A family session after lockdown: Capturing what really matters + a special surprise!
When I asked this family what made them decide that now was the right time for photographs, their answer immediately took me back.
“We chose to have our session when lockdown had come to an end in 2020. That year made us reflect on how special family is, and how important our time together is. We wanted to capture our family in that moment so we would always have memories of those ages and that time in our lives to look back on.”
There was something about that season that changed the way many of us viewed time. It felt uncertain. Slower in some ways. Fragile in others. For them, it created clarity. They did not want to wait for a milestone. The milestone was simply being together.
“Outdoor walks and adventures”
When I asked what they love most doing as a family, the answer was instant.
“Outdoor walks and adventures.”
It made perfect sense that their photoshoot would reflect that. Not stiff studio posing. Not asking the children to sit still under bright lights. Just open space, fresh air, and freedom to move.
I asked them to describe their children in three words.
“Caring, wild and funny.”
And that is exactly how the session felt. There was laughter echoing across the water as they splashed in the stream. There were bursts of energy followed by cuddles. There was wildness, yes, but also gentleness woven through it.
Remembering this chapter honestly
“We wanted candid moments showing our family dynamic, their crazy personalities, and the fun we all have together.”
Not perfection. Not polished smiles. Just truth.
They had experienced a studio based photoshoot before, and it had not gone as hoped.
“The children didn’t respond well to being sat and posed. The outcomes weren’t great.”
This time felt different from the start.
“This session was all in their own comfort zone, playing like they usually would, with our candid family moments captured, not forced ones.”
That distinction matters. Children rarely thrive when asked to perform. But when they are allowed to play, their personalities unfold naturally.
The nerves beforehand
“Having a neurodivergent child, I was worried that they wouldn’t want to be involved in the photos, or engage with a new person.”
It is a concern many parents hold quietly. Will my child cooperate? Will they feel overwhelmed? Will this be stressful?
But as the session unfolded, that fear eased.
“The session made us all feel comfortable and welcome. We were able to play and engage as a family as we usually would, meaning no uncomfortable or awkward posed photos. Just a candid, natural environment.”
The children surprised them.
“They loved it. They loved being themselves, being able to play and engage with us and the nature around them, splashing in the stream nearby. It felt natural and calm which eased them and made them comfortable in front of the camera.”
When pressure disappears, children often rise into themselves.
A moment none of us will forget
There was one moment during the session that carried even more weight than the rest.
“John had been secretly planning with Heather to propose during our family session.”
He chose to do it while they were surrounded by their children. While they were laughing. While everything felt ordinary and joyful.
“That felt extra special to me, to be candidly amongst our children, playing and laughing together, to have that moment captured was something we cherish.”
The proposal was not staged. It was not isolated from the chaos of family life. It happened within it.
And that is what made it powerful.
Seeing themselves differently
When I asked whether they noticed anything about their family or themselves when they saw the final photographs, their answer stayed with me.
“We didn’t care what we looked like, or how we were smiling or how ‘perfect’ we looked. It showed us that to our children we are perfect when we are running around with them, playing games and making each other happy.”
“It’s not about those perfect posed moments, more of those natural, cherished moments that count.”
There is something freeing in that realisation. That connection outweighs perfection. That presence matters more than posture.
The weight these photographs carry now
“They mean so much. We look back on them at a time in which the world was uncertain, but we had each other.”
There was another layer of significance too.
“It was also a huge milestone for us as it was the last time our family was ever captured as a family of four before we welcomed our final baby into the world.”
Photographs freeze chapters we do not always realise are closing.
What they would say to another family
If another parent was feeling unsure, worried their children would not engage or that it might feel awkward, what would they say?
“We had that worry that our children may not engage in the session or want to be in photographs. But actually, they were being captured just being them, playing and having fun. No forced photos, or posed and uncomfortable. Just them and us captured naturally, with no pressure.”
And if they were describing the experience in a few words?
“Our session was calm, fun, candid and lovely.”
Sometimes that is exactly what family photography should be.
And deeply, quietly meaningful.
To this beautiful family, thank you.
Thank you for trusting me with such a meaningful chapter of your story. Thank you for embracing the chaos, the laughter, the splashing feet and the quiet in between moments. And thank you for allowing me to witness and capture a proposal that will forever be woven into your family history.
It is never something I take lightly, being invited into seasons like this.
I am so grateful you chose me to document yours.