Running Wild: Family Workshop Model Session
Five people, a hillside, and light that refused to quit. This family workshop model session in Strand, Norway happened during one of our international photography workshops, and it reminded us why we travel halfway around the world to do this work. The local family who volunteered as models brought exactly the kind of energy you can’t manufacture: loud, loose, and completely themselves.
Fjords, Green Hills, and Zero Posing
Workshop demos are where we get to teach in real time. No slides, no theory. Just a family on a hillside and a group of photographers watching how we move through a session. We told this crew the same thing we tell every family: just be together. Chase each other. Be ridiculous. They took that direction and ran with it, literally. The kids bolted across the grass, and the parents followed, and we got frames that feel completely alive.
Shooting family photography in Strand gave us something we don’t have at home. The Stavanger region has this enormous scale to it: fjords carving through green cliffs, villages tucked into the hillside, and summer light that hangs low and golden for hours. We shot wide to let the landscape breathe, then pulled in close for the quiet stuff. A mom pressing her cheek against her daughter’s head. Two sisters leaning into each other on the rocks without thinking about it. Those are the frames that matter most, no matter where in the world we happen to be.
That mix of massive scenery and tiny, personal moments is something we live for. It’s also what we try to show workshop attendees: the big picture and the small one are both worth capturing. You just have to stay ready. If you’re curious about how we approach family sessions closer to home or abroad, we’d love to talk.
Do you travel internationally for family sessions?
We do. Our international work often happens through photography workshops in places like Norway, but we’re always open to destination family sessions. If you have a location in mind, reach out and let’s talk about making it happen.
What is a workshop model session?
It’s a real portrait session we photograph during a workshop while other photographers observe and learn our approach. The family gets a genuine session experience, and the attendees see our process in action from start to finish.
