Dancing to Frozen, making lunch, and leaving on a peaceful high
One of the things I get asked most is:
“What actually happens during a session with you?”
So I thought I’d take you behind the scenes of a real family session — from the moment I walked through the door to the moment I quietly left them in a pocket of calm.
I never arrive with a fixed plan
I don’t walk into a home with a checklist of poses.
Because no two families are the same — and the whole point of what I do is to photograph your real dynamic, not a version of you that I’ve pre-imagined.
I always start with the children.
Not with a camera in their face.
Not by separating them from mum and dad.
But by sitting with them, talking to them, watching them, and gently working out:
Are they shy or confident today?
High energy or slow and cuddly?
Do they need closeness first?
This tells me everything.
Watching a little personality unfold
The eldest daughter was chatty and confident from the start.
The youngest watched her carefully — taking her cues, building her confidence minute by minute.
That’s something I’m constantly observing in a session — the quiet relationships between siblings.
As the shoot went on, she opened up more and more… and those are the moments you see in the gallery.
Not forced smiles — but personality unfolding.
The Santa’s sleigh photograph
There’s one image of the two girls looking out of the window and pointing.
Every time I see it, I hear our conversation:
“Show me where Santa’s sleigh came from… did you see it? Did it fly over there? Where do you think it landed?”
To anyone else it’s a beautiful photo.
To us — it’s a memory.
And that’s what I’m always creating.
Real life doesn’t pause for a photoshoot — and I never expect it to
I arrived just before lunchtime.
As a mum myself, I could see the energy dipping. They were getting hungry.
So instead of pushing on for more photos, I asked:
“What would you normally be doing right now?”
“Making lunch — the girls do it themselves.”
Perfect.
The kitchen: the moment mum said "you're magic"
No styling. No clearing the sides. No “wait, let me make it look nice”.
Just the girls; cutting, feeding each other, chatting, being proud of their independence.
The everyday life you’re too busy living to notice.
While the girls sat happily eating, I didn’t interrupt them. I let the calm exist.
Creating space for the parents too
And for the first time that morning, mum and dad just sat together and looked at their children.
No rushing. No entertaining. No “say cheese”.
Just that quiet, proud, “this is the life we built” feeling.
She later messaged to say “we never get nice photos of us two - you're magic”.
Those are their couple photos. Not posed. Observed. Real.
Why I always leave on a high
I don’t photograph until children hit meltdown point. I don’t stretch sessions for the sake of “getting more”. I leave when everyone feels calm, the story feels complete, and the energy is still soft and happy.
Because I want your last memory of your session to feel peaceful — not exhausting.
The message that meant everything
After I delivered their gallery, mum messaged to say: “You really did capture the girls joy, and they genuinely loved having their "new friend" come to play!”
And honestly — that’s it for me. That’s the whole goal. Not just beautiful images.
But an experience where your children felt safe, you felt seen, and your real life was enough!
If this is your kind of session
If you don’t want stiff posing
If you don’t want to force smiles
If you want your real family life, exactly as it is right now, to be remembered
Then you’re my kind of family.
And I would love to tell your story next
If reading this felt like a little glimpse into your own family life… that’s exactly what these sessions are for.
You don’t need perfectly behaved children.
You don’t need a picture-perfect home.
You don’t need to know what you’re doing.
You just need to show up as you are.
I’ll take care of the rest — gently, slowly, and in a way that feels calm for everyone.
If you’re based in Rickmansworth, Hemel or St Albans, and you’ve been thinking “I want this, but maybe next year” — this is your sign that right now, as your life is, is already worth remembering.
You can find all the details and book your own relaxed family session here.