The other side of the lens...
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So I had been thinking about booking a shoot with another photographer for a while, partly to experience being the other side of the lens for a change and also to get some proper photos of the girls and me together so that I’d have them to look back on (I’m not in that many family photos as you can probably imagine as I’m usually the one holding the camera!). So when I saw that Kay Young was offering mini sessions over half term, I Jumped at the chance and booked a session. I have trained with Kay before and love her work, she does portraits and weddings and has a beautiful fine art style.
I actually really enjoyed the experience and learnt a lot from it. As I’m usually in the photographer’s shoes, it was enlightening to experience the shoot from the client’s point of view. I thought I would write a bit about my experience here and hopefully this might also help prepare some of you for a forthcoming shoot, if you are thinking of booking a session soon…
Preparation
So the mini session was booked for an afternoon during October half term. In the back of my mind I had been thinking about what we might wear, however on the morning of the shoot itself, I felt completely indecisive and ended up throwing quite a selection of outfits in the bag as I just couldn’t decide. Also having little time left to do the girl’s hair (three girls, it takes a while!), I threw hairbrushes and a selection of hair accessories into the bag too, hoping for the best.
This might all sound like a lot of fuss over nothing, but I know Kay’s gorgeous style and I wanted to make sure we all looked our best. After all, I want to look back and enjoy the photos for many years to come. Another reason for booking a professional photographer is that you make more effort with clothing than you would when you’re usually out and about which of course makes for the images being that bit more special.
So I’m now much more aware of the time it takes to get ready and my advice would be – think about what you are going to wear in advance and leave enough time on the day to get everyone prepared! Many of the families that I photograph typically have much younger children than my own so you may also need to allow time for last minute potty trips/nappy changes/packing essential comfort toys as required. Not forgetting preparing a few drinks and snacks just in case, as hungry children do not make good subjects of course!
Arrival for the shoot
When we arrived at Kay’s house, she immediately put everyone at ease. We chatted for a bit about photography (obviously, could chat all day about that) and she helped with our final outfit selection. A quick hairbrush and we were on our way…
The shoot itself
I find the girls quite hard to photograph myself these days (much harder than other people’s children) as they are really not interested. I am always trying to take their photo and the novelty for them has long worn off. So I was hoping they would respond better to someone they didn’t know photographing them. And fortunately they did…. but not for long! Kay has a lot of experience photographing children of all ages and she is amazingly quick. The girls had probably had enough after about half an hour and started to play up. Fortunately, Kay had already got plenty of shots in the bag by then so we could relax (and possibly a little bit of bribery on my part might have been involved!).
I loved watching her work and was intrigued to find that she was using an 85mm 1.2 lens for most of the shoot, coupled with a 135mm f2 lens. I don’t have a 135mm lens (yet) but I love my 85mm lens (I have the 1.8 version) and find I’m finding myself using it more and more. All these are prime lenses so have a fixed focal length but they are generally smaller and lighter than zoom lenses and if you find one that you love then you can get away without using zooms at all.
Here are a few of my favourite images from the session…
When the girls had had enough, we moved to another location close-by for a few last photos. Kay had some tricks up her sleeve, like glitter which the girls had fun with towards the end of the shoot, creating images like this…
Headshots
Kay also offered to take some headshots for me which I was thrilled about as I needed some updated headshots for my website and social media. This was a good experience again as I do a lot of professional headshots myself so it’s good to experience being the other side of the camera. I must admit to feeling a little self-conscious and struggling with whether to smile and how much to smile! I know we all feel like this when our photo is being taken (especially if it’s a photo of just yourself), so as the photographer, I try to put people at ease by chatting to them and even trying to make them laugh and giggle. You might not want to be smiling in all your photos, but it’s good to get a variety and laughter always makes for a very natural expression. You can find out more details about my headshot sessions here.
After the shoot
After the shoot we went back to Kay’s house for a bit (the image below was taken outside her front door) to gather our things. She showed me some examples of her fine art prints and we discussed when the images would be ready and what was included in the mini session package. After a bit more photography chat we said our thank yous and headed off home.
Delivery of prints and images
I must admit to being very excited about receiving the images. The last time I booked a professional shoot was when the girls were very little and before I got into photography myself. I’m so happy that I still have that excitement and becoming a photographer hasn’t changed this.
Kay sent me through the images on a gallery to choose from. As you can imagine, I was delighted with them all and I ended up buying most of the digitals, allowing me to share them and make my own prints. She also included one fine art print in the package which I’ll have framed and put up on the wall.
I’ve just ordered some art blocks using the black and white images of the girls which will go up in our hallway and a large multi-aperture frame which I will now be offering to all the families that have photo sessions with me (details to follow once the samples arrive).
Top tips
So if you are thinking about booking a photo session or have one coming up, my top tips would be….
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Put some thought into what you are going to wear beforehand as clothing can make all the difference to the final images.
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Allow plenty of time to get ready for the shoot on the day (especially if you have girls!) including choosing outfits and doing hair.
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Pack plenty of snacks and water to keep the children going just in case they get hungry or for a comfort break during the session.
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Relax and enjoy the session itself and let the photographer direct you. If you want any particular shots, then just say. It’s always useful for the photographer to know if the children have a favourite game, for example or if you’ve always wanted a shot of the family over that garden gate.
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Order lots of prints from your session and frame them straight away. Wall art prints are also a lovely option to display your images. Don’t delay printing as you might not get around to it!
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Finally enjoy looking at your images and sharing with friends and family. You will always have them to look back on and treasure for many years to come.
I am really pleased that I booked this session as I have some gorgeous images of all of us to treasure and keep. I hope this post is helpful and if you are thinking about booking a family or children’s session then do please get in touch for more details. I am planning some mini sessions similar to this one in the spring. Do keep an eye out for more info or get in touch if you would like me to email you with the details and dates.
Why I love Autumn
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Autumn is a dream time of year for photographers and I don’t think I fully appreciated it until I got into photography. It’s September now already and we’re starting to see the colours of the leaves turning and the landscape changing and I’m so excited to get out there again this autumn for some outdoor family sessions…
I’ve always loved spring/summer and the longer days it brings but long summer days mean you have to be out either very early or very late in the day to get the softer light and have to wait what feels like an age for golden hour each day (the hour before sunset that photographers love because the colour of the light changes).
As summer turns to autumn, the days get shorter and the sun lower. The light is softer even in the middle of the day so you can shoot later in the morning and early afternoon and still get beautiful soft light and ‘golden hour’ is much, much earlier!
The best thing about autumn though is the gorgeous colours it brings to the landscape. Greens turn to reds, oranges, yellows and even purples providing a beautiful backdrop and the ground is covered in leaves and conkers, perfect for children to kick about and play with.
As the weather turns colder, we need to wrap up warmer but autumn is perfect for showing off those wooly jumpers and hats and stomping around in wellies or boots.
I would recommend dressing in colours that contrast with the autumn colours in the background such as dark blue/navy, pinks, purples and neutrals and bring plenty of layers which can always be added or removed.
So if you are thinking of booking a family or children’s shoot then now is the perfect time! I shoot outside all year round but October is my all time favourite month for outdoor photography.
I can come to your home for some photos indoors as well as out, or we can choose a nearby location such as a local park or garden. Your photos will be ready in plenty of time for Christmas too so that you’ll have beautiful and unique gifts to give to family and friends this Christmas.
More details on my family and children’s portrait sessions can be found here. If you would like to find out more or to book, please just get in touch,
email claire@littleolives.co.uk or message me here
I look forward to hearing from you!
Family portrait session, Penshurst
Blog
So pleased to share with you some of my favourite images from this recent family photo session in Penshurst. These were taken on a lovely afternoon in late April. We were very lucky that day as it had rained earlier on but once we got started the sun came out and we had some gorgeous afternoon/evening light.
If you are thinking of having some family photos taken, the time of day makes all the difference. I always try to shoot early morning or late afternoon/evening as the light is so much better. As spring turns to summer, the days get longer and you have to adjust timings accordingly but usually the later in the day, the better!
I have known Jenny and her family since we moved to Penshurst and it was such a priviledge to photograph them all. Jenny wanted the photos taken while all the children were still at primary school as soon their eldest will be moving up to secondary. I have ordered lots of prints for them to display around their home. I do hope they will treasure these photos in years to come as all the children grow up.
If you are interested in booking a photo session with Little Olives Photography then please do get in touch. You can contact me here.
Capturing Memories - taking better photos while on holiday
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I was so pleased to be asked to write a feature and provide a cover photo for the latest issue of the Parents’ Directory Tunbridge Wells. The Parents Directory is a familiar London publication that is now in it’s 25th year. Lucy Renton, editor of the North London Directory, has recently moved to our fabulous town and has now started the Tunbridge Wells title which she is currently editing alongside the North London version. This is now the second issue of the Tunbridge Wells Directory.
The publication is packed full of useful information and interesting articles for parents living in Tunbridge Wells and surrounding villages so look out for a copy when you are out and about!
I was delighted to provide the cover photo which was taken on a family shoot on a summer’s evening in Groombridge.
I was also asked to write a feature on taking better photos while on holiday. The article ‘Capturing Memories’ is below… do have a read and I hope you find it useful!
The photo below was taken on our summer holiday this time last year in Corfu and I already have fond memories of that holiday. Not long now until the school summer holidays come around again. I hope you have some lovely holiday plans this year and will be taking lots of photos to capture those special memories while you are away…
What to wear for a spring/summer photo session
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Now spring is finally here (yay!) I thought I would put together some top tips on what to wear for a spring/summer shoot. Most people are unsure about what exactly to wear when they book a photo session so I always try to give some tips beforehand. It’s really worth putting in a bit of thought and effort before you come along to your session as the clothes, and in particular the colours you choose, can make all the difference to the final result.
Of course what you wear does come down to your individual style and it’s important not to stray too far away from what you or your children would usually wear, otherwise you won’t feel like yourselves. If in doubt, I always suggest bringing a couple of options and I can have a quick look at what you have brought before we start.
Summery outfits here in pretty patterns which work well together and contrast with the background
Children
When it comes to deciding what the children are going to wear, there are no rules as such, but try to lean towards clothes which are more classic and timeless, which will help to ensure that the photos won’t look dated in a few years time
Try to avoid clothing with bold logos or children’s characters on (e.g. Disney’s Frozen!) or anything that is very in fashion at the moment.
It’s a good idea to bring layers for the children, you can always add them or take them off depending on the weather.
This girl looks adorable in stripes and her blue outfit contrasts nicely with the green grass and red balloons
Some suggestions for girls
- Jeans
- Tutu skirts
- Classic dresses in neutral or pastel colours
- Dresses with prints
- Pretty cardigans
- Leggings or knee high socks
- Ballerina type shoes
- Boots or wellies
- Hats and hair accessories
Some suggestions for boys
- Jeans or neutral coloured trousers
- Solid t-shirt with an open shirt over it – the shirt can be plain or have a check/classic pattern in traditional colours
- Converse style shoes or sailor shoes
- Hats or a cap
Adults
Again, there is no right or wrong in terms of what you should wear and everyone will have their own individual style. Think spring/summer style and bring layers in case it is a bit chilly. For the mums – Jeans/trousers and a top or a dress/skirt are equally fine depending on what you prefer. If you usually wear make up then I would suggest putting some on 🙂
For the dads – jeans or trousers and a shirt, perhaps with a jumper to go over the top if needed, depending on the weather.
Choose spring/summer, white or neutral colours and the most important thing is to feel relaxed and comfortable. If in doubt, bring a couple of options and we can take a look before we start.
Wellies and a little hair accessory – perfect! Layers for mum in case a it’s a bit chilly…
Colours and patterns
Colours are really key so try to give this some thought beforehand. Think spring/summer colours including both white and cream, which work well.
For girls you could have blues, pinks, purples as well as white and cream.
For boys, blue, white, beige, grey or other fairly neutral colours work well.
Please avoid wearing green as there will often be a lot of green in the background and also avoid black if possible.
Subtle patterns and checks are fine but avoid very strong patterns and bold prints.
Children don’t have to match each other, but here the white and subtle patterns complement each other really well.
Hair accessories just add a finishing touch. Here the colours in her hairband and blue cardigan contrast really well with the green in the background.
Mamas Meet Up with Clemmie Hooper, Mother of Daughters
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A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing Clemmie Hooper, otherwise known as ‘Mother of Daughters’ at the recent Mamas Meet Up event in Tunbridge Wells organised by Laura and Natalie of Mum’s the Word.
Laura and Natalie started Mum’s the Word events just last year and it has been a phenomenal success, bringing together like-minded mamas with inspiring guest speakers to discuss everything from career to style, health and wellbeing. Whether you are expecting a baby, new to motherhood or even have grown up children, Mum’s the Word events are fun and inspiring and a great way to meet other local mums who may be working from home, starting a new venture or just looking for ideas and perhaps a new direction since having children.
Laura and Natalie invited Clemmie Hooper to speak at their recent Mamas Meet Up event on Friday 10th March at The Royal Wells Hotel, Tunbridge Wells to talk about her life, career and newly published book ‘How to Grow a Baby and Push it Out’. Clemmie works as a community midwife for the NHS as well as being mum to four daughters (two girls and a new set of baby twin girls!) She also writes her own blog Gas and Air and has a huge following on Instagram (@mother_of_daughters).
It was so wonderful to hear Clemmie speak in person about how she juggles her work as a midwife with bringing up four daughters and writing a book and hear her talk frankly on giving birth, motherhood/parenting and life in the spotlight as a very well known Insta-mum! After her talk she signed copies of her new book and stayed to chat to all the mamas and their children who had come to the event.
I think if you came you would agree that it was a brilliant, informative and very inspiring morning. Children’s toys and dressing up were provided by What About the Kids and balloons are by Pop Pop Papier. Here are some of my favourite photos from the morning. If you have an event that you would like photographed or are interested in booking a photo session with Little Olives Photography then do get in touch (claire@littleolives.co.uk) or use the contact form on my website. I look forward to hearing from you.
2016 in Seasons
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Well Happy New Year everyone! It’s a chilly January day and it’s 2017 at last…the children are back at school and it’s time to reflect on the year that has been. 2016 will be remembered by most as the year we voted for Brexit and Trump(!) as well as the year we very sadly lost many talented musicians, artists and broadcasters. I still can’t believe the wonderful Sir Terry Wogan is no longer with us.
It was a tragic year in many ways but there were good things that happened too and I’m pleased to report that Little Olives Photography had a fantastic year. I’ve been busier than ever and had the pleasure of meeting and photographing so many new people over the course of 2016. I was trying to think how best to sum up the year and in the end I decided to present a selection of my favourite images as a collage for each season. Take a look at them below…
What struck me once I’d put together the collages, was the striking differences between the seasons – even more obvious than you would expect. I’ve only done a little basic editing on each of these images and done nothing to tweak the colours, so this is really how they were captured ‘in camera’ so to speak. As we progress through the seasons, not only do the colours of the leaves and foliage around us change, but the light changes as well. As a photographer I’m acutely aware of the changes in the light throughout the year and this of course affects the time of the day that it’s best to get out there with the camera. With longer days in spring and summer, it is best to be out either early in the morning or late afternoon/evening, whereas in autumn and winter the days are shorter and you can photograph later in the morning or early afternoon and still get lovely light. So if you’re thinking of getting some photographs done this year, you might find it interesting to look at the collages below and choose which season you prefer!
I specialise in photographing children and families, which I absolutely love doing and this year I met lots of new families through my photography which is definitely a highlight of the job for me as I love meeting people. In addition to this, I also work with other small businesses and in 2016 I worked with a number of local ‘mumpreneurs’, including Laura and Natalie of Mum’s the Word in Tunbridge Wells, Beatrix from Mytime pilates studio in Penshurst and Claudia of Purple Flour (handcrafted cakes and biscuits) providing photos for their websites and social media. I really enjoy working with other local businesses and it can make a nice change from running around after small children!
I also photographed a Christening, several birthday parties and did some lovely commissions as birthday and Christmas gifts (40th and 70th birthday gifts were very popular in 2016!). Once again I’ve also been involved in the Penshurst Christmas Market where I had a stall this year. The Christmas Market was a huge success again, raising much needed funds for Penshurst Church and the Pickering Cancer drop-in Centre. I met and chatted to so many lovely local people over the course of the two day market. If you booked a session with me then I look forward to photographing your family/children this year.
If you’re interested in booking a photo session with me for 2017 then do get in touch (email claire@littleolives.co.uk). I look forward to meeting you. Here’s hoping for another fabulous year with plenty of sunshine and beautiful light. Happy 2017 everyone!
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
Newborn photo session, Tunbridge Wells
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I was delighted to be asked to photograph this gorgeous new baby and his family in Tunbridge Wells a few weeks ago by new mum, Alice. As you probably know, I love to photograph families and children outdoors, but with newborns and babies it’s always nice to take some photos inside as well in the surroundings of their new home. We started this session in Alice’s house, before getting Henry all wrapped up for some photos outside in the park. I love to use the space outdoors and nature’s backdrops and this gives more variety to the photos as well.
For the outdoor photos, we headed to Dunorlan Park, a beautiful park on the outskirts of Tunbridge Wells. It was a bit of a blustery morning but it provided a lovely backdrop for the family photos. Alice’s mum Rosie came along as well and it was great to include her in some of the photos too, after all grandparents are a very important part of the family! What a lovely way to spend a morning, and little Henry behaved perfectly throughout!
Thanks so much to Alice and her family for letting me share these photos. If you are interested in a newborn, child or family photo session then please do get in touch with me (email: claire@littleolives.co.uk).
Mamas Meet Up - From Bump to Business Special
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I was delighted to be invited along to photograph the first ever Mamas Meet Up From Bump to Business Special held at the Royal Wells Hotel in Tunbridge Wells last month. This was to be the first of a series of networking events organised by Laura and Natalie of Mum’s the Word Events.
There was coffee on arrival (someone knows we need the caffeine!) and a chance to chat before the event began. What made this event unique though, was that you could bring the little ones along too. A separate play area was filled with fabulous toys and dressing up clothes, provided by What About the Kids, so that the children could play while the mums listened to the talks and had a chance to mingle and chat afterwards.
Two speakers were invited along to talk informally about the challenges of starting a business with young children in tow. Rebecca and Dominique of Jem + Bea have designed a range of gorgeous luxury changing bags (now available in John Lewis!) while Steph from Don’t Buy Her Flowers has a website selling thoughtful gifts for new mums and anyone in need of some TLC. Her website also hosts the blog Sisterhood (and all that) where Steph writes about motherhood, men and relationships with the aim of making us laugh at the ridiculous things that life throws at us.
It was a really well organised event and it was great to meet so many other mums in the same boat, as they juggle life with a young family and the challenges of trying to start your own business. It was fantastic to hear the experiences of Rebecca, Dominique and Steph as they have developed their growing businesses. The take home message I think was that we all struggle with similar day to day challenges, and perhaps we have to accept that you can’t always do it all perfectly, all of the time!
Looking forward to the next event already. For details of future events see: mumstheword.online
Below (from left to right) – Steph from Don’t Buy Her Flowers, Laura and Natalie from Mum’s the Word Events, Dominique and Rebecca from Jem + Bea
Looking Back...
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I’ve now built up a rather huge catalogue of photos of our family (well mainly the girls) and from time to time if I get a chance, I do try to look back through them. At the end of the year, for example, I usually put together a calendar with favourite photos that I’ve taken over the previous 12 months. I’m now looking back even further as I plan to create an album for each of the girls with photos of their first 5 years (something I’ve been meaning to do for quite sometime…hopefully now that I’ve written it down I will actually get around to it!).
What always strikes me when I look back at older photos, is how my perception of them changes with the passage of time. Photos that I perhaps dismissed when I initially took them (probably because I thought I could have done a better job taking them), I appreciate so much more now. I think this is because photos are intrinsically linked to memories of a day or event, and if a photo brings back happy memories, then I will probably love that photo all the more, even though it might not be technically perfect.
I love it when I stumble across photos that I had forgotten I had taken, or a little gem that I hadn’t previously noticed. I try to take the camera whenever we are out and about with the children (most weekends) and just take a few pictures. I’m always looking for the light or a different angle, while being conscious of my background and so on. But lately I’ve tried to remind myself that my photos don’t always have to be technically perfect, because at the end of the day I’m also creating memories, and when I look back it will be the emotions, the expressions and hopefully the smiles that will really tell the story of the day.
I recently heard another photographer say that there is no one magic formula that will always guarantee getting a great photograph. I think that is very true. However, I do think that there are two very important elements to creating great photographs and if you have both of these then you are almost half way there. These are good light and a happy atmosphere…think lazy, summers afternoons in the garden…ideally late afternoon as the light will be so much better!
Okay I know that I’m a little obsessed, but I’m genuinely so glad that I now have this back catalogue of photos which, each year somehow becomes more meaningful. How the children have changed now since I took those first photos with my DSLR!
So if you haven’t picked up your camera in a while then please do. You might not feel that the photos you take are very significant at the time, but they will be in the future. Take photos, keep them, organise them, share them, definitely print some and treasure them. You will appreciate them so much more in years to come and your children, if you have them, will have them to look back on too…
