Catherine and her clan.

When asked to photograph another photographers family, first I experience pride at being asked. Then fear. Big, fat, panic attack inducing fear. Fear that I may mess it up, fail to deliver, not live up to their expectations and forever lose the trust and respect they placed on me by choosing me to take their family photos. As a photographer, I know how much those photos will mean to them. How they will either love them with all of their soul because photographs are so important to them. To have beautiful ones of their own family…which they are actually in themselves is a photographers dream. Or how they will hate them. Hate them because they will see only the flaws and they would wish, wish so hard there was some way they could take their own family photos because no one else can do it quite how they want. No pressure then!

Shortly after the fear resides, and I’ve taken my head out of the brown paper bag that is helping with the panic attacks and I’ve told myself a million times *I CAN* do this, excitement starts to creep in. Excitement because another photographer will know exactly what it takes to create a stunning a portrait. Down to the clothes, the location, the light. When you ask them to do something that may feel a bit odd to anyone else, they will know exactly why you are asking them to do it and are more likely to just go with it. Also excitement, because the photographer asking me to take photos of their family this time is my friend Catherine. She has impeccable taste. With photography and most things in general. She also has gorgeous kids. FIVE gorgeous kids. Five gorgeous kids all with long locks! I mean, if I can’t get good photos of this family I need to quit my job. She is also breastfeeding her youngest and wants some nursing photos. I just won the lottery. Did I ever mention it was my dream to photograph a beautiful large family and take nursing photos!?

We met at a location local to us both. I knew their outfits would be incredible but seeing them all standing their in their cream outfits when I arrived I was blown away. They looked like something from a beautiful dream. I could have cried they looked so angelic and I had so much happiness to photograph something so beautiful. Then the boys wiggled their bottoms at me and it was back to the moment. Haha.

We had a great evening and I took some of my favourite photos I have ever taken. So I can only thank Catherine a million times for letting me take photos of her beautiful family. Enjoy.

Emmy x