Just One – Nuwan – children’s portrait photography

One of the things I love to do most during my family photography sessions is to capture the joy and excitement of childhood; I love to take pictures that you can almost hear the shouts of laughter when you look at them, pictures that are so full of expression and enthusiasm that it’s impossible not to smile. I feel I have achieved that with this wonderful portrait of Nuwan running, laughing, shouting and having so much fun at the Botanical Gardens in Cambridge during our children’s and family photography session.

I first met Nuwan’s parents back in 2007 when I photographed their wedding alongside my then boyfriend (now husband) Tom. We had a really wonderful time and I was thrilled to visit them again in 2010 to photograph their new baby. Fast-forward four years and the family are back living in the UK, the family has expanded, and we spent another fun-filled morning out and about taking photographs. It’s so lovely to keep in touch with people over the years and see how the family grows. I’ll be posting more pictures here soon and you can meet little Rohan too, but for now I’ll tell you more about my choice for today’s ‘Just One’ preview image.

I love how this picture tells a story. For those who know the Botanical Gardens well, this shot is immediately located in the maze, which is a brilliant spot that children always love running around in – and it is a photographer’s dream, with the wonderful textures of the grasses. We have just arrived at the gardens and Nuwan is clutching his map from the young explorer’s pack we were given at the gate, which is such a brilliant idea with binoculars and a bug-catching device that children can use and then return as they leave. The excitement is evident as Nuwan runs around and, in later pictures, you will see the family playing a brilliant game of chase in this fantastic location.

I love the shapes and textures of the grasses and the feeling of movement, a theme that is repeated with the wind in Nuwan’s hair as well as the flurry of the grass. It’s a lovely image and one that I feel really shows the personality of a wonderful lively little boy, who was such a joy to photograph.

I hope you like today’s ‘Just One’ preview and do check back soon for some more pictures from this session, with Rohan jumping in puddles, games of hide and seek, splashing sticks in the fountains and catching bugs being just a few of the many activities we got up to during our fun-filled morning. We also built a dinosaur – there’s a first time for everything!