Family portrait in Holland Park

I grew up in London but it wasn’t until I started working as a family photographer that I got to know West London well. Now, the area around Holland Park, Notting Hill and South Kensington are my usual stomping grounds and wonderful stomping grounds they are.

The parks are incredible and varied and so I always know I will take something completely new even if I’m at the same Park a number of times in a single week. Variety is important to me as I am committed to creating interesting and unique images for my clients from each and every shoot. It’s fun to challenge myself creatively, visiting he same corners and always looking for a new angle or a different approach in my pictures.

Family group pictures are a particularly fun area to branch out and experiment with, and I love to include an activity or game in some of my family shots. For this family portrait in Holland Park we decided to throw the children in the air, working to get the perfect moment when both children were flying at the same time (I have much to thank the amazing Canon autofocus for on shots like this, which bring technical challenges to the table with lots of fast movement).

I’m so pleased with the moment, the absolute joy and happiness on everyone’s faces as they play together in this fun aerial game. I’m also absolutely thrilled by the little stroke of luck that gets Hector’s head haloed by the twisting branch above him, I couldn’t have planned that if I had tried. I often think so much of timing with photography is subconscious, the fraction of the second where we click the shutter and the elements come together. I’m sure much of it is luck too, but over the years the luck has definitely increased alongside the hard work and study of photography which takes up so much of my time when I’m not out taking pictures. The framing within the tree works perfectly to add a graphic shape and interest to the shot.

We had such a brilliant morning, playing at the park and then playing at home.  The children were such a delight and this amazing recent weather is so fantastic for family portraits.  It’s so lovely to be able to document families enjoying each other’s company and having fun together, a morning full of love and laughter that has resulted in so many beautiful pictures.

I’m so pleased with this family portrait in Holland Park and I hope you will like it as much as I do.  If you are interested in finding out more about my family photography and having your own family photographed this summer then do get in touch, I have some availability in August and I would love to hear from you.