Make great pictures at home
Family portraits
Patrick Stubbs
Patrick is a successful wedding and portrait photographer based in the heart of Lincoln, who credits documenting his daughters’ lives as igniting his love of family photography. You can see more of his work at naturalexpressions.co.uk
MY APPROACH to family shots is to watch and wait, and be able to react so that you catch little moments that others might miss. As photographers, we’re always looking for the ‘special’ subject, the best light, the best sunset… but it’s normal life that matters. What is normal today will be precious tomorrow.
I concentrate on being ready, looking more and shooting more, and I try not to get bogged down in technique, which can break the flow. This gives my work a natural, unposed and documentary feel, which fits perfectly when shooting around the house. It’s an approach that’s mirrored in my gear. I tend not to take anything more than a small camera bag on jobs, so while plenty of photographers like setting up lots of kit, I don’t want anything to get in the way of reality. If you spend too much time setting up lights and changing lenses, life can pass you by.
Always be ready
With enough hours clocked up as a portrait photographer, you develop a sixth sense. It’s the same with family life. You know the patterns of behaviour and spot the opportunities. But if you want to take advantage of those moments you have to be camera-ready.
Being reactive also means dialling in certain settings that will save you vital seconds. I typically
