Dublin Family Portrait Photographer. Midday sun, under the shade of trees.

Cara Hodge
Mar 29
3 min read

Updated: Mar 30

UPDATED POST, March 2026

Hi, I'm Cara, a Dublin Family Photographer.

Photographing families, babies and newborns. Also doing couples, including surprise proposals, small weddings, and portrait sessions for adults.

beautiful girl in white dress in summer meadow by a fig tree

I do lifestyle and family sessions on location, in outdoor places all around Dublin, and also in your own home and garden.

My local family sessions are done locally, in Blackrock parks and gardens, and at Seapoint Beach, near Monkstown. In addition, you can often find me at locations along the coast, including Sandycove and Glasthule, Dunlaoghaire, and Dalkey village. I am also covering locations in Dundrum, Stillorgan, Booterstown and Ballsbridge - but I travel for sessions all across Dublin and Wicklow.

Many family sessions are scheduled during the day, sometimes even in bright, full sun. In fact, midday can be popular time on days such as Communions between church and celebrations. Or with small children who tire in the later afternoon. In those cases, trees often provide essential shade!

mum, dad & baby girl under the shade of trees in a garden in blackrock dublin — Together

Family session in midday? Why is it important to find shade..?

Midday is when the sun is the highest point in the sky. This means it creates "hard light", often defined by stark light and shade. Shadows are short and sharp. This is often seen as "unflattering" light for family portraits. Think harsh, unforgiving highlights across the face and shadows under the eyes!

However, sometimes it can be best to embrace the sunshine!

Shade can immediately soften the light!

Below, on a bright Spring Local Session, this family was photographed under a canopy of trees.

mum and dad under shade of trees holding baby dress in a white cotton sundress

Dublin Communion sessions are often done at midday between mass and family celebrations later in the afternoon. May has been hot the last couple of years during Communion time!

mum, dad, two boys one with communion ribbon on a blanket under the trees with old building in the background

Sometimes, trees provide shelter from showers!

Below, with a precious baby boy, we sought shelter in a little courtyard garden and under a canopy of trees in this Blackrock garden.

Thankfully RTE weather is pretty accurate and I haven't been caught out by rain that much!

three women in long vintage skirts under a tree holding baby boy

Below, another May family session when it was unusually hot and we used the shade under the trees to soften the light. You can see patches of dappled light and shade on the grass which add to the feeling of warmth and sunshine!

mum holding baby girl on her lap under tree in park

Trees that provide seasonal colour.

Below, my son hosing down the garden in my Abu Dhabi family portraits. As well as providing shade from the intense afternoon sun, the blossom was a lovely frame, here in soft focus.

boy spraying garden hose under bougainvillea with pink blurry blossom in soft focus

Autumn colour - September is the start of many Autumn family sessions, a popular time of year for Dublin outdoor family photos.

mum, dad, boy and girl held by mum and dad under tree with autumn leaves

beautiful young woman in red gloves that match the red of autumn leaves on the trees

dad kissing baby's feet under the shade of a tree in the park — Kiss

Underexposing can mean that while faces are clear, nothing is too over exposed and yet there are beautiful patterns from light and shade.

mum holding son's hand and carrying a baby girl under a tree with intense dappled light

Leaf patterns in the garden!

small child on a wall surrounded by lots of blossom casting light and shade

More dapped light during this communion family session.

dad with two sons under dappled light of tress, one boy wearing a communion rosette

little baby reaching Lilac blossom and spots of golden sunlight across mum and baby's face.

Hard lighting can look even more dramatic in timeless black and white.

little girl sitting moodily on a pavement covered in intense dapped light

mum holding her infant daughter in her arms under the deep shade of a tree

mum holding newborn wrapped in a blanket with infant daughter sat beside her on a blanket in deep shade

Trees are so fun to climb when you're a kid!

My local family sessions run through the year in a Blackrock garden and at Seapoint Beach near Monkstown. I often take photos of children climbing trees or sitting in them.

In this case, the sunlight was so intense in the middle of the day in Donadea Forest Park, that this girl's communion dress was dappled in light.

young girl in communion gown standing on a tree branch in dapped sunlight in a forest park — Dappled

little girl dressed in a princess gown high in the branches of a tree looking asleep with hands wrapped around a branch

brother and sister sat in the nook of a tree together

little boy with bird mask on his head sat in branches of a tree

Killiney Hill Dublin is great for wooded family photo shoots Dublin (see my Killiney Hill family photo shoot Dublin)

little girl in a tree wearing a communion dress with brother climbing above her

little girl swinging from tree branch wearing a communion dress

little girl in dress covered in flamingos and bare feet high in a tree looking down

Have a look at my family session FAQ to see my sessions - a typical one or two hour session to a full day of documentary family photography, that is particularly good for family celebrations, such as birthday parties.

All my sessions come with a curated gallery of edited photos, so there is no need to pick and choose your favourite pictures. I also offer albums, professional printing and framed prints.

All my outdoor sessions run through the year and are ideal for children, babies and even newborns on sunny days!

Have a wonderful week, Cara - x

Dublin Family Portrait Photographer