Family photoshoot — Alicante

The best photos almost always come from exactly that. I don't try to make a lively child sit still: I use their energy. We run, we play, I go along with it, and out of all that activity fall the spontaneous portraits full of life. The images where they're truly themselves are the ones you'll want most. I shape the whole session to their pace, not the other way round.

The Explanada de España is the most comfortable choice for several generations: it's flat, accessible, has palm shade and benches to rest on, so grandparents are at ease while the children move around. If you fancy the beach, Postiguet has an accessible promenade right beside the sand. We skip the climb to the castle in these cases, unless we use the lift.

The simple rule: coordinate without matching. Pick two or three colours that go together — earth tones, whites, soft blues work beautifully with Alicante's Mediterranean light — and spread them across the family. Avoid big logos and very busy prints. Comfortable clothes the kids can move in. If in doubt, send me a photo of what you're thinking of wearing and I'll help out before the session.

It depends on each family, but the golden hour at sunset usually coincides with kids rested from their nap and in good spirits, plus it gives the loveliest light. If your children do better in the morning, or in summer to escape the heat, early in the day is also excellent, with the Explanada and beach almost empty. We decide together based on your routine.