At Home Child Portraits. In the kitchen
Updated: Jan 3
So, here is a quick catch up. Some of my recent favorite at home child portraits.
Here, some of my favorite pictures of my son, many of which are taken at home in Dublin.
For my personal child pictures I will sometimes get moody with my black & whites to create a strong atmosphere.
I also love a storytelling aspect to my child portraits
Many portraits here were taken inside my kitchen.
The light is so great there throughout the day.
In spring/summer the light is intense. Winter can be a great time for at home family portraits too. The sun sets earlier casting beautiful, dramatic shadows.
Big squares of light on the main kitchen island. Also reflecting off the mirror back splash.
I love the circle of light that happened naturally over one eye like an eye patch in one of the child portraits of my son here.
Moody end of day light that can put half his face in shadow. Make way for fierce catch-lights in the eyes too!
Dramatic lighting where there is a high contrast between highlights & shadows works well for a black & white child or family portrait
Whenever I do a family, child or newborn photo shoot at someone's home in Dublin, I will always look out for rooms with the best light.
I will notice walls that are lit by sunlight. Mirrors can also be places which reflect a lot of light, and are great for portraits with reflections. For natural newborn at home pictures I will simply ask you to throw open the curtains & blinds and let in the light!
I also love to look out for interesting compositions in my at home or on location family shoots.
For my natural fly on the wall documentary family sessions, I look for natural moments as they arise. However, for my personal child portraits, I will often use objects in the environment as natural props for my child portraits
I have always liked the idea of still life photography, and here is the opportunity to take pictures of my son alongside some things found naturally in the kitchen.
Whatever there is at hand can play a part!
An old striped tea towel, a knife, some chopped Swiss Chard.
I like the way objects catch the light. Creating interesting compositions.
Kitchens are dramatic places. Work happens there, life happens there. Food is made there (and what can be better than that?!)
Kitchens have "grown up" tools, including knives. Yet food is such an important part of childhood experience.
There is so much to do with food, and the remains of food being prepared or half eaten. Glasses half empty or stained
There is a lot to explore with the idea of kitchens as a backdrop to an environmental child portrait, also inspired by still life paintings that I've seen
Sometimes these child portraits merge into documentary family photography.
He will genuinely forget he is being photographed.
A truly natural expression.
That is the magic moment that captures the essence of who he is. In a gesture or sudden expression!
These child portraits below were shown in Iconic Artist Magazine, Milan, in my portfolio.
See the media and award winning pages of my website for more child portraits
In my family sessions I love a mix of authentic moments with you interacting naturally as a family. Also classic, expressive child portraits.
This is the part of the session where I will focus on an individual portrait of your child.
I have included a few child portraits from my family sessions at the bottom of my own black & white child portraits here
To see more pictures from my family sessions please see my family highlights page
https://www.carahodgephotographer.com/family-highlights
You can see here a mix of emotive family photography - documentary style mixed in with some classic child & family portraits
For more information on my family photography Dublin sessions, or documentary family sessions, please contact me.
As well as my typical one hour family session, I have introduced a half hour mini session in my Blackrock local area
Professional, award winning family photographer Dublin - Contact me to book your family session.
Have a great week, Cara xxx
