Since we opened our Wimbledon studio in 2013 we’ve photographed children of all sorts of ages. This is just a small showcase of some of four favourites.
Fine Art Black and White Portraits
I’ve always enjoyed black and white photography and thankfully in the age of digital photography we no longer have to make a decision to choose either colour or black and white film (I’m showing my age now).
Although we present most of our images in colour our viewing software making it very easy to convert your images to black and white with just one quick click.
Many of the low key black background images we take just seem to look right in black and white.
First steps!
When we say that it’s been our pleasure to photograph and document people’s life events over the years we really do mean it. From time to time we actually get to experience some exciting firsts. As weddings photographers there are some firsts that you get at every wedding, the first kiss or the first dance but photographing babies isn’t so predictable.
This week a sleeping 10 month old turned up at the studio apparently feeling a little under the weather. After he woke up he was all smiles and was keen to explore the studio and move some of our furniture around.
Once we starting the photography session the smiles and good spirits continued and as he was able to stand whilst holding onto the chair we took a few shots of him doing just that.
The he decided that he was feeling confident enough to stand unaided AND THEN he felt like it was about time he took a little stroll over to mummy. It was at that point that mum shouted “it’s his first steps’ and I quickly glanced at the back of my camera to see what I captured.
This was the moment just as he placed his very first step and he looks like he was loving every minute of it.
There are many things that make my job an absolute pleasure and this certainly is one of them.
To scream or smile
We’re not all about taking pictures of smiling babies and toddlers in the studio. Oh no, sometimes the allure of a play centre that you just walked through to get to our studio for your photo session might be too much for some.
I know I’m not as fun as a toddler disco, a giant slide or a massive dancing cat but I do try to be.
This little superstar brought a wheelbarrow of smiles and sunshine into the studio which was somewhat of a contrast to the last time we saw her!
I picked this image out as a preview photo as it captured a little moment just before she decided to throw us another big grin but she does seem in the grasp of completive indecision.
The happiest 4 month old baby in London
As a baby photographer there’s two things that you hope for. The first is a smiley baby, the second is a baby that smiles all the way through the whole session. When this little chap arrived he brought with him a bucket load of smiles and I honestly think he is the happiest baby in London.
Not only that but he was almost sitting up on his own and was quite comfortable sitting in my office chair whilst we got everything in the studio ready for him.
All Smiles
Photographing babies is what we have become known for over the past few years but since we have opened our portrait studio at Eddie Catz in Wimbledon we have been photographing all sorts of different ages.
It’s still great when we have a family with a small baby in the studio and even better when they give big smiles like this!
Fine art portraits
Having come from a fine arts background (many years ago) I’ve always wondered what actually constitutes a fine art children’s portraits. Most of the time you see lots of black and white images or they have fancy backgrounds, but almost always you have the children looking very serious.
This little chap who came to visit us at the studio started off very serious indeed. It took him a while but really I think he was just trying to work out who I was and what I was up to with this big camera and flashing lights. Some children have the best serious faces ever and I think I’ll be adding this fella into my top ten!
We did get lots of smiles once we brought out the bubbles which after everything else fails always seems to get at least a little grin.
But this picture isn’t about smiles, it’s about creating a simple fine art children’s portrait, or at least my interpretation of one. Really what this picture is all about is THAT look. It’s a look you often get when photographing children and it almost says “what exactly do you want me to do Mr Photographer?”
