No two family photography sessions are alike. That’s a given. But there are broad contours within which most of my sessions work. How the session is planned is largely dependent on the kind of session we’re aiming at. While photographing children, my aim to let them be themselves, while I capture moments and expressions in situations which are much like their every day life. So we have the children playing around, while I quietly snap away. These sessions are often intense and involve me manouvering to get the best shots. The moms get an evening of rest and fun watching their little ones playing around while they don’t have to do any minding business – as the responsible photographer, I volunteer to steer the kids back in direction when they attempt to go off limits! Happy spontanoeous moments enjoyed by the family as a whole are also captured. It’s a fun day out, while creating and preserving memories forever. I usually also get in a few couple shots of the parents, which is always a nice addition to family album. There will be some shots where we bring in certain elements which are special to the family or to the child (say, personal toys, monograms and other props) and encourage some amount of quick and easy postures to get the best angles and light.
Nobody is pressured into giving fake smiles or get into forced poses (I do help my clients tweak their postures so as to get the most flattering and beautiful angles). No forcing little babies to smile when all they really want to do is crawl and pick play with the grass. The session is a natural, casual setting for families to be themselves. The mood is relaxed. The focus is on laughter, fun and games. It does help that most shoots take place at a location with which the children are already comfortable. So they feel at ease and happy.
That’s how we create images which freeze a special moment in everyday life. We get those eyes so full emotion and stories, eternalised. We take a peek into the various moods and emotions of the people closest to you and get soulful smiles which last generations.