Family Photographs with Teenagers in Suffolk Woodland
Family photography with teenagers at home in Cambridge and in a Suffolk woodland
On the blog today I’m thrilled to be sharing some pictures from a wonderful family photo shoot with teenagers in the Suffolk woodland.
If you haven’t come across my blog before, welcome. I’m Helen, and many of the sessions I do have a “sneak preview” post like this one: a small, selection of favourite images and the story behind them, shared before the family receives their full gallery. It’s also a chance to see what a real session with me looks and feels like if you are a prospective one wondering what a photo shoot with teenagers actually involves.
I’ve been photographing families for over twenty years, working in a natural, documentary style in black and white, and I’m a Canon Ambassador. I’ve known this wonderful family for a particularly long time. In fact, along with my husband Tom, I photographed their wedding back when I used to do wedding photography work. Since then, we’ve done seven family photo shoots, meeting up every few years to update the pictures and, over the years, create an amazing pictorial record of these wonderful young people growing up.
From a tiny baby photo shoot in Kensington back in 2010 to now, photographing teenagers, each and every photo shoot has been such great fun, and I feel lucky to have done every one of them. It’s an incredible privilege to be invited back into people’s lives again and again to photograph them and, together, to create images to treasure.
Musical instruments at home in Cambridge
We started the session at home with a few pictures of the boys playing their musical instruments, as they are both very accomplished musicians. I loved hearing them play and then, over the course of the morning, hearing more about their bands, upcoming gigs, and how the music scene in Cambridge works for young people. There’s a seriousness in how they approach their music that I found really inspiring. This is something they are passionate about and putting in the hard work to make a success.
The wonder of woodland space in Suffolk
The main part of our session, though, we headed outside to some wonderful woodland in Suffolk. This is one of the most incredible places, a peaceful spot where everyone can relax away from the busyness of everyday life. We can enjoy being in nature, see how the trees are growing, what the wildlife is doing, and it’s amazing how you can feel everyone relax as we walk into the woods. It’s a beautiful location from a photographic point of view, with wonderful light and interesting compositional opportunities. It’s also a beautiful location from a family point of view, a place to come together and enjoy each other’s company in a relaxed and wonderful setting.
Running, always running
It’s always good to get some movement into pictures, especially when photographing teenagers. Once everyone is moving, it’s easier to forget the camera. A couple of games of forty-forty-home and the whole vibe had relaxed, with easy smiles and interactions the reward for a bit of sprinting about. I am, in fairness, always in awe of those who can sprint. Personally I’m much more of a plodder, even when I used to do a lot of long-distance running. The turns of speed from this family, children and adults alike, were definitely something I aspire to.
Kids and dogs
It’s not just interaction between the humans that I love to photograph, but also the interactions of humans and their pets. I always love it when there are dogs on my photo shoots, as there is something so special about pictures of people with their pets. The boys adore their dogs, and the pictures with them are some of my favourites from the day.
Sibling interactions
It’s always great to see sibling interactions, and I love how these boys laugh together, visibly close and great friends. There is something fun about being out in nature, away from home and tech, where suddenly a fencing match with branches or a race through a clearing results in peals of laughter, whereas at home there might not be the time or the opportunity to just hang out.
Games, laughter, interaction. Having everyone talking and enjoying each other’s company, this is the key. If everyone is having fun, that’s where the best photos are made.
Football
Football is a favourite hobby of the youngest, and after seeing some excellent skills on our last photo shoot, I was keen to see how the tricks had developed. Fair to say I was impressed, and the dog loved an opportunity to get involved too, chasing the ball and demonstrating some excellent four-footed footwork. It’s always fun to include opportunities to show young people’s interests. I wish I had more pictures of my own teenage hobbies to look back on.
Corner Oak
We finished with some pictures by Corner Oak, a tree on the boundary of the wood that we have visited on past photo shoots. It’s nice to revisit an old location and see how the scale of things changes over time. The boys can still both fit in the tree, and it’s such a beautiful spot for portraits, with its intricate branches and soft light.
This session was a joy from start to finish, as I knew it would be. I feel so lucky to have been photographing this family since 2010.
Frequently asked questions
I photograph families at every stage, including teenagers. Some of my longest-running clients started with newborn or toddler sessions and I’m still photographing them years later, as with this family.
There’s less need to chase a smile and more focus on capturing real personality and connection. Movement, games and shared activities like music or sport work brilliantly, as teenagers relax far more once they’ve forgotten the camera is there.
Absolutely, I love including dogs and other pets whenever a family has them. The interaction between people and their animals often produces some of the most natural, joyful images of the day.
Yes, and I’d encourage it. This family and I have worked together since 2010, across eight sessions, and the resulting collection has become a proper record of childhood into the teenage years, rather than a single moment in time.
Whatever you’d naturally enjoy together. Games, sport, or simply walking and talking all work well. The aim is genuine interaction rather than posing, and the best pictures usually come from whatever makes your family laugh.
No, I no longer photograph weddings, though it’s how I first met several of my long-standing family clients, including this one. These days I focus entirely on family photography.
If you would like to find out more about my photo shoots with teenagers, I have a dedicated page about photography with teenagers on my website, and there are plenty of sessions on my blog too.
I hope you will like what you have seen. If you do, then drop me a line, and together we can plan a wonderful photo shoot for you and your family.
