Family Dogs / Surrey Family and Pet Photographer

Family Dogs

I love taking family photographs and I also love photographing dogs. That is why I recently started a personal project called Family Dogs, with an aim to document the relationship families have with their pet dogs. To kick start the series, I photographed a gorgeous cocker spaniel Lexi with her human family. We arranged our dog and family photo shoot near Leith Hill as the family lived close by and one of their favourite things to do in spare time was to go on long country walks.

Family portraits with pets

It was a warm summer day in late summer, with sunshine coming through the clouds but with rain looming in the distance. We started our walk at the bottom of the hill, walking up the gentle slopes, sun coming through the trees. This first part of the session provided some great opportunities for group shots, the colours of the dead leaves on the ground matching Lexi’s coat. It was lovely to work with the earhy colour palette. A part of the route up towards Leith Hill has some impressive tree roots which form an amazing pattern on the ground. I knew I wanted to include these in the photographs, so I positioned Lexi for a few dog portraits. I particurlarly like black and white versions of these photographs, the textures and patterns really come through. Once we were on top of the hill, I looked around for nice spots for some more family shots. The heather was in bloom and I wanted to include it in the photos. Often when photographing families with dogs, there is quite a bit of arranging going on. Either the dog doesn’t want to sit still, the kids want to run around or both things happen making it nearly impossible to take a group shot! On this occasion, by some miracle, the family set down and just as they did so (while also looking at the camera), Lexi came from behind and poked her head through a little hole in the middle. This is one of the rare unposed, unplanned photos which just happened and turned out amazing! It is one of my favouirtes from this family and pet photo session, probably because it was so spontaneous!

Dog Portraits

Finally, a dog photo session with an energetic dog like Lexi wouldn’t be complete without a few action shots. I got Lexi to run along the paths amongst the heather and she did so with such speed that my auto focus struggled to keep up. I love taking a variety of different shots which capture memories of our pets in different situations - while frantically running around, chasing a ball, playing with another dog or a family member, or having a quiet moment. Different moments take us back and awaken memories we thought we lost.

Family Photography with Dogs

If you live in Surrey and are interested in participating in my Family Dogs photography project, please get in touch - I would love to hear from you and photograph your family and your dog(s)!

Dog Photography Gift Vouchers

If you are looking for a different kind of gift for someone’s birthday, anniversary or Christmas present, then a photography gift voucher may be the answer. I offer 1h and 2h dog photography gift vouchers. You can add extra credit to the gift certificate, which can go towards digital files or prints, or leave it up to the receipient to choose what they’d like at the end of the photoshoot. Get in touch if you have any questions!

Surrey Family Photographer / Family Photo Session in Sutton

Surrey Family Photo Session

It gives me great joy doing photoshoots for return clients. Not only do I get to meet up and catch up with people who continue to support me, but I also get to see their families grow. A couple of months ago I did a family portrait session in Sutton, for a lovely family who has grown from four to five (including the family dog!).

Surrey Children Photographer

I have spent a part of the morning getting reacquainted with the older sibling who I photographed a few years ago (there was a lot of Lego talk when I first arrived), and getting to know the one year old who was on the move and ready for action! Working as Surrey children photographer, I enjoy getting to know the children who I will be photographing, finding out what their interests are and being let into their world, at least for a couple of hours.

Family Location Photography

Once the introductions were over, it was time to take some photos. We stayed around the family home and garden as the weather was unpredictable on the day. This was a great opportunity for me as a photographer, to challenge myself and find interesting backdrops and angles indoors. There were lovely splashes of colour and personal touches throughout the house and garden which I wanted to capture for the family. And the photoshoot wouldn’t have been complete without some action on the trampoline, and a few family portraits.

Here are some photos from this session - I hope you enjoy viewing them.

Family Portraits in Surrey, London and the South East

If you would like to discuss having family portraits done, in a relaxed setting, at home or outdoors, please get in touch to discuss your requirements. I offer location sessions for newborn, children, family and pet photography, and I am happy to travel around Surrey, London and South East. Photoshoots which are further afield are charged a travel cost. I hope to hear from you!