Tuesday, February 23, 2010 Posted in News
There was a time when I managed to post something featuring my children quite regularly but I’m afraid they’ve been a bit neglected. To prove that they occasionally get treated and we do some family stuff I dedicated a few minutes to photographing them while we were at Center Parcs at Whinfell Forest in Cumbria a couple of weeks ago. We had a really good time especially considering it was February. It was cold but as you can see the sun did come out and they really were in their element. I love this first one – if you look carefully you can see that even though it’s sunny, there is a bit of snow in the air. They seem to find me funny.
Small girl, big trees…
It’s a bit of a Maisie special, because yes that is a camera in her hand in the next image! She takes it everywhere and seems to feel a bit like I do about it.
She’s really very good in my possibly somewhat biased opinion and I’ve started to show her how to process her images. As a bit of an aside from Centre Parcs, I love this one she took in Lanzarote back in October. She was looking out of the bus window while we were doing a volcano tour and I think it’s lovely that you can see her camera and her happy face in the reflection.
And here’s one she took of an old geezer. Well actually she chopped his head off – deliberately of course – and framed the holes that he poured the water down to make them steam. This is Maisie’s processing. She did this all on her own, deciding on colour saturation, moving sliders to adjust exposure and tints and increasing the vignette. I didn’t help honestly and she’s only nine. Genius in the making, surely…
One more portrait of Maisie before the other two get a look in again. She likes her bike as well.
Jasper got a bit grubby.
This is how they spent most of the weekend…
This is Max, one very cute little boy indeed. I went with his mum and dad to Horsforth Hall Park on a bitingly cold day last week for a bit of a play and to capture him at what is surely the pinnacle of his gorgeousness. It was snowing a bit and really not ideal for a portrait shoot but it’s possible to get lovely photographs in the most surprising circumstances and if my clients are game, so am I. This family was totally undeterred by the wintry weather to start with, so we set off full of enthusiasm and did manage to get some fab outdoor shots. Max, who is 16 months old, is not a fan of gloves or mittens so it wasn’t long before his poor little hands were red and painful so we headed back to their house to warm up and see what we could do in more familiar and cosy surroundings.
Here he is in the park:
Back at home, it was straight to quantum physics. That Einstein chap simply didn’t know what he was talking about. Now Max’s theory…
Yes I AM a portrait photographer! I seem to have been doing quite a bit of other stuff lately but natural light children’s portraits are where my heart lies – no offence lovely corporate clients 
I had the pleasure of photographing Joe, who’s three and one-year-old Hannah a few days ago. It was bitterly cold and despite being wrapped up warm Hannah’s nose started to get a bit runny so after a brief play we headed back inside. Joe was happier outside so there’s more of him in the garden. I think Hannah is a home girl – can’t blame her. My favourite shots are the ones where they’re engrossed in what they’re doing. Hannah loves her dolls, Joe loves his trucks. Girls will be girls, boys will be boys, what can you do.
I’m very pleased that the evenings are starting to get a bit longer and there are little green shoots pushing up from the ground. Portrait photography bookings are getting booked up fast for February and March and I’m looking forward to getting outside more and having some fun.
I’m not very good at keeping a secret especially if it’s something exciting. And what could be more exciting than becoming Salvo’s photographer so I’m spilling the beans! Only a few weeks ago Gordon Ramsey’s F Word decreed Salvo’s the very best local independent Italian restaurant in the country, and deservedly so – I have been going there regularly since we moved to Leeds 10 years ago and always have a wicked time with amazing food. On Friday I went to Salvo’s Salumeria for an evening of soul and wonderful food and to kick off our new partnership. I’ll be helping them out with photography for their music nights and events every so often and running promotions with them. Friday’s event was huge fun with the ‘chunky but funky’ Cleve ‘Reverend’ Freckleton and musicians Neil and Jam providing a lively mix of soul hits while Gip’s team looked after the delicious four course menu. I took a few photos as I was there and I was very pleased they turned out so well after John plied me with rather too much limoncello.
Next post will be more what you’re used to – a lovely bit of portrait photography featuring natural light and children. But for now, a small musical and gastronomic diversion (although unfortunately the food had all been snaffled before I had chance to photograph it) …
by susie
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