Balloons at Noon: Outdoor Family Photographer in Basildon, Essex for Toddlers

As an Outdoor Family Photographer in Basildon, Essex, I love introducing our natural and personalized sessions to families here in the area. This type of session is incredibly special—very natural and warm in its nature, allowing us to create lasting memories for you and your entire family in a simple, beautiful space.

The Toddler Dilemma: Why Outdoor is Best for High Energy

This specific concept, Balloons at Noon, was born out of a real-life toddler scenario! When it came to marking my three-year-old son's birthday, a traditional cake smash in the studio was out of the question. He's very much like any child—full of life and excitement—and there was no way he was going to allow himself to enjoy getting dirty or sitting still! I literally had to think outside the box and the studio!

Going outdoors was the only solution. Summertime is so sweet; we get longer days, and we get to invest more in family time and fun. For high-energy toddlers, outdoor Family Photography in Basildon allows them the freedom to run, play, and explore, resulting in far more genuine smiles and candid portraits than a forced indoor pose.

I hope you enjoy watching our little video here! It captures the fun, the chase, and the beautiful result of thinking outside the box for your outdoor family photoshoot in Essex.

Creative Props: Styling with Giant Helium Balloons

I love to integrate simple, effective props into my work to add a unique, celebratory touch, and the balloons were the obvious choice for this occasion. Yet, I didn't want just any balloons!

  • The Drama of Size: Instead, we opted for three 36” Giant Helium Balloons, which required two large tanks of helium to fill up! The sheer size of the balloons created wonderful drama and contrast against the open sky and landscape.
  • The Candid Factor: As any parent knows, props can create unexpected, beautiful moments. We sadly lost one of the balloons during the shoot, which resulted in some momentary drama from the three-year-old, but that chaos and the subsequent laughter from the parents were genuine moments that we captured beautifully. It reminds us that photography is about documenting real life, imperfections and all.