Jamie and Kelly came to me from Armstrong Creek with their two kids, Ollie, 7, and Ivy, 3, wanting something simple: nice family photos, somewhere relaxed, nothing overly posed or stiff.
We ended up at Balyang Sanctuary, one of my favourite spots for exactly this kind of session. Open lawns, established trees, and a bit of water in the background without needing to go anywhere near a beach car park on a weekend.
Why Balyang Sanctuary works so well for families
It’s central, it’s easy to get to from pretty much anywhere in Geelong, and it gives you a genuine mix of backdrops in one spot: open grass for the kids to run around on, dappled tree light for softer portraits, and a bit of water if you want that in the frame too.
The light’s at its best mid-morning or later in the afternoon, so those are the windows I usually aim for when booking a session here. It can get busy on weekends, families, walkers, the usual weekend crowd, but on a weekday it’s genuinely quiet, which makes a big difference when you’ve got young kids who need a bit of space to warm up without an audience.
For families with younger kids especially, having room to actually move and explore rather than being stuck posing in one spot makes a real difference to how relaxed everyone looks by the end of the session. If your kids are anything like Ollie and Ivy, a bit of running around and playing first goes a long way before you ask for any posed shots. Let them get comfortable in the space, and the good photos tend to follow on their own.
Ollie and Ivy
Jamie gave me a heads up before the shoot that Ollie’s generally quiet and easygoing, while Ivy takes a little while to warm up but comes out of her shell once she’s comfortable. That’s exactly how the session went, a slower start while Ivy got used to the camera, then a lot more openness and play as we went.
Jamie and Kelly wanted a mix of candid moments and a few posed shots, mainly for gifts and a few prints around the house. No big shot list, no specific moments they were chasing, just a genuine, relaxed afternoon capturing their family as they actually are together.
Thinking about a family session of your own? Sessions start from $350, with your gallery delivered within 10 days. No sales appointment, no surprise costs, just your photos.
