The family you are right now.
Forget perfect. Forget posing.
I'm interested in the real stuff. The running, the laughing, the cuddling, the chaos, the quiet bits and everything that happens in between.
"Attention is the beginning of devotion."
mary oliver
Family photography in Devon & the South West.
I'm Sarah Howard, a lifestyle, family and brand photographer based in Devon.
I photograph families in the places that mean something to them — at home, on the beach, in the woods, out walking, in the garden, around the kitchen table, or wherever you naturally spend time together.
The aim isn't to get everyone looking at the camera.
It's to give you space to be yourselves, while I watch for the moments you'd never think to ask me to photograph.
The little hands reaching for yours. The ridiculous games. The muddy knees. The way your youngest still wants to be carried. The glance between you when the children aren't looking.
Those are the photographs I want.
You don't need to know what to do.
You don't have to be good in front of a camera.
In fact, I'd much rather you forgot about it.
I'll give you things to do and places to go, but there won't be a list of poses or a demand for everyone to smile on cue.
You might go for a walk. Climb a tree. Make breakfast. Paddle in the sea. Throw stones. Build a den. Have a picnic. Get completely soaked.
Or perhaps you'll do something much more ordinary.
That's fine too.
I'll be watching, noticing and looking for the moments that feel unmistakably like your family.
At home. Outside. In the water.
There isn't one right place for a family shoot.
Maybe you're happiest barefoot in your own kitchen.
Maybe the beach is where everyone comes alive.
Maybe it's a favourite walk, a campsite, a garden, a hill, a rockpool or somewhere you've been going together for years.
And if the water is your happy place, we can get in.
Some of my favourite family photographs happen in the water because people stop thinking about the camera altogether. They swim, splash, dive, play and completely lose themselves in the moment.
If that's your family, I'm very happy to get wet too.
For families who don't want everything to look the same.
I don't want to create a set of photographs that could belong to anyone.
I want to photograph your family as you are.
The age your children are right now.
The things they are obsessed with.
The way you spend a Sunday morning.
The places you go when you have nowhere else to be.
The slightly chaotic, completely ordinary things that you'll one day realise you miss.
These photographs aren't about creating a perfect version of your family.
They're about remembering this one.
where i work.
I'm based in Devon and photograph families across the South West, as well as working with families further afield.
If you have a place that matters to you, let's talk about it.
It doesn't need to be photogenic.
It just needs to feel like you.
STEP 01
First, we talk.
Tell me about your family, what you're thinking and what you'd love to photograph. You don't need to have it all figured out.
STEP 02
Then we make a plan.
We'll choose a location and approach that feels right for you. I'll help with the practical stuff, including what to expect and what to wear.
STEP 03
Then we forget about the camera.
I'll guide you when you need it, but mostly I'll let you get on with being yourselves.
STEP 04
And I'll look for the good stuff.
The moments you couldn't have planned. The ones you might not even notice were happening.
That's where the magic is.
FAQ
Do we have to pose?
No.
I'll give you direction when it's useful, but I'm much more interested in what happens naturally than creating a series of posed photographs.
What should we wear?
Something you feel comfortable moving in. There are no rules, and you don't need to dress everyone in matching outfits. I'll give you some practical guidance before your shoot if you'd like it.
What if our children won't behave?
Perfect.
They're children.
They don't need to sit still, smile on command or cooperate perfectly for two hours. We'll work with whatever they're bringing that day.
Do you offer albums or prints?
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What if it rains?
You don't need perfect children, perfect weather or a perfect plan.
Just bring your people.
I'll bring the camera and take care of the rest.
Say hello. Let's work together.
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