A Quiet Moment on a Family Vacation Photo Shoot

Today I’m sharing an image from a family vacation photo shoot in London.

I like to consider sleep to be my favourite hobby, I’m one of those people who likes to go to bed early and get up late even though that doesn’t fit very well with early morning photo shoots (thank goodness for coffee!).  I always think that if there is an opportunity for a quick nap then it’s sensible to take it and I’m so glad that I’m not alone in taking advantage of a comfy place to lie down.

This picture was taken towards the end of a recent photo shoot when we had spent a busy morning running around, exploring, playing games and laughing together, it was my eighth photo shoot with the family and so seeing everyone and catching up on the news was a delight.

It’s an incredible privilege to watch children grow up and I can hardly believe it was 2008 when I first met this little girl’s mum and her older sister for a shoot in Holland Park. Now, every year, when the family visits London for their family vacation we schedule a date and spend a morning together taking photographs.  It’s the most fabulous thing to do, recording the children year on year, seeing how they grow and as I write this I’ve been looking back over old shoots and it’s lovely to see all the pictures over the years.  If you are thinking of booking a session and wondering when is the best time to photograph your children then start now, I can absolutely guarantee that you won’t regret it, they grow up so fast.

It’s been so hard to choose which picture to share for my ‘Just One’ but this image caught my eye as I love her expression, peaceful, serene but also with the play of a smile on her lips. I know she’s not really asleep, and she knows I know she’s not really, but we are both playing along and I’m rewarded with this wonderful picture.

The repeating patterns of the wooden structures create a wonderful compositional device and I love the way they overlap, encasing my little subject in their protective embrace as she lies there so peacefully.  Pictures are often made by environment, by light, by expression and pose and here all those things have come together in this lovely relaxed portrait.

If you are thinking of booking a session for your family vacation photo shoot in London this autumn then do get in touch, weekends are booking up fast and it would be great to get your photo shoot in the diary.