What were you looking to achieve from your shoot with us?
We wanted to get some really nice family shots as we didn’t have any of all 4 of us together and it’s really hard for us to get one of us all together and even when we do they are usually bad quality because one of the kids moves or doesn’t want the picture taken!
Tell us about your family
Chris and I met at the midnight launch of the 7th Harry Potter book through a mutual friend and have been together since, so as you would think we both love Harry Potter! We were so happy to be able to incorporate this into the shoot and we loved how enthusiastic Chris, our photographer, was about using our items that we had brought along.
Our son Noah was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Condition last year and this is why we chose to wear the t-shirts we did for our family shots, we wanted to try and spread some awareness about his condition. We’re hoping that the kids will like Harry Potter as the grow up, they love playing with the wands we have and pretending to turn everyone into frogs!
Had you ever done anything like this before?
Yes, we were bought a newborn photo shoot experience as a present when Noah was born. We also had family photos done when Noah was around 14 months old.
Why did you think that Bartley Studios would be right for you?
I loved the styles that were used and that none of the images felt forced or posed. It was as if they were just having fun which is what we wanted too and the photos that we got show that that’s exactly what we did!
What personal items did you bring along to the photoshoot and why?
We brought some Harry Potter props with us, like our wands that we got from the theme park in Florida and some books that Chris has bought for me as presents, we brought these as it’s a reminder of how we met and the beginning of our relationship. We also brought some of the kids favourite toys, Noah brought his cars and trains and Marley brought a big floor puzzle and some peppa pig toys, these were picked because we wanted some natural shots of the kids playing.
How did your photographer use your personal items to suit a style?
We didn’t really have a style in mind when we started but Chris was really good, he asked us what we wanted and when we weren’t sure he gave suggestions and we took it from there.
Were you worried about any parts of the session beforehand and if so what?
I was worried that the kids wouldn’t sit still long enough to have the pictures actually done! Or that the photographer wouldn’t understand if Noah needed a few minutes of quiet to calm down as he has some sensory issues that go along with his ASD.
Tell us about the favourite parts of your experience and why you enjoyed them
My favourite part was actually spending some quality time together having fun with my family, with both of us working it’s hard to find a lot of time where we can just relax and spend an afternoon having fun.
What advice do you have for other clients coming for a shoot with us?
Bring in items that show who you are and what you enjoy doing because the photographers will use them and you will get some amazing pictures. Also, don’t be nervous as everyone that we met at the studio was so friendly and helpful.
What was your favourite image overall?
My favourite image is one of the ones we got of all of us, we were sat on the floor just laughing with the kids and it’s just amazing.
Are there any other comments that you would like to add?
I just want to say thank you to Bartley studios for such a great experience.
If you are interested in coming along for a photoshoot yourselves, then please take a look at the following pages…