The summer holidays have finally arrived.
For many families, that means later bedtimes, picnics in the park, sandy shoes, sticky ice creams and days that seem to stretch on forever.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably have a list of places you want to visit and things you’d love to do together before September arrives. We all want to make the most of these precious weeks.
But here’s something I’ve learnt over the years.
The moments our children remember aren’t usually the expensive ones.
They remember how they felt.
How they laughed until their tummy hurt.
Being swung between Mum and Dad.
The cuddles after a long day.
Always feeling safe.
And those ordinary little moments? They have a funny way of becomin
g extraordinary once they’ve passed.
Nobody Tells You When The Last Time Will Be
Nobody tells you when the last time will be.
The last time they’ll ask you to carry them because their legs are tired.
Or the last time they’ll reach for your hand to cross the road.
The last time they’ll curl up on your lap because they’re poorly.
Or that they’ll want “just one more cuddle.”
There isn’t a warning.
No countdown.
One day, without even noticing, life quietly moves on.
As parents we’re always looking ahead to the next milestone. First smiles. First steps. First words. First day at school.
Those moments are wonderful.
Yet while we’re celebrating what’s coming next, today’s little moments are quietly becoming yesterday’s memories.
That’s one of the reasons I love what I do so much.
Every family who walks into our studio is right in the middle of their story.
Some have a tiny newborn who sleeps peacefully in Mum’s arms.
Some have toddlers who can’t stop giggling.
Others arrive with teenagers who insist they don’t really want their photograph taken… until they’re all laughing together a few minutes later.
Each family is living a chapter they’ll never experience again.
The Magic Isn’t In The Photograph
People sometimes tell me they’re not very photogenic.
Or they want to lose a little weight first.
Or they’ll book “when life calms down.”
The truth is, life rarely calms down.
Children keep growing.
Families keep changing.
The magic isn’t in creating the perfect photograph.
It’s in creating something that lets you travel back to a feeling years from now.
A photograph can’t stop time.
But it can help you remember exactly how it felt.
Summer Memories That Last
With the summer holidays beginning, now feels like the perfect opportunity to make a few more memories together.
Our beautiful Meadow Mini Sessions are returning on 8th and 15th August, and they’re always some of my favourite sessions of the year.
Golden grass.
Wildflowers.
Bare feet.
Big cuddles.
Real laughter.
They’re relaxed, natural and full of everything that makes summer feel special.
Win Your Meadow Mini Session
To celebrate the start of the holidays, we’re giving THREE Meadow Mini Sessions away.
If you’d love to spend an evening making beautiful memories together, now’s the perfect time to enter.
You never know – one of those three sessions could be yours.
We’d absolutely love to see your family in the meadow this summer.
Because one day, without warning, they’ll let go of your hand.
And you’ll be so grateful you remembered what it felt like.