Jessamy is one of my very closest friends, so for her birthday one year, I decided to give her a voucher to have a family session with me. She was absolutely delighted to have her gorgeous little blonde girls captured on camera with her and her husband. (They now have another addition – a little boy – which I am yet to photograph, but I won’t hold it against her.)

We decided that Hyde Park, which was close to their home, was a beautiful and convenient spot to capture their family having fun together. Mums and parks – we’re always there! It was a warm afternoon, and luckily Jessamy came prepared with Freckles to bribe Annabelle and Bethwyn to sit still for one minute, so we could get the “look at the camera” photo for the grandparents.

I have deliberately edited all of these images as black and white for a couple of reasons. I want you to see how clearly black and white images convey and reveal the emotions that are going on in that moment. But also for you to see that black and white images are just as beautiful, if not more than, colour photos. The light at Hyde Park on this day was particularly challenging to edit as there are so many trees there (which is what I love about it) however this makes the photos look quite green, and everyone’s complexions green with it. Editing in black and white solves so many problems!

I love that my images are not always perfect. Sometimes your little kid is picking her nose, or mum is laughing OUT loud, or someone is making a hilarious expression. This is what life is made of! Laughing, screaming, embracing your children then immediately telling them off for doing something naughty. Kissing your husband, having one minute of alone time before your daughter runs towards the ducks in the lake. Cuddles with your big protective daddy and then romping around in the plants and off to explore. These are my favourite type of moments to photograph. Real life stuff.