Yesterday afternoon on a cloudy October day I decided to pay a little impromptu visit to Sunnyfields Pumpkin Farm near Totton, just outside Southampton, Hampshire.  With my boys and my sister in toe we ‘wellied up’ ( is that even a word? ) and headed to check out what was going on at the Pumpkin Farm to take some cute photos. It was the perfect antidote to bored children and 3 inset days before half term? I know right? What is that all about?? I was so pleased it had stopped raining long enough for us to enjoy and the sun had stayed away too! Nothing like harsh midday sun to ruin my photos! 

Although it was a totally unplanned trip as my sister text to say she was finishing early and wanted to meet us somewhere we still managed to capture some gorgeous photos of the boys in their element. I grabbed my camera on the way out of the door to the pumpkin farm just as an afterthought , knowing my boys like I do I have to catch them in the right mood for them to take part in mummy’s games- HAHA.

We spent some time riding around the pumpkin farm in the back of Farmer Ian’s tractor listening to the story of the Scarecrow whilst admiring their huge pumpkin mountain.  We rattled Sunnyfields Farm with a wheelbarrow full of muddy boys ending up in the big pumpkin field where the boys hand selected their best pumpkins for carving. We could have stayed to carve them on site but Otis was keen to have Daddy’s help to create his master piece and we needed to be home in time to greet Lola home from school.

We were all amazed by the variety of different sizes, shapes and colours of the pumpkins on offer at Sunnyfields Pumpkin Farm I found it hard not to want to fill my home.

If you are looking for something to do with the children this half term in Hampshire, I can thoroughly recommend Sunnyfields Farm.  

My Top Tips for Pumpkin Farm Photography

1. It’s best to go when the sky is overcast. I picked a day where I knew it wasn’t sunny to make sure I had the best chance of getting photos without squinty eyes!

2. If it is sunny head to the nearest patch of open shade and set up your children there. Do you not try and take photographs in bright daylight. Avoid midday sun and try and go first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening if it’s a sunny day. The last thing you want is squinting eyes when you’re trying to take your pumpkin from the photographs.

3. Try to engage your children by asking them questions and or giving them tasks to do, it makes for a much better photo. When you’re at the pumpkin farm trying to take your photographs you can ask them to jump in a wheelbarrow, pick up a pumpkin point to the biggest pumpkin they can see. Keep them engaged and you’ll be able to take many more photos and you would be if you simply ask them to sit there.

4. This is something I’ve covered in my recent parents photography workshops. When you are taking photos at the Pumpkin Farm very and change your vantage point. Get down low shoot at their height. Shot from above, and just play around with your angles. Don’t move them , move your feet. You’ll be amazed at what you can do if you simply change where you are stood.

5. What ever you do do you not ask your child to say cheese! All you’re going to produce is closed eyes and funny looking grins. Try to provoke natural reactions. A great way is to ask them to close their eyes and then open them again. That way their face is relaxed.

It’s good to remember what ever you do when you’re taking your photos at the pumpkin farm is to try and make it fun. No child wants to be moaned at if they’re not doing what you want them to do. Get your camera ready get your settings set up give them something to do and then take the photos children are always going to react better when they’re doing something that they love.

Carley x

[the_grid name=”Pumpkin Farm Blog”]