Studio Portrait Photographer of the Year, British Institute of Professional Photography - Yorkshire Region -
Families - where would we be without them?
When Covid hit, the separation from our nearest and dearest was by far the biggest wrench for most people I know.
One of my favourite kind of shoots is a large gathering for a family celebration - capturing grandparents with their grandchildren is very special, whether it's for 60th birthdays, or Ruby wedding anniversaries, or just because we can!
If you have an occasion in the diary, why not make the most of it, and invest in some updated photographs of you all together. It might be that the youngest born is missing from your last family shoot. Or that the grandchildren now have children of their own.
Whatever the excuse to gather together, we will make the most of it - as well as group photographs, I take individual portraits too, siblings together, different family groupings etc. And I usually find that having the brothers, sisters, cousins and wider family relaxes everyone and makes for a great dynamic.
Spending time with extended family or friends can still be so limited as we all lead such busy lives. Therefore, when you do get the chance to meet up, I think it’s a great idea to document the occasion in photographs. If those most important to you are all in one place, all at the same time then, in my book, that in itself is something worth celebrating!
When you invest in professional group family photos, every one of you will have the pictures to look back on in the future and will be able to enjoy and remember fondly that moment in time.
I’m often booked to document christening ceremonies, milestone birthdays and Golden wedding anniversaries, but when it comes to hiring a professional photographer, please don’t think that you need to be organising a formal occasion to justify the investment.
While you may well be getting together for a formal event, when you’re likely to all be dressed in your finest, it could also simply be a casual family BBQ in your garden at home.
Either way, I would come along and capture the spirit of the day and create beautiful portraits of all of you.
I would spend around an hour with you and my approach is to document you all just as you are, right now. I’d create a mix of candid and posed group family photos that genuinely reflect your family.
Related reading: Creative ways to display your family photos in your home
Remember, a big family photoshoot is also a lovely gift idea.
Perhaps your parents would love to see their entire family, including you and your siblings and all their grandchildren all together? If so, a group family photoshoot would be an ideal gift for them on their wedding anniversary or birthday.
Or perhaps it’s something you want to treat yourself to? If it feels too indulgent to buy it yourself, why not hint to the family that this is something on your wish list. They could all chip in and buy one for you for your birthday maybe?
Gift vouchers for my family photoshoots are available all year round.
Here's what Katy said of her extended family photoshoot experience with me:
"Wow! Fabulous natural family photos I shall treasure. Andrea captured the real essence of our family of 10 in a natural setting with the children jumping and just simply having fun. Watching the presentation of the finished photos I found myself quite moved. A fabulous job Andrea!"
If you’re planning to meet up with your extended family or a large group of friends in the Leeds, Wetherby, Harrogate or Yorkshire areas sometime soon, and are interested in having a family photographer capture the moment, then I’d certainly love to hear from you.
I’m based in Boston Spa but am happy to travel across Yorkshire to wherever your gathering may be.
As someone who’s very family orientated, and who loves seeing family groups get together, it would be an absolute pleasure to help you document your family rendezvous.
The booking fee for a large family group photoshoot is £50 (no digital images or products are included) and then after the shoot you can choose from beautiful frames or albums, or the full collection of digital images from £325.
Contact me via this form with any questions you may have or to make a booking. I look forward to hearing from you!
By the way, if you’d like to join my mailing list and to be kept in the loop about seasonal photo sessions and news, subscribe via the form on this page.
Andrea