One of the best Children's Portrait Photographer working in greater london that may be located

A child’s portrait should be an effortless one. Uncomplicated, unhurried and often unplanned! I've got 3 sons. I should know!

I am not a big fan of studio-based children’s portraits. Though you may get brilliant outcomes, it can be regarded as a big ask to expect the child to stay still and pose if all they want to go about doing is unplug the lights and topple over cameras! I also feel that possibly the final photographs could be a little unnatural, regardless of if you’ve managed to coax the subject towards sitting still for 10 seconds and gazing in the vague direction of the lens!

For me, the best children’s photographs happen while they are chipper in an environment they feel safe in devoid of vinyl backdrops, looming soft boxes and loose wiring to trip over. Strive for natural reportage photography with minimal poses and cheesy grins!

My initial preference is going to be the security of a child’s family home. It is their personal surroundings, it is risk-free and it is the place where they’re likely to be happiest. I usually meet with families ahead of the day of the photo session. It's an ideal opportunity to review the location as well as build up a relationship with all of those taking part. It is a very beneficial time commitment to help arrange a fun and relaxed session. Well that’s the plan!

My own arrangement is fairly minimal. I’ll make use of the maximum amount of natural light as possible with a Lastolite Tri-flector and also if need be, an off camera speedlight (or two) within a Lastlolite Ezybox. I favour prime lenses (Nikkor f1.4 50mm and an f1.8 85mm. They are fast and provide better image quality over zooms though the drawback means you will need to move about far more to frame up. In case a child is very energetic I then may well revert towards the diligent f2.8 24-70mm!

The next destination worth looking at is the nearby park, if possible one the child is familiar with. With the exception of wet weather or intense cold it really doesn’t matter what the season or light. I’m fortunate enough to live near a few superb parks, Dulwich, Battersea and Peckham Rye Park. They offer very different settings and I love the wild spots which are now typically reserved allowing the long grass and natural fauna to flourish. The best time of year is definitely autumn as the golden sunlight compliments the warm colours of the fallen foliage covering the grass as well as the small mounds formed by the wind clustering them together.

If you live within a short journey to the coast, then my next option will have to be the beach. Sand and children go together just like Marmite on hot toast! Regrettably the camera is not as enamoured with sand, so windy days at the beach are a no go. But what is better than the bluish green sea as a backdrop as well as the shimmering sands, high cliffs, craggy stones and enormous boulders? It does not need to be a deserted beach front either and one of my favourite destinations is bustling Brighton featuring its famous piers (one just a burnt out wreck) as well as some really beautiful areas, that make it a really superb location.

As you can imagine the 3 spots above are not finite and there are several other choices such as a forest, a charming meadow, farmyards, adventure playgrounds and many more. The most important thing is that the child is happy and secure and ready to provide you with some great pictures.