Black & white child portraits. With lots of light!

In my kitchen there is a lot of light play! And I'm a light chaser at heart...

Light streaming in through double floor to ceiling windows that span the whole length of the kitchen. At around 3-4pm each afternoon, it can get quite intense!

Light bouncing off the mirrored backsplash in the kitchen. Off mirrored surfaces & glass.

Midday light brings stark shadows & highlights

For these child portraits, I also had to wind down the blinds a bit to stop blowing out all the highlights!

To intensify the light, I also added a lot of glasses in the foreground as props.

Glass reflects light, of course. The glasses added interesting circular shapes in the foreground

I love to pay attention to backgrounds in a child environmental portrait. The viewer casts their eye around the picture, taking in all four corners of the frame.

I love to shoot on 2.8 aperture regularly as it allows the child to be in sharp focus, but also allows elements of the background to be part of a story rather than fall away into blur

For an environmental child portrait, the context of the background with some of the kitchen objects & dishes, adds to the storytelling element.

There were some tulips naturally placed in a glass. At one point this beautiful boy put a tulip in his mouth!

Props, the simplest of objects lying naturally about, can make child portraits more expressive.

I always look out for authentic gesture & expression in my family, child & baby portraits. That's the magic moment of connection. Much of the time, I try to capture what I call the "in between" authentic expression. That's an expression that is subtle, more difficult to pinpoint.

I love to capture the catch lights in my son's eyes as they hold so much emotion!

When I do a mini family portrait series (of my own little family), I will do a soft edit first. I will do a more careful edit for my top favorites and really try and enhance the texture of a picture. A black & white family or child portrait will really pop when sharpened properly

I am going to repeat this tulip & glasses child portrait series in low light as well. Low light is my absolute go to fave, and the glasses with still intensify the light even when it's low. I love the mix of glass & flower props and want to explore more of these elements

For family photography on location, all natural light. Indoor, outdoor - in a place you love, please contact me to book your family portrait session Dublin.

Vibrant, natural color & classic, timeless black & white family, child & baby portraits.

I have over 10 years experience photographing families & chasing pretty light!

I am internationally published and have been awarded first, second & third place at International Child Photo Competition, best of black & white child photography in the lifestyle & portrait section. I have also come 5th in International Documentary family awards. I am particularly passionate about black & white child photography

Here is more about my award winning child & family photography Dublin, in cinematic black & white:

https://www.carahodgephotographer.com/award-winning-child-photography

Have a lovely Easter weekend, Cara xx