I was booked for an extended family photoshoot at the Plantation Gardens in Norwich, one of my favourite spots in Norfolk. The photoshoot was a birthday gift from the two (grown up) children, bought for their dad's milestone birthday. A photoshoot is such a lovely gift for a parent, my mum adores the family photos she has hung on her wall that we organised for her.

Although I love taking the ore informal photo it’s not just about those shots. Sometimes you want a slightly more formal family photo, something a little more traditional to hang on the wall or on the mantelpiece.

This family were very organised, they’d even discussed a colour scheme, everyone looked great in blue and white. I made sure I had time to grab some quick shots of the children running around plantation gardens as although the main brief from the family was for the slightly more formal family photographs I knew the relaxed shots of the children running around would be enjoyed too.

A big part of my job ensuring everyone enjoys the experience of being photographed. Whether it's a wedding or family shoot it's not always everyones comfort zone. The session was predominantly about group photos, I wanted to make sure I got as many different family combinations, so there was something for everyone.

It’s so hard to buy for parents, I know from my own family that photos start to become more important. It’s so common for families not to be in the same city anymore, they can even be on the other side of the world. When getting together is a rarer and rarer occurrence, it’s even more special when it happens, it’s lovely to mark these occasions with extra special photoshoot.

I was told this family really enjoyed the excuse to get everyone together. I also discovered a top tip from the Mum, always have some biscuits handy, the perfect reward for smiling nicely!