Wild swimming and blackberry picking: Summer adventure family photoshoot in Cambridge | Natural Family Photographer, Cambridgeshire
The crisp autumn days have seemed to be kept at bay at present. For the last decade or as far back as I can remember, the beginning of autumn feels like more of a last hurrah to summer. With a heatwave and whisperings of an Indian summer this week, I know I can be forgiven for thinking that. It’s my favourite time of year — an exciting time with watching the changes taking place as we notice trees turn flame coloured and fruit trees or bushes ripening the last of their summer fruits. Even the smell and sight of distant bonfires won’t go amidst. But for the time being, we can try to harvest or appreciate the bounty and warmer weather while we can before we wait for another year to be able to enjoy them again. Unless, of course, there is a way to bottle up some of this season’s goodness.
Yes, for those who are food-lovers and cooks, maybe you’re thinking of chutneys, pies or jams. Unless, you’re like me, gobble them up quickly soon after being handpicked.
I am thinking more in the way of documenting some of the seasonal activities at this time of year. Such as gathering and kicking piles of leaves in the garden, go on a woodland walk and finding conkers under trees in the park. Maybe you take some of them home with you and use them for home decorations or art materials (for your kids), or create sweet autumnal desserts out of the natural ingredients you have gathered. How much have you enjoyed doing these together with your family and recall memories from when you were a kid? It is possible to preserve these moments and feelings just as you would for the harvest you gathered.
Cambridge family photography
A few weeks ago, I got to do just that for a young family living in Cambridge. I had been invited to capture one of their regular summer adventures to Milton Country Park, which is right on the outskirts of the city. I had got to know the mum and dad, Vicky + Rich, as I was the photographer for their festival-themed wedding day in Horningsea a little over two years ago. We had stayed in touch on social media and it’s been nice following them as their family grew to three with their baby girl joining them almost 18 months ago. I was delighted to meet all of them when I documented their little adventure for their day-in-the-life family photoshoot.
Both Vicky and Rich have a big love for open water swimming. It’s also known as wild swimming, although at Milton Country Park you swim in the lake under lifeguard supervision and the water is tested for quality. I had been to Milton Country Park on various occasions, but I didn’t know this activity took place there. So it was exciting to discover its existence and even more so to get to do a real family photoshoot around open water swimming.
The park very carefully manages the sessions and swimmers in the lake. In fact, outdoor swimming was one of a few handfuls of sports that were the first to be allowed open soon after Covid restrictions were beginning to ease in the summer. I followed Vicky and Rich as they took their turns to go swimming around the lake and one of them would stay with their little girl. It was a hot day, so even their little girl was taken to dip her toes in the lake. But she seemed more interested in spraying the ground with water from her small sippy cup and throwing pebbles into the water.
I also captured some photos of the family gathering blackberries and feeding the ducks around the park.
Some highlights from their photoshoot are below.