Family Portrait

My family photoshoot was taken at Dumbletons Photography in Cambridge.

After validating my voucher I received a prompt call-back from a lady who asked me which of the nationwide locations I would like to visit. After choosing my nearest studio, I was then contacted by Fiona from Dumbletons Photography to arrange our appointment. This was a very easy process, Fiona was lovely and we discussed who would be attending, our ages, hobbies and interests etc. The studio were very encouraging to bring multiple generations of our family which was great and they advised that we could bring props that would depict us as a family, such as a rugby ball, musical instruments etc. When I mentioned that we have a family pet, a two year old Staffy called Cookie, Fiona was more than happy for us to bring her along too. We agreed on a date and time, then I paid a refundable deposit to secure the appointment.
We decided to dress casual in jeans and T-shirts on the day and the studio was only a 30 minute car journey from home. It was very easy to find the venue but the parking was limited, as expected for central Cambridge. However, Fiona had advised that there was a free space behind their studio which was perfect.
We were greeted by both Peter the Photographer and Fiona, who kindly offered us all a drink on arrival. The reception area was bright and welcoming with amazing baby and family images decorating the walls. Peter sat us down and explained how the shoot would run, all whilst fussing over Cookie which made it easy for us to relax.
I was a little concerned about how well behaved Cookie would be, but Peter was great at allowing her time to get used to the space. The white floor and walls were a little strange for her to get used to, so the children played with her and she soon settled. We started with shots of the children and I laying on the white floor whilst Cookie wandered around, Peter was quick to capture some beautiful natural shots of us all.
The room was set up with different backdrops and Peter explained to us how some poses may feel a little awkward at first, however assured us this would provide the best results. He took shots of us all together in various configurations and also asked if there was anything specific we wanted. Peter was friendly, patient and was great at capturing the best, natural shots by making us laugh and even barking himself to make Cookie's ears stand up.
A couple of days later I revisited the studio to view our images and sat on a comfy sofa whilst Peter projected the images in a cinema style viewing. They were amazing, which made the next job of reducing down the options a tricky one. This was done by being shown 3 or 4 similar images at a time, then choosing my favourite. After working my way through and ending up with approximately 10 of my favourites, Peter explained the presentation options and prices.
All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our family photoshoot and can't wait to receive the images we choose in the upcoming weeks.

Top Tip
Take treats for pets and small children.