Golden Hour Memories at Boschendal: A Family Session with Nadia in Cape Town

There’s something incredibly special about photographing families who travel across the world to experience Cape Town. It’s not just a photoshoot — it becomes a shared moment in time, a meeting of stories, places, and seasons of life. My latest family session with the lovely Nadia and her family was exactly that.

Family photography in Cape Town.

Nadia and her family were visiting Cape Town on holiday all the way from Dubai, and this shoot marked the second family session I’ve had the privilege of capturing for them while they’re here. Repeating clients always hold a special place in my heart, but there’s something even more meaningful about seeing a family again after time has passed. Kids grow, dynamics shift, personalities shine through in new ways — and that’s exactly what made this session so memorable.

We met at the beautiful Boschendal Wine Estate, tucked away near the guest houses, surrounded by old trees, mountains, and open spaces that feel both elegant and wonderfully relaxed. Boschendal is one of those locations that effortlessly does half the storytelling for you. It invites families to slow down, explore, and simply be — which is exactly how I like to photograph.

Since Nadia’s kids have grown so much since our last shoot together, the focus this time was on letting them be completely themselves. No stiff posing, no forced smiles. Instead, we encouraged play, movement, curiosity, and laughter. They ran through the gardens, explored their surroundings, and interacted naturally with one another — the kind of moments that can’t be planned, only observed and captured.

The session took place during golden hour, my absolute favourite time of day to photograph families. The warm, soft light wrapped around them beautifully, adding that signature glow and cosiness that I’m so drawn to in my work. As the sun dipped lower and the light began to fade, something magical happened. The low light brought a quieter, more intimate mood — softer tones, deeper connection, and those subtle in-between moments that often end up being my favourites from a gallery.

Family photography in Cape Town.

This transition from golden hour into low light is where emotion really shines. It’s where kids naturally wind down, parents pull them closer, and the images feel less about the location and more about the connection. That’s where the magic lives for me.

Photographing families and couples from other countries is something I truly love. There’s a shared sense of wonder — they’re discovering Cape Town for the first (or second) time, and I get to experience it through their eyes. It allows me to feel like a tourist in my own city again, appreciating the beauty, the light, and the atmosphere that first made me fall in love with photographing here.

Cape Town has a way of bringing people together. Whether it’s families reuniting on holiday, couples celebrating milestones, or parents wanting to freeze this fleeting season with their children — it’s always an honour to be trusted with those memories.

Nadia and her family’s session was filled with warmth, growth, and genuine connection. Being invited back into their story for a second time is something I don’t take lightly, and I’m so grateful to have captured another chapter of their journey — this time under the golden skies of Boschendal.

These are the moments that remind me why I do what I do.