Being booked by families for their annual family photo shoot is a real honour. Not only do I find families feel more comfortable returning to the same photographer they've built a relationship with, but I also get to develop really lovely friendships and watch their children grow over the years.
I was first asked to photograph Lizzy and Jasper's wedding back in 2019 at Oxnead Hall, it was a beautiful day spent celebrating a beautiful couple. In 2020 I was told they were expecting their first baby so we shot a maternity shoot at the same location they were married, which was so special. I have since photographed them as their son Alfie turned one and then as a very busy and speedy two-year-old!
What we got up to on Alfie's 2nd Birthday shoot!
For Alfie's second birthday shoot, they choose a family shoot by the seaside town of Sheringham, Norfolk as the backdrop. They chose this location as Jasper was brought up by the beach in Cornwall and hopes for his son to have many happy experiences by the seaside - just like him. The three of us chatted over the phone about location ideas before the shoot and how we could make the most out of our time together. It was my mission to make it the perfect day for them and produce images they could cherish forever.
I made sure to find several perfect locations within Sheringham all close together. Each location was different, shooting in several locations is something I love to do as it offers a whole new range of images for the family. We made sure to use each spot differently and get the most out of the locations. The colourful beach huts by the seaside made for some beautiful and vibrant shots and of course, Alfie took charge with the bucket and spade! He adored climbing the boats and as a family, they explored the ropes and Buoys. My favourite location was the prehistoric mural as it was somewhat bizarre yet worked so beautifully well as a family shoot backdrop - what do you think? They took a splash in the sea which of course, resulted in a family water fight and finally ended on a high with ice cream by the rocks - result for Alfie!
The photos speak for themselves as Alfie's happy and wonderful character shines through, it has been a pleasure seeing how he’s changed over the past year. He was an absolute joy to photograph and seemed to love every minute of the day - I think we can all agree there’s nothing better than a day at the seaside! He was full of energy on the day of our shoot, he certainly kept his parents on their toes as he was always on the move. It's safe to say we all needed a rest by the end of the day but it was such a great day spent with the Keetch family!
Some kind words from Jasper...
I received this heartwarming message from Jasper upon seeing the photos:
“Hi Beth,
We've just looked through the photos and they are amazing beyond words!
Lizzy was letting out involuntary squeals as we scrolled through. They are perfect and so precious to us. You are so talented and have really captured us and Alfie so well. We're amazed at how grown up he looks, especially compared to the photos we took last year! I'm typing this message with an extremely emotional Lizzy next to me, who is adamant that she is not crying!
Thank you so much, we had such a great day and so nice to have these lovely pictures. The only issue is we've now "favourited" about 80% of them, so it will take a while to whittle down the ones to get printed!
Jasper”
This was a wonderful message to receive and to gain confirmation that I have succeeded in my role to give them a fantastic day full of memories they can keep forever. Family photoshoots are my favourite days as it is a joy to see happy and loving families come together and I take much pride in getting to capture these special moments!
I can’t wait to come together next year with The Keetch Family for Alfie's 3rd birthday - stay tuned to see what we get up to then!
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