Beach photo shoot
Beach photo shoot.
Back in the depths of Winter I started to think about how I could incorporate my love of the beach into my client work. I've always had family shoots at the beach and wanted to encourage more families to enjoy spending time there as much as I do. So, I decided to offer 'Mini Beach Shoots'. I was totally overwhelmed with the response and all the slots sold out really quickly. This shoot was the first one and took place in April. We had such fun playing around on the beach and splashing in the waves.
There were three sisters and Mum and Dad too. We twirled around, threw rocks in the sea and jumped over the crashing waves. Wild hair was the order of the day - the best look for the beach in my opinion! I love the connection between the sisters. They had such different personalities but a great bond between them.
The beach is so different each time I go there. It's such an epic background for a family session and I love the wildness of the sea. The best thing is watching kids playing in the water - you can see the pure joy on their faces as the waves come in.
If you're interested in booking a family photo shoot - get in touch to find out more. You can see my price list on the pricing page. Check out more shoots on my blog and in my family portfolio.
Follow me on Facebook and Instagram too to see my latest work.
Gem x
Family Beach Shoot
Family Beach Shoot
Back in 2006, I'd just started my photography business and I was booked by a family that lived in the same road as me in Cowbridge. I photographed them as a family with their newborn son. A few years later, they had a second son and they booked another family shoot at home. Since then I've photographed the family every few years and watched the children grow up.
We've had family shoots at home and family beach shoots over the years. This one was pretty special with a glorious sunset at the end. The boys are the same age as my children so it's always lovely to see how they've grown and hear about what they are up to. We chatted about previous shoots and the youngest said that he could remember me coming to their house when he was a toddler. Pretty impressive!
It's a real honour to have repeat clients like this. It's such a great experience to watched families grow together.
If you'd like to book a family beach shoot then have a look at my family portfolio and pricing page and drop me a line to find out more.
You can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see my latest work.
Gem x
South Wales Sunset Photo Shoot
Check out this gorgeous South Wales sunset photo shoot! When I started photographing families 13 years ago, it was primarily families with young children. Over the years there seems to have been a shift in that pattern and now I'm getting lots of bookings with older children. Maybe it's because my children are growing up and I know lots of people with older children. Or maybe it's because families have started to realise it's never too late to capture the magic of their kids - no matter how old they are!
This shoot was booked to capture 3 cousins together and I managed to twist Mum's arm into joining in with the shoot and getting some family photos taken at the same time. I'm pretty sure she's pleased that I did and now they have a gorgeous selection of images of ALL of them before their eldest finishes school. I feel very passionately about encouraging parents to include themselves into the family photos. It's a shared history that is not complete without every member of the family being featured.
The beach at sunset it my favourite place to be and I'm very grateful that my clients agree. We had a spectacular sunset on this shoot - scroll down to see the amazing colours. We started off with a walk around the gardens and on the cliff tops. Then went down to the beach to watch the sunset. There was some hot chocolate too - nice one Mum!
If you fancy a family shoot on location in South Wales - be it at the beach or at a favourite location of yours - drop me a line.
You can follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see more of my latest work. You can also check out my family portfolio and pricing information too.
Gem x
Winter beach family shoot
I love taking photos at the beach all year round. This winter beach family shoot, just after the snow fall in February, is gorgeous.
The shoot was booked as a surprise for Dad's birthday. The idea was to get some lovely pictures of the three children (plus puppy) together, to be printed on a canvas. I say 'children', even though the two eldest are officially adults because you're never too old to take part in a family shoot. Just because you're in your twenties, doesn't mean that your parents don't want to look at photos of you.
The shoot took place at my favourite local beach, Southerndown (Dunraven Bay). If you look closely in the background you can see a bit of snow left on the hillside. It was absolutely freezing but we managed a walk around the gardens and made it to the beach in time for the sunset.
It was super slippery and myself and youngest both fell over and had a nice coating of mud. I managed to hit both cameras on the floor as well as getting covered in mud in the car park before we'd even started! Not the first time I've fallen over on a shoot and I'm sure it won't be the last either!
But, it's all worth it to get a beautiful set of images.
Have a little nosey below to see what we got up to. At the end of the post, you'll see a 9 image collage - my most popular product. Putting 9 images together from a shoot is a great way to display your favourite images. Find out more about my products on my Products page.
Book your family shoot
If you'd like to book family photo shoot - have a look at my Family Portfolio and Pricing page for more information.
Get in touch if you have any questions.
Gem x
How to boost your child's self esteem
Boosting Self Esteem
Did you know that displaying images of your children at home can increase their self esteem and well-being?
“When a child sees a family portrait with them included in the photograph they say to themselves: ‘These people have me as part of what they are, that’s why I belong here. This is where I come from.”
Judy Weiser, Psychologist.
Show how much you love them
In this digital age, with social media taking up a large part of our children's lives there's a tendency forget the importance of printing family photos. I have a teenage daughter and I can tell you that a 5 minute scroll through her Instagram feed does worry me. As a photographer, I want to use images in a positive way - to promote happiness and security, not insecurity.
When I take photos of her with her family and friends and put them on the walls, in a photo book or in our annual family calendar, images take on a magical quality. They become a prompt to all of us to remember the fantastic times we've had a family. The images of her walking with her brother, hugging him or laughing with him make us all feel wonderful. Family selfies whilst out on a walk let us remember the day we had (and how we all have to bend down so my son's head is not cut off). The family images give my kids a sense of belonging, a secure feeling of knowing that they are loved.
A family bond
We had our own family photo shoot a couple of years ago (and I have another one planned soon too!) and we have the images all over the house. We have a multi-aperture frame in hall, which I look at every day. I have pictures in my office and the kids have them in their bedrooms too, along with other pictures that make them feel good about themselves. My daughter has images from a surf photo shoot with her friends on her wall and my son has some from his gymnastics competitions and ballet classes.
Building self esteem
As a photographer, exploring the psychology of displaying images is really interesting. I've been reading about it online and I've come across some interesting research.
Psychologist Dr David Krauss says, “My bias is very simple. I think family photographs should be on the wall. I am very conservative about self-esteem and I think placing a family photo someplace in the home where the child can see it every day without having to turn on a device or click around on a computer to find it really hits home for that child this sense of reassurance and comfort. They have a certainty about them and a protecting quality that nurtures a child. It let’s them know where they are in the pecking order and that they are loved and cared for.”
Get in the frame
I've been a family photographer for 13 years now and it's very common for parents to ask about a photo shoot for their kids but not be so keen to get in the images themselves. Anyone that has ever had a shoot with me will know that I actively encourage parents to get in the frame. There's always a million excuses - not having the right hair, clothes, make-up, wanting to lose a few pounds, but I try to explain that nothing is more important that existing in images with your children.
Dr Krauss also says, ”I think it's really important to show a family as a family unit. It is so helpful for children to see themselves as a valued and important part of that family unit. A photographer’s job is to make and create the image to look like a safe holding space for kids where they are safe and protected. Kids get it on a really simple level.”
The pure emotional connection with your kids becomes the only thing that you'll feel when looking back at the photos. Not your flyaway hair or double chin.
They will cherish the images when they are older
My kids are only 10 and 13, so not really old enough to look back on their childhood with nostalgia just yet, but they LOVE looking through old photo albums. A while back we had some friends over, friends that we met when we moved to Wales, through our local NCT group. I've been photographing my kids and their kids for the last 13 years and it was so lovely to look through all the memories together. Trips to the beach, potty training, BBQ's, days out, sleepovers - they are all documented and looking at the images increases our sense of belonging and well-being.
“Displaying photos prominently in the home sends the message that our family and those in it are important to one another, and we honor the memories we have experienced,“ says Cathy Lander-Goldberg a licensed clinical social worker and a professional photographer and director of Photo Explorations.
Print your photos
We all have images on our phones, in fact, my son always asks to look at my phone so he can scroll through images of past holidays, but having the images printed and displayed has a much bigger impact.
Dr. Krauss believes that images should be displayed around the home. "What it says to a child is, 'I'm important in this family,'"
I understand that in this day and age people like having digital copies of images. That is why I include digital images in all of my packages. But, I also encourage families to print and frame images from their family photo sessions. It could be a large photo wall, or a multi-aperture frame or a few smaller prints displayed around the house on window sills. The important thing is that you and your children see them every day. It will promote a feeling of togetherness and a family bond full of memories.
Get snapping and printing!
So, go off and increase the feel good factor in your families. Make your kids feel secure and loved. Display the images of your family that you have, instead of leaving them on your phone.
If you want to update your family photos - you can always book a family photo session with me!
Find out more about family shoots and have a look at my family portfolio.
Gem x
