What if my child is poorly? I Family photoshoot Richmond
An indoor family photoshoot in a stunning Richmond townhouse
A family photoshoot in Richmond on the blog today! I love capturing candid family moments that show the beauty in everyday life, so I was very excited to spend a morning with a family in their beautiful home in leafy South-West London. I also love interior design and always welcome the opportunity (and privilege) to have a snoop around people's homes for inspiration. This Richmond townhouse is stunning, tastefully decorated, and full of colour and character.
I arrived first thing in the morning when everyone was still in their pyjamas, and I spent about 4 hours documenting the family's routines, from breakfast through brunch. The older children also did some baking (I can confirm the biscuits were delicious!), and I even had the chance to capture a mini puppet show, which is part of their own family traditions.
The youngest boy was feeling poorly on the day. When a child isn't feeling well, it isn't necessarily a reason to cancel the shoot. After all, a poorly child is a part of family life. If this happens, I typically discuss with the parents and stand by their choices, deciding on the day what to capture and what to leave out. A few tears? Yes. An inconsolable, distressed child? I may step aside and let the parents soothe them.
This is why the online pre-consultation is an important part of the photoshoot process. It's where we talk about handling tears, tantrums, illnesses, breastfeeding, nudity, bathroom and potty scenes, and agree together on the boundaries, both the parents' and mine. These situations are normal parts of family life, and some are bound to come up during a photoshoot. Discussing them in advance means everyone is more relaxed and comfortable during the session, and the photos reflect that.
During this session, I captured some wonderful moments of affection between the parents and the little boy, from a gentle hand on his head, to mum wiping away a little tear as we were walking downstairs. It's a huge privilege for me to immortalise these sweet, fleeting gestures that parents do without even realising it, and I left the shoot feeling uplifted by all the love and connection I witnessed that morning
