Liz Pattenden explains why she jumped in to capture her family on ‘film’, and how her family photos took her down memory lane. 

I have wanted to book a photo session for a few years now, just to capture the kids being so small as they are changing by the minute - Leo is seven and Mia is five. I finally decided to lock it in.  

I know I will miss the kids being this age - they change every day so I’m glad we captured them before they grow up too much. My husband Dale and I often say that we know the days we are in now are 'the good old days' so just to enjoy every second - now the good old days are captured forever.  

We had such a wonderful experience with Elena. She was so warm and welcoming from the second we met her, and both my kids instantly felt at ease. My main concern was that the kids would lose interest or not want to follow any instructions. When we were driving to the photoshoot, Dale and I both said to the kids that whatever happened just pretend we are a normal family, haha! We also remember feeling so relaxed and knew the kids were having fun so I knew she would get some great shots.  

Honestly, the first thing that came to mind when I saw the photos was that I remembered when I was younger and I prayed for what was in those photos, I just felt so grateful.  

I teared up when I opened the photo gallery, the photos turned out better than I ever expected. They exceeded all my expectations.  Mia absolutely loved it and she was not shy at all. She has always been confident and photogenic, so we were excited to see her beauty shine through and we weren’t disappointed. Our son Leo has always been a bit shy, but Mia helped him on the day to be a little more relaxed and just go with the flow. I’m so glad I came across Elena through a discussion on a Facebook page.

What advice would you give to another family considering getting family photos done? 

Firstly, book with Little Manly photography - Elena is incredible. Have a think about what you want to wear and how you think that will come across in the photos. Choose a location that you love - We live right on Narrabeen beach and spend a lot of time there. I also walk that beach often, so it's nice to have them in a place that means a lot to us.  

If you like to see more of our work, check out our Lifestyle Family Photography Portfolio

Little Manly Photography