Caterpillars and Tree Climbing

A few weeks ago we had a family outing to Crickley Hill in Gloucestshire - actually we were gathering some research for our son's iron age school project,  but of more interest was climbing trees with Grandpa and finding furry caterpillars that tickled his hands.  Here are a few photos that go to show homework can be fun even for 7 year olds especially if you don't stick too closely to the curriculum!

As a children's photographer I love capturing natural images of childhood.  Autumn is a fantastic time to update your family album with its soft lighting and colourful landscapes.  Why not book a photography session for your next trip out and get some great memories lovingly captured of your family.  Gift prints make excellent presents for grandparents too!



Judi x




Judi is a wedding and lifestyle photographer based near Oxford working mainly in Oxfordshire,  Wiltshire, Berkshire, Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds but will consider commissions throughout the UK.  Working on location using natural light and countryside landscapes, Judi focuses on capturing beautiful relaxed images of you and your family using a mix of reportage and fine art style photography. Using an artistic eye Judi will not just capture your memories but create a work of art which can be presented in luxury fine art albums or as framed art or canvases to hang in your homes. 

Judi also provides services for commercial businesses including headshots, nursery and pre-school portraits as well as special events such as birthdays and christenings etc. She is a member of both The Society for Wedding & Portrait Photographers and The Guild of Professional Photographers.

More information is available on the website www.judicheckettsphotography.com or contact Judi via email

Friday Foto - why I love this image

Happy New Year!

I'm kicking off 2014 with a new resolution to be more active on my blog!  I have so many wonderful photos I want to share with you and time is always my enemy.  So, I'm beginning this week with what I hope is to be a new regular feature - "Friday Foto  - why I love this image".

Each week I will post an image and explain a little bit of the story behind the image.  It might be the reason I captured it, what was special about the subject matter or perhaps it might be about compositional elements which for me make the photo really work.  A great image should evoke an appropriate emotional response in the viewer - only you can feel if that happens for you and of course this is art…..so highly subjective and each persons response will be different.

But I hope you enjoy this new feature and get a glimpse of what makes a photo important to me.  I'll also be including a little of the technical info too for the techies out there :)


Starting off this week with a favourite image from last year. Do please share your thoughts below and share this post with friends on Facebook or Twitter.

This image was taken as part of a lifestyle shoot of two siblings - these sessions frequently provide images of children running around laughing and having fun.  But within a session there is a chance to capture the many sides to the individual child's character.  Quite often they become absorbed in play and forget the camera completely as here - the little girl fixated on her umbrella.  Up to this point she had been running up and down the steps and twirling the umbrella around….. then a quiet reflective moment.   I love the the stillness and the fact she is not aware of the camera.  As a mum myself I'm only too aware of the fleeting moments of our children this motionless - and by capturing it the moment can be held forever.  Converting the image to black & white enhances the mood of the image and creates a timeless fine art portrait.

Techy Stuff:

Camera:  Canon 5D II
Focal Length:  200m
Aperture: f4
Exposure 1/640
Iso: 200
Shot in manual mode, no flash

This image was awarded a bronze bar from The Guild of Professional Photographers.

Judi is a lifestyle and wedding photographer based near Oxford working mainly in Oxfordshire,  Wiltshire, Berkshire, Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds but will consider comissions throughout the UK.  Working on location using natural light Judi focuses on capturing beautiful relaxed images of you and your family using a mix of reportage and fine art style photography. Using an artistic eye Judi will not just capture your memories but create a work of art which can be presented in luxury fine art albums or as framed art or canvases to hang in your homes. 

Judi also provides services for commercial businesses including headshots, nursery and pre-school portraits as well as special events such as birthdays and christenings etc. She is a member of both The Society for Wedding & Portrait Photographers and The Guild of Professional Photographers.

Children's photography at the bluebell woods near Swindon

I've been doing lots of family and children shoots this spring and the bluebells are always a popular theme.  Last month I took Ruby and her mum Paula up to the bluebell woods for a little shoot.  Ruby is only two and as with most two year olds had her own views on how the shoot should go.  Between us we captured some of Ruby's fun-loving personality - and just look how wonderfully her auburn hair is set off against the bluebells.

Children's photography is a great passion for me - as a Mum myself I love capturing these precious images of your children as they grow.  I shoot on location using the natural landscape as coloured by the seasons which brings exciting opportunities and ensures your shoot will be unique to you.

If you would like to have some portrait of your family and children then please do get in touch - I love hearing from clients old and new!   Lifestyle sessions are available at your home or at a location of your choosing. Contact me for more information or visit my website at www.judicheckettsphotography.com to discover more about my lifestyle photography sessions.

Judi  x

Judi is a fine art lifestyle and wedding photographer based in Oxfordshire working mainly in Oxfordshire,  Wiltshire, Berkshire, Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds but will consider comissions throughout the UK.  Working on location using natural light Judi focuses on capturing beautiful relaxed images of you and your family. Using an artistic eye Judi will not just capture your memories but create a work of art which can be presented in luxury fine art albums or as framed art or canvases to hang in your homes. 

Judi also provides services for commercial businesses including headshots, nursery and pre-school portraits as well as special events such as birthdays and christenings etc.

Celebrate Fathers' Day with some special Family Photography in Oxfordshire

Men are often reluctant to get in front of the camera but Fathers' Day is the perfect time to encourage the family to together for a relaxed shoot.  Summer is here (well, in theory anyway even if the temperatures are currently well below par!) and the great outdoors makes a wonderful setting.

These images I took last year of my own family - its easy to forget to capture them when I spend so much time shooting other peoples families!  I had been searching for a toy aeroplane to use in some of my nursery children's portraiture and unable to find what I wanted my father-in-law made me a lovely red wooden plane.  It was exactly what I needed and so we headed out in our 1965 mustang convertible to a nearby poppy field to grab a few pictures and make the most of some gorgeous late afternoon sunlight.

I wasn't sure what Jack would make of this wonderful old fashioned plane (he's such a technophile!) but he loved it.  Together with my husband they sat and played with the plane and then Jack became totally absorbed in his own make-believe world.  I captured some images which are so typical of him at this age and which I will treasure for a long time. One of these images is now framed above our bed and I'm delighted to say also recently won a silver award in the Image of the Month competition with The Guild of Professional Photographers.  Here are a few of my favourites:

Summer is a great time for family and children's portraiture  - please contact me or visit my website at www.judicheckettsphotography.com for more information on my family lifestyle shoots.

Judi  x

Judi is a fine art lifestyle and wedding photographer based in Oxfordshire working mainly in Oxfordshire,  Wiltshire, Berkshire, Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds but will consider comissions throughout the UK.  Working on location using natural light Judi focuses on capturing beautiful relaxed images of you and your family. Using an artistic eye Judi will not just capture your memories but create a work of art which can be presented in luxury fine art albums or as framed art or canvases to hang in your homes. 

Judi also provides services for commercial businesses including headshots, nursery and pre-school portraits as well as special events such as birthdays and christenings etc.

Family portrait photography at Coate Water Country Park, Swindon

Early Autumn last year provided some lovely colours for a family lifestyle shoot.  Jayne was keen to have some family portraits done to update their collection and chose to go to Coate Water Country Park near Swindon for their lifestyle shoot.  We had a lovely autumn day - the colours were just starting to take hold on the season and her two boys had plenty of space to run around between shots.  Many parents have concerns on a shoot that their children won't behave or smile for the camera.  This is the joy of a lifestyle shoot - getting young children outside in a location they are comfortable means that there are ALWAYS good pictures to be had. Seriously, all children will spend some of the shoot messing about but equally once they relax and play they will also forget about the camera and the fact they are there to be photographed.  This too is when I am able to capture those natural smiles and not the forced grimace parents dread.

Although most parents are looking for natural images, I always start with a few "safe" images - capturing some relaxed group shots.  This sets the scene and ensures whatever happens those family shots are in the bag, especially before anyone gets muddy or messy; this can add to photos later in the shoot but I need to ensure your clean and tidy shots are covered first!  These images are still relaxed and informal and most families will end up choosing at least one of these images as a framed print.

Here are some favourite images from the day.  If you are looking for some relaxed family portraits then do please get in touch to arrange a lifestyle shoot.

Judi is a fine art lifestyle and wedding photographer based in Oxfordshire working mainly in Oxfordshire,  Wiltshire, Berkshire, Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds but will consider comissions throughout the UK.  Working on location using natural light Judi focuses on capturing beautiful relaxed images of you and your family. Using an artistic eye Judi will not just capture your memories but create a work of art which can be presented in luxury fine art albums or as framed art or canvases to hang in your homes. 

Judi also provides services for commercial businesses including headshots, nursery and pre-school portraits as well as special events such as birthdays and christenings etc.