Winter Family Photo Session in Chichester
FLUDE FOTO
People often think that the best times for family photo shoots are in the summer when the sun is out, or in the autumn when the leaves are orange. But there's a magic to winter family photo sessions that's often overlooked. Winter is the time when we often get together with our wider family that we might not see as often as the Christmas season approaches. We all have memories of wrapping up warm and heading out on winter walks in the countryside with our loved ones, and that's why I think winter family shoots are special. They capture that nostalgic feeling that takes us back to our childhood Christmases.
This session was one of my favourites from last year, capturing multiple generations of the Francis family in Chichester. The session was booked by the three Francis siblings who wanted to treat their mum to the photo shoot as a birthday present, and also to coincide with Christmas. The siblings grew up in the Chichester area but some had moved away from West Sussex, so the session was a great opportunity to capture them all together again. We chose a beautiful spot up at Goodwood which looks beautiful during all seasons, and is easily accessible for everyone.
Each sibling brought along their respective partners, so as well as photographing the whole family together, we broke off into smaller groups for smaller couple and family photos.
One of the Francis siblings had a small daughter, who was a bit shy at first, but quickly came out of her shell and warmed up to the camera. This is why I much prefer subtle direction and a relaxed go-with-the-flow style to my sessions, as it allows everyone to feel comfortable and results in images that are authentic and natural.
Since the session was for mum's birthday, we of course had to capture lots of photos for her that she'd love to hang on the wall, which included her with her partner, kids, and granddaughter. I always give simple advice on what to wear for family photo sessions if people are unsure, with a preference on what you're most comfortable in, but I do suggest that a bit colour coordination never goes amiss. In this instance I don't think it was even planned, but there was a lovely theme of red that followed through everyone's outfits, from coats, to hats, to jumpers, to hair! It gave the session a bit of a Christmassy vibe and added some vibrance to the more subtle colours of the West Sussex winter landscape.
I love capturing the dynamics between siblings because it often comes out so naturally without much direction needed at all. You could tell that the three Francis siblings were really close and their playful and lighthearted relationship made for some really fun images of everyone laughing, smiling, and being silly.
