This beautiful family portrait session in Richmond Park has to be one of my winter favourites so far! Sophia, aged two, was an absolute sweetheart - so sweet and smiley! The photoshoot took place early in the morning on a frosty day in November with the sun warming the ground and making everything misty and magical. Richmond Park is such a lovely location for family portraits, full of warm-toned bracken and long golden grass. On the morning of our photo shoot the sunlight was shafting through the trees and the dewy grass and cobwebs were sparkling in the sun.

Family portraits

My goal is always to capture genuine, natural moments - a child exploring, or laughing at a parent being silly. Sophia's mummy had specifically requested natural portraits, rather than anything "posed" or looking at the camera. I love what we created here, with Sophia clutching her toy bunny, or collecting leaves to put in her adorably grown-up leather handbag! Occasionally she would flash a brilliantly cheeky smile straight at me - these are the moments children's photographers live for! The natural interaction between Sophia and her parents was also wonderful. They love visiting Richmond Park and go for walks here often - now they have photographs of themselves as a family enjoying one of their favourite places! Quite often my clients say how one parent is "the photographer" in the family, but sadly this often means that that parent is rarely in the photos themselves. I always make a point of photographing plenty of images of the family as a whole during my sessions.

Outdoor portrait photography

We were so lucky with the gorgeous sunshine for this photoshoot - it does make everything twinkle and come alive! If you and your family are outdoorsy types and enjoy wrapping up for walks in the fresh air, then winter family portraits can work really well. The sun is low and golden and can be beautiful. Sessions like this one are the reason why I specialise in outdoor family photography!