The leaves have started to fall
Comments Off on The leaves have started to fallThe leaves are starting to fall
Our fave season is nearly here, autumn, yay! We love autumn at Bounce it makes for the best portraits of the year. Its not just us, most photographers will love it because of the array of colours and the light is quite a lot of the time, just perfect.
Location shoots are obviously the way to go in the season, and last year we kicked it off with a whole day of shoots in Alexandra Park, Hoole. We then did loads of private shoots in Grosvenor Park in town. Grosvenor Park is actually one of the best places for that autumnal vibe, with its host of nooks, crannies and massive trees shedding gorgeous colours everywhere. Due to the amount of ace portraits we did in the park last year we’ve decided to section out two whole weekends in October dedicated to lovely leafy shoots.
All this gorgeousness only lasts about 4 weeks, the best of it being October. So if you fancy getting some of shots like these, get in touch and book your slot as we fill up fast in autumn.
Check out our film
Check our autumn film and gallery for some inspiration!
Back to School 2017
Comments Off on Back to School 2017The seasons have started to change which means going back to school is approaching. Some of us may be breathing a sigh of relief at the thought or dreading getting back to routine. But hey ho just think it’ll be Christmas soon…#dontdaresayit.
As soon as we hit September Bounce gets crazy, as we have so much going on. Nursery shoots kick off and private shoots come in thick and fast. As the seasons change, September is a really fab time to get some pics just before the leaves start to fall. The light is dusky and who knows we could be blessed with an Indian summer which would make for some gorge end of season snapshots with the family.
As we make the transition from summer the light is golden, the leaves are vibrant, so October is perfect timing to start our autumn shoots. We had a bumper season last year, with loads of families having shoots in the park. Grosvenor Park in town was a firm fave with its plethora of nooks and crannies and large trees dropping wades of leaves, creating the most amazing colourful carpet for our shots. With this in mind we have decided to book out two weekends in October dedicated to autumn leaves. These weekends fill up fast so if you’re thinking of this style get booked in soon!
Once our fave season has disappeared we are then thinking festive. We have some brand new back drops for Christmas this year. At Bounce we tend to focus on character and expressions in our portraits which ultimately makes them timeless pieces. So have basically always steered clear of ‘tacky’ props, such as kids sitting awkwardly on mushroom stools and the like. But this year we did want to bring in a bit of festive cheer, but remembering to keep inline with the ‘timeless’ feel.
We have two new set ups that include twinkling blurry fairy lights, you know like you see in the background of Broadchurch/BBC dramas etc. Plus some super classy fairy wing shots against black with sparkly fairy dust. Check them out! We’ll be doing these at our nursery and Tumbletot shoots as well as private home and studio shoots, so if you like the look of them for your Christmas list, get in touch!
So there is loads of options to get some fab shots this season. To kick it all off we are doing a super deal on our September shoots. Until the end of September only, shoots will be £10 each! So get yourself booked in to take advantage. Find out more and book your shoot.
Holiday snaps
Comments Off on Holiday snapsHoliday snaps
The holidays are now upon us yay! Or some may groan… but whatever your stance it does mean that its time to whack on the suncream and traipse the kids to sunnier climates.
So many of our pals have already been jetting off or packing the car, heading to Cornwall, Wales and European shores. We decided on Portugal for our break, and with Rosie being just 16 months we were able to avoid the expense of the school hols, sneaking off in early July.
It was our first time taking her away on a plane – last year the best we could manage was the Menai Bridge to Anglesey (Although I am sure we packed just as much to go there as we did to Portugal!). It all went surprisingly smoothly, but was an absolute wake up call to how holidays are now going to map out.
Gone are the days when we used to go out all night, wake at 11am and then fight for the nearest sunbed by the sea to top up our tan. We used to spend quite a lot of time taking photos whilst away and this also changed. With all the extra activities we found ourselves doing with Rosie, we had managed to get to the second to last day and suddenly realised we hadn’t taken anything – oh no – sheer panic that we hadn’t captured our first born on her first holiday away…
So to Rosie’s dismay we took her on a an emergency stroll at 7am through our apartment grounds. It was tough as she basically couldn’t be bothered to ooze those holiday vibes for us, but we did manage to get a few of her playing ball. We then spent the rest of the day snapping away and managed to get what looked like a weeks worth of shots – score!.
Here’s just a few tips to get that perfect holiday snap…
Whether your taking your slr or using your phone, here is a few simple techniques to get better holiday snaps.
1. Avoid bright sunlight – wait until a cloud is over, or use the open shade from a tree or building.
2. Get low – get down to their height, it’s a better angle than pointing the camera down at them from a great height.
3. Less is more – keep it simple and avoid cluttered backgrounds This makes your subject stand out with more impact
Here is a photograph that makes use of all three of these techniques, in a brief moment of cloud on a Portuguese beach… The ice cream stain tells a story (a story about keeping Rosie in one place for just ten minutes so we could enjoy a beer)
And finally… (and probably the most important)
4. As always, never say cheese – cheese is the universal word for a strained-looking and awkward smile that looks more like case of bad wind than a happy carefree moment. The same goes for ‘do your happy face’ or ‘show us your teeth!’ etc etc. Instead, create a situation where they are not thinking about the photograph or how they look, but laughing at something funny or talking about something else. Or asking them to shout something that makes them laugh – on trend for 2017 and 99% effective is quite simple: ‘Donald Trump’.
‘Donald Trump!!’ Disclaimer – The ‘Donald Trump’ Technique was not actually used in photograph shown. Grandparents solicitors have been informed.
And finally finally…
It wouldnt be a Bounce blog without some sort of plug/tenuous connection to our family shoots. Weve given you some tips, but why not leave it to us. We’ve got another great offer on this summer so take advantage.
Top locations, Chester
Comments Off on Top locations, Chester
There are so many stunning places in and about Chester for location shoots, we are truly blessed with some gorge routes that we probs take for granted. In our own family strolls with have scouted quite a few places that always come up tops for our shoots with families who book us.
We have put together a mini hit list of our faves, that will hopefully inspire you to come on a walk with us and capture your family having fun…
Great Barrow Estate
Great Barrow is just outside Chester, and hidden amongst this little village is the most beautiful bluebell wood. This wood has been the main backdrop for our bluebell shoots, and is literally a carpet of vibrant blues and purples.
They only last for a few weeks in April/May, until the leaves grow on the trees above and block the sunlight – so make the most of them whilst they are here!
Eccleston River path
This lovely little woodland trails along the River Dee, linking to the meadows. The meadows are the perfect spot to find buttercups in the height of May, June and into July. We have done tonnes of buttercup shoots here, capturing the gorgeous yellows and hazy meadow feel.
Delamere Forest
Not just a place to spot the Gruffalo! Its got a stunning lake, a mass of tall mature trees and great little sandstone trails to follow (and get lost in) which we have done many a time. We’ve had shoots here in all seasons, even winter – its diversity of woodland, lake and forestry means you can get some really scenic backdrops.
Bickerton Hill
This one is not for the faint hearted – we almost lost our dog of the side on one walk! He did come back though, thank god , after much persuasion with a sarnie. This place has fantastic views over the surrounding valleys and on a clear day you can even spot the Liver Building.
Grosvenor Park, Chester
Just in the heart of the city so not far at all is the park. We started doing some summer shoots here last year and realised how good the location actually was. With all its different levels, nookd, crannies, trees, plants it really is the most perfect setting just on our doorstep. It looks so colourful in the summer as all the plants are such vibrant colours. But it also pulls out all the stops in autumn too. We did loads of autumn shoots there last year and we got some of the best autumnal shots yet. We’ll defo be back there this year!
So, with all the bank holidays, half terms and summer breaks ahead hopefully we can inspre you to head out on a walk with us and capture your family in some of this naturally gorgeous scenery.
Check out our new gallery below, and why not also check out our fab offer on location shoots this spring…
Gallery
Check out our buttercup movie
What we think about cake smashes
Comments Off on What we think about cake smashesWhat we think about cake smashes
Can I just put something out there…? Its controversial, but here at Bounce, we HATE cake smashes. There, I said it! They are pretty damn popular right now in the world of children’s portraiture, but we just aren’t buying it. They are tacky and contrived, and have less emotion than a traffic warden on a Monday morning. And don’t even get me started on Milk Baths (they’re big in America right now, so expect to them hit our shores any time soon).
Here at Bounce we are more interested in characters and their stories. In fact, what first inspired me to try photography was the iconic photo journalism of Life magazine and the Magnum agency. Engaging documentary photography that captures a moment or event within a narrative. Reportage photography that tells stories about people.
In the modern world of todays photography, its not exactly ground breaking stuff. With wedding photography in particular, the candid reportage style is by far the most popular, with photographers and couples alike. And as for portraiture, the infamous Venture brilliantly built their name on that natural candid style, and set the standard for family portraits. (just don’t mention the price tag!).
For us, a portrait is about capturing character. A simple portrait that oozes character is worth a thousand perfectly styled, prop-heavy shots of a slightly awkward children pulling the ‘cheese’ face. Any photographer worth his salt will tell you interaction and expression are the most important. Check out Rankin for someone who can take a simple plain portrait and make it jump out and grab you – the guy is a genius!
Its not that we don’t like style. Anne Geddes ground breaking baby portraits are creative and striking, and quite possibly inspired a million newborn photographers all over the world. A theme can most definitely bring an extra dimension to a portrait, a simple prop can tell us something more about the person in the photograph, and add to the story of the image.
So while we recognise that cake smashes give portraits a theme and a style, we feel they are just a bit tired and obvious. Novelty gimmicks with (dubious) style over substance. File them in the same category as Flowery swings and the aforementioned Milk Baths.
So here at Bounce we’ve come up with a concept that hopefully results in something far more timeless, genuine, and evocative. And like all great portraits, captures those natural smiles and expressions that reveal something about the persons real character.
Its simple really, we just choose an activity that the kids really enjoy, something they can get their imagination going. This will allow them to forget about the camera and concentrate on having fun. We’ll just stand back and capture the action as it happens.
We will shoot both striking portraits to hang on your wall, and video clips which we will use to create a mini feature film about the day. Maybe its your baby’s first foot prints, painting a masterpiece, baking some cakes or picking flowers. Lets get them having fun, doing something colourful, something they REALLY enjoy, and let us capture some special shots that aren’t just portraits, they truly tell a story.
Find out more about our creative frames.
Check out our fab offers this month, including a very special voucher offer to celebrate the launch of our activity shoots!
Check out our movie
We’ve made a new film to show off our activity shoots, included with your shoot we’ll create a mini feature film for your family just like the one below!
Activity shoots
Mama
Comments Off on MamaMama
Well this time last year I was huge and ready to pop out Rosie, Four days overdue by this point and not happy. If somebody would of told me I still had another 6 days to wait I think I would of pulled her out myself. Anyway most of us have been there and by the day she was actually ready to come the sheer agony was making me want to push her back in. She came along on March 1st, missing the leap year baby tag by just a few hours and just in time for Mothers Day which that year fell on the 6th.
As you can imagine my first mothers day was a little up the wall with a brand new baby, I was slightly weary and all that, but in between all the mayhem Eddy got us to have some photies and with my mum too – as an added Mother days bonus – I was a bit tired for all the cofuffle but looking back I am glad I got my act together for it!
Mothers day is a little later this year falling on Sunday 26th, so a few more weeks to decide what to do, we’ve already got it sorted and have lots of specials to celebrate it. Check them out here and celebrate mums with us!!
Bounce news 2017
Comments Off on Bounce news 2017News and brand new film
Well we are nearly at the end of January and looking ahead to 2017 after finishing a hectic season. Last year was slightly different with Rosie our almost one year old in tow but we managed to get there in the end – as we always do! We’ll have her artworking shoots in no time I’m sure…
As ever we had loads of nursery, home and location shoots. We kicked off the Christmas season with our autumn shoots in Alexandra Park, Hoole, this went so well that we have decided for 2017 we will be booking out two dates to run autumn shoots, and have already decided on the location of Grosvenor Park in town – as the colours and different nooks and crannies of the park made for gorgeous private shoots. Check out some of these shots out in the film below.
We have collated the best shots from 2017 in a mini film below, can you spot anybody you know?
2017 sees the launch of our brand new set of shoots called Monthly Minis! Every month we will be holding a day of minishoot slot bookings at a different location with a different theme and style each month. The first two are focusing on natural light and studio style and will be held on Saturday 4th and 11th February, if you are interested in booking click here.
Special Winter Offer – This winter let us capture something that little bit more special. We are offering our home and location shoots for £10 (usually £25) throughout the winter season. View your collection within 7 days, prices and packages start from £45. Click for more details.
Coming soon…watch out for our brand new concept ‘Creative Frames’!
Lovely Autumn
Comments Off on Lovely AutumnYep autumn is on its way out and haven’t we had a gorgeous one, proper picture perfect. We have done loads of scouting out locations over the years for shoots in and around Chester, yet only just noticed this year how spoilt we are with Grosvenor Park.
After having a little stroll through we decided to use Rosie as the Bounce mascot again and do a little test shoot, she was on form and they turned out just gorgeous…
so shamelessly popped them on the Bounce fb page and since we have done a tonne of beautiful autumn shoots (that girl is going to want commission when she reaches her teens!!).
Check out a few of the best below and see if there is anyone you know…
If you like the look of these, we are going to do a whole weekend of autumn minishoots in the park next year, so look out for them on our fb page and make sure you book a slot.
Hello Rosie
Comments Off on Hello RosieCapturing Rosie – Iphone vs Camera
This year got off to a nuts start over here with the arrival of little Rosie who is now 6 months old! Everyone says it, because it’s so cliché but seriously it’s just flown. One minute you’re working out how many poops and widdles they’ve had (which by the way, my friend saw a pic of me doing this and thought I was doing some kind of home bingo, yes, 3 days after giving birth) and the next they are sitting up in your local bashing every object that isn’t their toy on the table.
As you can imagine since having Rosie we have created a catalogue of photos that would rival Kate Moss. We have a ridiculous amount, Eddy is obvs non-stop on the main camera whenever he gets a chance, and I have just bought more storage on the iphone to store all of those ‘first time she’s eaten an avocado’ snaps – everything is just too much with the gorgeousness #firstchildsyndrome…
For snapping away the phone is great, it means you can get quickie shots, apply the trusty transfer filter, send them to the grannies straight away, upload to Facebook/Instagram – you get the drift.
But, we obvs still stand by the fact that there is nothing like getting a huge close up, action shot, big smile etc like you can on the main camera, and capturing her character under the lights or out and about. Also when thinking about main displays for the house or just framed prints, I want to know it’s going to be in focus and have a great expression so it looks standout on the wall. One good shot is worth 100 blurred phone shots.
We’ve even shot a new movie with a handy hint about how you can get that perfect shot 😉 featuring a very, very happy baby – who chuckled her way through the shoot.
So, if you’ve been trying to get that perfect smile whilst waving Sophie the Giraffe with one hand and your phone in the other, why not relax, pour yourself a drink and check out our galleries and brand new offer for this season and leave the snapping to us.
Special offer
This autumn let us capture something that little bit more special.
We are offering our home and location shoots for £15 (usually £25) throughout autumn.
View your collection within 7 days, prices and packages start from £45.
Summer stuff to do
Comments Off on Summer stuff to doSummer stuff to do
The summer hols are here again, which means the kids are off, all of our mummy groups come to an end and we need to entertain those little minions day in day out. As usual we have had a little scout about and put a little list together of a few ideas to keep you all entertained.
City sightseeing open top tour
For those of us that live in Chester it seems ridiculous to consider doing this, but actually it’s a bit of a laugh for the kids and get you get to have a sit down! Literally hop on anytime between 10am and 5pm, and make sure you sit up at the top – as long as its not raining of course!
Flowers
We had a little garden party at the weekend for our daughters naming day, with her name being Rosie we decided it would be vintage rose themed. We got her little cousins involved in creating little rose displays for the tables and they loved it. We just collected little pebbles and stones from the garden, got empty jam jars, ribbon, roses and created mini displays. Great for if you’re planning a summer party or just want to decorate your home and keep the kids entertained for an hour or so.
Sandy Lane Water Park
I am sure everyone knows about this little gem in Boughton, but had to mention it as its just great when the sun shines, take a picnic and watch the kids have fun running around in the water. Add an extra on to the day and catch the little ferry over to the meadows, it’s just £1 and runs throughout summer.
Beach art
Are you off on hols or just heading to the beach for a day trip? If so, gather some beach artefacts when walking the shores with your little ones and try your hand at these fab beach sculptures!
Pick your own farms
Trying to get the kids in to fruit and veg? Or are they already in to it and just love it? Well whatever the case, pick your own farms are just brill. You can go along to a farm near you and pick anything from strawbs, raspberries and apples to broad beans and onions. There are a few in Cheshire, including Church Farm Organics and Eddisbury Fruit Farm, check them out and find out more here
Food art
Do you struggle to get your kids to tuck in to their greens or get excited about different foods? Check out these ideas on Instagram to make your food more arty this summer and get the kids involved
Have fun with portraits
Summer hols are a great time to get the family together for a portrait. Don’t forget we do location and studio shoots, so you can either pop outside to get some natural shots or stay in and get some great expressions and why not add some fun props? Check out our spring/summer offer here
Check out our gallery of images…
