Summer Family Portraits: Why Now is the Perfect Time to Capture Your Crew
With golden hour lasting longer and gardens in full bloom, Eric Clark explains why summer sessions create the most treasured family photographs
Visit Website āThere's something about summer that makes families more themselves. Children run barefoot, grandparents linger in garden chairs, and everyone relaxes into those long, golden evenings that seem to stretch on forever.
For Eric Clark of EJC Photography, this is exactly why summer has become his favourite season for family portraits.
The Golden Hour Advantage
Photographers talk endlessly about golden hour ā that magical window just before sunset when light turns warm and flattering. In summer, this window stretches gloriously long.
"In June, golden hour can last nearly two hours," explains Eric, who has spent over 40 years mastering natural light photography from his Westbourne studio. "That gives us time to relax into a session rather than rushing through it."
The result? Photographs where everyone looks genuinely happy rather than frozen in forced smiles.
Gardens, Beaches, and Harbour Views
Summer opens up location possibilities that simply don't exist in other seasons. The Emsworth harbour at sunset. A family garden with roses in full bloom. Sandy feet at West Wittering.
Eric's local knowledge ā accumulated across four decades photographing families throughout Hampshire and West Sussex ā means he knows exactly where the light falls best and when.
"The South Downs at 7pm on a summer evening is something special," he notes. "You couldn't recreate that light in a studio if you tried."
Capturing Children Naturally
Anyone who's tried to photograph children knows the challenge. Stiff poses and forced grins rarely produce photographs worth framing. Eric's approach is different.
"I let children be children," he says. "Running, playing, climbing on dad's shoulders. The real moments happen between the posed ones."
Summer makes this easier. Children are already in play mode. Gardens offer distractions. The relaxed atmosphere means genuine expressions rather than staged ones.
Why Book Now?
Summer slots fill quickly. Between weddings, holidays, and everyone else having the same idea, the best evening sessions get snapped up weeks in advance.
Eric recommends booking at least two to three weeks ahead for weekend sessions, though weekday evenings often have more availability.
What to Expect
A typical summer family session with EJC Photography includes:
- Pre-session consultation ā Discussing locations, outfits, and what matters to your family - 60-90 minute shoot ā Enough time to relax and capture genuine moments - Mix of posed and natural shots ā Formal portraits alongside candid joy - Full editing and delivery ā Professional processing of your chosen images
Book Your Summer Session
Get in Touch
š 07740 302931 š ejcphotography.co.uk š Mill Road, Westbourne, Emsworth PO10 8TH ā 5.0 stars on Google | 40+ years experience
*Children grow. Summers pass. But a photograph lasts forever.*
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