Helen Bartlett / Family Portraiture

Family Photography Ide Hill, Sevenoaks, Kent

19Aug

I’ve always loved action shots and I find that the longer I photograph children the more adventurous I get with my photography, aiming to create images that are totally unique, using interesting angles, capturing a spilt second and with an attention to detail that marks an image out as unique to my vision. I think this image of Jack does just that and I’m thrilled with it.

I last saw Jack when he was 7 years old and I was thrilled when Tara got in touch to update her photographs at their beautiful home in Ide Hill, Sevenoaks. I’m finding I’m travelling to Sevenoaks in Kent more and more now to take family photographs, many of my clients moving out of London and finding it a beautiful area to live as well as lots of new clients finding my work on Google and contacting me to book a session.

I arrived nice and early and enjoyed a cup of coffee surrounded by the framed pictures from our last session, which are hung on the kitchen wall. It’s such a pleasure to see my work displayed, enjoyed on a daily basis by all the family. It’s the highest compliment I can get as a photographer and always fills me with joy. That these pictures have had price of place for eight years is just wonderful.

We spent a fantastic morning together, taking the three children and two dogs out for a walk in the nearby fields. It was lovely for me to explore somewhere new and Tara had chosen her location so well, Ide Hill in Sevenoaks is stunning. The tall cornfields made a stunning backdrop for our pictures.

Then we returned to the house for a mid-morning snack and for some pictures of the children enjoying their particular hobbies – this is something I try to include in all my photo shoots with older children and teenagers as it’s so nice to have a record of what they are enjoying at this time in their lives whether it is a sport, an artistic pursuit, music or something completely different. I loved seeing Rory’s airfix model building, a hobby my brothers and I had all enjoyed when we were younger and Emma is an incredibly talented artist, it was a pleasure to watch her sketch.

But today’s just one came from our last activity, some swimming in the family pool. I love shots involving water, whether it is on the beach, running around with a hose, younger children in bubble baths or, as in this case, a swimming pool. Everyone always has such fun when they are leaping into the water, splashing each other and generally having a brilliant time.

This shot caught my eye as each element is perfect. Jack’s caught, mid turn with a perfect profile. His posture is perfect, balletic in its grace and I absolutely love the clarity between the top of the trees and his feet. I lay on the ground to get that angle, with the family dogs happily (and slightly disconcertingtly) licking my ears and dropping apples by my side as I tried to concentrate. I think the dogs couldn’t quite understand what I was doing and why I wasn’t playing with them.

This shot has worked so perfectly and I hope that Jack and his family will love it as much as I do, today’s just one from our recent family photography session in Sevenoaks in Kent.

Spread the love