The Garwood Family — Outdoor Family Photography at Hollybank Forest Reserve
This was one of those sessions that just felt easy from the moment we started. The Garwood family — Laura and Tim, along with their three boys — met me at Hollybank Forest Reserve for a relaxed outdoor family photography session in late November, and it honestly couldn’t have suited them better.
Think open space, fresh air, lots of movement, and absolutely zero pressure to sit still or “behave perfectly”. My favourite kind of session.
Laura and Tim are parents to three busy boys — Xavier (9), Noah (7), and Luca (3). If you’re familiar with this age mix, you’ll know there’s always something happening… and that’s not a bad thing.
The boys were curious, energetic, and completely happy doing their own thing — which made photographing them feel very natural and very real.
They chose Hollybank Forest Reserve because they wanted space. Space for the boys to run, explore, and burn off energy without feeling boxed in — and Hollybank is perfect for that. It’s one of my favourite locations for outdoor family photography in Launceston, especially for families with young kids.
While I was photographing one child or pairing, the others were off nearby playing cricket with sticks and pinecones, wandering through the trees, and hunting for bugs. No forced smiles, no bribes — just letting kids be kids.
Hollybank changes so much throughout the year, which means every session there feels a little different. Late November gave us that beautiful mix of light filtering through the trees and plenty of open areas to move around in. We laughed a lot, kept things light and silly, and worked through lots of different family combinations without ever rushing.
This is exactly how I approach relaxed family photography in Launceston — guided, but flexible, and always centred around what works for your family.
Some of my favourite moments from this session were the simple ones — all five of them together, surrounded by bushland, with the boys close and relaxed rather than posed within an inch of their lives.
I also loved photographing the three boys together. There’s such a strong bond there, and those sibling images always become more meaningful as time passes.
At their in-person photo viewing appointment, Laura and Tim chose artwork that really reflected how they wanted to remember this season of family life.
They ordered a 20” framed family portrait, finished with a beautiful oak frame, featuring the whole family together — the kind of piece that works perfectly as family photo wall art at home.
They also chose a matted print of the three boys together, which they gifted to the grandparents for Christmas. Printed photos like this make incredibly meaningful gifts, especially for family who don’t get to see the kids every day.
Sessions like this are such a good reminder that family photos don’t need to be calm or quiet to be beautiful. Movement, noise, laughter — it all belongs.
If you’ve been thinking about updating your family photos but worrying about how your kids will go, or whether it’ll feel stressful, you don’t have to figure that out alone. A planning appointment is where we talk it all through — location, timing, expectations, and what you’d love to end up with on your walls.
If that sounds helpful, you’re always welcome to get in touch and start there.