What is a documentary family photography session really like?|Why a documentary family photo session is the easiest photo session you’ll ever do and captures the real you |A North Yorkshire documentary family photographer takes you behind the scenes.

Ever wondered what a documentary family photography session is really like? Curious about what a documentary family photography session even is? How is a documentary session different from a normal family phoography session? Are you worried that your family isn’t ‘interesting’ enough or you wouldn’t be sparkling enough as a family to make interesting images on a day in the life family photography session in your own home? Or concerned that your home is just too small or too messy or too dark or too ‘not-yet-finished’ to have an in-home session with family photographer?

Well I can not only tell you that every family is interesting enough and special enough just doing the regular stuff you do as a family for amazing documentary-style family photographs – that just being you is enough to capture all the connection and interactions that tell your family story and that no home is too small, too dingy or too cluttered – but I can show you as well! 

This little film will show you behind the scenes on a recent documentary family photography session. Filmed in South London, although I’m now based in Malton, in North Yorkshire, you’ll see washing hanging in the tiny bathroom, kids jumping about on beds, bursting in with nerf guns and piling toys into the bath, rolling about on beds and sofas and making ‘music’. Just all the ordinary stuff families get up to on an average day together. Nothing special. Nothing planned. No poses or awkward grins. Just natural personal personalities, interactions and connections captured on camera as they happen – documentary-style beautiful natural family photos.

You’ll also see me doing what I do – chatting to the people I’m photographing, creeping into bathrooms to capture professional candid photos of children giggling and up to mischief, choosing the interesting angle or composition to preserve the memory. And you’ll see some of the end images that I took during the in-home session and I hope you’ll agree that an in-home documentary family photo session – unscripted and organic – produces gorgeous images that your family will treasure for years to come.

With the hint of spring in the air and summer just over the hill, my books are starting to fill up for family photo sessions – especially for families wanting to take advantage of warmer weather and book an outdoor session. If you’re considering a family photo session this year in Yorkshire to update your family album with natural, relaxed and real photos of you and your family, do get in touch soon to avoid disappointment.

candid portrait of a young girl playing with a puzzle toy with window light on her face North Yorkshire
Two children sucking their thumbs natural family photography North Yorkshire
two children play fighting in their bedroom natural documentary style family photography Yorkshire
mother holding her young daughter who is sucking her thumb natural family portrait Yorkshire

South London documentary family photography session: Walking with Dinosaurs in Crystal Palace Park.

I first met Lynne at a ‘second time around mothers club’ just after we’d both had our second child. Those first few months of being a mum of two – the club was a lifeline every week to just meet up, drink coffee and eat cake while commiserating how much we’d forgotten about sleep deprivation. As the children grew up and we all gravitated back to work the club petered out and we meet less and less. So it was so lovely to get the call from Lynne to say she wanted a natural family photography session in London as it meant I got to see how much little Robyn has grown and meet the rest of the family too!

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Blackheath family photography: A relaxed natural documentary-style family photography session. London natural family photographer

I adore photographing this family every year and getting to see how much the two girls have grown. It’s an absolute joy to see how their personalities are developing – Lexie ever the clown and a ball of energy and Edith more serious and observant just taking it all in before she gives in to a good old jump on the bed!

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Watch her grow – documentary family photographer baby photography session

Best documentary family photographer London baby photography
This was my last session of 2017 and some familiar faces to cheer up a grey December day. I first photographed this gorgeous girl back in the summer for a newborn photography session in London when she was just about 10 days old. That time it was all tears and cuddles and outfit changes to cope with the poo explosions! But this time, the sun may not have been shining, but her smile definitely was.

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