muddy boots, I focus on the genuine connection and unscripted joy of your life together.