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Outdoor Mini Photoshoots for Families in Surrey & Hampshire

Cat Brant
Apr 28
4 min read

Updated: Jun 7

I've been offering seasonal mini shoots now for 3 years at Christmas, Spring, Summer and Autumn (so essentially each season!) The spring mini-day has just passed, and it was a blast! We were so lucky with the weather, I do have some wet weather contingency plans too just in case you were wondering what would happen if it does tip it down. I had 5 families with various age children from 7 months to 6 years, some families with a dog or two and a lot of giggles.

Family Photoshoots at Frensham Little Pond.

This is a beautiful area that has 3 - 4 distinctly different backdrops within a few minutes walk of both the car park and each other. It's a national trust car park so if you're a member, bring a card with you, and if not, beware of some intermittent signal issues when paying for parking. You can pay in the cafe too, which is about a 5-minute walk from the car park.

This location has toilets, a cafe selling coffee, tea and ice creams (and a pasty if you're feeling peckish) picnic benches and plenty of benches dotted around the pond for sitting. In the summer, you can paddle in the edges of the water and if you're adventurous, you can climb the hill and cross over to the great pond too (where you can swim if you want to!)

Location 1: The Forest Path

So our first location is the woods, there are a few fallen logs for perching on here and there and a lovely open shade path through tall trees that provide a lovely neutral-toned backdrop. In the summer, the leaves are full and dense, and in the autumn, the colours are so lush and warm.

A family of four smiling in a forest. Two kids, wearing green jackets, are held by parents. The mood is joyful and relaxed.

Location 2: The Hill Path

Our next location is a short walk away and sweeping views open across the area, in the spring the gorse frames families with lovely yellow accents and in the summer the purple heather is carpeted across the hills. When you get here it's like being in another country, I love it and feel so inspired.

Person in a white shirt carries a child on a sandy path. Yellow flowers and green trees border the path under a cloudy sky.

Location 3.5: For The Brave: Hilltop

If you're feeling brave the 10 minute walk up the sandy hill takes you to more views, this time of Frensham Great Pond, a lovely bench, and photo opportunities down a longer path across the ridge. Last time I went, there were horse riders on the ridge, the sun was shining, and it was just beautiful. If you love creamy bokeh (blurry backgrounds) like the shot below, this is the place to be!

Two kids in gray shirts and jeans play on a hill. One stands, the other crouches. Shoes on the grass. Blurred trees in the background.

Location 4: The Pond Side

Back down the hill now and we walk to the pond, with creamy sandy beaches and a number of swans, ducks and herons. In the summer, you can paddle in the edge of the pond and it's a fabulous place to bring a picnic and set up for the day. The photos here are lovely all year round, but are particularly lovely in the summer when I can photograph kids playing in the water.

A family of three smiles by a lake on a sunny day. Parents hold their young daughter. Green trees and sandy shore in the background.

Mini sessions: From £99 for half an hour.

When booking a half-hour session, you'll get the forest and the pond. The full hour session at £149 includes some shots on the hill, which in my opinion is well worth it as we can also get some lovely action shots of you all playing on the way up the hill.

Mini sessions are a great way to experience a professional photoshoot at a fraction of the cost of a full session, as I have several families on the same day in booked sessions. You'll receive the shoot and a set number of images with your session fee, and I have priced these as fairly as possible so that it's affordable for most while paying my daily rate.

Commonly asked questions about mini photoshoots for families:

Can I bring my dog/s? Yes! Absolutely, and I'll be thrilled :) I love doggies and I'm happy to meet them, but just beware that getting images of kids and dogs looking at the camera might be tough.

We don't have kids: These sessions are built for anyone who wants an outdoor shoot so if you need a new relaxed headshot, some maternity photos or want to celebrate an anniversary with a loved one, or for any other reason you might like a portrait, I'll be so happy to have you!

When will we get the photos? My lead time is currently under a week but I'll let you know on the session when to expect them, it'll never be over 6 weeks.

Will we get to choose which photos to keep? Yes! I'll send you an online gallery, you can choose from the selection there.

My kids aren't well behaved: Trust me when I say I'll get some lovely photos of them, kids are best for photos when they're playing with you- we make blanket forts, swings, throw them around and spin them round and even the grumpiest kid will smile. If all else fails, I do usually keep some chocolate bribes on hand and can make conversation with any age child about anything from Peppa Pig to their favourite pizza topping. And if I don't get at least one photo of your child smiling I'll welcome you back next time with 50% off the session fee so we can try again.

What if one of us gets sick: No one wants a photo when they don't feel great! Just let me know and I'll find you another slot on another day.

If you can think of anything I haven't covered, just contact me anytime!

Here's the link to book for Summer and Autumn 2025: https://app.studioninja.co/online-booking/portal/0a800fc9-966c-1097-8196-7cab8f9d3be7/sessions

Comments

hi! I'm cat and i am a full time wedding photographer

(and a little bit of a photography geek!)

I started taking photos as a teenager, my Dad was a wedding photographer and I would often help him. In 2021 I left my corporate job with a dream and hope that I could make photography a full time job. Since then I have been pouring my heart and soul into this business and have been honoured to be chosen as wedding photographer for so many lovely couples as well as being a portrait and event photographer.

I TAKE CLASSIC, TIMELESS, DOCUMENTARY STYLE PHOTOGRAPHS WITH MINIMAL INTRUSION

But I will step in and offer gentle guidance when it's right to do so, I have learned over the years to read the room, anticipate the next move, hold space when needed and offer support when I can.

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