Cheshire and Wirral Family Photography At Home or Outdoors
Your baby isn’t a baby any longer. Instead they’re asking you endless questions, turning your sofa into a fort and dressing up as a different Disney character every day of the week!
Or is that just me?!
We are at the centre of our childrens’ world for such a brief time and we make every effort to give them a childhood full of magical memories, but how many of those memories are captured in frame-worthy photographs? How many photographs will our children have with their Mum to look back on when they’re older?
As a Mum myself I understand the temptation to shy away from the camera at times. My relaxed family portrait sessions are designed to help you feel confident enough to STEP INTO THE FRAME and exist beautifully and proudly in your family’s story.
I’m just as passionate about photographing the connection between parent and child at every stage of childhood, as I am about capturing portraits of the child themselves.
My aim is always to capture sweet and honest interactions. I’ll document the quiet moments you spend reading a story together or whispering secrets, as well as the louder moments tickling or playing chase! I’ll then take your favourites and create beautiful fine art prints you love enough to hang in pride of place in your home.
If you’d like more of an insight into how I work then check out this article where I break down my approach to family photography.
“Victoria is the absolute best at what she does!
We did our family shoot later in the day to take advantage of the most beautiful summer evening light. We were all slightly flustered when we arrived, but Victoria was calm and patient and put us at ease.
the results are better than I ever could have imagined. Her artwork now takes pride of place in our home. With young children life is always 100mph and it can be hard to pause and take it all in. We are so lucky to have these moments so beautiful captured and we will treasure them always.”
— Alice Gibson
RELAXED Family Portrait Sessions At Home
Many of my early years portraits take place at home, because that's where most of life happens during that season.
Your home is where all those fleeting every day moments occur. So many of our childrens’ firsts happen there… their first smile, their first steps and their first words. We think we’ll remember all the happy details of those years and of course some will become memories, but inevitably many will be forgotten.
Photography has the power to take those everyday moments at home and freeze them in time.
As an outsider I notice the fleeting details in your family life that you likely take for granted and capturing those on film can take the mundane and turn it into something timeless, cinematic and artful.
For a good example of everyday goodness in black and white, check out this ‘Day In The Life’ documentary family session captured on the Wirral on grainy Ilford 3200 film.
Family Portrait Sessions In The Great Outdoors
Most children love to be outside exploring the natural world around them and for me, photographing families at play together in nature is just lovely! There are so many beautiful natural environments to choose from when it comes to planning your outdoors family portraits, check it out this list of my top ten outdoor locations for family photography.
A family photography session is an opportunity to bank some beautiful memories at a location that means something to you and your family. It could be as simple as your local park or as extravagant as a favourite holiday destination!
As a professional film family photographer I lean into the inherently slower process of analogue photography, which encourages families to be in the moment.
There’s no rapid fire shutter clicking and no checking the back of the screen to see how the photos are looking. Instead I aim to capture natural family portraits that show the connection between you and your children in a location that roots the session in the time of year as well as the location.
“As a Mum, I'm usually the one behind the camera, capturing the memories of my two kids and my husband. Very rarely does anyone take a photo of me with my kids!
I'm so grateful to Victoria for capturing our family's story over the years. the quality of the photos she takes is exceptional and the fact that they’re shot on film makes them feel ALL THE MORE PRECIOUS SOMEHOW.
we now have a beautiful collection of printed family portraits to treasure, gift to grandparents and make our house feel like home.”
- Sarah Cousens
Day In The Life SESSIONS
Sometimes a traditional portrait session isn't quite what you want. Sometimes what you want is the ordinary Saturday — the bed head, the toast crumbs, the negotiation over shoes — because they’re the daily details that you'll miss one in years to come.
A Day in the Life session is documentary in its approach. I photograph exclusively on cinematic, grainy Ilford 3200 black and white film and I stay out of the way.
I don’t intervene or pose. Instead I spend a few hours noticing and capturing the moments that matter between you and your family, all together in your own habitat.
These are some of my favourite sessions to shoot and they make the most extraordinary albums!
You can expect Day in the Life sessions to last around 4-5 hours. We’ll dig into all the little things you feel reflect this chapter in your story during our pre-session consultation and we can plan for those things to happen, whilst still capturing them in a natural way as they unfold in the moment.
Take a look at part one and part two of this Day in the Life session in Hoylake on the Wirral for inspiration.
DESTINATION SESSIONS
Most of my work happens across Cheshire and the Wirral, but I do travel. We recently renovated a VW Crafter and love nothing more than an excuse to hit the road with our girls and visit a new place!
I've photographed families across the UK and in France, often meeting them somewhere that already has special meaning for them
If you've got a holiday booked, a family gathering planned or somewhere you return to every year, do get in touch.
If you have a special location in mind which is further afield, let’s set it up:
- Northwest England, North Wales or London +£50
- UK +£200
- EU +£800
How it works
1. We talk. A proper conversation about your family, what you're picturing, and where you'd like to end up — on the wall, in an album, or both.
2. I’ll create a personalised brief and plan of action. Location, timing, what to wear. I'll help you choose somewhere that suits your family and the artwork you're after — have a look at my favourite portrait locations across Cheshire and the Wirral.
3. We shoot. [2 hours] No rapid-fire shutter, no checking the back of a screen. Just your family and me quietly working around you.
4. Your film goes on a great adventure to the Californian lab fairies. [4 weeks] Now that there is a whole generation of adults whose childhood’s were captured digitally, this is the part that surprises people… there's a wait whilst the film is developed and scanned by IMHO the best lab in the world. But it's so worth it! You can read more about exactly what happens to your film after your session on my blog.
5. The reveal. I’ll invite you to come to my studio, sync into the sofa with a cuppa and a box of popcorn and carve out a slice of the day to see your photographs for the first time. This is one of my favourite parts of the job and the next bit is so much fun too! It’s where photography meets interior design. I’ll be there to help you decide how you’d like to enjoy your portraits in printed artwork for your home.
6. Your artwork arrives. [2-3 weeks]
This is a luxury full service portrait experience, leading to heirloom prints that will make your house feel like home.
Why have family portraits TAKEN on film?
If you’re the sort of person who can see why it might be worth playing an LP over an MP3, then you’ll likely feel the same way when you compare a film photograph to a digital one.
I’ve worked professionally as a digital photographer, a hybrid photographer AND a film photographer over the past 17 years. And I can tell you that the primary reason I choose to capture family photographs on medium format film is the cinematic and soulful quality of the images it allows me to create.
Quentin Tarantino famously said “Shooting on digital is like eating a veggie burger, film is like eating a steak.”
If you’re ready to slow down, embrace a brief digital detox in the age of AI and be completely present in the moment during your portrait session, then the analogue photography experience is right for you.
At a time when everything is instant, film is the love language of those who still believe in taking their time to craft something meaningful.
Investment
What’s included in your portrait session fee:-
- Initial consultation and bespoke brief crafting
- 2 hour professional portrait session at a Cheshire or Wirral location, in the studio or further afield
- Medium format film and all professional hand-processing
- In-person gallery appointment
- Approximately 50-70 fully edited high resolution images available for purchase
- Data storage of all final images for 5 years
This session fee reflects more than just time spent together; it’s an investment in a highly personalised photography experience, from the moment you enquire to the moment you hold your finished artwork in your hands.
FAMILY PORTRAIT SESSION FEE IS £375
DAY IN THE LIFE PORTRAIT SESSION FEE IS £475
If you have a special location in mind which is further afield, let’s set it up:
- London or Northwest England/North Wales outside 20 miles of Chester +£50
- UK +£200
- EU +£800
“Victoria is a wonderfully talented photographer who captures honest and natural pictures you will treasure for a lifetime.
Not only does she have an incredible eye for what elevates a photo to a work of art, she also has a way of putting everyone at ease so you can relax and enjoy the experience.
Victoria photographed our wedding, newborn sessions and countless family shoots on film with all three of our children. They are the best pictures we have together and we’re so grateful to her!”
- Chloeanne Thompson
Prints, albums and wall art
I'm not going to send you a digital gallery and leave you to figure out what to do next.
There are billions of digital photographs languishing on the cloud or on hard drives. The vast majority of photos taken today are appreciated in the moment, then forgotten. I've seen it happen so many times with my clients over the years and as a Mum of two I’m also guilty of it myself.
For this reason, I offer something different. What I make for families is artwork: fine art prints, framed pieces and handcrafted albums. Prints your children can hold, framed photographs that will bring comfort and joy every single day and albums that will become your family treasures.
All sourced from professional suppliers in the UK who share my passion for high quality craftsmanship and sustainability, my printed products are built to last a lifetime and longer. I want the photographs we capture now to become family treasure that you pass on to your grandchildren one day.
Clients typically invest between £800 – £2000 on a selection of legacy matted print boxes, handcrafted heirloom albums, gift folios and framed artwork. You’ll choose only what you love, with no minimum spend and no pressure.
You’ll receive a complimentary web resolution digital image for every photograph purchased in print and high resolution digital files are also available for purchase.
“Despite the chaos of a wet British morning and two preschoolers running the show, Victoria brought a calm, thoughtful energy that made THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE feel very natural.
It didn’t feel staged or stressful; she was just part of the day, quietly capturing everything as it unfolded.”
— Tray Epps
Frequently Asked Questions
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A typical family session will take 90 minutes to 2 hours.
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Soft, comfortable clothes, in colours that work together rather than matching exactly.
Avoid big logos and busy patterns as they can date and pull the eye away from your faces.
Take a look at this blog post I wrote with more detailed advice around what to wear on a family photo shoot.
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Not at all! I don't ask children to sit still… the photographs I'm after are the ones where they're playing or connecting with you and that only happens if they're allowed to move. Bring snacks, expect chaos and leave the rest to me.
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I’m yet to meet a man who’s over the moon at the thought of doing a family photo shoot, my partner included!
My approach is super relaxed and fun, so I promised he’ll be fine 10 minutes in.
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Obviously with film the turnaround time is a little longer, but I aim to invite you to come and see your gallery 6 weeks after your session.
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We move indoors to my studio or a different location. If you have your heart set on a particular outdoor location then we can reschedule.
Flat grey light is actually very kind to faces, so drizzle isn't the disaster it sounds like, but nobody enjoys a downpour!
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Yes, and I'd encourage it. Intergenerational photographs are the ones families treasure most.
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Cheshire, the Wirral and Chester as standard, with no travel fee within 20 miles of Chester. I travel further afield by arrangement.