All the Autumn feels

A family photo shoot always starts with the same conversation. We’re not photogenic. We hate having pictures taken. Dad is very self-conscious. Etc. Etc.

So let me reassure you - we’re going for a walk. Nothing more, nothing less. We will chat and the kids will play. And whilst all this is happening, the photographs will magically appear without anybody realising it.

On this occasion, RHS Harlow Carr was enormously helpful, with her abundant colour and endless choice of routes. The Japanese Acers were in the full flush of vibrancy, and the family had helpfully coordinated their garments to match. Not much room for black and white here.

Siblings, instead of offering hesitancy or shyness, were in full energetic and rivalry mode. All good for me.

Three can be the magic number. And sometimes not. The trick is patience, and finding a location that offers so many opportunities that the kids’ interest is retained, and no-one feels they have to out-do the others for the best shot.

I don’t think mums and dads usually anticipate that this occasion will have anything to do with their own relationship. It’s about the kids and, at a push, the family unit. But this is a story which began with a romance, so why not capture that too? It is, after all, the linch pin here.

Carry, walk, piggy-back, sit on a bench, pick up a stick, straddle a fence, hunt for pine cones, run, climb a tree, or just talk. As long as it’s natural, I can capture it.

November has been wet, so getting out and about last weekend (for the first time in a while) was fun and refreshing. There is still time to squeeze in an autumn/winter shoot this year, so get in touch - they make great Xmas presents.

Family Photos

Late winter and early Spring is a quiet time for weddings, so I usually make the most of the off-season to explore my own family a little, through the lens.

OK, so she’s not one of my family, but she was awfully cute!

Our early Spring walk route took in a series of local footpaths which we often frequent with our two mutts. Everything is just beginning to look a little greener right now, and the air tastes different somehow. Fresher.

As usual, we stopped for a few snaps. It’s just one of those occupational hazards. The rhododendrons in this case helped out.

Spring is just beginning to show its face. Little buds are everywhere.

Somehow the buds seem less reluctant to be photographed than my kiddos.

And not everything is green, I discovered. The brazen cerise of these new conifer buds were so eye-catching. If you look closely you can find things that you have never even noticed before.

I think this may have been just one too many photos on this occasion.

An 'Up' movie-themed wedding at Harrogate Sun Pavilion

So, when I met E to discuss the prospect of photographing her forthcoming wedding, she told me it would be colourful. Hands up, I completely underestimated the degree to which she would be drawing upon her own personal creativity for the event.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

It didn’t take long for me to realise that artist, E and her American fiancé S are major fans of the crowd-pleasing Pixar movie, Up. The touching love story between curmudgeonly octogenarian balloon salesman, Carl Fredricksen and his childhood sweetheart/wife Ellie, has a simple and heart-wrenching innocence. How could artist, E, resist tapping in to the fictitious couple’s lifelong promise of adventure? “You and me, we’re in a Club now”, says Ellie, as she pins the Grape Soda Club badge on Carl’s chest. What more poignant or appropriate talisman for this bride to replicate for her husband-to-be and to present to him on the morning of their nuptials? He rightly wore it with some degree of pride.

The theme did not stop there. Trinity church, no doubt not unfamiliar with the sight of the occasional stunning floral display, was instead utterly festooned with foil balloons, giving an air of celebration and joy that I have never before experienced in a serious building such as this. The wedding cake didn’t disappoint either.

The bride held an indiscreet bouquet as quirky and colourful as the church decor. The flowers were paper; in the brightest, most vivid colourful combinations imaginable; lush and screaming ‘Hey, over here, don’t look at her, look at me!’ All provided by Dandie Creations.

E’s wedding gown was sleeveless and lacy. Feminine and elegant without any ostentation whatsoever.

The Reception was held at the Sun Pavilion in Harrogate. The large, open room was laid with round tables with simple white cloths, but the next level table trappings could only have been provided by an artist. The centrepiece for each table was a to-scale replica of Carl Fredricksen’s house. Remember, the one that he flew across two continents by attaching a gazillion balloons to the roof? Yep, that one. Utterly Upperly.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

A dusk-lit stroll around the neighbouring 17 acre Grade II listed Valley Gardens sealed the deal, providing us with some quiet corners and lush autumnal backdrops for our bride and groom portraits. “We’re terrible in front of the camera”, they told me. Thirsty minutes of locked eyes and locked lips later, I’m not even sure they noticed I’d been photographing the entire time. And who can blame the groom, when his bride looked so ravishing, thanks in part to the handiwork of Chrys Chapman, hair & make up artist.

This marriage was made all the more tender and emotive due the fact that it signified a second union; that of two separate families, since both E and S each have a child from previous relationships. These four humans are so close and emotionally entwined that it would be impossible for an objective observer to recognise that they were not, up to the point of repeating their vows, already one single unit.

I’ve been to a lot of weddings, of all sizes, budgets and themes, but none have been more joyous than this.

E’s wedding gown was supplied by JJ’s House, whilst the fabulous boots were from Schuh.

The Up house table centrepieces were from Etsy and hand painted by the bride.

The photo booth and giant games were supplied by Sunshine Events.

The Grape Soda pin can be purchased from eBay.

Congratulations E, S & family. To quote Dug the dog, “I have just met you and I love you.”

Autumn in Miniature

This is the most popular time of year for family photo shoots. It’s the perfect setting, all that leafy colour, and the perfect timing to create something worthy of Grandma’s festive stocking.

It’s also my favourite time of year for Mini Shoots with kids. Helpful for me because I can fit several shoots in to one day, and helpful for the families who only have to afford the £99 shoot cost in order to have the raw material for some awesome Christmas presents. It’s also only half an hour to hold your breath and hope the kids behave in front of the nice lady with the camera.

E arrived on a pastel pink and blue scooter. I didn’t get the memo, but she decided to let me be her friend anyway. Gorgeous AND forgiving.

Harrogate’s Valley Gardens was our meeting place, and its multitudinous nooks and crannies provided us with lots of opportunities to mix it up.

When the low autumn sun refuses to play ball, and the late afternoon throws you only dingy shade, the mood of a shoot changes. No bad thing, though.

Frankly, E and I had a rather lovely time hiding in dark corners and exploring the park whilst mum and dad looked on.

Choose a photographer who is comfortable and experienced with children. A mini shoot rarely lasts more than 20-30 minutes, and as such there is little time to waste on acclimatising or gently growing a child’s comfort in front of the lens.

My 30 minute Mini Shoots are available now and include 5 free high resolution digital images and a half-size online password-protected gallery.

Contact me at eyesomephoto@gmail.com or on 07957627217

Brand New Brothers

Meet Daniel. So new that he still carries that amazing post-natal 'fur' around his neck and shoulders. An absolute beaut.

And this is big bro Marcos. Equally awesome, but MUCH busier. They only met very recently, but I'm not sure Marcos has so far been still enough to fully make the new acquaintance just yet!

A tale of two halves, this shoot presented on the one hand the perfect subject in newborn D, quiet and still, contrasted on the other hand by a race around the house and garden pursuing lively M, and relying on fast shutter speeds to attempt to pin him down. 

To be fair, M has a right to be excited. He just became a Brother for goodness' sake, and the new guy is VERY cute.

The mission was to a) capture Daniel's newness, and b) to get some shots of the two brothers (together). That last word, small but vital, turned out to be the stone in my shoe. OK, so we managed to get one image of them both in the same room (ta da! below) which will henceforth act as evidence that they are actually related, but I left the shoot feeling that my task had only been  50% completed.

The one thing the boys have in common is the deepest, darkest of brown-black eyes. Impossible to discern where the pupils ended and the iris colour began, their beautiful big eyes and lashes drew my attention in a mesmeric way. 

Mum was relaxed and calm, clearly in deepest love with her new bundle, keeping him close and safe in her arms, stopping when required for on-demand feeds, between shots.

When shooting a newborn, this is how we work - slowly and calmly, letting mum and baby guide us. With the new family's comfort in mind, I always come to your home and maximise the available natural light where possible in order to bring out baby's best.

When the subject requires it and the weather allows, we also use the outdoor space. In this case, an active 3 year-old needed the space to be distracted and given the attention which, until recently all his, had so rudely been pulled from under his feet by his new sibling.

Strangely, not all dads want to get in on the act. The camera sets them scarpering to the four winds, making tea or taking important calls, or just keeping a low profile so mum can take centre stage, but thankfully, in this case, dad was on hand to share the love.

If you are expecting your second, first or fifth baby and would like some help capturing those early moments, please get in touch. It is my honour to work with families at such an amazing and emotional time in their lives, and I will always do my utmost to do yours justice.

Contact Helen 07957627217 eyesomephooto@gmail.com

Being One

Kate's parents decided that their gorgeous daughter's first birthday was one for commemoration. Maybe a party? Perhaps a particular gift? Maybe a special day out? Maybe all of the above, but more than anything else they wanted to ensure it was captured for posterity. That's where I came in.

One of their favourite spots happens to be Fountains Abbey near Ripon, North Yorkshire, so where better for a relaxed walk and some photographs?

We took a turn about the empty ruins and a romp across the grand lawns, but there were really only two things that engaged Kate's attention in a deeply pleasurable way. One was her little lion teddy bear. The other was a brown puddle. 

It gave me serious joy (although from the expression on Kate's face, not quite as much as it gave her) to watch her creating a Jackson Pollock-like mess on her perfectly manicured outfit as she jumped and stamped gleefully in the mud, and it soon became clear that extraction was going to be problematic.

Being one, it seems, is to enjoy life's simple pleasures. Walking unaided. Lingering for a while to enjoy one of nature's great wet gifts.  Getting up high (with daddy's help) to admire the view. Sharing a snack with best friend, Basil. Pointing at birds. Maybe we could all learn a thing or two about pausing from time to time, from the our pre-schoolers.

Kate has already grown since we made these images, and by the time she's two, or four, or ten, she will quite probably have changed beyond all recognition, not only in features, but in actions and taste for those small pleasures which gave her so much joy on this day. So her parents have done her a huge service in investing in my help for the laying down of this record of her very first year.  In years to come they will be able to look back and enjoy exactly who and how she was in this moment in time, and leave that legacy for Kate's future.

Family photo shoots are available from just £150, and all inclusive packages (with and online gallery and a full set of high resolution digital image files) from just £399. Please enquire to Helen at eyesomephoto@gmail.com.

Easter

The wettest I can remember for a very long time, that's for sure, so making the most of the great outdoors has been something of a challenge.

Not to be bullied into hibernation by the climate, me and mine headed to the North Yorkshire Moors for some dreary sightseeing. 

Are we nearly there yet?

Even Dalby Forest, in all its majesty, could barely summon daylight for us. If we parents were to suffer, then we might as well make sure the kids suffered too, so a 5 mile walk provided the perfect antidote to a fun day out for them.

Even Mister Rabbit set aside his vegetable plot-induced differences with Mr McGregor, as a result of the incessant downpours. And lets' face it, if a rabbit is miserable at Easter, what chance do the rest of us have?

We loved the gardens and the tour of the house at Nunnington Hall (and not ONLY because it was dry inside).

The one and only saving grace for the week was the presence of an indoor swimming pool at our holiday cottage complex. It was just another form of wet, after all, if a little more pleasant.

Whilst the misery of cold, damp and downright spooky forests were less than tempting for the youngsters, they did provide a moody backdrop for some portraits.

The elegant lady below was by far the most happy and well-dressed member of the general public we encountered all week. One must appreciate the attention to detail of Treesa's (not her real name) lipstick, beads and nipple combo. Outstanding.

Happy Easter. I do hope yours was better.

Not me, just my baby.

It would be a bloody miracle for a woman who is two to three weeks postpartum to feel at her best, so the idea of having your photograph taken with your beloved newborn can be unthinkable.

For the most part, in my experience, new mummies try to slide into the background, away from the camera, repeating a well-worn "not me, just my baby" mantra.

But no, say I. Your baby is not the only beauty here. Whilst, when you initially booked your photography session your primary aim may have been to capture the tininess of your new arrival's fingers and toes, I can tell you with great certainty that you will never look back and regret the presence of yourself in these images. 

The brand new bond which you are forming in the early days of your relationship are irreplaceable. Not only is your cooing and nuzzling making your baby's brain grow, but it is a reminder that only a few days previously you were infact, one. You were physically and emotionally tied, and now that you are two, it is the intense chemistry of your love which provides the magic for my camera.

No photographer worth their salt will ask you to do anything that you are not comfortable with, and the beauty of photographing baby in your own home is that you can both feel relaxed and stick to your normal routine of feeds and sleep.

So, please don't be worried about how you will look. You are magnificent because you just created the miracle of life. Throw a muslin over your shoulder, cuddle, and let the camera do the rest. 

For newborn photo sessions, book well in advance, as the first two sleepy weeks of baby's life are the most effective time to shoot! eyesomephoto@gmail.com

Head over to Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest for more inspiration . 

The best of Autumn 2017

It's been a busy one! Always the most popular time of year, the British autumn wove its magic once again, tempting plenty of families outdoors to make the most of the colour and late sunshine of October and November.

Here are a few of my favourites from this season.

Glorious ladies, of all ages and nationalities, making life behind the lens much easier.

Families took to the woods, often with their pooches, for either a 30 minute walk and a relaxed mini-shoot, or for the full experience. 

It's not too late to book a full or mini session, this time with a Christmas tone. 30 minute Mini Sessions are just £99 and include 5 digital image files, and Full Sessions start from £150.

Summer Holibobs

When your appetite for plane fares diminishes, as ours did this year with the prospect of hauling our oversized, expensive brood to the continent once again, go Old School.

The lure of the British seaside was made all the more attractive by the idea that we would be saving thousands of pounds by not 'hiring the sunshine' for a fortnight, and made yet more tolerable with knowing that the kennels bill could also be eluded if we stayed in Blighty. 

Two cars, two dogs, two suitcases, four body boards, one funeral, four kids and seven hours later (the earlier we gloss over the latter items, the better), North Devon was in our sights.

Our locations didn't disappoint. Wetsuits went on quickly (and came off much more slowly), dogs drank sea water (yes, they ARE that dumb), sand got in knickers, the badminton kit stayed firmly in the boot, and the Sponge Bob Square Pants theme tune became a distant memory. Bliss.

And whilst our tans were more due to the burn of the wind than the sun, I could feel my omnipresent tension beginning to subside as the days progressed. Nature had begun to provide her magical therapy and relaxation furtively slipped into our veins like a warm draft of whisky.

The sound of wood on metal brought the idyl to an abrupt end. Let's just say I wasn't driving and leave it at that. Ahem. 

Somehow these British based holibobs always stay more firmly in our memory banks than our more exotic ventures. The fondness with which I hold my own childhood rock-pooling, flip-flop filled days is irreplaceable. Nostalgia rocks.