Going away on Holiday you say? Why not book in a photoshoot too, I say
With travel restrictions far behind us, it's fair to say that many of us have been booking in some magical trips, both near and far.
With the Gold Coast being a top destination for Australians and people visiting Queensland, I've been fortunate enough to meet families that have travelled here from the U.S.A, from Canada, from Europe and from Hong Kong, as well as some Kiwi families that have flown over from across the pond.
They each have contacted me to book in a session for the same reason, because being separated or unable to travel for that amount of time has shown them how special it is to be reunited and to be here together, enjoying a beautiful family holiday, in Queensland.
Last year, we travelled ourselves, back to the U.K, to my home Country, to visit my family and closest friends. While we were there, we flew across to Greece and enjoyed some special moments in Santorini and then we explored Singapore on our way home to Australia. Our children were filled with awe and many stories of adventures, we captured so many photos and they loved sharing these with their friends and classmates.
For me, it was the longest amount of time that I had ever been away from the U.K and after being reunited with my Mum, I surprised her and booked us in for our own family photoshoot. Our session was with the amazing Hanna King. Hanna is based in Devon and her portfolio displayed many of my favourite spots. I absolutely love her style. I could see how much she enjoys capturing connection and using backlight to create her magical images.
Dartmoor is one of my favourite places on Earth and this stems back to childhood. It was the first place that I travelled to on school camp. We learnt about the "Bogs", how to measure different heights and flows of the meandering streams, we climbed the Tors, visited the deserted prison and trekked among landscapes of green, that stretched for as far as the eyes could see, spotting wild cows and horses along the way. At night time, we listened to stories of the Dartmoor Beast, whilst torches were being held underneath chins, for maximum effect. Oh, Dartmoor, you absolute wonder. There was no doubt, that this had to be the place where we would set the scene for our photoshoot with Hanna. I won't deny, it was wild, windy and cold, but we made it work. We snuggled in that little bit tighter and laughed at how crazy the weather was. There were a few moments of calm that we shared, these moments were so sweet and now, each day, we are reminded of how special this time was, as our pictures sit pretty in frames around our home.
If you're heading away (or heading this way), and you've questioned whether it's worth spending a few hours of your trip with a photographer, then I would highly recommend adding it into the budget. If you're being reunited with family, it will remind you of how precious it was to be together. If you're heading to your dream destination, a photographer will understand the best spots and the best lighting conditions and you will never regret booking in that shoot.
How to find a photographer that suits you, you ask?
Google is your absolute go to, you can check Google Maps and it will give you a whole list of Photographers in the area. You can read reviews of the experiences others have shared and it will list the easiest way to get in touch.
Instagram. You can search by using local hashtags. For example, if you will be visiting the Gold Coast, you could type #goldcoastfamilyphotographer or #familyphotographergoldcoast ~ this will allow you to view the portfolio of local Gold Coast Photographers (yep, that's me) and you can message them directly from there, or you may find links to their website to delve in that little bit deeper.
Facebook. In the search bar, you can always type in the place that you're heading to and finish with the words "family photographer". Facebook allows you to see reviews from other Facebook users, as well as message the photographer directly.
When I found Hanna, I searched by Instagram Hashtags first, then after looking at a few photographers that had caught my eye, I searched for them on Google. I wanted to see how their websites looked and to see what type of packages they offered. I then narrowed it down to three photographers and reached out to see firstly, who was available and also, because I wanted to find out a little more about them and as a person. This is so important, finding somebody that you can connect with.
So, these are things to keep in mind and questions that you may like to ask yourself:
~ What type of style do I like? Moody, dark, earthy images? Brighter, airy colours? Posed or Candid?
~ Search through Google
~ Search through Instagram
~ Search through Facebook
~ Shortlist your favourites
~ Read Reviews
~ Short list some more
~ Get in Touch
~ Check their availability
~ Lock it in!
If you have your next holiday booked, ask yourself this, "Do I want to savour the memories and book in a photoshoot?" I guarantee you that the very answer to your question is a big booming "YES SIRRY, DO I EVER".
For those of you visiting the Gold Coast any time, drop me a line and book me in, I'd love to document your special time.
Happy Holidays and until next time....
Zoe-Marie xx
