A Cherished Day at Coldingham Sands: A very trendy Granny and an Overcast Adventure!
Imagine this: a fashionable granny, her adorable granddaughter, and an adorable dog, coming together for a memorable day of shenanigans and giggles at Coldingham Sands. Oh, did I mention the charming overcast weather that added an extra touch of magic to our photos?
From the moment these guys set foot on the sandy shore, the air was filled with laughter and excitement. Together, we created unforgettable moments running around on the sand and indulging in ‘contraband’ Wham bars! Because what's a beach outing without a little sweet mischief, right?
The overcast weather added beautiful soft lighting which enhanced the vibrant colors of their outfits, and gentle shadows added depth and nostalgia to the photographs.
As a family photographer, it's moments like these that remind me of the magic my lens can capture. Witnessing the joy, love, and laughter between this trendy granny, her granddaughter, and thier lovable joog warms my heart. Coldingham Sands provided the perfect backdrop for the day.
Hazel chose a portfolio box of high-quality prints, a keepsake to proudly display at home. The pride and joy in her eyes was unmistakable as she imagined reliving those wonderful moments with a glance at those stunning prints on her walls.
You might imagine a bright, sunny day is ideal for outdoor photography, but that's not actually true. The intense light makes highlights too bright and shadows incredibly deep. Overcast days when the sun's light is diffused by the clouds can be much better, the entire sky turns into a big, soft light source which means that you get much more even lighting that casts softer shadows. It's much more forgiving to photograph with and is especially flattering for portraits.
Three-Generation Family Photoshoot in Berwick upon Tweed, a Perfect Birthday Gift Voucher Idea
This photoshoot, a perfect birthday gift for Liz, beautifully captures the love and warmth shared among her family members.
Preserving these moments in photographs means that the joy and love at the time of this special occasion will be cherished for years to come. Consider gifting a personalised birthday voucher for a family photo shoot with Pictorial Photography, providing a unique and sentimental gift that will create lasting memories and treasured keepsakes.
Contact us today to book your session and celebrate your family's beautiful bond against the captivating backdrop of Berwick upon Tweed's town walls.
Creating Lasting Family Memories: A Day on the Farm with Rachel's Gift Voucher
In the fast-paced world we live in, cherishing family moments and creating lasting memories is so important. When Rachel gifted her mother, Alison, a special voucher for a photo shoot, little did she know that it would lead to a delightful gathering of three generations at their farm.
Rachel wanted to give her mum something truly meaningful for her milestone birthday. After careful consideration, she decided on a gift voucher for a professional photo shoot. Rachel envisioned capturing not just her family, but also the love and joy they share. The voucher would allow Alison to create cherished memories and display wall art of their beautiful family.
The farm provided the perfect setting for the photo shoot, adding a touch of natural beauty and meaning to the occasion. Amidst the rolling hills and greenery, the family came together to celebrate their connections. Alison's two children, along with their partners, their four beautiful grandchildren, their pet dogs, and even their horse all took part.
Rachel's gift voucher turned a simple idea into a treasured family experience. The gift of a photo shoot became a priceless treasure, encapsulating the beauty of family in all its joy.
“Thanks so much for sending these through, they are fantastic! Mum & Dad are so pleased with them, a perfect present. They perfectly capture our family.
Thanks again.”
“We are delighted with the photographs! You have given us a very precious collection of images of our family at this moment in time which we will treasure for years to come.
Particular favourites are some of the individual ones of the children, the 4 children together, the ones on the bridge and Billy and I in the garden.
Thank You and Best Wishes”
6 Unique Ways to Improve your Festive Family Photos, Without Any Tears!
6 Unique Ways to Improve your Festive Family Photos, Without Any Tears!
The festive season is an incredibly important time of year so here are a few quick ideas with tips on taking better festive photos that will give you a set of unique and heart warming family memories for you to treasure.
1) Timing
Whether you are out and about at a fair or at home celebrating with close or extended family, group photos are usually taken at the end of the day when everyone is looking their worst. For a more polished shot, take it earlier in the day, when everyone has arrived and is looking their best! Be sure to make there is enough daylight in the room too.
Think about special family relationships; the bond grandparents have with their grandchildren can be such a special thing but can be quite tricky to photograph. Catch them naturally rather than posing them.
2) Continuous shots
One of the best ways to avoid the problem of everyone moving in a shot is to take multiple photos quickly. If you have an iPhone, use ’burst mode’ when taking photos of people and take short bursts of shots. The first shot is often no good but the one or two directly after it often give a group that looks a little less posed and more relaxed.
To use burst mode on an iPhone:
Launch the camera app from your iPhone or iPad's Home screen.
Hold down the Shutter button or Volume button to take a burst of pictures.
iOS will automatically choose the best photos from the burst. If you don't like the photos it chooses, you can choose your own.
Just keep your finger on the white 'shutter' button
3) Go outdoors
If you don't feel that your house has the space for everyone, take your camera or phone outdoors for a lovely, wrapped-up family walk; but remember the sun goes down before 4pm in December in the UK so make sure you go out before sunset!
4) Smile
Yes, you should smile! There’s nothing worse than a grumpy stressed person taking your photos. Have fun and enjoy the process of getting shots and you’ll find everyone else will too.
5) Be present in photos
Make sure you hand the camera or phone over to someone else and encourage them to take some shots, especially the natural ones, make sure you are in some of the photos with your children too!
6) Celebrate key moments
Celebrate moments like the first time your children help by decorating. Use simple prompts like “How high can you reach?” or “Point me to your favourite decoration?” This will make the photos look much more natural and less ‘posed’ as they have their focus on something new or interesting. Ask them to tell a festive story and capture the joy on their face!
And from Pictorial Photography, have a very Happy Holiday season!
How I Adapted Business to Survive the Lockdown
After a bewildering two-thirds of the days in March when about 95% of my upcoming photography work was cancelled or postponed, I spent a few weeks processing my feelings and figuring out a way forward.
Knowing that I needed to stay creative, I tried photographing local business heroes in a ‘Lockdown Workers’ project; you can see this work here. I loved interacting with the independent shopkeepers and workers but as it was me contacting everyone, explaining the idea, and arranging the shoots it turned out quite tricky. Everyone who was working was just so busy!
One of the things I was most gutted about missing were the family portraits in the summer. I love providing clients with beautiful portraits for their homes and it was breaking my heart to think that this wouldn’t be happening this year. I saw some photographers in the US were offering ‘front porch portraits’ and that it was catching on over here so I decided to put it up as a digital product on my website and see what happened. The doorstep portraits were also a way of raising money to support Paxton House, where I shoot a lot of my summer portraits.
The uptake was overwhelming; families wanted a reminder of this special time together, even though there were no hairdressers available!
What was most remarkable though were all the stories. People had more time to chat so I heard about missed weddings, holidays, brand new babies born, being ‘locked down with gran’, and all the different work situations.
I think the pandemic has made everyone slow down, reflect, and appreciate their loved ones even more.
Also, check it out - so many pets! The rabbits, the cats, the neighbour’s cats, the ferrets, and of course the dogs. (Spot the couple with 7!)
A lot of businesses are still suffering, it’s been a long year and I hope friends and colleagues in weddings, events, and entertainment can make it through. Stay creative, stay positive, and stay healthy x
Winter Family Session at Home on the Farm
Winter Family Session at Home on the Farm
It’s not easy photographing a family with a new baby who’s under the weather and with two little ones running around; gee whizz that boy can run!
So Carly and I decided that this would be a very quick session at their farmhouse. Luckily Carly had purchased some gorgeous outfits for them all to wear over the festive period and she had followed my ‘what to wear’ email! No clothing changes were needed when I got there which really helped everyone stay camera ready.
Carly needed just a couple of nice family photographs to send to extended family over Christmas.
Grandpa had specially requested a family photograph for his Christmas gift. It was the only present he wanted; no pressure then! They live in the old family home so hopefully using the front door would mean something extra special to him.
We were running very close to the Christmas print deadlines, so we decided it would be much easier to make an online gallery for Carly to order from. Having to arrange childcare and coming into the studio for a ‘view and choose’ session would have been difficult at such a busy time of year and would have made the process of getting prints take longer.
The online gallery option is available on request. Web galleries are usually used by customers who live far away from Berwick or have family further afield or for people who have portraits taken when they are holidaying in the area and head home before I have had time to process the photographs for viewing.
Written by Sarah
Birthday Celebration: A Wee Family Photo Shoot in the Scottish Borders
The Dodds Family from Ireland came over to Allanton in the Borders for a lovely wee relaxing break. Martin got in touch a few months before to arrange a family photo session at the holiday cottage as part of his wife’s birthday celebrations.
“Our decision to use Sarah from Pictorial Photography proved to be an excellent choice - we were holidaying near Berwick upon Tweed when we wanted our family photoshoot and booking the photo session was very easy, it involved just a phone call.
I was especially pleased that Sarah was able to take the photographs at our holiday cottage which meant that we were all much more relaxed. There were eight adults in our family group and we all enjoyed the experience.
I was delighted by with the final results and the quality of the photographs themselves. I will treasure these memories of a happy family occasion for a long time.
”
Family Photo Shoot at Berwick Beach
Elaine and Wayne wanted some photographs as memories of living and bringing up their little boys in the Greenses near Berwick Beach as they are moving house and wanted to mark the occasion.
We walked around to the Stanks for a woodland-type background before going down to the beach to build sandcastles. I can't say the session started that well as the wee one head planted the ground and gained an egg on his head but he managed to pull himself around after a good hug from mum; these boys are made of tough stuff!
Written by Sarah
Beautifully Styled Family Photo Session at Home, Park, and Beach
Lisa chose 3 locations for her beautiful family to have their photography session. We started in the garden at the family home so to include the gorgeous dog, then we went inside for a few shots. Next, we headed to a local park which was down by the stream and we ended the day at Coldingham beach. It was a good idea to end there because of all the sand!
After looking through our What To Wear guide, Lisa had 3 outfit ideas picked out. I helped her match them up with the locations before we set off. I would usually advise against 3 changes as little ones can become impatient but these two little girls were absolute troopers.
Even though it was a really misty weekend (like pea soup), I think my favourite shots were taken at the beach at the end of the day!
Which kind of location would you choose for your own family session?
Let me know by email where you would go; town, your home, the garden, a river or stream, the park, beach, the woods or somewhere else!?
Capturing Precious Memories: A Delightful Photoshoot of Four Cousins at Berwick-upon-Tweed Beach and Pier
Today, I want to share a delightful photoshoot experience I had recently. It involved four adorable cousins, a beautiful seaside location in Berwick upon Tweed, and the desire of their loving grandmother, Linda, to showcase the unique connection shared by her lovely grandchildren. She wanted photos that didn’t just reflect their individual personalities but also portray their shared love for each other. As a photographer, it was a privilege to be entrusted with the responsibility of capturing these irreplaceable moments.
The sandy beach and iconic pier offered us a picturesque setting with stunning views of the North Sea. It was a brilliant opportunity to capture the cousins' relationship and their carefree spirits.
Later we gathered on the grass near the beach, the cousins’ vibrant clothes contrasting beautifully with their surroundings to make each of them stand out in their own way. These final shots really show the essence of the relationship of each sibling group individually and all together as a family.
Linda's photo session was an unforgettable experience for her family. Witnessing the love and fun shared between her grandchildren was incredibly heartwarming and the resulting photographs captured their special bond, ready to be proudly displayed as a wall gallery in Linda's home.
Why not take a look at my family location photography page? Just click the button below.
Sunshine and Rainbows - Family Session on Cocklawburn Beach
Mary's family gathered for a photoshoot on Cocklawburn Beach in Northumberland just before and during golden hour. The setting sun casts a warm and radiant glow, and the North Sea provides an aesthetically pleasing backdrop. It’s a great time for a family shoot.
I love that Mary's parents are standing proudly together, expressing their love and wisdom. The gentle breeze adds a touch of natural movement to the scene and the light along, with the people, brings the magic.
Chloe and Martyn's Engagement / Pre Wedding Shoot
I have been photographing Chloe, Martyn, and their 2 children for the last 5 years (starting with a lovely black and white maternity session if I recall correctly) so when they asked me to photograph their wedding I almost squealed with excitement - Chloe has the most amazing taste and the venue they have chosen together looks utterly gorgeous. https://www.cherrytrees-kelso.co.uk/
I thought this would be a good session to blog about as it is quite 'typical' now for a pre wedding session to include the couples children and pets, including children allows them to get used to my being there and photographing them with a big camera ahead of the wedding day which means they wont find my unobtrusive approach at all unusual or unfamiliar at the wedding, making the big day much more relaxed for everyone involved.
Today was also a special birthday for someone! The balloons were a great idea until...
Ooops! Well we did still manage to turn things around and get some lovely family shots on the beach..
We then left the kids with granny and grandpa and headed off, out of sight for a few couple photos in preparation of the big day! I always think it is a good idea to book a session like this before a wedding, alongside creating a beautiful set of portraits to mark your engagement I can show you both how to look your very best together, Ill pose you in a way that looks as natural as possible.
Here we are on the way home minus a bunch of balloons but plus 2 penny floater balls, compliments of Granny and Grandpa who kindly came along to help with the Daphne the dog and also to give us some time without the children to practice the couple photography!
Colourful Peace and Love Party to Celebrate Madeline's 60th Birthday
Madeline had a wonderfully colourful party with her nearest and dearest at Palace Green Scout Hall Pavillion in Berwick for her 60th birthday.
Styled family location session at Spittal beach, Berwick upon Tweed
These beautiful girls melted my heart, their striking red hair and blue eyes needed centre stage so plain backgrounds worked best, what better than the North sea, the soft sand and an old blue and white 1930's shelter.
What to Wear for Beautiful Family Photos
What to Wear for Beautiful Family Photos
Trying to figure out what you are going to wear for family portraits can be stressful. It used to be that everyone wore white tops and denim, and it was that simple. The problem is that this doesn't show your personality (and who wears white t-shirts and denim these days?!), and it has been seen many times before. With more relaxed lifestyle portraits there is so much more choice available. Decide on clothing that matches your style; colourful classic neutrals or quirky vintage pieces, the options are endless. Talk with your photographer who will be able to assist you with the look and location to help get you beautiful family portraits.
Here are 10 top tips to help you:
1. Decide on your Colour Scheme
The first thing to think about when you are choosing colours is where you plan to hang the portraits in your home and what colours are in that room. If you plan to hang the prints in a family room that is painted green and cream, and you plan to wear red and black, you need to think again about your clothing choices.
If your room is neutral and you'd just like a pop of colour from the portrait, take a look at Design Seeds website. The artist finds beautiful images, and picks a colour palette out of those images that you might not otherwise notice. It can be applied to home décor or clothing. It helps your eye to see colour patterns that go together.
You can do a search by colour palettes or themes (spring, autumn, ocean, edible), find an image or colours that appeal to you and go with that.
2. Select one focal piece
Shop around to find one patterned piece that you love. It can be a little girl's floral dress or a boy's plaid shirt, but if you find one central piece, it helps to plan everything around that. Since mums like the kids to be the focal point, then use this piece on one of the children. That doesn't mean that they will stand out the most. After accessorizing, everything will flow together.
3. Pick 3 colours
It's a good idea to pick 3 colours to work with as your main colours, and then consider greys, whites, blacks, or browns as extras. Not necessarily all of them together, but one or two that work with the 3 colours you chose.
4. Layers & Accessories
Cardigan, necklace, headband, scarf, button-up shirt, tights, hats, ties. Layers and accessories add dimension, fun, texture, and therefore richness to the overall look. It's a good idea to lie out all your outfits and start throwing in accessories to see what works. If you have 2 girls they don't both need to get the same colour headbands. Instead, try two variations in colour. Boys have fewer options when it comes to layers (and seem more difficult to dress). Try to put 2 boys in two types of shirts and layer them differently. One a button up with a t-shirt underneath, the other a polo type with a t-shirt underneath and maybe sleeves rolled up into each other.
5. Don't leave yourself until last
Don't pick everyone else's out and then just grab something from your closet that only looks ok because it matches the colour scheme. You need to feel great in your family pictures! If anything, pick something that you think looks fabulous on you, and then plan around that! It's tough enough to get parents into the pictures, so when you are in them, you want to feel and look good!
6. Split up the colours
If there are 6 people in the family, and you have selected 3 main colours, don't put all of those colours on top or on those close in age. You want to split them up! Put some colour towards the bottom in one or two as well. You can do this with shoes, skirts, and trousers. There are so many more options now with coloured jeans and footwear so I’m sure you can find something.
7. Clothing boards on image-based social media
You can see fashion and clothing boards on Pinterest that are great for ideas! (Here is my 'What to Wear' board for families looking for inspiration http://pinterest.com/pictorial/what-to-wear/) But sometimes they don't have the perfect configuration for your family. You can make your very own style board using the website Polyvore - it has a wealth of fashion ideas and styles.
8. Split up the pairs
If you have natural pairs in the family (Mum and Dad, Brothers and Sisters, Mum and Baby), try to split up the colours as those pairs will often be standing near each other. Try not to dress mum and baby alike as they will always naturally be a pair. Parents are the obvious other pair, so make sure they are also not too similar in colours. This part can get complicated, so do your best, and then let it go! The photographer will notice when people match and split everyone according to their colours. But ultimately natural or candid outdoor shots won't be so planned.
9. Plan ahead
Make sure you start this planning when you book your session (hopefully a few weeks before it takes place). Be thinking of it, look around in your wardrobes and shop well in advance so you aren't stressing at the last minute.
10. What not to wear
Don't wear clothing with large logos, writing or pictures on them. When you look at your photographs you want to be looking at faces and not be distracted by what is printed on the clothing. White trainers or shoes are also a distraction. If you are out on location and the weather is colder, rather than have large unflattering padded coats on, wear lots of thinner layers. Children can wear a vest, t-shirt, long-sleeved top and a jumper, then a scarf and hat if needed.
Finally for more timeless photographs that won't date as clothes go out of fashion, wear plain and classic items.
Hopefully, this guide will help you to think more about your clothing choices for your photography session and help to get images for your wall that you will love.
Want to have a no-pressure chat about whether or not Pictorial Photography is right for your family portraits? E-mail me at sarah@pictorialphotography.co.uk and let me know what you are thinking!
Written by Sarah