TIPS, LESSONS AND FORWARD THINKING


You’ve made it! You’ve had this date in your diary for months, and you’re excited to capture your beautiful family at their best. You’ve managed to avoid the bugs, the kids only have a few visible cuts from learning to ride their bikes a week ago, and they haven’t found the scissors you hid after the fringe-cutting incident. However, let’s forget the idea of perfection.

Oh, and let’s forget the “cheese!” I’m here to capture your memories, but I’m also here to help you make them.

As much as you hear from Marge, the elderly neighbour who raised her kids over 30 years ago, “You know, these are the good old days,” as you stand on LEGO for the fifty-billionth time and your 3-year-old finds your lipstick again (just after you replaced the chewed-up one from their last scavenger hunt through your drawers), family photos can sometimes become just a tick on the “annual things to do” list.

We all know photographs serve a purpose - whether it’s for the personalised calendar your mum is making, or the Facebook banner photo you look at while they’re in bed and you miss them, despite the chaos of the day. I want to remind you that this photoshoot is for your future self. When reciting The Gruffalo is definitely not cool anymore, when they swap their beloved jelly sandals for expensive Nike Air Forces, or when the dreaded maths homework comes home and they start debating with you about your 'long division methods' being old fashioned and wrong.

Think even further ahead—when your name changes from “Mum” to “Granny,” and you’re showing your grandkids photos of their dad, when he only wore wellies. That’s when you’ll be saying things like your neighbour Marge. Let’s capture these moments for future you, so you never forget!

Now, here are some tips to help you make the most of that long-awaited day. These are here to make the absolute most of your session and really capture what makes your family so special!


01 - Curated Outfits

Let’s forget perfectly curated outfits. If your kids want to wear mismatched socks, go for it! If all they want to wear are their wellies, that’s perfect. Let’s capture real life - these are the little details that make them who they are!

02 - Play Time, Not Pose Time

Don’t get me wrong - smiling for a posed picture has it's moments, but we don’t want that to be the whole photoshoot experience, especially for the kids. From experience, letting children play, talk, and move around helps their attention span throughout the session! Plus, your photos won’t feel like a production; they’ll feel much more like genuine moments. I’ll be capturing the fun, natural interactions you’re having with your children.

03 - Get on Their Level

As a tired parent, I understand you are riddled with aches and exhaustion, but please, get down to your kids' level! Sit on the grass together, lay under the trees, let them use you as a climbing frame, or swing off you! They’re only this small for so long. Encourage them to lay on their tummies with you and pick the grass together. Honestly, when a parent lays on their stomach, it's a huge green light/invitation for your child to jump on your back - you’re basically asking for it! But it means they can cuddle you from behind, play with your hair, or just be silly. Getting down on the floor allows for more intimate photographs, creating space for cuddles and chit-chat, which leads to beautiful photos full of feeling. If you’ve been standing the whole session, then I haven’t done my job properly!

04 - Young, Wild, and Free

I’m going to be honest - I don’t mind mess or wild children. In fact, I encourage it! It makes for lively photos. I’ve worked with children outside of photography for the past four years, ranging from ages 2 to 10, so I know how kids are! If everyone’s on their best behaviour and avoiding grass stains on their new skirt, we miss the good stuff. Big energy? Let’s use it to our advantage through games to get energetic and fun photos!

05 - Tick List

This photoshoot isn’t just about ticking off “family photos,” whether it’s for the grandparents or your social media. It’s about capturing your family at this exact phase of life. They won’t always love that barely sewn-together teddy or have an obsession with We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. Let me capture something that you’ll look back on with fondness, something that will jog your memory of all the tiny details that make these little people so awesome. Oh and by the way... if it really does mean reciting We’re Going on a Bear Hunt - I’m so down!

06 - Big Kid

Be a big kid! Don’t be surprised if I ask you to play tag, pretend to be airplanes, jump to touch the trees, or make a game of it! Tickle fights, piggybacks, bubbles, or spinning in circles- let yourself be silly! Your kids will love it. Honestly, the more silly, the better. This is an experience for you and your family as much as it is a service.


After that long read, I hope you understand the need for mess and chaos. It’s what makes your family different and beautiful. Family photos are precious, and we want to get them right. Let's embrace the chaos together and capture the authentic moments that will serve as a memory forever!