The year began with this lovely family photo session in Madrid, in what felt like a beautiful Spring day. This couple lives in New York City and they were spending a couple of days in Madrid with their daughter. Honestly, Fall and Spring are by far my favorite seasons in the city, however Spring seems to last two or three weeks, whereas Fall feels like a season that lasts from October to December and I'm here for it all!
Since I moved to Madrid a couple of years ago, I have done family photo sessions in several places in the city, from Retiro to Palacio Real, Parque de Molinos to Jardines El Capricho, and even throughout the city center like Barrio de las Letras. However, Retiro is still my absolute favorite. It's in the city center, I can plan for several different routes through the park, depending on the clients' tastes, and though it's a very touristic place, it's also a fundamental part in the local life, be it for jogging, walking their dog, riding their bikes, for reading or taking the kids to the playground after school.
When families are visiting Madrid, I know that a photo session is only one small part of their trip. I don't want it to feel like another appointment they have to rush to. I usually suggest a location and route based on the time of year, the ages of the children and what they would like to see while they're here, and then we simply take our time. There is plenty of walking, talking, exploring and stopping whenever we find a beautiful spot or the kids are having fun. The photos happen naturally along the way. My two main goals: make beautiful portraits for the parents, make sure the kids have fun during the photo session!
I mean only Spring could create a beautiful natural pink frame around the family portraits like this, though I must say that I do the very same with the golden leaves during Fall!
I especially love sessions like this one because they don't need much directing. We walked, chatted, explored the park and let the afternoon unfold. My job is to keep an eye on the light, notice the little interactions and gently guide things when needed, while giving families enough space to simply enjoy being together. For families visiting Madrid, I think that's the best way to come home with photographs that actually feel like a memory of the trip, rather than a collection of posed portraits.
If you're planning a trip to Madrid and would like to make some time for a family photoshoot while you're here, I'd love to help you plan it. Get in touch and tell me a little about your trip, and we can find a location and time that work for your family.
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