I’ve photographed this lovely bunch many times now, both in their home of Hong Kong, and their second home of the Netherlands! Last time for their photos in Holland we met at the windmills of Zaanse Schans just outside of Amsterdam, and this we chose Kasteel de Haar in Utrecht. I always love seeing them– we have the best time exploring new beautiful places! This session felt so idyllic; wandering the rose garden and watching the swans, and even venturing down overgrown paths to reach the other side of the lake– the result being one of the photos below, a landscape with the castle view in the background.
To the many, many families who have traipsed after me down questionable overgrown pathways, picked their way carefully around brambles or muck, climbed over any number of things for the perfect shot– thank you for always trusting me so completely! I’d never make you do it if it wasn’t worth it. ;)
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about the session: lighting and architecture
For this session, we shot a bit earlier than I prefer, due to the closing hours of the castle and grounds. The clouds were moving quickly, changing my lighting conditions by the minute from bright/overcast to full bright sun. When scouting a location before the session, even if I think it may stay overcast, I’ll pinpoint which direction the sun is in, so I can plan my backdrops to change quickly in case the full sun comes out.
When shooting at an ‘architectural’ location, I always like to capture aa few establishing shots– usually with the family a bit smaller, and showcasing the location (as with the first photo above). Then, I’ll pick a handful of closer vignettes that both flow together visually, and work well with the angle of the sun. Usually I’ll have a rough plan of which portraits we will attempt at which spot (i.e. children alone, children with mum, children with dad) but as everyone knows when working with children, flexibility is key! Young kids bring in so many variables already, that I find the best results always come from taking out any other variables I can, by being extremely prepared with the backdrops and ideal flow of the session.
Gear: Canon 5D Mark IV + 50mm 1.2
