Teens Archives - Emma Collins

Family (Un)Expected | Documentary family exhibition at Les Rencontres Arles

Emma Collins — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 18:24:38 +0000

Family (Un)Expected is an exhibition taking place at “Les Rencontres de la Photographie” in Arles, France, one of the most important international photography festivals. I’m beyond excited that this photo of my daughters, called ‘Teenage Angst’, was selected to hang alongside work from 32 awesome documentary family photographers at such a prestigious event.

Unfortunately, I can’t be there this year, but if you’re in the region I recommend a visit. It’s a spectacular sight to see the whole town turned into a giant art gallery … and if you do visit please send me a photo!

FAMILY: (UN)EXPECTED

4-16 JULY 2022

ARLES, FRANCE

“Family: (un)expected presents diverse stories, unmasking the true everyday lives of family. The images question prevailing norms while resisting the social media propaganda of the universal ideas of the “perfect family.”

Instead, laid bare is raw humanness that opens us up to the possibilities of being alive together. It exposes real familial experiences that are typically hidden away: triumph, struggle, quietness, and chaos. The expected is poised against the unexpected, providing further questioning of family life.”

If you can’t visit in person you can see the exhibit online here. Click on any of the images to find out more about them, what inspired the artists and the messages behind their work.

Thank you to DFP for your important work in bringing documentary family photography to a wider audience! … and congratulations to my colleagues whose photos are also on display.

Here are some wonderful shots taken at the gallery during set up and at the Vernissage at the exhibition. (Vernissage = private viewing – don’t the French have beautiful words?!)

If you want to find out more about work that I have recently exhibited, see here and here.

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Adventure session | Snowball fight | St Albans documentary family photographer

Emma Collins — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 18:31:11 +0000

I can’t tell you how excited I was leading up to this photoshoot, the weather forecast was snow … we hardly ever have snow, so when we do, the likelihood that it coincides with a client booking is almost non-existent. The mum was slightly concerned that her teenage children might stand around looking awkward … you know how teens operate, lying on the sofa, playing on phones, monosyllabic conversations, a photoshoot would not be at the top of their chosen activities, especially not early on a Saturday … so she had decided that we should go out and about for our 1/2 day session, and I challenge you to find anyone who doesn’t turn into a big kid when snow is around. I literally did a little happy dance when I woke up to a blanket of snow covering the ground, it wasn’t deep but there was just enough … and it absolutely lived up to my expectations, in fact it couldn’t have been more perfect. Everyone had a (snow)ball (excuse the pun!) and completely forgot I was hanging around in the shadows … well almost forgot, they did gang up on me at one point and simultaneously all started throwing snowballs at me … the cheek of it!

I am a family photographer based in St Albans, available for family and newborn photoshoots in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and London … and further afield if you wish! If you would like to book your own Emma Collins photoshoot, please get in touch to discuss your requirements. You can email me at hello@emmacollinsphotography.co.uk, or visit my contact page.

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Why family portraits are so important | Documentary family photographer

Emma Collins — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 13:18:23 +0000

Why do we need to be in photos? It is something many of us avoid, but people are precious, and the bonds we have with our loved ones are irreplaceable, without pictures our memories fade and the details we promise ourselves we will remember forever become blurred and forgotten.

This beautiful mum is the sister of a friend, she had always wanted to have family photos taken, but put it off as she wanted to lose a little weight first. One day everything changed, they received the crushing news that her husband had only a short time left. I went to their home 2 days later and took their photos in their garden. It was physically too much to spend a long time with them, so it was all about capturing the bond they had with each other to preserve lasting memories. They were amazing, I have never witnessed such love, humour and support.

It’s a story that is hard to tell, but a story that highlights the importance of capturing your beautiful family on camera. We need to put aside our own insecurities and stop worrying about what we look like. Everyday we observe our own families, we see all their expressions from happy and joyful to sad and moody, everything that makes them the people who are so special to us. We don’t love someone less because their tummy is a bit soft, or their nose crinkles when they laugh, or their teeth are too wonky – in fact these unique characteristics make us love them more! It is easy to make excuses and to put it off, but you and your family are beautiful right now, don’t wait, life is too short.

St Albans teen family photographer, Emma Collins at Emma Collins Photography

I am a St Albans lifestyle photographer, available for family, children and teen photo sessions in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and London … and further afield if you wish! If you would like to book your own Emma Collins photoshoot, please get in touch to discuss your requirements. You can email me at hello@emmacollinsphotography.co.uk, or visit my contact page.

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