Can you remember your first experience?
When I was younger, my parents had a photo wall which contained a vast array of photos from our childhood. It’s funny how I remember the majority of the photos being taken. There’s the ones of my sister and I in matching outfits (which we loved!) and the ones of us dressing up for Halloween sitting on brooms with bin bags round our necks as cloaks. The one that sticks in my mind though is my first school photo. I’m sat in a wicker chair with my sister stood next to me and my eyes are red and puffy. You see, I didn’t want my photograph taken but I remember being made to just sit there. It resonated with me and I’ve vowed that I wouldn’t put my children through the same experience.
Things don’t seem to have moved on for everyone.
Likewise, I’ve recently seen a Facebook post from a friend who posted her child’s photo online and was utterly devastated at how unlike her it was. This made me think…. School photography doesn’t need to be like that.
Photographs of children can be so much more! During the school day children are busy exploring, climbing, playing games and generally being active so why not photograph them in action?
So that’s what I did.
Meet Seb and Freddy who I photographed in their last week of term. They sprung out of school full of energy and I documented their walk home from school and all the fun things that they do on the way. Mum did a great job of just doing what they do whilst I hung back and snapped happy.
I’m sure you will agree that the photographs show the boys authentically enjoying life! Their personalities shine through in bucket loads! I may be biased but I know that they show a tonne more personality than could usually come from a school photo. A love for life and a level of inquisition and wonder that gets sucked out of so many of us in old age.
Just look at this one. I love it. To me, it shows a boy who has a clear love for adventure and energy. His passion is clear to see. PS, can you spot little bro in the background too?
This one is my favourite. A boy who is tired and ready for the end of term but is still trying to climb in this beautiful area that us locals are blessed to call home.
So, what did Mum think?
Consequently, here is what Mum had to say about the experience and the final photos:
Time spent with Bev and her camera is always fun. The boys are instantly relaxed by her warm personality. The photos captured Seb & Freddy’s personalities in thier natural environment. I know these photos will be treasured for a long time, lovely memories of lazy, hazy, summer school days.
As the new school year springs on us, I’d love to help parents photograph their children and provide numerous digital photos that they can use over and over again, sharing with friends and family and printing to their hearts content at an affordable price that provides excellent value for money . Moreover, I’d love to take photos that truly reflect little personalities and for me, there’s no better way than doing that in an unstaged and authentic manner.
Fancy getting involved?
I’m going to be publishing a very special offer on my Facebook page shortly which will have limited availability so if this is something that you are interested in, please make sure you like my page.
Other blog posts you might find useful:
The truth: Why are photographers so expensive