Full family experience
Personally planned, relaxed photography for Yorkshire families
For families who want more than a quick photoshoot: time to settle in, thoughtful preparation and photographs that feel natural, warm and unmistakably yours.
The Full Family Experience is shaped around your family. We’ll talk beforehand, choose a place that suits you and take the session at a pace that allows everyone to relax. Afterwards, you’ll see your photographs in a personal design and viewing appointment and decide how you would like to keep them.
What it’s like to work together
Before Your Session
Before anything is booked or planned, we’ll talk.
You’ll be able to tell me a bit about your family – what you’re like together, what you enjoy doing and how everyone feels about being photographed. From there, I’ll guide you on location and what to wear, in a way that feels supportive rather than prescriptive.
There are no rules and no “right” choices. The aim is to help you feel comfortable, prepared and confident before the day arrives.
During Your Session
On the day itself, things are kept relaxed and unhurried.
There’s no need to perform or manage anyone’s behaviour. I’ll offer gentle guidance where it helps and space where it doesn’t. We’ll move, talk, wander and pause as needed – adjusting to energy levels, moods and personalities as we go.
Sessions usually last around 1½ hours, with time for pauses, movement and changes in energy. Most families are surprised by how quickly it stops feeling like a photo session at all.
After Your Session
After the session, we’ll arrange a time to look through the images together – either in person or online.
You’ll be guided through your gallery and supported in choosing the photographs you love most. You can choose digital photographs, a beautifully made album or a collection of fine-art prints. There is no fixed collection to purchase and no requirement to buy digital photographs if you would prefer something tangible.
The aim is for you to come away with photographs that feel meaningful – images you’ll enjoy now and value even more over time.
What the booking payment includes
A £95 booking payment secures your session and covers:
A personal planning conversation
Help choosing an outdoor location or planning an at-home session
Clothing and preparation guidance
A relaxed family photography session, usually lasting around 1½ hours
A personal viewing appointment, in person or online
The booking payment does not include your finished photographs. At your viewing, you choose the photographs and format that suit you.
Albums, Fine-Art Prints & Digital Photographs
Some families want the ease of digital photographs. Others want an album they can return to, or fine-art prints that become part of their home. You can choose the format that feels right for you rather than buying a fixed package.
Albums are made by an artisan album maker using materials chosen for their quality and longevity. Boxed fine-art prints are also available. I’ll guide you if you would like help, but there is no expectation to choose a particular product.
- Albums from £495
- Boxed fine-art prints from £345
- Full collection of digital photographs, £695
This experience may suit you if . . .
You would prefer a weekend session
You would value personal help with location, clothing and preparation
Someone in your family feels anxious or particularly uncomfortable being photographed
You want the flexibility of an at-home session or a location chosen specifically for you
You would prefer an unhurried session with room for pauses and changes of pace
You want to choose your own photographs and decide between digital images, an album or prints afterwards
A few practical questions
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Perfect behaviour is never expected.
Children don’t need to sit still, smile on command or behave in a particular way. Sessions are relaxed and adapt to their energy, mood and needs. We can move, play, pause or change direction as we go.
Some children take a little while to settle in; others arrive with lots of energy. Both are absolutely fine. My job is to work with the family in front of me, rather than expecting everyone to behave in a certain way.
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Yorkshire’s weather can be unpredictable, so we’ll keep an eye on the forecast and make a decision close to the session.
Cloud, light wind or an occasional light shower needn’t spoil the photographs. If the conditions genuinely aren’t suitable, however, we’ll rearrange. I don’t want you to spend the session feeling cold, uncomfortable or worrying about the rain.
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Sessions can take place outdoors or in your own home.
I photograph families across Harrogate, North Yorkshire, Ilkley, the Wharfe Valley, the Yorkshire Dales and the wider Yorkshire area. Travel within 25 miles of Bingley is included.
I’m happy to suggest places I know work well or help you choose somewhere that already means something to your family. We’ll consider the season, accessibility and what your family will feel most comfortable doing there.
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The standard session is for up to ten people.
That might be one immediate family or a small family group that includes grandparents. If you would like to include more people, please ask. Larger or extended-family sessions can often be arranged but may need a little more time and planning.
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We take one.
There is time for children, and adults, to pause, have something to eat or drink, or step away from the camera for a while. I can photograph other family members or put the camera down completely.
The session isn’t run to a rigid sequence, so a break doesn’t mean anything has gone wrong. It is part of working with real people.
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I want you to feel like yourselves.
We’ll talk about clothing during the planning process, and I’ll help you bring everything together without giving you a rigid set of rules. Muted colours, natural tones and a mixture of textures and layers usually photograph beautifully, but comfort and feeling like yourselves matter most.
You won’t be left to work it out alone, and there is no expectation that everyone should look perfectly matched.
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Once your photographs have been individually edited, we’ll arrange a viewing appointment, either in person or online.
You’ll see your full gallery for the first time and have time to take everything in. I’ll guide you through the options and help if you would like it, but you won’t be rushed into making decisions.
You can choose digital photographs, a beautifully made album or a collection of fine-art prints. There is no fixed collection to purchase, and you don’t have to choose digital photographs if you would prefer an album or prints.
“I overheard R, after his friend asked if it was embarrassing doing a photo shoot, saying, ‘No, it’s alright, the guy that does it is nice’ – the highest praise from a 16-year-old!”
Laura, photographed in Helmsley
Getting in touch
If the Full Family Experience feels right for you, you’re very welcome to get in touch.
Tell me a little about your family, where you’re based and what you are hoping for. From there, we can talk things through and see whether working together feels right.
There’s no obligation, just a friendly conversation to see whether working together feels right.
Looking for something simpler?
If you would prefer a shorter weekday session, a fixed local location and a collection of digital photographs included from the outset, a Simple Family Session may be a better fit.