Photographing Five Children Under Five
Fun family photo shoot with five children under five
I love a challenge and when I was contacted about photographing five children under five, I jumped at the chance. The occasion was to record and remember their grandparent’s home before it was sold. The family, with the five young cousins, came together for a morning to spend time in the family home and make memories while I recorded these special moments in photographs to treasure.
Photographing five children under five is all about balancing energy, personalities, and attention spans while keeping the session fun, relaxed, and engaging for everyone.
It was such a fun morning. We spent time playing in the house and in the park at the end of the road, another important location for the whole family as so many childhood days had been spent there. The resulting images are some of my favourites of the year so far, filled with beautiful moments and an added sense of importance as they will forever hold memories of this happy family home.
Working with lots of little ones
Photographing five children under five always brings its own challenges. Different confidence levels, energy levels, and moods throughout the morning all need to be considered.
When I arrived, some of the children were full of enthusiasm for the camera, keen to take me off exploring, while one of the little ones was shy and a little overwhelmed by the excitement of the day. My job is to work with everyone and ensure that shy children quickly feel comfortable and happy joining in the games, while also making the most of the energy of the more confident children. We never quite know how long a great mood will last.
Luckily for us, our shy little one was soon fully engaged and the energy of the group lasted all morning. What a brilliant way to spend a day.
Keeping things light-hearted and fun
Keeping things fun is key when photographing lots of young children, especially with a big indoor element. We had chatted beforehand and worked out a plan, and the parents had prepared a wonderful selection of toys to keep everyone entertained.
We spent time playing with the toy chest and all its wonders. Some of my favourite moments came when the children were pretending to be magicians, pulling rabbits from hats and sending cuddly toys flying around the room. Joyful chaos at its best.
Finding the character of the house
For this session, the family home itself played a big role. We wanted to capture not just the people but the place that held so many memories.
I was lucky as the house had so much character. My favourite room was the tiny upstairs study, which had a miniature door through to one of the bedrooms. A small door for adults, but the perfect size for children. They had a brilliant time running around and peeking out from inside it.
It was one of those moments where, looking at the parents, you could imagine the sisters as children playing the very same games. Hiding, giggling, and popping out to surprise an unsuspecting adult.
Joyful childhood moments
We had a fantastic morning together, full of the joy of siblings and cousins playing side by side. From hiding under the dining room table to making dens in duvet covers. From snuggling on the floor together to racing around the house.
It was joyful, busy, and fun from start to finish.
Watching the world go by at 2 months old
My youngest subject, just 2 months old at the time of the session, quietly watched the world around him. His siblings and cousins were so keen for cuddles, and I loved seeing how calm he was as they held his hand and snuggled in close.
With time for mummy and daddy cuddles too, he smiled and snoozed his way through the session. I love knowing that he will be able to look back and see that he was part of this special time in the family home, even if he will not remember it.
Photographs anchor us in our past. They show us what we cannot remember and become something incredibly special to hold onto.
Outdoor play
With five children under five, getting outside always helps. We were lucky to have a small park just metres from the front door, the perfect place to run around and let off some steam.
At first there were questions about where the playground was, but within moments we were playing hide and seek and chasing around the trees. The children loved the freedom of the space, and the parents laughed as they lifted them into the air or gathered them in for giggles.
Book a family photo shoot this year!
This was a joyful session from start to finish and we all had a great time together. The resulting images are looking fantastic and I cannot wait to see which ones my clients choose at their viewing session.
If you have enjoyed this post and are thinking about photographing your own family, I would love to hear from you so drop me a line. Together we can plan a relaxed and enjoyable session that captures your family just as you are.
