What to expect on a family photoshoot - when it all comes together with a lovely family

What happens on an outdoor family photoshoot?  Here’s a description of what to expect, with behind the scenes images.

First of all, I have to say thanks so much to this lovely family who were totally brilliant, before, during and after the photoshoot.  I initially talked to the mother on the phone about what her two boys (aged 7 and 6) loved doing and what fascinates them. We also chatted about the style of clothes that would be best, chose a location between us, planned for bad weather, and talked about what she had in mind for family photos on the walls of their home.  We chose some beautiful gardens as the location.  The whole family were well prepared – clothes, hair and makeup all looked fabulous. When I met the boys I chatted to them and got to know them.  I get on very well with children this age !  I was helping with the map, and talking about monsters, Harry Potter and climbing trees.  Oh, and ducks – they liked the ducks!  You can see me helping with the map in one of the images (I’m the one with not much hair).  We walked to a quiet spot with no other people around, and soon the children were having a great time.  They had time to be themselves, exploring an old shepherds hut and running around, with a few photos along the way.

Chatting to the parents while the boys were playing, we thought a few photos of just the parents would be a great addition. It had been a while since the wedding!  I like to reflect all the love and the bonds within a family – between all the different family members.

I entertained the boys and created some individual photos next to a tree.  I like the contrast between the tree bark and their soft skin.  Then they climbed a tree. Their Mum did a great job at the end of the shoot, doing the “Mum dance” behind me while they laughed their heads off sat on the steps.  The whole photoshoot lasted around an hour and a half, including all the walking and chatting.

I hope you like the photos.  When the Mum saw the framed photos to go on the wall she said “Oh my God. I love them! They are fantastic. Thankyou so much. Did I say I love them?”

You can see more in the family photoshoot gallery.