Family Photography at Home - A Christmas Example

I missed posting this session because it was crazy around Christmas 2010 but I think it's really interesting. Typically families only get together for christenings, weddings and funerals when the whole point of the event isn't to get nice group photos. Well... obviously at weddings it's a good opportunity except for the fact that the main players are dressed slightly differently so it's not really a very 'normal' scenario.

The only other time that familes are together is for key holidays with Christmas being the number one. But the problem with this is that typically it's only on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day and most photographers are lying in a huge heap having completed their Christmas orders (me included).

But this year I had a call from Penny up in Ayrshire who was flying down here to meet up with the Sussex gang. Her daughter was flying in with her family from Italy and so it was a perfect opportunity. Since they gave me loads of warning and didn't need the photos immediately it meant that I could accommodate them.

The issue with Winter portraits is ensuring that there is enough light - I sometimes work in venues where I don't need additional light, but it was a darkish day so I took along my lighting kit. It takes a while to set up and take down (up to 3 hours in total) and pretty much takes over the client's home but it does mean that you can control the light which is vital when there are lots of people in the shot. The actual shoot takes between 30 and 40 minutes depending on the number of shots. All in all it's a big job for only a few photos but the memory of all being together and in a relaxed and happy mood makes it really worth it.






I hope you agree.

And finally, I did tell Penny that the landscape in Winter isn't really great for outside portraits unless it snows of course... and we laughed since it's very rare for it to snow on Christmas Eve... Ha ha ha

So here are a few of the children mucking about with snowballs just before I started setting up my lights.




Many thanks to Camilla for hosting me and my numerous lighting bags & huge thanks to you all for being such fun to work with. I love how your children are so good at having their photo taken.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't suddenly snow again before I have the chance to make it to Dorset for my first wedding of the year. Wish me luck!