The Nel Family - Canberra Family Photographer

I love autumn time in Canberra. The wonderful colours that you experience with the leaves changing colour and the beautiful afternoon light. When you combine that with an awesome family you know that you are going to have an EPIC photo session.

I loved so much about this family, there was Ninke, a six year old with so much energy and get up and go. She was equally matched by her sweet little sister Ariane, who was only three years old almost turning four. Both went along with any of my crazy suggestions and ideas to make it a memorable photo session.

For an autumn day at the Arboretum, it certainly felt more like an early winter’s day as the wind was so fresh and cool. But we did not let that get in the way of an awesome photo shoot. The Arboretum was full of people making use of the sunny yet cool weather, There was even a bride and groom getting their photos taken at the same time. We kept away from them and headed for the location that overlooks the lake and Woden. With the cloudy blue sky, it simply looked stunning.

The girls looked absolutely stunning with their red sparkly dressed that shimmed and shined in the sunlight. We had lots of fun as we struggled with the sun passing behind the clouds. But the kids wanted Mum and Dad to join in with the fun and games that we were playing.

After a little while we moved into the forest of cedars from some more photographs. We were wishing hard for the sun to come out capture the girls and the family in the beautiful golden sunlight. We had a beautiful wander through the sunlits trees before heading up to the Wide Brown Land Sculpture.

When we got up to the sculpture, it gave us a chance to reflect on the EPIC photo session that we had. We captured some stunning photos from the sessions. We did not let the cool wind that was blowing the girls had everywhere to interfere with our fun.

The things to remember to bring to a family photo session

The lead up to a family portrait can be very stressful for the parents with a million things potentially getting in the way of a successful portrait session – a sudden change in the weather, screaming children or dad staining his clothes before the car has left the driveway!!

They have many things that they need to remember and inattentively something always gets left behind.  Here is my list of things that it is always important to bring to the portrait session to ensure a fun, enjoyable and successful day.

1.      Water – While the family photo session is likely to go for an hour to an hour and a half, it is important to bring a couple of bottles of water for the children.  While they are a great tool for keeping the kids quiet.

2.      Snacks - Don’t show up to a photo shoot on an empty stomach. Regardless of the time of the photo shoot, it is important to arrive with some snacks, especially for the children.  Be sure to give everyone a healthy snack before the photo shoot. There are no food options at the Yarralumla Woolshed. But if you forget snack there are cafes close by at Weston Park and the Arboretum.

3.      A change of clothes for the kids – accidents do happen to young children especially when on location environments.  A set of back up clothes are just perfect for these unexpected accidents.  And if you do not need them for these accidents, they are perfect for a second look.  

4.      Baby wipes – These are just perfect for an unexpected accident.  Wipes are always great for on-the-go touch-ups and help if you suddenly notice a runny nose. 

5.      A blanket - This is brilliant, especially on-location shoots.  Keeping wardrobes clean and adding an extra layer or colour or texture are always bonuses. This is especially important at the Arboretum as there are few places to seat there.

6.      Insect spray – When shooting on location there may be some unwelcome visitors, such as bugs and mosquitoes. A can of Rid or Aeroguard will keep those unwelcome visitors at bay and kids safe from mozzie bites. Any photo experiences around the lake, like Weston Park or Lennex Gardens, it is strongly advised to bring insect spray.

7.      Props – Do not forget any props that you might wish to use during the photo session.  The purpose of bringing props along is to personalize your images, to add some visual interest, and to create activity-based photography.

Props enable the family to show off their personality or identify your hobbies or talents. 

8.      Bribe - oops did I really say offer the kids a bribe, sorry I meant reward for being patient and willing to do everything asked of them. Photo shoots are the rare case where it is okay to offer children a small bribe! These small rewards will help to overcome meltdowns when the pressure just gets too much. A good place to go to after a photo session at the Arboretum is the Visitor Centre.

9.      Beer – Did I mention beer?  Sometimes the husband needs a little encouragement and what better way is there to loosen up. 

Most of all, do not forget the kids who will be bouncing around with excitement on the day of the photo sessions!!

Plan a surprise or a special treat like ice cream or mini-golf after the shoot, so that they look forward to the entire day. You don’t want your kids to think of the photo shoot as something scary, or worse, a chore.