Take Advantage of Autumn

Although the weather gets predictably gloomier around now the same cannot be said for my mood. This is – and always has been – my favourite time of year. The ever-shifting colours, the coolness in the air, the shorter days: whatever the reason, I find this to be one of the most enjoyable and creative times to be working as a portrait photographer. The end of the summer also seems to bring plenty of opportunities for portrait photography. 

Katy had booked me to create images of her and her young family – twin boys and a very bouncy terrier! Katy is a long-standing client of our business – we first worked with her on a book she had co-authored on raising twins. She is energetic, smart and, frankly, lovely so it’s always a thrill to be working with her. 

The Thought Process

Although we are lucky to have a fantastic studio and gardens here in Haddenham, whenever the mood takes me, I will grab my camera and host the shoot out on location. With two small boys and a dog, I thought it would be an opportunity to go on an autumn country walk. The psychology of parking up, finding the route and then spending an hour or two, strolling, chatting, laughing and occasionally stopping to create an image, seems to work for my clients – particularly those with small children. And the autumn colours can be incredibly vibrant too! 

I nearly always take just one camera and a single lens along with me, although I have spares in the car of course should the worst happen. I just love the freedom it brings – no lights, no camera bags, no reflectors: just me, my camera, my client and a little imagination! 

In these Covid-19 days, of course, it’s also a very safe way to work: outdoors and at more than two metres. The weather plays its part, of course, but if you can learn to live with what you’re given then this way of working certainly has its advantages. 

I didn’t know what Katy wanted to buy at this stage – this would only unfold during the session itself – but I knew that if I created joyous, aspirational images, then we would be in an excellent position to sell something for the wall, or maybe even an album of the whole shoot. Either way, the location and the experience needed to be truly memorable. 

The Session

This particular walk is a linear one, rather than a loop, which gives the benefit of being able to scout for images on the way out that can be shot on the return leg. The final image was one of those that I spotted as we headed out. Of course, the light on the return trip is running in precisely the opposite direction to the camera as it was on the way out, so you need to bear this in mind when considering your options. 

Katy is a…