Lavender Family Photography at Little Mountain Lavender Farm

There are some family photography sessions where the location does a lot of the work for you. A lavender field in full bloom is definitely one of them. In July, I met the lovely Sweet family for a lavender family photography session at Little Mountain Lavender Farm near Romsey in Hampshire. And yes, Sweet really is their surname. They were also every bit as sweet as their name suggests!

The lavender was looking absolutely gorgeous, with rows of purple stretching across the field and that lovely summer light making everything feel soft and colourful.

However, as beautiful as the setting was, it was the family themselves that made this session so lovely.

I wanted to share a little look at their session, as well as explain why lavender fields can work so beautifully for family photography and what you can expect if you are considering a similar summer photoshoot.

                              

Key Takeaways

✔ Lavender fields create a beautiful natural backdrop without needing lots of posing.

✔ Children do not need to sit still or look at the camera throughout the session.

✔ Coordinating colours usually works better than matching outfits.

✔ Movement, cuddles and interaction often create the most natural photographs.

✔ A seasonal location can give your family photos a completely different feel from a traditional photoshoot.

What is lavender family photography?

Lavender family photography is simply an outdoor family photography session held among blooming lavender plants.

The lavender provides a colourful, textured backdrop, while the session itself can remain relaxed and natural. Rather than spending the whole time asking everyone to stand still and smile, I use the space to encourage walking, playing, cuddling and interacting.

This works particularly well with children because there is room to move.

Instead of trying to make little ones behave like miniature adults for an hour, I would much rather photograph them exploring, laughing and being themselves.

That is very much how I approach all of my family photography sessions.

Why are lavender fields so good for family photos?

There are a few reasons I love them.

Firstly, you have an instant backdrop. The rows of lavender add colour and texture without making the photographs feel overly busy.

Secondly, the plants create lovely leading lines through the images. I can use the rows to create wider family photographs, then move closer for more intimate portraits.

Most importantly, though, the setting gives families something to interact with.

We can walk through the rows, stop for cuddles, explore the surroundings and let the children move around. That creates much more variety than simply standing in one spot.

After photographing families for many years, one thing I have noticed is that children often relax much quicker when they have something to do.

And honestly, I would rather photograph a child running through a lavender field laughing than staring at me because Mum has just said, “Smile nicely for the camera!” for the seventh time.

The Sweet family’s lavender photo session

The Sweet family were such a lovely family to photograph.

Their session took place in July, when Little Mountain Lavender Farm was looking particularly beautiful in full bloom.

There is something about arriving at a lavender field that immediately makes a photography session feel a little different. Instead of feeling like you have turned up somewhere specifically to have your photograph taken, it feels more like you are spending time together somewhere lovely, with a camera quietly documenting it.

That is exactly the feeling I wanted from this session.

We captured a mixture of photographs of the whole family together, smaller combinations and plenty of natural interactions.

There were also plenty of opportunities for their little boy to move around and explore rather than having to stay in one place. We even took the opportunity to get a few photos of just mummy and daddy whilst Harley was running around and playing with the toy tractor.

This is one of the reasons I love outdoor family photography so much. You can create beautiful portraits without making the experience feel formal.

The photographs can still be carefully composed and beautifully lit, but the people in them are relaxed.

And that difference really shows.

 

Little Mountain Lavender Farm, Hampshire

Little Mountain Lavender Farm is a private lavender farm near Romsey in Hampshire, run by Sally and Ralph.

Their own story is rather lovely. After visiting the lavender fields of Provence on their honeymoon in 2018, they decided they wanted to recreate a little piece of that experience back home in Hampshire.

They now grow and harvest their lavender themselves, producing things including essential oils, dried lavender and other lavender products.

They also offer exclusive use of their fields for professional photoshoots, including family photography.

That makes it a particularly lovely option for photographers and families looking for something a little different from the usual park, beach or woodland setting.

You can visit the Little Mountain Lavender Farm website to find out more about the farm and their photography hire.

What should you wear for a lavender family photoshoot?

This is something I get asked about a lot with outdoor family photography.

For lavender fields, I particularly love soft, natural colours. Creams, whites, beige, dusty pinks, soft blues and earthy tones can all work beautifully against the purple flowers.

You absolutely do not need to dress everyone in matching outfits.

In fact, I usually recommend coordinating rather than matching.

Think about the overall colour palette and choose clothes that sit nicely together. You might have one person wearing a soft floral print, another in a neutral colour and someone else in a complementary pastel shade. Generally plain works best but if you choose to wear an outfit with a pattern, only have one person within the family wearing a pattern so that it does not clash with another.

The aim is for everyone to look like they belong together without looking like you have bought a family uniform.

If you are planning your own family session, my family photoshoot preparation advice has more tips on clothing and getting everyone ready.

Do children need to behave for lavender family photography?

Absolutely not.

Actually, please do not put that pressure on yourself.

Children might be shy when we first arrive. They might want to run around. They might decide that looking at the camera is the least interesting thing they have ever been asked to do.

That is all completely normal.

I use gentle direction throughout my sessions, but I also give children space to be themselves. Sometimes we will do a few more traditional family portraits, then move on to something more playful.

A little walk through the lavender can become a lovely photograph.

A cuddle can become another.

A child looking at their mum instead of the camera can often be far more meaningful than a perfectly posed smile.

If you are worried about keeping the children happy during your session, I have also written about how to make family photos fun for kids.

The biggest thing is not to worry about getting everything perfect.

Why seasonal family photography is worth considering

I love the idea of using different seasons and locations for family photographs because it means your photographs can feel different each time.

Spring might mean bluebells.

Summer could be lavender, sunflowers, wildflowers or the beach.

Autumn brings completely different colours and textures, while winter sessions can have a much quieter, more atmospheric feel.

It also gives you the chance to photograph your family as they actually are at different stages of childhood.

The Sweet family’s lavender session will always feel like a very particular little snapshot of their family life in July.

That is one of the things I love about seasonal photography. The location becomes part of the story.

You do not need to know how to pose

This is another big one.

Please do not spend the days before your session practising Pinterest poses.

I will guide you.

Some photographs will be more traditionally posed, particularly when I want to make sure we have a lovely portrait of everyone together. However, I will also encourage you to interact naturally.

You might walk together, cuddle your children, hold hands, tickle them or simply chat.

The photographs then become a mixture of beautiful portraits and genuine moments between them.

That is particularly important with family photography because I want you to recognise yourselves in the photographs.

Not a perfectly polished version of your family.

Your actual family.

The one where someone is usually making somebody else laugh, someone is pulling a funny face and somebody inevitably decides they would rather be somewhere else.

Those photographs often end up being the ones you love most.

You can see more examples of my approach in my family photography galleries.

Planning your own lavender family photoshoot

Lavender is seasonal, so these sessions naturally have a fairly short window each year.

If you love the idea of lavender family photography, it is worth planning ahead rather than leaving it until the flowers are already in bloom.

I would also recommend thinking about:

Your children’s ages: Younger children often benefit from a relaxed approach with plenty of movement.

What everyone will wear: Soft, complementary colours work particularly well with lavender.

The time of day: Light can make a huge difference to outdoor photographs, so I will always consider the conditions when planning the session.

Your expectations: Come ready to enjoy some time together rather than expecting everyone to smile at the camera for an hour.

The weather: Outdoor photography is naturally affected by the weather, so flexibility can be helpful.

And finally, bring yourselves.

You do not need to arrive with perfectly behaved children, matching outfits and a list of poses.

I promise I have photographed enough families to know that real life is much more interesting.

Could lavender family photography work for your family?

If you love the idea of colourful, seasonal photographs and want something a little different from a standard outdoor family session, a lavender field can be a gorgeous choice.

The setting gives us plenty to work with, but the photographs do not need to become all about the flowers.

The best images will still be about your family.

The cuddles.

The laughter.

The little interactions.

The way your children look at you.

The way you all naturally fit together.

That is what I look for during every family photography session, whether we are surrounded by lavender, walking along the beach or simply hanging out at home.

If you are looking for a Hampshire family photographer who takes a relaxed and natural approach, I would love to hear what you have in mind.

Ready to plan your family session?

If you would like to chat about a family photography session, have a question or simply want to see whether a session would work for your family, I’d love to hear from you.

You can get in touch with me here and tell me a little about your family, the kind of photographs you love and any location ideas you have.

And if you are dreaming of lavender, we can start planning from there.