Helen Bartlett / Family Portraiture

Family and children’s photographer in Weybridge, Surrey

13Jun

Recently I was lucky enough to spend a brilliant day with Nicola in Weybridge in Surrey taking children’s portraits and family shots during the Easter holidays. Photographing this beautiful, happy family was both memorable and joyful, and I’m thrilled to be able to share some of the photographs on the blog with you today.

This was my second shoot with Nicola. I first met the family when baby Daisy was a year old and they were based in East London. This first shoot is an all-time favourite of mine, the outcome being a collection of wonderful baby photographs taken both at home and out and about near the family’s lovely waterfront home, most memorably at Mudchute farm where we were lucky enough to see sheep being sheared (the life of a children’s photographer is never dull!) and you can see a selection of photographs from our baby and family photo shoot here.

I had been looking forward to our second shoot ever since Nicola got in touch to tell me that the family had grown, and I would soon have the privilege of meeting Daisy’s wonderful little brother, Austin. The family has now moved out of central London to Weybridge in Surrey, a lovely area of natural beauty with an abundance of grassy areas for the children to play in. I was very excited to become reacquainted with the family, visit the new family home and take some lovely family shots in an area that was new to me – I love how family photography is allowing me to explore the UK and familiarise myself with so many wonderful places.

We started the session at home, as baby Austin had awoken super early and so a quick power nap was definitely in order before we headed out as it’s always best to photograph well-rested and well-fed children. While we waited, it was a joy catching up with Daisy and enjoying time playing lions, ponies and monkeys under the dining room table before having my hair done up nicely with pretty bows! I don’t think my hair had ever looked so good.

When Austin woke, we headed out to the local Weybridge park to explore and enjoy a couple of hours of fun and family photography. I do love the way children have very definite favourite places and games. We went to the Giant’s Causeway and made lunch for the giants before searching for the Gruffallo in the woods. Daisy found the most incredible den and made it her own with a seat to sit on and a stick to stir the food (for the giants, and not the Gruffallo!)

Then we were off again. The circle of tree stumps, which I imagine was a venue for a forest school or some other activity, made a great spot to stop for a sandwich and for Austin to take a very close look at the map, working out our movements for the rest of the day. There is something that always makes me laugh watching a small child very seriously studying a map while holding it upside down, and shots like this always make me smile.

After lunch we explored a different area, finding a fairy throne that, being beautifully backlit, was perfect for some shots of the two children together enjoying a whale of a time lost in the world of their imagination.

Finally, our last photographic location was a picturesque green with a grand building offering a perfect photographic backdrop. The children enjoyed the sunshine, collecting daisies (and in Austin’s case, eating daisies). They ran around and played with Mummy and Daddy, it was idyllic. In my photo shoots I love moving between different places, discovering good spots with lovely light and interesting backgrounds – we stop, take some pictures of the children playing a game and enjoying themselves before moving on. The key is to keep the children engaged, happy and entertained throughout the photography session.

And then home and a well-deserved nap for everyone. After a brilliant day photographing this lovely family, I slept soundly on the train home to London after our wonderful morning spent together and I do hope you will enjoy this selection of family photographs.

If you would like to arrange a photo shoot for your own family, do contact us – we still have some dates available during the summer, and it would be lovely to hear from you.

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