Why It’s So Important to Capture Those Precious Family Moments
Hi, it’s Sophia here from Beside The Seaside Photography. 🌊
As a mum to five wonderful (and very energetic!) boys, I’ve lived the whirlwind of family life. I’ve watched tiny newborns become toddlers tearing around the garden, then schoolboys, teenagers, and now young men.
The days feel long, but the years? They fly. One minute you’re rocking a baby to sleep; the next, you’re looking up at a son who’s taller than you and wondering where the time went.
That’s the thing about family moments, they’re beautiful, messy, fleeting, and utterly irreplaceable. The spontaneous cuddle on the beach at sunset, the way siblings link hands and run into the waves, the proud grin of a child picking sunflowers, or the quiet reflection by the river as everyone just ‘together’.
These aren’t staged events. They’re the real, everyday magic that shapes who we are as families.
But here’s the truth: we don’t remember them as clearly as we think we will.
Life moves fast.
The laughter fades from memory, the exact sparkle in their eyes dims over time, and those tiny details the way their hair curled after a dip in the sea or the muddy knees from farm adventures get lost.
That’s why I believe professional family photography is so much more than “nice photos.” It’s legacy. It’s proof. It’s a way to hold onto the love, the joy, and even the chaos that makes your family uniquely yours.
When I started photographing my own boys back in 2010, it began as a way to document their personalities the cheeky smiles, the genuine laughs, the light in their eyes when they were truly happy. That passion grew into Beside The Seaside Photography because I wanted to help other families do the same.
I don’t believe in stiff poses or forced smiles. My sessions are relaxed and natural, whether we’re splashing by the seaside in Southsea, wandering through sunflower fields, sitting on a farm bench, or exploring a quiet river spot. The goal is always to capture you ‘just as you are’ in the moments that feel authentic and full of heart.
Years later, those images become treasures. They sit on walls, in albums, or pop up on screensavers, sparking stories and bringing back waves of emotion. Children look at them and say, “Mum, remember when…?”
Grandparents tear up seeing the love captured forever. And you? You get to relive the feeling of being present in those ordinary-but-extraordinary days.
Time doesn’t stop, but photographs do. They remind us that the love we feel right now is real and lasting. They give future generations a window into who we were as a family. And in a world that moves so quickly, that’s priceless.
If 2026 is the year you want to preserve your family’s story, I’d be honoured to help.
Whether it’s a full family adventure by the sea,
a maternity session capturing the anticipation,
or a relaxed sibling shoot, let’s create images that will mean the world for years to come.
Get in touch via the contact form on my website or email me directly. Let’s capture those beautiful moments, before they become memories.
With all my heart,
Sophia
Beside The Seaside Photography
Portsmouth, Hampshire
www.besidetheseasidephotography.co.uk
