I'm based in Basingstoke and generally I will cover Hampshire, Berkshire and Greater London area.

I have so many parents who feel like their children need to stand still, smile, and not move for an hour. They bribe them with a fun activity for after pictures. I have been working with kids forever and pick up on their cues immediately. I know when we should switch it up with a piggy-back ride, “let’s go pick a flower”, or “hey, can you help me move this rock?” I have one for every kid, every time. We want to keep the kids moving and engaged. The biggest misconception: I never want any little one saying "cheese." Most children can not form what we see as a correct smile until they are a bit older. So we want real joy on their little faces!

The ultimate goal is that you feel amazing in whatever you wear, which means you also need to be comfortable. But, without a doubt there are choices you can make about what to wear that will make your session that little bit extra special to look back on. Don’t match your clothing exactly but match the style – complimenting each other makes for a great photo. For child and family portraits in spring and summer, I generally recommend soft, muted colours in neutrals or pastels such as denims, blues, creams, pinks etc. These colours flatter most skin tones and work really well in natural, organic locations. I would suggest that you avoid bright primary colours, black and bold patterns/stripes if possible! These do tend to distract the eye from the subject. Layers, knits, floaty dresses on mums and sweet little prints on children can be absolutely lovely. For autumn and winter photos, chunky knits in berry, jewel tones and mustards can look fantastic! Formal clothing tends not to work so well for my style of family photography, which is designed to look both natural in outdoor environments. The exception to the rule is clothing for pregnancy photographs, where beautiful long boho-style gowns are particularly recommended. Feel free to send snapshots of clothing if you would like a second opinion, or bring a few different outfit options with you.

If it's a rainy day I am more than happy to re-schedule! I tend to be aware of what the weather forecast is at all times, so will email you a few days in advance of your photoshoot if I think we may need to postpone. Sessions on cloudy days will go ahead as scheduled particularly if you have a sought-after weekend appointment, as these tend to get booked up many weeks in advance! You would be surprised at how beautifully soft the light is on overcast days, which can make for really gorgeous photographs.

These sessions are all about capturing your family in action, doing what you love. Whether it's an activity you do on the regular or a quirky creative thing that you love, I'll be there to document it. I am full of ideas when it comes to creating the best experience to suit what you love. I will run through a few options with you as we jump into planning but if you have any creative ideas from the get go.. I would love to hear them.