Bea & Family
Bea & Family | Manchester Family Photoshoot for Zebedee Talent
DATE 24/03/2024
DOVESTONES, GREATER MANCHESTER
I photographed Bea and Family as a test shoot for Zebedee Talent, an extraordinary talent agency who support disabled, queer and visibly different talent.
This family shoot happened just outside Manchester at one of my favourite places ever, Dovestones Reservoir. It proved to be popular with Bea too who only wanted to wade in the little rivers or play in the long grasses. We sung songs and signed them in Makaton. We pointed at the boats sailing on the reservoir. Tears were shed, laughter was loud. It was not a surprise that, after a handful of hours, when Bea sat back in her pram she fell asleep almost instantly.
This is what I love most about family shoots. Letting the children guide them. Embracing the chaos, the complaints, the joy and the laughter. Children are unconstrained and the session is free to be authentic, and you are free to be who you really are without the camera’s influence.
All shot on analogue formats.
CHAPTER ONE
We started with the water. Bea loved the water, wanted to touch it, to be in it. Unfortunately for her it was a little too cold for that and I’m not sure she would have been so happy in soggy clothes. After we could pry Bea away from the temptation of the rivers, we walked up to the long grasses which were the most fun to grab and to break.
