A young girl with red hair wearing a floral dress studying outdoors at a desk, holding an apple, with a globe on the ground and a jar of colored pencils nearby.
A young girl sitting on a school desk with a stack of books and a red apple on top. Next to her, a chalkboard with the words "Today is the first day of first grade" written on it, and a picture of a school bus with children boarding.

Back to School

THEMED MINI SESSION | SOUTHSEA

The first day of school is one of those moments that feels impossibly big and beautifully small all at once. Our Back to School mini sessions are designed to capture that milestone before the uniforms are outgrown, the shoes are scuffed and this brand-new chapter becomes part of the everyday. Set around a vintage wooden school desk with thoughtfully styled details, these sessions create a timeless little snapshot of who your child was at the very beginning of their school journey.

Each session includes a personalised first-day board featuring as much or as little information as you’d like, from their name, age and new class to their favourite things or what they want to be when they grow up. As a mum myself, I completely understand the importance of protecting your child’s information online. You’re welcome to have one set of photographs with a detailed board for your own private memories, followed by another with only their first name, a simple message such as “My First Day of School”, or no board at all. That way, you can keep the personal version safely at home while still having photographs you feel comfortable sharing.

Moodboard

A young girl with red hair wearing a floral dress sitting at a desk outdoors, viewed from behind. In the other images, she is holding an apple, sitting on the ground near a globe, with a jar of pencils on a table, and possibly preparing for an outdoor learning or creative activity.
A rustic wooden desk with a vintage typewriter on top, paired with a weathered blue chair, set outdoors on a cliff overlooking the ocean under a cloudy sky.
A small wooden chair with a stack of three hardcover books and a glass jar with yellow flowers on it, placed outdoors on grass with a blurred green wooded background.
A young girl in a white dress standing behind a small wooden table outdoors in a park at sunset. She is holding a red apple in her right hand and looking at it with a smile. The table has books, an old-fashioned toy bus, and a globe on top. There is a small bench with a red apple and a few books nearby, with trees in the background.
[BOOK YOUR SLOT]

The Session

    • Up to 25–30 minutes at this fully styled set

    • Striped towels, wicker basket, parasol and vintage seaside props provided

    • All images from your shoot, professionally edited — typically 15–30, never fewer than 15

    • Private online gallery to view, download and share

  • DATE

    Saturday 22nd August 2026

    LOCATION

    West Wittering Beach, Chichester

  • Usually within a week, though busy periods (Christmas, wedding season, etc.) can push this to up to two weeks.

  • Think 1950s seaside holiday, not modern beachwear — striped or gingham fabrics, vintage-style swimsuits, sundresses, and straw hats work beautifully. Muted, sun-bleached tones photograph best; avoid bold logos or neon brights. Bare feet are encouraged. Feel free to bring your own beach blanket, a parasol, or a favourite bucket and spade for little ones — anything with a slightly old-fashioned charm will sit right at home in the set.

A young girl with long hair wearing a beige checkered dress standing on the beach, touching her ear with her left hand and extending her right arm outward, with the ocean and cloudy sky in the background.

Previous Sessions

Some of our

A young girl with long brown hair, wearing a brown dress with white polka dots, is sitting on a piano bench next to a grand piano in a room with brick walls and wooden accents.
A woman and a young girl share a tender moment, with the woman bending down to touch foreheads with the girl, in front of a brown backdrop and floral arrangements.
A young boy with blond hair, wearing a tan shirt and shorts, sitting at a black piano and playing it, in a cozy room with a brick wall and framed mirror in the background.
A young boy with blonde hair playing the piano in a room with an exposed brick wall.
A young girl with long hair wearing a light-colored checkered dress standing on a beach, touching her ear with one hand and extending her other arm, with an overcast sky and ocean in the background.
A young girl with long hair, glasses, and a black bow in her hair holding a basket of flowers, standing in front of a brown background with pampas grass and a wooden chair.
[VIEW THE GALLERY]
A young boy with blonde curly hair playing the piano, wearing a light brown shirt and shorts, sitting on a wooden bench in front of a black upright piano against a brick wall in a cozy room.

Book your slot

Back to School Mini Session | 23rd August 2026 Back to School Mini Session | 23rd August 2026 Back to School Mini Session | 23rd August 2026 Back to School Mini Session | 23rd August 2026 Back to School Mini Session | 23rd August 2026 Back to School Mini Session | 23rd August 2026 Back to School Mini Session | 23rd August 2026 Back to School Mini Session | 23rd August 2026 Back to School Mini Session | 23rd August 2026
Back to School Mini Session | 23rd August 2026
£65.00

An old wooden desk, dragged outside and set up next to a chalkboard. A stack of books nobody's opened since June. This one's a small throwback to school before backpacks had wheels — ink-stained fingers, a shiny apple, that mix of nerves and excitement that comes with a new term. A vintage-style back to school mini session, properly styled, nowhere near an actual classroom.

What's Included

  • Up to 25–30 minutes at this fully styled set

  • Vintage wooden desk, chalkboard, book stack and props provided

  • All images from your shoot, professionally edited — typically 15–30, never fewer than 15

  • Private online gallery to view, download and share

  • Turnaround usually within a week, up to two weeks during busy periods (Christmas, wedding season)

Continue your story

Empty wooden picture frame with ornate border against a black background.

Every love story needs a next chapter. Explore the portfolio to see how yours might look, or why not read some of our favourite love notes.

Back to all

Mini Sessions

Empty ornate gold-colored picture frame on black background.

View our

Portfolio

A young boy with blonde hair sitting at a black piano, playing it, in a room with exposed brick wall.

FAQs

  • Mini sessions are shorter (25–30 minutes vs. up to 90), take place at one pre-styled location rather than somewhere of your choosing, and come with fewer edited images — but they're a lower-cost, lower-commitment way to get beautiful, professional photos, especially around a seasonal theme.

  • Absolutely — the location and styling are set, but what you wear is entirely up to you. I'll usually send some outfit guidance once you've booked, so everyone coordinates nicely with the theme.

  • Outdoor themes have a rain date or backup plan where possible — I'll be in touch the day before if the weather looks uncertain, and we'll either adjust the time slightly or move to the next available date.

  • One slot covers one household. If you'd like a larger group — grandparents, extended family, several siblings and their families — get in touch and I'll see whether a longer, private slot can be arranged instead.

  • Join the mailing list or follow along on Instagram — new dates are usually announced a few weeks before the session, and popular themes go quickly

A landscape painting showing a river with trees along its banks, a small boat with two people, rolling hills in the distance, and a cloudy sky.
Two young girls hugging and smiling in a lush, green indoor botanical garden.

Save Your Space

Mini sessions are held on selected dates with only a small number of appointments available. Fill in the form below to tell me which session you’d like to book, and I’ll be in touch with the remaining times and everything you need to secure your place.