Family photographer Bristol

For the days that fly

& the love that stays

Relaxed, unposed family photography · Home, studio & outdoors in Bristol

Check my date
How it works

★★★★★  Rated 5.0 on GoogleShe was so patient, and it’s not easy with a newborn and a six-year-old sister. Veronika Sz.★★★★★  Rated 5.0 on Google

Expecting couple laughing and holding tiny baby sandals at Clifton Observatory, Bristol, documentary family photography by Emerald Photo UK

Clifton Observatory, Bristol

Bristol family photographer · documentary style

Every family. Every chapter.

Giggles and all

Let me guess. The kids won’t sit still, the teenager is rolling their eyes, and someone in your family HATES having their photo taken. Brilliant. You’re exactly who I photograph.

Bump photos, newborns, first birthdays, teenagers, 3 generations together… As a family photographer in Bristol and Bath, I’m here for the whole story, not just one page.

So no, a family photoshoot with me doesn’t mean lining you up on the sofa and shouting ‘smile!’. You just get on with your day: snacks, cuddles, silly games. I’ll be quietly there, catching it all as it really happens.

See real families What to expect

How it works

Start to finish

Zero stress

01

Say hello

Tell me a bit about your family. Who’s coming, how old the kids are, any ideas you have. Nothing needs to be figured out yet. I’ll reply within 2 days.

02

Talk it through

Worried about what to wear or how the kids will be? We talk it all through, so on the day you can just relax.

03

Enjoy your session

You play, chat, cuddle and run around. I keep up and photograph the real moments. Meltdown halfway through? Totally fine, we take a snack break.

04

Relive it

A few favourites land in your inbox within 48 hours. The full gallery follows in 2 to 3 weeks. Grandma will want copies!

Family sessions from £550

Check my date See packages & prices

Where we shoot

Where should we go?

You choose

Cosy, calm or free. Which one sounds like you?Every place gives you different photos, and I’ll help you choose.

Mother holds baby Bella close while they look at Christmas tree decorations in the studio.

Studio

Cosy, warm and quiet. Great for newborns, babies and winter sessions when it’s too cold outside. Studio hire is paid on top.

Dad kissing his newborn baby at home in Bristol, black and white documentary family photography by Emerald Photo UK

Your home

Lazy Sunday morning? Pancakes in pyjamas? Home is where kids relax fastest, and where the best little moments happen.

Expecting couple laughing in golden evening light at Clifton Observatory, Bristol, outdoor family photography by Emerald Photo UK

Outdoors

The park you walk every Sunday? The beach you always go to? Somewhere that means something to you? Let’s go there.

FavouritesBristolAshton Court · Blaise Castle · Clifton DownsBathRoyal Victoria Park · Alexandra Park

Check my date See packages & prices

All families welcome

Every family has a story

let’s tell yours

Some families are loud. Some are quiet. Most are both, depending on snack time! Babies, teenagers, grandparents, step-siblings and pets: everyone is part of the story, so bring everyone.

Eszter photographing a toddler during a relaxed family session at home in Bristol
Eszter Szalai, Bristol family photographer, in a red scarf on a city street
Eszter photographing a mum and her newborn during a documentary family session

Meet your photographer

Hello, I’m Eszter

your family photographer

I’m Eszter. I photograph families because these days really do fly. One day they fit in your arms, the next they’re borrowing your shoes. I want you to have the real moments from in between, not just the smiles.

Since 2012 I’ve photographed weddings, press stories and lots of families, and families are still my favourite. I’m calm, I’m patient, and I’ll never ask your kids to smile on command.

Get to know me

Family stories

This is what it looks like

messy, warm and real

Click on a story and see the full session. The cuddles, the giggles, and yes, the odd meltdown too.

Couple embracing beneath trees at Vácrátót Botanical Garden, surrounded by soft green foliage at a maternity photoshoot.

Maternity · Botanical garden

Waiting together

A quiet moment under the trees, a few months before baby arrived.

Pregnant woman in white floral dress overlooking Clifton Suspension Bridge at sunset in Bristol.

Maternity · Clifton Observatory

Clifton at sunset

Wind, warm light and one very happy mum‑to‑be.

Baby Bella lies in a woven basket on a soft blanket during a festive studio session.

Newborn · studio

Bella’s first Christmas

Fairy lights, a little basket and one very curious baby.

Dad watching his sleeping newborn on a textured blanket.

Newborn at home · Bristol

Huni’s first weeks

Little fingers, soft blankets and a very proud dad.

Check my date See all family stories

Kind words

We love the pictures.
Love flows from them.

Veronika Sz. · Newborn at home, Bristol

★★★★★Google ReviewsRead them

Packages & prices

Simple prices

no surprises later

Three ways to do it, and every one is relaxed. Pick the one that fits your family, and if you’re not sure, just ask me!

Baby Bella smiles on a fluffy rug during a Christmas studio session with festive tree behind.

Classic

£550

Not sure you’re a “photo family”? Start here. Two relaxed hours at home or in the park, and nobody has to wear matching outfits!

  • Up to 2 hours, so even the shy ones have time to relax
  • Up to 5 people, little ones, big ones and you
  • One place: your home or your favourite park
  • 50+ photos, every one edited by me
Parents cuddle up with their two little ones during a relaxed newborn session at home in Bristol

Extended

£850

Let me guess, it’s not easy to get everyone in one place. So let’s make the most of it! Grandparents, cousins, the dog… all welcome.

  • Up to 3 hours, no rushing and no “quick, one more!”
  • Any family size, grandparents very welcome
  • Two places: home first, then somewhere you love
  • 80+ photos, so nobody gets left out
Mum kisses her daughter’s head among pink blossom in a spring family portrait.

Day in the life

from £1,200

No posing at all. I basically spend the day with you: the slow morning, the busy lunch, the walk with the dog. Your real life, just as it is.

  • About 5 hours, from the slow morning to the afternoon walk
  • The whole household, pets included!
  • 150+ photos, the full story of your day
  • Highlight slideshow (worth £150) to watch together on the sofa

Every session includes

  • Sneak peeks in 48 hours
  • Full gallery in 2 to 3 weeks
  • High-resolution downloads
  • A planning chat
  • Travel within 30 miles

Add a highlight slideshow (£150), fine art prints (from £120) or wall art (from £100). Ask me about seasonal mini sessions and gift vouchers too.

Not sure which one? Just tell me who’s coming and I’ll help you choose.

Check my date Help me choose

FAQ

Still wondering?

I’ve got you

Everything parents usually ask a Bristol family photographer before booking. Can’t see yours? Just ask, I reply within 2 days.

Ask me anything

Family sessions start from £550 for up to 2 hours, Extended is £850 for up to 3 hours, and Day in the life starts from £1,200 for about 5 hours. Every session includes sneak peeks within 48 hours, your full online gallery, high-resolution downloads and travel within 30 miles of Bristol. No hidden extras, I promise! Have a look at the packages above, or just ask me which one fits your family.

Brilliant, I’d be worried if they did! Nobody needs to sit still or look at the camera. We play, chase, tickle, and I wait for the in-between bits: the giggle, the cuddle, the moment they climb onto your lap without being asked. Those are the photos you’ll want when they’re 15 and taller than you. Snack breaks allowed, for everyone.

Basically, no. I’m a documentary photographer, so I follow what’s happening instead of telling you where to stand. Sometimes I give a little prompt, like “go for a walk together”, just to get things moving. If you’d like one or two photos of everyone looking at the camera for Grandma’s wall, just tell me and we’ll do it.

Something you feel like you in. Comfy wins over fancy every time, because if you can’t sit on the floor or chase the kids in it, it shows in the photos. Pick 2 or 3 colours that sit nicely together, skip big logos and neon, and go for texture: knits, linen, a dress that twirls. Once you’ve booked, I’ll send you a little guide.

Wherever your family feels most like itself! Most of my family photoshoots in Bristol happen at home, in my small studio (studio hire is paid on top), or outdoors in a park you love, like Ashton Court, Blaise Castle or Snuff Mills, or Royal Victoria Park in Bath. Travel within 30 miles of Bristol is included, and for anywhere further I’ll tell you the cost upfront.

Honestly, that’s my favourite kind of house! I’m not there to photograph your kitchen, I’m there for your family. Open the curtains for light, clear one corner if it makes you feel better, and leave the rest. The toys on the floor and the cereal on the table are part of your story right now.

Yes please, the more the merrier! Grandparents, aunties, cousins and pets are all welcome. For more than 5 people, Extended gives everyone time to relax. Dogs are usually the most relaxed ones in front of the camera, so bring their favourite treats and a squeaky toy. That’s how we get everyone looking the same way!

Honestly, most parents tell me this! You don’t need to know what to do with your hands, because you won’t be posing. You’ll be busy with your kids, your partner or the dog, and I’ll quietly photograph what happens. Most families forget about me within the first 20 minutes, and that’s when the best photos start.

A bit of drizzle doesn’t stop us, it often makes the moodiest photos. If the forecast looks properly grim, we decide together the day before and move to a new date for free, or switch to a session at home. For any other reason, just give me 48 hours’ notice and you can move your date once for free.

Classic comes with 50+ photos, Extended with 80+ and Day in the life with 150+. You’ll get a few sneak peeks within 48 hours, so you can share them while everyone is still talking about it. Your full gallery follows in 2 to 3 weeks, with every photo edited by me, one by one, ready to download, share and print.

Yes, and I really hope you do! Photos feel so different on the wall than on a phone. Fine art prints start from £120 and wall art from £100, and albums are available too. I’ll help you choose the photos and sizes that fit your home. These are the photos your kids will pull off the shelf in 20 years and ask: “Is that you?”

Yes! A couple of times a year I run seasonal mini sessions, think autumn leaves and Christmas jumpers. They’re shorter and lighter on the wallet, but the giggles are full size. I announce them on Instagram and Facebook first, and they go quickly. Gift vouchers are available for any session, a lovely present for new parents or grandparents.

Every age! Bumps, brand-new babies, toddlers, teenagers who roll their eyes, and great-grandparents. Newborns are best in their first 5 to 14 days, while they’re still sleepy and curled up, so tell me in your second trimester and we’ll plan it together.

Just fill in the form below and tell me a little about your family. I’ll reply within 2 days, we’ll have a quick chat, and then we pick your date together. Usually 4 to 6 weeks ahead is enough, but book earlier for autumn and the weeks before Christmas, because those dates go first.

Mum-to-be in a flowery dress leaning against a tree, holding her bump

I’m quite nervous in these situations, but she created such a great atmosphere with her warm and kind presence.

Ágnes A.

Enquire

Tell me about your family

dogs and grandparents too

Who’s coming, roughly where you are, and when you’re thinking. You don’t need to have it all figured out, most families don’t. No obligation, just a chat to see if we click. I reply within 2 days.

Prefer email? emeraldphotouk@gmail.com

Dad kissing his newborn at home in Bristol

Free guide

Getting ready for your family photos

the easy way

Everything parents ask me before a session, in one place: what to wear, how to get the kids (and your partner) on board, what happens on the day, and my favourite spots around Bristol and Bath.

Mini sessions

No spam, I promise. Just the guide, and mini session news if you tick the box.

From the blog

Have a read first

before you decide

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