What is Documentary Family Photography?

Life with kids is messy, fun, often hilarious and completely unpredictable! So why try to represent it any other way? Inspired by my many years as a professional Picture Editor, producing shoots for some of the top documentary photographers in the world, when I embarked on my own photographic venture, I made a conscious decision to do away with the formality of conventional portrait photography. Instead, I favour a more relaxed observational style inspired by the photojournalists I have worked with and admire and which is well suited to the busy and vibrant lives of young families.

Each photoshoot involves me spending time with a family, either at their home or in a nearby outside space, as they go about their normal day. I simply capture the beauty in everyday moments and routines. And believe me, there is more beauty in everyday family life than you realise! My unposed documentary approach allows me to embrace each family’s unique character and their individual personalities, and to record everything from the smaller details to more complex family dynamics. This style of photography has the potential to reflect life as you experience it and as it feels to you at a particular moment in time, which results in images that are so much more honest and meaningful than those from a formally posed shoot might be.

I will leave you with a story which gives an authentic flavour of your unique family life, and the photographs can, in turn, be transformed into expertly curated heirloom albums or bespoke high-quality artworks for your walls, depending on which products you choose to purchase.

So, when the years whizz by (as people will knowingly tell you they do) and you fondly look back on these chaotic days, you will have a visual record of your family life at this time – something tangible to remember it by and show to your children – who may even show their children one day.

How it works….

Parents are busy! I know and understand this well. So, I try to make the whole process of my family photoshoots from booking, right through to ordering your products, as straightforward as possible. 

One advantage of documentary photography is that your prep for the shoot will be minimal. The last thing you need is to spend time tidying the house and planning your outfits beforehand! Or, in fact, trying to get wriggly kids to sit still on the day. My photoshoots involve minimal fuss. To get the most out of a documentary style shoot, literally all you need to do is just relax and be yourselves. Think of it as a fun experience for all the family, time to just hang out and spend quality time together with the bonus of receiving professional photographs afterwards. 

We will follow these simple steps together:

1.     Choose your type of session (see options below) and book in a date.

2.     Pre-shoot telephone consultation. We’ll have an informal chat so that I can learn a bit about you and your usual routines. Together we can decide on the best format for the shoot.

3.     The shoot day – there is really nothing for you to prepare! For the best results you simply need to be yourselves. I’ll just come and hang out with you, as a friend would do, but with my camera in hand. It will be super-relaxed. You’ll just get on with your usual day and I’ll snap away.

4.    Within 4 weeks of your shoot, you will receive a password-protected online gallery of your photos. You’ll watch and enjoy your images in a slideshow set to music. I’ll also provide my price list and from there you can choose which products you would like to order. I’ll talk through and advise on the best options according to your tastes, so that you end up with quality products that you are really happy with.