What were you looking to achieve from your shoot with us?
We have such hectic lives that it is unusual for us to all be together and usually one of us is taking the photographs so we don’t have any family pictures of us all! Also we are all a little camera shy (most of us at least) so we wanted to capture the moments before our kids grow up and we miss the opportunity!
Tell us about your family
We are a slightly chaotic, noisy bunch. With mum, dad and 3 characterful girls! 4 family members are sport mad (with the exception of mum who is happy to taxi everyone around and watch but happy to sit out!) if there is a sport our girls will try it out. Currently the oldest is on the elite pathway for gymnastics training 26 hours a week… Middle daughter also loves gymnastics and trains 6 hours a week but also is taking part in drama/singing/dancing and dodgeball, our youngest currently does 2 hours of gymnastics a week and also swimming. She is the craziest of the bunch! Boundless energy and a cheeky grin!
Had you ever done anything like this before?
Not as a family! these are our first professional pictures since our wedding 13 years ago!
Why did you think that Bartley Studios would be right for you?
We researched online and loved the natural shots which Bartley seemed to capture. It seemed like you created a laid back atmosphere but also captured the individual characters of the people.
What personal items did you bring and why?
Our girls bought their leotards and a set of parallettes which the kids use to practise their range and conditioning with. The girls wanted to bring a beam but we thought that may take up a little too much space 😉
How did your photographer use your props to suit a style?
Chris caught the girls in some lovely shapes using the props. The photos were amazing!
Were you worried about any parts of the session beforehand and if so what?
We were slightly concerned our youngest would go a little “wild” as she is not great at concentrating for too long and the session was an hour and a half. However, Chris worked brilliantly with her and managed to incorporate her boisterous side into the pictures!
Tell us about the favourite parts of your experience and why you enjoyed them
Our favourite part was viewing the photos! It was done so well and Chris went through all the various options (we had so many questions) and he was fantastic and we came away with a collection of photos we absolutely love! We enjoyed the whole experience from start to end and the kids also loved it! considering it was the first time we had ever done this I don’t think we could have had a better experience.
What advice do you have for other clients coming for a shoot with us?
Relax and enjoy it! don’t try and make your kids pose! the more natural the better.
What was your favourite image overall?
I can’t pick a favourite but having a family picture we are willing to put on our wall is a major breakthrough and of course I loved all the ones of the kids in the gym poses. particularly the one of the 3 of them. I also loved the individual one of our eldest looking down and the wind machine on her. Beautiful.
Are there any other comments that you would like to add?
Just a big thank you! your team have been fantastic from start to end. We will come again!
If you are interested in coming along for a photoshoot yourselves, then please take a look at the following pages…