Family Portrait Session FAQs

No. My Inverness business address is a PO Box and not a studio. I spend the bulk of my time on wedding photography, out on location, so it wouldn't make financial sense for me to invest in a studio.

Also, I'm not overly excited by studio photography as everyone's pictures end up looking the same! I'd much rather photograph your family in a place that has special meaning for you. This approach appeals to me way more than being in a hot, stuffy studio with a boring white backdrop.

I LOVE working with natural light so prefer to be outdoors. I think this also helps with capturing natural and fun images. However, I’m also happy to work indoors, especially if you have a young baby or if the weather isn’t great.

If you like, we can capture a few images in your home or holiday accommodation before heading out to the garden or a nearby location that means something special to your family, such as a local beach or woodland. Your family is unique and I want to reflect this in my photography!

Most importantly, your family photoshoot is going to be enjoyable! This is how to sell it to your other half and the kids! I’m very down-to-earth and easy to get along with, so we’ll soon ‘break the ice’, which will help everyone to relax in front of the camera.

I’ll capture lots of photographs, with different combinations of people, in different settings, and I’ll show you how to sit or stand so that the photos look very natural and not overly posed.

I’ll also capture some completely candid shots. It’s a great opportunity for me to take a step back and capture your family interacting as though I wasn’t there.

Ideally we’ll use more than one location so that there’ll be a good amount of variety in the images but also because everyone will feel more comfortable around the camera as time goes on (the best pictures are often the ones captured in the second half of the photoshoot).

This is Scotland; the weather is the one thing that’s beyond our control! Heavy rain, high winds or thick fog would put a stop to an outdoor photoshoot. Depending on the weather conditions, we might be able to go ahead but have to re-think our location, e.g. we’d want to avoid the beach on a windy day and move inland instead. Alternatively, we can work indoors in your home or holiday accommodation.

For an outdoor session, I suggest that we arrange a preferred date but be open to the idea of re-scheduling in the event of a particularly bad weather forecast. Don’t worry, you wouldn’t be charged extra if we move the date due to the weather.

I want the photos to reflect you as a family, so wear what you would normally wear but give some thought to the following.

Firstly, avoid really bright colours, as these will overpower the emotions in the photographs. Also, try to avoid big logos on clothing. Some people insist on wearing black but it doesn't give the best results.

Your best bet is to wear natural colours that fit with the season, such as greens and blues in summer. You should also try to coordinate with each other, e.g. everyone dresses in blue and white tones. However, please try to avoid matching outfits.

I've created a really useful free download with my top tips on what to wear to your family photoshoot, complete with photos to inspire you!

The best approach is to let me deal with the kids as much as possible. I know this is hard but it’ll be more difficult for me to capture great images if you’re angry and the kids are upset.

Also, if one of the kids doesn’t want to do something, then let’s not force them to. Tears, frowns and red faces are not a good look. Don’t worry if someone has a meltdown! We can take a break then return to the photos once everyone’s calmed down (and I won’t be clock-watching, I promise).

If you feel really strongly about not being in the photos, then I won’t force you into the pictures! Think carefully though. Your kids won’t care about the way you look but they, and you, will treasure these family photographs in years to come. I’m hoping that the experience will be enjoyable enough that you’ll soon forget about any insecurities.

I’m an animal lover and always like to get furry companions involved! I suggest we do photos with and without the animals, and we can plan the locations around this.

Yes, I do natural newborn sessions, and also take a natural approach with older babies and children. You might have seen photos of newborns in various poses (typically asleep and often with props). Whilst I appreciate this style of photography, it’s a very specialised genre and not what I do! Click here to find out more.

I'm happy to have a 15-20 minute chat via phone or video call in advance of your family photoshoot. This will help me to find out more about your family, and you can get to know me better too! We can discuss locations, the weather, what to wear, etc. After our call, you’ll be feeling excited and will know exactly what to expect on the day!

I’m based on the Black Isle so I do most of my family sessions in the Inverness area. If you’re not too far away (e.g. Tain, Drumnadrochit, etc.), I’ll be happy to travel to you. If you’re based much further afield, we can discuss an additional fee to cover my travel, or you’re welcome to travel to my neck of the woods!

A lot of people are, understandably, looking for bargains at the moment, but please remember the long-term value of these pictures. Your kids are only young once. To capture this precious time in your life, please book an experienced and reliable professional!

The fee you pay to your family photographer won’t just cover their time on the day of the photoshoot and it certainly won’t go straight into their savings account. As a sole trader, I have numerous business costs to cover. Think about the time and effort that goes into a professional photographer’s marketing, so that you even know they exist. Don’t forget, your family session will be followed by meticulous post-production work in order to deliver the very best results.

I know these are challenging times for everyone. I’ve frozen my prices since 2022 and I’m happy to consider a flexible payment option. For instance, we can look at splitting your payment over a couple of months. Images will be delivered once the balance is paid in full.

I offer a range of family photography packages (click here and scroll down the page). I'm also happy to prepare a bespoke package for you, if needed.

If you've decided to go ahead... fantastic! Please use the contact form or book a call with me.

To go ahead, I’ll just need you to complete an online booking form and transfer the balance. I'm open to discussing flexible payment options, if needed.