6 years ago, I pressed the ‘go live’ button on my website. An hour later, I received my first enquiry and I can still remember exactly where I was,…..the exact moment. Had that moment been captured, it would have shown me screaming, jumping on the bed and my sheer elation!
So this seemed the perfect time to revisit my first ever family sessions. I just love, love, love doing these; they were the start of my professional photography career and for some of these families, I’ve had the pleasure of returning to photograph their growing families over the years again and again. I know what these sessions mean to me, but what about my families.
I thought it would be nice to catch up with a few of the families I spent time with, to ask them to look back over their photographs and videos and reflect upon what the images, the moments captured, the days preserved through the power of photography, mean to them now . . . 6 years later.
‘Claire managed to capture those moments that I’ve long since forgotten about…the moments that make you smile everyday’ – Emma from the Turnbull Family
Family Photography Session (Slaley)
Claire first photographed my family over 6 years ago, at the time I didn’t fully understand documentary photography, I had a 6 month old and just knew I wanted some nice family photos. To be honest David wasn’t that keen on being photographed but understood my ‘new mum’ need to capture this time and that despite having hundreds, possibly thousands of photos on my phone, I had no family shots and certainly no pictures that I’d want to put on the wall.
When Claire joined us, she was so down to earth, so unassuming and to be honest, I just forgot that she was there as we pottered around but it was only when I got the photos, that I got what was so great about this ‘real life’ documentary style of photography.
I’ve so many favourite photos…. a fab one of Casey, sat on the floor looking up towards the grownups with just a look…his mischievous look. Its a close up but I know exactly where it was…it was in our first family home….the doorway between the kitchen and hallway where Casey always just loved to sit…close to the action…close to the washing machine.
A lush close up photo of me holding Casey’s hand, I love it even more now as he’ll drop my hand in a heartbeat at the whiff of his mates heading our way.
And a full on posey shot, Casey is sat in his upturned stool…yeah..he always did that with his tractor stool. They all make me smile, even the one where’s he’s having a hissy fit. Because you just forget don’t you? Just how little they were, their funny little ways, stuff they used to do, the tears and the tantrums and God just how young we were!
Honestly, you will love the shot of your bum high in the air ’cause you’re wiping his mouth for the tenth time today with the mess on the kitchen top because its all part of it, family life, real life, not the tidy prepped house because the mums are coming around!
Claire managed to capture those moments that I’ve long since forgotten about….just lush photos that I’ve been able to treasure and put up on the wall because being a parent is hard and sometimes you just need a reminder of the good stuff and to just smile.
So if this is you, someone who wants those moments captured….your family moments – get in touch..
Then Claire visited us a few years later to capture Casey playing at home. ……..
Above all, one of my favourite parts of our sessions with Claire is receiving the prints! Putting our memories on the wall so I can always recall those moments.
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