This was my third family photo shoot with this beautiful family in leafy Clapham and, like all the others, it was brilliant fun. We’ve always had an amazing time on our photo shoots and I had been looking forward to it since it was booked in. I knew I’d get some great pictures and when one of the girls asked ‘will we be in a magazine again?’ as I had used some pictures from our last shoot in magazine adverts, I felt confident to say ‘oh yes, I think so’. Now, having got home and looked at the pictures, I know so, it’s a cracking set of family photographs.
This time of year is fun for family portraits but it’s often overlooked which I think is a shame. On a bright day then the light in winter can be spectacular and spring seems to be coming early this year with daffodils already out in St James’ Park. If the weather isn’t so good then rainy days still have their charm. It was a rainy day for our photo shoot in Clapham and we donned waterproofs and headed out anyway. Growing up in London then rain is just part and parcel of life and wet days in the park bring their own joys, puddles to splash in and the excitement of being the only children in the playground. As long as a towel is packed to dry the swings then we are good to go.
I’m keen to capture all the elements of childhood and so a rainy day is as fun for me as a summer one, different challenges and different pictures and that’s what it’s all about. If you have always had summer shoots before then perhaps consider something in the winter or spring to get a different feel to your images, it all adds to the rich tapestry of family photographs and gives you a record of moments that might otherwise be overlooked.
As well as our trip to the park we also did some pictures indoors which is another benefit of a winter shoot, we’ll often do part of the session indoors and that really adds to the variety of photographs of the children and captures a lot of the every day activities which will bring back so many memories as they grow up. I had a great time photographing the older girls and their marble run (the old games are still the best!) while the baby had a nap and then we went through to the parents bedroom for some family fun, all the girls loved rolling around on the bed together laughing uproariously as they hid under the covers.
The elder girls are keen gymnasts and it was great fun to teach them the expression ‘quit while we’re ahead’ as they were so keen to show me their incredible acrobatics and I got some brilliant photographs before deciding we should do something a little less dangerous. This shot is an absolute favourite of mine and, I know already, will be one of my best shots of 2016.
I do hope you like the picture and if you would like a winter shoot for your family then do get in touch soon, we’ll blink and it will be spring!
