London Family Photography

(Lawrence, Ally & Family)

I photographed Lawrence and Ally’s wedding–intake of breath–ten years ago now.  A beautiful wedding at the amazing MC Motors hidden away in Dalston behind a local mini-market.  So long ago that I was still posting images with a watermark.  You can view the blog here: https://nicktuckerphotography.com/mc-motors-wedding-ally-lawrence/. Back then it was just the two of them.  Since then they’ve grown into a gorgeous family of five.

This was a half-day morning shoot and a beautiful soft wintery light poured in through the sash windows.  The morning light slants through dusty panes, painting patterns on mismatched mugs and sleepy slippers. This was my second family shoot for the Power family and even though I’ve only seen them three times in ten years it feels like catching up with old friends now, and since the last shoot they’ve added a lovely little boy to their two brilliantly spirted girls.

After a quick catch-up and half a coffee I start shooting.  I like to introduce the camera as soon as possible, while still chatting so it doesn’t change the mood of the family morning.  Of course the kids know they’re being photographed and that it’s a special occasion–they were allowed to choose their own clothes, with Ally quietly holding her breath to see what her daughters would appear in–but I want the morning to flow as naturally as possible within that context.  I’ll chat and get involved.  It’s not going to work if you try and pretend you’re not there among five people the way it can at a wedding with 100+ guests.  But at the same time it’s all about capturing the family dynamic.  The hugs, the games, the laughter, even the indoor cartwheels as they session moves along.

We move around the gorgeous house, mostly directed by the girls.  I love shooting in family homes because even the position of the rubber plants or the colour of the walls or the choice of snacks during downtime (you can’t expect the children to be fully involved for the full three hours, there are peaks and troughs, dips in energy before a brightly lit-up second wind) will tell their own story and trigger memories in just a few years time.

Session over I pack up my camera, memory card full of those images and future nostalgic moments, and just a really feel-good mood in the air.  The girls already arranging on their parents’ behalf when they’ll see me again.

This isn’t just a photo shoot; it’s a glimpse into the soul of a family. A testament to the messy, beautiful, utterly perfect chaos that is life, captured in the soft London light and the laughing eyes of those who share it. And that, for me, is the true magic of photography.

Testimonial: Nick shot our wedding nearly ten years ago and has since been back to shoot our growing family twice! And the shots are just incredible, not just a picture but a true representation of their personalities – we couldn’t be happier with them!  My kids adored Nick and loved the shoot so much, it was so relaxed and natural! — Lawrence Power

You can view my Family Photography page here for a more general overview of the range of shots we can achieve if you’d like to book your own session and get in touch through my contact page.