Christmas Gift Voucher Shop!
My Christmas Gift Shop is now open! I've got lots of lovely gift voucher ideas for you - let's try and make 2021 something to look forward to.
BUY NOW:
CHRISTMAS CARDS WITH IMAGES FROM YOUR SESSION
FAMILY PHOTO SHOOT GIFT VOUCHER
EXTRA PRINT CREDITS
BEGINNERS PHOTOGRAPHY TRAINING GIFT VOUCHER
'HOW TO TAKE BETTER PHOTOS FOR YOUR BUSINESS' WORKSHOP GIFT VOUCHER
Christmas Cards
Brand new this year! I'm offering a bespoke Christmas Card service for clients that have had a shoot with me this year. Choose TWO of your favourite images and create your own card. You can add a message from your family too. Christmas cards are available in packs of 10 and 20. If you'd like to buy Christmas cards with images from your session, get in touch to find out more.
Pack of 10 Christmas Cards - £25
Pack of 20 Christmas Cards - £45
BUY CHRISTMAS CARDS
Family Photo Sessions Gift Voucher
A perfect gift for family and friends. We've all had a tough year but being locked up at home together has also created stronger family bonds. Help someone you love to celebrate their family with an outdoor family photo shoot in South Wales.
The gift voucher will include:
A location family photoshoot (1-2 hours) in South Wales.
Help and advice on clothing and outfits.
Viewing session.
And a 10″ x 8″ print and matching digital image!
There’s also the option of adding print credit vouchers to your gift – add £50, £100, or £150 and the recipient can choose lots of gorgeous prints and products too!
BUY FAMILY PHOTO SESSION GIFT VOUCHER
Extra Print Credits Gift Voucher
If you’ve already bought a gift voucher as a special present for a friend or family member, you now have the option to add extra print credits onto the value of their gift. Choose from £50, £100 or £150 and give them the option of buying lots of gorgeous prints and products from their shoot. Print credits can be spent on prints, products and digital images too.
Check out my most popular product below - a 9 image frame. Who doesn't want one of these?!
BUY EXTRA PRINT CREDITS GIFT VOUCHER
Beginners Photography Training Gift Voucher
One to one bespoke training sessions for adults and teenagers too.
This training is perfect for beginners who own a camera but are unsure how to use it properly. We’ll cover the technical aspects of photography (in a jargon free way!), looking specifically at helping you to control aperture and shutter speed. The training will also cover the creative side of photography, looking at composition, light and how to take great photos of family and friends. The training includes a practical outdoor session to try out new skills too.
BUY BEGINNERS PHOTOGRAPHY TRAINING GIFT VOUCHER
'How to take better photos for your business' Gift Voucher
This brand new workshop has been created to help small businesses improve the images that they take to show off their products or service. If you know a small business owner who needs great images, this could be the perfect gift!
The workshop covers the importance of branding and photography for businesses and provides a step-by-step practical guide on how to get started with content creation.
See the workshop framework below for more details.
How to take better photos of your business - Workshop framework
Establishing your brand.
The importance of photography.
Step by step guide to the most important elements to include in your business photography.
How to take great picture for your business – understanding light and composition.
Technicalities – taking and processing the photo (using a camera or a phone).
Planning your shoot – personalised plan of action for your business.
BUY 'HOW TO TAKE BETTER PHOTOS FOR YOUR BUSINESS' GIFT VOUCHER
Vouchers can be hand delivered (locally) or posted. Please purchase by 10th December to ensure delivery in time for Christmas.
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Gemma Griffiths is an outdoor family photographer based near Cardiff in South Wales. She offers shoots in all over South Wales, including, Cardiff, Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, RCT, Bridgend and Swansea.
15 tips - How to prepare for your family photo shoot!
I thought it might be helpful to write a quick list of 15 tips to help you prepare for your family photo shoot!
I've been a Cardiff family photographer for 14 years and so I've met a lot of families, in all seasons, all weathers and loads of different locations all over South Wales. Every time I go on a shoot I learn something, either a tip for myself (there's no point in wearing wellies in the sea if they have holes in them) or for my clients.
Don't worry! Prepare for your family photo shoot.
1. You are beautiful. A lot of people have a little panic about their appearance once they have booked their shoot. They worry about hair, eyebrows, weight - all the usual stuff. But, let me tell you now - stop worrying about it. You are who you are and you are loved by your family. A stray hair or a couple of pounds on or off won't make any difference to your shoot. Take a long good look in the mirror. Say "I love you" to your reflection and move on. Sometimes parents will say they just want me to photograph their children and they don't know if they need or want to be in the pictures. I strongly recommend that you get in the frame. You are just as important as the rest of the family and you need to exist in photos too.
2. Enjoy. Think of the photo session as chilled out family walk in beautiful countryside. No phones, just nature in all her glory and a friendly photographer to keep you company. There's no pressure for anyone to perform or behave in a certain way. I have two children myself and have been in this business a long time. Your children won't do anything I haven't seen before!
3. Don't say cheese. It's very tempting to say to the kids 'Say Cheese!' or 'Smile nicely' or sometimes, say 'Smelly socks/sausages etc'. Saying those things to your children will result in a fake, stiff smile, sometimes with teeth gritted. My advice would be for you to have a think about what your child/ren might think is funny in advance of the shoot. Do you have a family joke, or something that you know will make them laugh - genuinely? I've never seen a comedy fall fail but that might not be the best option if you want to keep your outfit clean. The point is, the more relaxed you all are, the more relaxed you will look. Feel free to mess around, pull faces, tell jokes etc. Everyone will look much more natural in the images as a result.
4. Don't look at me. One of the best ways of getting natural family pictures is for you to forget that I'm there. I don't need you to be standing stock still with a fixed grin every time I point the camera at you. I know it can feel a bit weird, trying to behave as you normally would when someone is taking a photo of you but honestly, it's the best way. I'll be directing you throughout the shoot, so don't worry about knowing what to do. I'll be shouting (only shouting because I might be far away), things like, 'look over there!', 'don't look at me!', 'look up!' etc.
Be prepared
5. Outfits. What you wear for the shoot is super important for a number of reasons. Firstly and most importantly, you need to feel comfortable. I'm not talking about trakkie bottoms and pj top comfy, but you, on a good day, feeling happy with what you're wearing. Next, it's important to make sure that you all blend together. There's no need for matching outfits but try and choose colours that complement each other. Choose a colour palette of two or three colours if possible. Wearing patterns is fine - florals, stripes, spots, checks etc. It's best to avoid big logo's or pictures though. No one wants a massive Hollister or Adidas logo in middle of their image.
The right colours can depend on the location or season. Don't worry though, I'll send you a big Pinterest board full of outfits for some inspiration. Head over to my blog to see a family shoot with the perfect outfits!
6. Hair cut. If you're going to get your hair cut, do it a week or so before the session , just in case you need to get used to your new style!
7. Have a chat to the kids. If your kids are old enough to be blackmailed with chocolate buttons then they're old enough to have a chat with about the session. Explain that we're going for a nice walk and going to have some pictures taken. There's plenty of time during the session for kids to run around, pull faces, fall over, have a snack etc, so there's no need to put any pressure on them to 'behave'. The more relaxed and natural they are, the better. Everyone has different parenting styles, so I'm not going to give specific advice on how to talk to your own kids but remember that the most important thing is that they are happy and enjoy the experience.
8. Bring snacks. It's worth bringing along a treat that might be persuasive, just in case. Chocolate buttons work well, chewy sweets, not so much. Chewy snacks are difficult because they take a while to be eaten and sometimes get tucked away for later, leaving your child looking like a squirrel. Biscuits and crisps leave crumbs on the face. Marshmallows are sticky. Have I mentioned chocolate buttons? One of those, placed directly into the mouth, generally does the trick.
9. Speak to your partner. It's usually one person that books the shoot (well done Mums!), which means that sometimes the other partner (hello Dads!) doesn't know too much about the process. This can sometimes lead to 'Grumpy Dad' syndrome. So, to avoid this happening, it's worth having a chat to your partner about the shoot. Show them my website so they can see other family shoots. Talk about the cost of the session. Discuss what you might like to do with the images afterwards - wall art or family keepsake album etc. Get them involved in how to prepare for your family photo shoot. Try and engage them in the process so that it doesn't feel like a chore.
10. Timing. Think about when you'd like to book the shoot. Try not to book the session during or after an important event - family wedding, big night out, World Cup Final - to avoid upset and/or hangovers. It's best if you're all perky and well rested.
11. Supplies. Apart from the aforementioned chocolate buttons, there's a few things that I'd recommend bringing to your shoot. Extra layers and a change of clothes are useful in case anyone falls over or gets chilly. If your shoot is at the beach, bring towels. Wipes (for little noses) and a hairbrush are also handy.
12. Your rug. I'll always ask you to bring your own rug or blanket to sit on. It's mainly to protect your clothes and make sure you don't get them wet or dirty. However, the rug/blanket will be in the pictures with you. If you have any gorgeous knitted, checked rugs or blankets from any National Trust shop then we're onto a winner. But, any plain, neutral coloured one will do. If you bring along a bright neon pink rug, then that's what we're going to be using. Choose carefully...
It's all in the details
13. Phones. My advice would be to leave your phone in the car for a few reasons. Firstly, it can be a distraction during the session - the last thing you want to be doing is checking your email whilst we're out and about. Secondly, it can be tempting to take a few pictures yourself, whilst standing behind me, but this can be very distracting for the kids, who don't know who they should be looking at. Finally, if you have your phone in your pocket it can give you a big phone shaped bulge - which is never a good look.
14. Embrace the wildness. If you like perfect hair and creaseless clothes, then perhaps an outdoor photo shoot isn't for you. Outside, it can get windy and hair will fly all over the place. Personally, I love the windswept look, especially on the beach! There are ways to try and control fly-away hair with hair bands and clips etc but it's important to realise that you won't be getting perfect hair in every shot. For me, it's more important to try and capture your family love and interaction together and I don't mind if you have a few hairs flying around your face.
15. Clothing choices. Think very carefully about what you're going to wear, from your top down to your shoes. Try things on and look in the mirror before the shoot. Sometimes clients will be unhappy about their choices after the session and that will affect how they feel about the images. If you feel uncomfortable in an item of clothing - don't wear it.
So, there you have it. All the things you need to know to prepare for your family photo shoot! You family shoot will be full to brim with love, fun, jumping, twirling and squeezing. Relax in the knowledge that I've got your back. I look forward to seeing you soon!
Thanks for reading how to prepare for your family photo shoot. - if you have any questions, drop me a line to find out more.
See more of my recent work - follow me on Instagram!
Book your family photo shoot today!
Gemma Griffiths is an outdoor family photographer based near Cardiff in South Wales. She offers shoots in all over South Wales, including, Cardiff, Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, RCT, Bridgend and Swansea.
Coronavirus Update
I've had lots of enquiries asking whether I'm still able to offer shoots during at this time, so I wanted to give you a quick Coronavirus update!
Are shoots still going ahead?
Firstly, yes, I am still offering shoots at the moment. The current Welsh Government guidelines mean that I can continue to offer shoots. I'm also able to travel to different counties for work. I cover the whole of South Wales, including Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan, RCT, Bridgend and Swansea. I am based near Cowbridge, in the Vale of Glamorgan but if you live in a different county, I am able to travel to your county (not vice versa,). There are lots of fabulous locations everywhere, so don't worry about not being able to travel!
All my shoots take place outside, which means that we are much safer, out in the fresh air. Social distancing is also easier outdoors too. The lenses that I have are able to capture you from a distance, so there's no need for me to get close to you. Of course, I carry hand sanitiser with me and use it before, after and sometimes during a session.
Finally, I am offering password protected online galleries to clients as an option, instead of in person viewing sessions. This means that you can view your images from the comfort of your home. I'm available to chat over the phone and help with any advice that you might need.
Latest work
In spite of this nightmare, I have actually been really busy since the Summer. Want to see what I've been up to since lockdown restrictions were eased earlier in the year?
To finish my Coronavirus update, here are some images from recent family shoots at Southerndown beach, Dunraven Gardens, Nash Lighthouse, Ogmore Castle and not forgetting front gardens!
Follow me on Instagram to see lots more of my latest shoots!
Check out my newly updated family portfolio, children's portfolio and headshots and personal branding portfolio too!
Gemma Griffiths is a Cardiff family photographer, based in the Vale of Glamorgan. She offers outdoor family photo shoots across South Wales.
Ballet Photo Shoots South Wales
A few years ago, I didn't know an arabesque from a jeté and then my son started ballet lessons. Now, I've fallen in love with ballet - the sheer beauty, grace and strength of it astounds me! I'm so happy to now be offering Ballet Photo Shoots in South Wales. I would LOVE to capture your love for dance and create images that you can keep forever. I've been a Cardiff family photographer for nearly 15 years and I'm very excited to be adding these sessions to my portfolio.
The images below feature the super talented Marla. She had a career as a ballet dancer and now runs her own business - The Polish Up Studio, alongside being a mum of two. We had so much fun during this session and kept shooting until it was dark when we reluctantly had to stop.
You can see images of my son taken during lockdown in my Lockdown Ballet Series over on the blog.
If you're a dancer and would like a personalised photo shoot, please get in touch! There's lots of outdoor locations to choose from - beaches, castles, town centres, gardens - the possibilities are endless!
Ballet Photo Shoots
Package:
£199
1 hour photo session
5 digital image and matching prints
Change of outfits
BOOK NOW
Ballet Photo Shoots
Package:
£199
1 hour photo session
5 digital image and matching prints
Change of outfits
BOOK NOW
Visit to Cornwall 2020
Cornwall is a feast for the eyes and the soul.
Find out more about my recent visit to Cornwall 2020 here...
We visit Cornwall every year with friends and stay in a campsite right next to the beach. This year however, things were a little different! Our usual campsite was closed due to the pandemic. Plus, our friends didn't fancy venturing away from home. So we decided to go it alone.
The plan was to book some self contained accommodation, take our own food and spend the days surfing on quiet beaches, avoiding people as much as possible. We decided not to visit our favourite town of St Ives as we knew it would be ridiculously busy but we weren't sure what the rest of Cornwall would be like.
If you're desperate to get away, like I was, then Cornwall is a great option. In spite of all the panic in the news about how busy it is, we found it fairly easy to avoid the crowds and have an amazing time.
There's lots of places to visit in the area, but as we were trying to be mindful of avoiding the crowds, we chose carefully. This is a very personal account based on our recent trip. Of course there will be lots of other places to visit that are quiet too! I've written them in the order in which we visited them - we had a week in the south with a caravan at Praa Sands and a week in a cottage near Wadebridge.
Here's a few places to visit if you want to get away from it all in Cornwall.
Praa Sands
Our first stop was, Praa Sands. We love the very south of Cornwall, the rugged beaches and blue turquoise waters are all absolutely fabulous. We booked a static caravan on a Hoeseasons site in Praa Sands. The site was perfect. It was quiet, close to the beach and with great facilities. We even managed to use the on site pool - which you could book in hourly slots, with a maximum of 6 people at a time, so we pretty much had it to ourselves. The bar was open and very quiet and we were able to sit outside and enjoy a pint of cider, whilst looking out at the ocean.
The beach at Praa Sands is a long stretch of golden sand, with crystal clear water. It was so quiet there but it also has lifeguards so we felt safe in the water. I'm not going lie - we found surfing there a bit tricky at times and not as easy as our usual beach at Gwithian. My daughters board nearly knocked me out at one point!
From Praa Sands, you can walk the South West coastal path - there's loads of fantastic walks to do and we enjoyed a 5 mile circular route along the coast. It was really quiet. We only saw a handful of people and enjoyed a picnic looking at the epic views (pretending to be waiting for Poldark - maybe that was just me).
Trelissick
We spent one afternoon mooching around the gorgeous National Trust property at Trelissick - you need to pre-book a slot online. The house isn't open at the moment but the gardens, cafe and shop are all open. It was very quiet when we visited (it was raining!).
Porthleven
Porthleven was our first foray into a busier location. There were quite a few people mooching around the pretty harbour, so we didn't stay long.
Kynance Cove
One of our favourite places in the area is Kynance Cove. It's simply stunning. Run by the National Trust, the sparkling turquoise waters make you feel like you're in Thailand (until you feel the temperature of the water!). The trick with Kynance Cover is to get there EARLY. Arrive by 9am and you should be able to park easily. It's also important to be aware of the tide times here as there's not much beach at high tide. We arrived as the tide was on it's way out, which was perfect timing as we knew we'd have a good few hours to play and relax there.
It was quiet when we first arrived on the beach and we had the sea to ourselves for a while but it quickly gets very busy there, with people streaming down the hillside all day long. We left in the early afternoon as we knew the tide was coming back in and it was getting busier and busier. There's a cafe, with outside seating and toilets too. There's a bit of a walk from the car park - with a few different routes. Some take longer than others but the views are amazing.
Gwithian beach
Gwithian is one of our favourite beaches as it's a brilliant place to surf and body board. The beach is massive so there's plenty of space to sit and not be near anyone. There's a National Trust car park at the far end of the beach but you need to get there early to get a space. There's also parking at The Rockpool Bar, which is next door to the National Trust car park. If you're looking for a tasty lunch or coffee and cake break, I can highly recommend the Hungry Horsebox on the beach.
Pedn Vounder
I'm a bit torn about whether to post information about this place or not because I know it's a 'hidden treasure' and those that know about it don't like the word spread. However, I'm an adventurer at heart and when I first discovered Pedn Vounder beach online I knew I HAD to go there. I read all about it for years before actually going. I was very worried about the dangers and made sure that we were very well prepared. This little beach is truly magical. It's tucked away at the bottom of a rocky hillside on the rugged Cornish coastline. The water is a million different shades of blue and green and so transparent. From above, it looks like you're in the Caribbean.
Before going to this beach, you must know these things. Firstly - check the tide times. There is NO BEACH there at high tide and you will get trapped if unprepared. Secondly, there are no life guards at this beach and dangerous rip currents. There's also no phone signal, so you'll need to be super duper careful in the water. Thirdly, although the walk from the car park at Treen is fairly easy, the final descent to the beach is tricky. The advice is to wear trainers and carry a rucksack, so that you have both hands free for the climb. Finally, it's a naturist beach, so be prepared for an eyeful. It was certainly an anatomy lesson for the kids!
One more thing - please respect the beauty of the area and take all your rubbish home. I'd hate to think that this post might encourage people to go and cause damage to this glorious spot.
If visiting this beach sounds like a pain in the backside then you can still visit the beautiful beach next door - Porthcurno which has easy access!
Port Isaac
We knew Port Isaac was going to be busy as it's the filming location for Doc Martin, so we planned to nip there for a quick look around before having dinner in nearby Port Gaverne. It wasn't too bad but we didn't hang around for long. We'd booked a table at the Port Gaverne Restaurant and it was only our second time eating indoors since March. They had great social distancing policies and, as we were the first people there for the dinner service, it was really quiet. The food was amazing too.
Porthcothan Bay
I'd spotted a picture of Porthcothan Bay on Instagram a few weeks before going to Cornwall, so I had it on my list as a place to visit. I'm so glad we did. It's a super pretty bay with gorgeous clear waters and loads of space to sit. The beach was quiet by Cornish standards and so we felt really safe. We ended up going there a few times to swim, surf and bodyboard. There are lifeguards there. There's also a lovely little café serving very tasty cakes and coffee (perfect after a couple of hours in the sea).
Wadebridge to Padstow on the Camel Trail
Every year when we visit Cornwall, we drive to Wadebridge and hire bikes so that we can cycle the Camel Trail to Padstow. There's a wonderful, flat, 5 mile cycle path with views over the estuary to Rock and Padstow. The bike hire places have changed their methods and make sure there's lots of social distancing and safety measures. We use Bridge Bike Hire. We took our own bike helmets (as advised) and the bikes were ready for us to collect when we arrived. The trail was much quieter this year and felt very safe. We stopped half way as usual for a cake / ice cream at the Atlantic Coast Express.
We were a bit worried that Padstow would be packed, so we'd planned to walk through and find a quiet place for a picnic. The town wasn't as busy as usual but there were still lots of people around. We walked through Padstow and headed out of town. There are great views over to Rock if you walk along the coast. We had our picnic looking out over the water. Having never been there, we decided to get the ferry across to Rock (masks and hand sanitizers at the ready) to have a look around. The beach was lovely. We had a drink at the sailing club before heading back to Padstow to get our bikes for the cycle home.
Lanhydrock
We booked a parking slot at the National Trust property of Lanhydrock and had the most glorious sunny day to explore the gorgeous gardens and woodlands there. The gardens, cycle paths and café are all open. The house and play area is closed. Once again it was pretty quiet, with plenty of space to sit and enjoy a picnic away from others. The café had very safe policies in place. They only allowed a few people in at a time to order food to take away or eat outside.
Polzeath
The town of Polzeath is just around the corner from Rock. We wanted to find a thick wetsuit for my son as he was freezing in his old thin wetsuit. We'd been advised to go to a wetsuit shop in Polzeath. Boy, it was BUSY! The car park was packed and the beach was rammed. We didn't spend very long there but managed to get a wetsuit! We then had lunch at The Pityme Inn which is part of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme. It was fabulous (the Vegan burger was amazing!). If you're planning on eating out, you'll most probably have to pre-book a day or two in advance. We weren't very good at thinking ahead and so lots of the places that we tried were fully booked.
Busier places...
Of course, there will be plenty of places in Cornwall that will be very very busy. It's probably best to avoid the big tourist towns like Bude, Newquay, Perranporth, Padstow and St Ives if you're looking for a quiet break.
But, if you venture a little off the beaten track, it's perfectly possible to find lovely quiet areas for a visit to Cornwall 2020.
I am a Cardiff family photographer, covering South Wales. I offer outdoor location family photo shoots and love the beach!
I'm fully booked for August and getting pretty booked up for September too, if you fancy an outdoor family photoshoot - get in touch.
Have a look at my portfolio and pricing pages.
Follow me on Instagram.
