There is something special about doing ordinary things together. Baking cookies in the kitchen, sneaking a taste of the dough when nobody is looking or letting little hands get a little too generous with the sprinkles. These are the kinds of moments that make up family life, and they can make for some of the most meaningful photographs.
For this mother and daughter photoshoot, we brought a little Christmas spirit into an indoor setting and turned cookie baking into the story we wanted to tell.
A Christmas story told through photographs
Instead of planning a traditional photoshoot where everyone takes turns looking at the camera, we built the session around something the two of them could do together.
The kitchen became our setting. There was cookie dough to prepare, shapes to cut out and biscuits to decorate. Each part of the process gave them something to focus on, leaving room for natural interactions and little moments between them.
I photographed them working side by side, helping each other and enjoying the process. The photographs show more than what they looked like that day. They capture a little piece of their relationship, with all the small details that make their time together their own.
And of course baking Christmas cookies gave us a wonderful excuse to bring out the festive atmosphere without needing an elaborate Christmas setup.
What is a storytelling photoshoot?
A storytelling photoshoot is built around an activity, an experience or a part of family life that means something to you.
Rather than creating a series of poses, we plan a session around something you enjoy doing together. That might be baking cookies, making pancakes on a Saturday morning, playing a favourite board game, reading stories on the sofa or heading outside for an adventure.
The activity gives everyone something to do. Children can get involved, parents can focus on spending time with them and I can photograph the interactions as they happen.
There is still room for a little direction when needed, but the aim isn't to make every moment look perfectly arranged. It's to create photographs that feel connected to your family and the way you spend time together.
For this mother and daughter, baking cookies was the perfect starting point. It gave their session a clear story while leaving plenty of room for their own personalities to come through.
Why an indoor photoshoot is a great option during winter
Winter in the Netherlands doesn't always make outdoor photography easy. The days are shorter, the weather can be unpredictable and sometimes the last thing you want to do is stand outside with your children in the cold.
An indoor photoshoot offers another option. You can create a session around an activity in a comfortable setting without worrying about whether the weather will cooperate.
Depending on the session, this could take place in your own home or in a daylight studio. Your home can be a lovely choice if you want to include familiar surroundings and activities that are part of your everyday life. A studio offers an alternative if you would prefer a different setting.
For a Christmas baking photoshoot, an indoor space works particularly well. The ingredients, kitchen utensils and finished cookies all become part of the story, while the activity itself gives the photographs a sense of purpose.
And this idea doesn't have to be limited to Christmas. You could bake birthday cupcakes, decorate biscuits for Easter or make your favourite family recipe at any time of the year.
You don't need to know how to pose
One of the things people sometimes worry about before booking a family photoshoot is what they are supposed to do in front of the camera.
If you're not used to being photographed, being told to stand in a particular position and smile can feel a little awkward. Children may lose interest quickly, and trying to get everyone to cooperate can turn the experience into more work than fun.
With a storytelling session, the activity gives us a starting point. You don't have to invent expressions or think about where to put your hands. You can concentrate on what you're doing together while I guide you when needed and photograph the interactions along the way.
That doesn't mean every photograph is completely unposed. I'll still help with positioning, angles and little adjustments when they make a difference. The idea is simply to create space for genuine interaction rather than having the entire session revolve around the camera.
Creating photographs that mean something to your family
Children grow, interests change and family routines evolve. Something as ordinary as baking cookies together can look very different a few years later.
A storytelling photoshoot gives you a way to document those details. Not just the finished cookies or a photograph of everyone smiling, but the process itself: little hands working with the dough, the way you help each other and the time you spend doing something together.
These photographs can become a reminder of a particular stage of family life. They tell a story about who your children were, what they enjoyed and how you spent time together.
You don't need to wait for a milestone or a special occasion to book a session. Sometimes, an ordinary afternoon doing something you love is more than enough.
Plan your own storytelling family photoshoot
If you like the idea of photographs that tell a story rather than simply documenting what everyone looks like, we can plan a session around an activity that suits your family.
Perhaps your children love baking, building with LEGO, painting, playing music or spending time outdoors. Maybe you have a family tradition you would love to document, or an activity you keep saying you'll do together when you have more time.
We can use that as the starting point and build a photoshoot around it.
I'm Jorietha, a family photographer based in Woerden, offering relaxed family photography in Utrecht, Amsterdam and across the Netherlands. My approach combines gentle guidance with space for your family to interact, so your photographs can reflect the people you are and the things you enjoy doing together.
If you'd like to plan a storytelling family photoshoot, get in touch and let's come up with an idea that feels right for your family.
