So…. its christmas coming up, or had you not noticed under the torrent of sentimental adverts? So whats a good christmas present? …. a lovely photo of you and your family… thats what I have been doing these last few weeks, with wedding season behind me, I have been revelling in the gorgeous Autumn light and taking lovely family photos for people to give to their loved ones as treasured gifts…..and some lovely ones I have taken too!

As a photographer you would think I would have loads of lovely photos of us all, but when it comes to me and my family trying to get a shot of us all together is nigh on impossible.

And this is what happens when we try!! .. this isn’t set up for the blog .. this is genuinely what happened on sunday when trying to get one pic of the six of us all to send to relatives…!!

Let me explain… I am a single mum of two little lovelies (not so little anymore nearly 8 and 9, but they’re still little to me), I have a long term and gorgeous fella, together for over 6 years, but not living together…struggling artist and musician couple makes for no money but a happy heart.  He has two beautiful daughters, one is 20 and away at uni, the other is 17, I love them both dearly.  We have a wonderful mash up of people and we all have a blast when we’re all together … we are very lucky indeed … but to get us all in one place… not easy…..

I had a beautiful location in mind, we had the perfect winter sunshine in place and most of the gang together … I was also taking some photos of some friends too as a thank you for all their help over the year… invaluable you are to me and I loves ya!

As a photographer I always have a strong idea of what I want and always find it hard relinquishing responsibility to someone else… I also HATE having my picture taken … the perfect subject!! Also my son, Kalo, who I had tried to bribe with five whole english pounds to wear some jeans and not his joggers ( didnt work … A fiver!! I would have jumped at the chance at 9 … I reaslise what some of you must be thinking… bribing a 9 year with a fiver … thats a lot of money ….true … but he is VERY attached to the joggers and has a massive aversion to anything else … I had to bring out the big guns!! not big enough apparently) … well he was set to sabotage the whole thing from the off ….. the day ended with the boys all in their wife beaters, soaking wet from rolling down a soggy hill, fake fighting and being quite hilarious …..

Such a little monkey!!

Although my vision of our perfect photoshoot didn’t quite meet my expectations I did get some lovely and some very funny shots of us all …..

I promise if you’re a paying customer this isn’t how a shoot usually goes … unless thats what you’re after of course!!

(Ava actually scares me in the photo above!!)