Way back in July I met up with Hannah, Jack, Rafe and Ada for a family shoot on a beautiful sunny morning at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
The last few months have been really busy with family portrait sessions so forgive me for being a bit behind! I’ll be looking to add some of my recent shoots to the blog over the coming weeks. This particular shoot takes us back to a VERY hot day in July at the wonderful Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Kicking off the session
When working with children I always take a bit of time when we first meet to introduce myself and get to know them a little bit. It’s important they’re comfortable and relaxed with me for me to be able to capture the best images.
Rafe immediately took charge of the session and grabbed one of the park maps. He took the lead and guided us to the first spot. I caught this shot quite early into our time together, as he stopped by one of the sculptures to check the map.
It was an incredibly hot and sunny day and I spent most of the session trying to avoid the stark contrast and harsh shadows the direct sun brings. However for this shot, the map acted as a reflector – bouncing the harsh sunshine back up onto Rafe’s face and creating a much softer, more flattering light so I grabbed the opportunity to take advantage.
Using natural light for family photography
One of my favourite shots from the session was taken in the shade under the trees to avoid the harsh sunshine. Ada had bags of character and relaxed with me immediately and I was able to get some beautiful shots of her during the session.
For family sessions I always work exclusively with natural light and it’s so important to find the right light. We’re pretty ‘lucky’ in this country that it’s often overcast – perfect shooting conditions. This was a rare day when it was so hot and sunny that soft, diffused lighting was hard to come by. It’s worth the effort to find it though. This shot just wouldn’t have been the same in the harsh light of the sun. The soft lighting here works so well with her delicate features and I absolutely love her expression.
Finding shade to avoid harsh contrast
It was an incredibly hot morning and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Direct sunshine really isn’t ideal from a photography point of view. It creates stark contrast, harsh shadows and unflattering light. Thankfully the Sculpture Park has an abundance of trees so we spent a lot of time seeking shade and interesting, softer light.
I particularly love this final shot of Ada. We were walking through the trees and the canopies above were giving a beautiful mottled light. I was shooting quite wide (f/2.8) which created a beautiful bokeh with the spots of light behind.
Ada stepped into a small pocket of light and suddenly stopped and closed her eyes. It only lasted a fraction of a second and we were off again but I was delighted to capture this fleeting moment of peace.
Would you like me to capture your family story?
Read more about my family photography sessions in and around Yorkshire. If you’d like me to help capture your family story then please feel free to contact me for a chat. I’d love to work with you!
