One of the most special things I do as a photographer is help my clients create a lasting record of their growing family - and it is lovely getting to know clients and having them come back time and time again. I first photographed Antonina when she was 8 months pregnant with baby Elizabeth (still one of my favourite maternity sessions that you can see here), and now Elizabeth has just celebrated her first birthday! This particular family photoshoot in Holland Park was set up to celebrate and record that huge milestone. It was lovely to include daddy too this time!
Modern family portrait photography
June is a gorgeous time of the year for family portraits, with sparkling sunshine and flowers blooming. The rose garden in Holland Park is one of my favourite spots for photos in Kensington and is a riot of colour at the moment! We made sure to take some family photos there, as well as some individual photos of baby (turning toddler) Elizabeth. At the time of our photoshoot she wasn't quite walking, but was happy to sit and smile! One tip for taking photos of your own baby is to make sure to get down to their eye level, which will involve lying on the floor (there's no place for dignity with child photography) - it's a such a great perspective and helps put the focus right on your subject. One other tip for capturing modern family portraits is to expose for the subject, rather than the background. For me, I don't mind having a bright, slightly over-exposed background, so long as my subject is lit beautifully with catchlights in their eyes and sunlight in their hair! Life is made easier if you can face getting up early for your session, since the light is softer and less contrasty, which means the shadows are not so heavy and the highlights not so harsh.
One year old photography
At 12 months old babies officially turn into toddlers. It's a perfect time to schedule a family photoshoot to celebrate surviving that first momentous year! Here's some of my favourite photos from Elizabeth's session.
