I could just photograph families in France forever and ever… although I’d never actually been to the Loire Valley before, so my biggest thanks to this family for asking me to meet them there! I was also able to visit the historic city of Tours on my way in, which was brilliant as well.
I was chatting with one of the girls about their travels to France from their home in New Zealand, and telling her that my transit to Hong Kong each year is very long–about sixteen hours. Well, her reply was that their journey was at least double that… so I was promptly put in my place as to what a lengthy journey is (with four children, including a baby to boot)! What an adventure they had together: I hope that these portraits are forever a beautiful memento of their trip.
This session lives in my mind as the most wonderful memory, one I’ll never forget.
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about the session: lighting
We had to shoot earlier in the evening than I generally like to, due to the closing hours of the Château grounds, and the clouds were also passing very quickly overhead –changing my lighting almost by the second from overcast to full sun– this made the light a bit challenging, but also interesting! You’ll see in one of the last shots, I photographed in full direct sun, which I almost never do: but the background of the full castle just couldn’t be missed. Château Villandry and grounds were breathtaking, as was the little town of Villandry outside its walls.
Gear: Canon 5D Mark IV + 50mm 1.2
