I Love Bread & Jam in the Early Evening Sun

I am often asked, "What is the best time of day to do a photo shoot?". When working on location in the summer the answer always has to be early in the morning of last thing in the afternoon ... why? Well, the light ... it's everything, especially in the summer and, crikey we've been having some wonderful weather at the moment haven't we? Is this really April??

Honestly, there is nothing worse than shooting in the middle of the day when the harsh sun makes people squint and the light is SO unflattering. My advice is always to go for a time when the sun is low - that golden hour just before the sun sets is perhaps my favourite time of the day to capture portraits. Yes, this is often when children are not at their best but a quick afternoon nap often sorts out that problem and keeping them busy with lots playing and exploring does the trick too.

Let me show you what I mean ... Unseasonably I got the opportunity to visit one of my favourite spots a couple of weeks ago with 3 wonderful little girls. This was the final shoot for the fashion company Bread & Jam (if you haven't already checked out their dresses ... DO!). It was an impromptu affair. A last minute call to get down to the meadow. It had been a wonderfully sunny day and I just knew the light would be perfect. Picnic? Check. Dresses? Check. Stylist? Check (thanks again Lorna, you are marvelous).

I knew the look I wanted for this session - it'd been swimming around in my head for weeks. It had to be something that evoked the feel of the summer. Those days when you can still feel the heat of the days sun on your skin. It had to be playful. It had to be innocent with a touch of vintage thrown in for good measure ...


Yes, it's true. I have an unhealthy obsession with vintage cameras. To me they are just things of total beauty.


What child could resist such a fantastic den? We had great fun just playing around to get those natural playful shots that I craved. Tea anyone?


They ran, they twirled, they were themselves.





That's a wrap! Lying back on the picnic blanket - exhausted after rolling around on the floor, I just knew I had the shots I wanted in my camera. It didn't feel like work. A nice chilled out evening in a deserted meadow with friends and carrot cake ... perfect.

There were so many images from the evening that I found it hard to narrow it down for this post. Want to see more? Check out this short slideshow ...



I would like to say a BIG thank you to everyone who was involved in this session. To the wonderful girls, to the parents for coming down at such short notice (and for the cake), to Lorna who is perhaps the most creative mind that I know and to Bread & Jam who kindly loaned me their beautiful designs. I can not be grateful enough.

If you would be interested in a similar setting for your family portraits then stay tuned. I have a very special announcement coming up in the next few days. If you are a subscriber to my newsletter you will find out first. The offer is going to be very limited so, if you haven't signed up yet then you just may want to. Click here to register and you get a voucher for a free print too (worth £15!).