Things to do in West Sussex – Tilgate Lake, Crawley

Things to do in West Sussex – Tilgate Lake, Crawley

Things to do in West Sussex with children – Tilgate Lake

During lockdown, it is so hard to come up with things to do in West Sussex with your children, that

a; aren’t full of other people and

b; don’t cost a fortune.

Tilgate Park and Lake, in Crawley, is fantastic.  It is the perfect place to go to, especially for the evening, after a hot day in the sun.  It was away from the crowds and a wonderful place for the children to relax and enjoy.

Tilgate Park also has so much to offer .  It has a a couple of lakes, large green to play games or picnic, wooded areas, play parks, trim trails, golf course, cycle trails and  nature centre.  It also has a cafe, restaurant and a Go Ape high ropes course. In the summer it has some fantastic inflatable games plus boating on the lake and in the winter Father Christmas comes to visit.  There is so much to see and do, it really is a must if you haven’t been before.

About Tilgate Park.

 

The address for Tilgate Park is: Tilgate Drive, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 5PQ

There is one free car park near K2 and the rest are paying but procedes from the car parks do go back into the park!

Dogs are allowed in the park but not in the walled garden or nature reserve.

 

Our evening

This jetty was perfect for chilling out on but as we arrived a couple of teenage girls, also thought the same.

Unfortunately, for one, she managed to drop her phone through the slats of the jetty, into the water below.  As we had fishing nets, we offered to help, also because she was panicking her mum would be really mad at her.  We managed to locate the phone and helped to guide her underneath the jetty to pick it out.

I have to say, if this was my daughter, even if the phone had broken, I would’ve been so proud of her!  She didn’t hesitate to get down to her swimmer, to enter the water to retrieve the phone.  She even went under the jetty where there were all sorts of things lurking.

Having left, to give mum the bad news, we then had the jetty to ourselves. To enjoy the evening.  From across the lake we could even hear music, from someones stereo, and the air was so warm, as the sun started to set.  It was so peaceful!

Whether you want to walk, cycle or take your scooters Tilgate Park is great for burning of energy with your children.  It is also perfect for picnics and playing games on the large green.

THE OUTTAKES

All photo sessions are meant to be fun!

A little bit of photobombing while taking some photos.

Family Photo Sessions

If you are interesting in booking a fun, relaxed outdoor photo session, capturing the true personality of your family please visit my Home page by clicking HERE

Social Distancing Head Shots, Horsham

Social Distancing Head Shots, Horsham

Head Shot Photography Horsham, West Sussex

Meeting the lovely Debbie Beling from Women’s Transformation

Debbie runs her own Women’s Wellness Business, focusing on those approaching or going through the menopause.  Providing guidance, health and food tips plus fitness sessions, she really is a wonderful help to her clients. Helping them through what can be a tough time.

Debbie’s head shot and branding session was arranged during lockdown, so it was important to adhere to social distancing.  We weren’t allowed to meet indoors, so I met Debbie at her house.  She had a fantastic area outside, where we could easily set up for the session.

It was easy to have a range of backdrops and Debbie was able to pop indoors to change her outfits, truly maximising the time.

 

Your own branding or headshot session

£75 for 3 digital images.  Retouched up to 3 times.  Extra digital images can be purchased at £50 per image

Together we will discuss the options for your session, whether you would prefer formal or casual images. Head shots or personal branding, to show your business and what you would like included.

Not many of us enjoy being in front of the camera, so, I will work with you to ensure you feel relaxed and get the images that you love.  I am happy to continue until you are happy so the session could last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour depending on your goal.

After the session I will then send you the digital images on a private gallery, where you can choose your favourites.  We can then discuss any further “touch up” work that you would like.

If you would like to discuss your options for a session please get in touch using the contact form below. Or feel free to call me on 07904 980885.

Contact Claire to chat about a Head Shot/Branding Photo Session

For more information on Claire Wilders Photography please click HERE to head to my homepage.

Fathers Day Mini Session

Fathers Day Mini Session

Fathers Day Mini Sessions, Horsham, West Sussex.

Fathers Day is coming and we can all agree that 2020 has been a crazy year.  When we celebrated the New Year, none of us could’ve imagined that a couple months down the line we’d all be shut indoors, trying to keep our families safe.

Fathers Day Mini Sessions are for that special man in your life.  I want to help you remember Lockdown of 2020 and the special times that you had as a family.

This session can be purchased for Fathers Day and used at a later date.   I can provide you with a gift voucher to be given on the day and redeemed when lockdown is relaxed even more.

OUTDOORS

These sessions will be run outside, to ensure you are safe and to maintain a social distance.

If you have a large garden I can run the session from there, or alternatively it will be in a local beauty spot, such as Southwater Country Park.  Backdrops can either be natural or I can provide a plain one.

Who can be in the photos?

A  maximum of 6 people can be in the session.  This can be parents, children, grandparents, cousins, the choice is yours.  If you wish to have more people included, please get in touch so that we can discuss the options.

How does the session work?

Prior to your session we will discuss the best place to meet, normally in the Horsham area.  The great thing about outdoor sessions are that children tend to be more relaxed. Allowing us to get fun, smiley images.

Clothing plays a large part of the photos, therefore, I will give you some guidance on what to wear.  Although, ultimately, as long as you are all comfortable, it really doesn’t matter.

Being relaxed and having fun is definitely a main part of the session, as we really want to capture the love and happiness within your family.

 

PLEASE NOTE: These sessions are only valid until August 31 20120, unless lockdown is extended further.

What happens afterwards?

 

After the session I will edit your photos and provide you will an online gallery.  You will be able to choose your photos from the comfort of your own home, at your own leisure.

I do sell wall art and additional prints if you wish to purchase and photos for gifts.

For more information about Claire Wilders Photography please click HERE or you can email me at clairewildersphotography@gmail.com

Walking at Ditchling Beacon.. and meeting a lovely couple expecting their first baby

Walking at Ditchling Beacon.. and meeting a lovely couple expecting their first baby

Walking at Ditchling Beacon

Walking at Ditchling Beacon in West Sussex, near Brighton is just beautiful.  From the top you have the most amazing views of both the lush green countryside AND of the sea, in the distance.  Amongst the green, however, was a tiny splash of red…

Poppies… Seeing the pop of red in a field of green is just wonderful!  But I think unfortunately most farmers see them as weeds, so tend to get rid of them.  They also don’t like people trampling over their crops to get to them, which is probably another reason.  I decided to take the dog for a walk around Ditchling to see what I could photograph.  Being a beautiful afternoon, I wasn’t disappointed!

Cheeky cows

These cows were so cheeky! I was following a footpath along the top and either side of the path were cow fields.  As I walked along they came running up to me.  Thankfully, there was a very strong fence between me and them, as they seemed quite keen to get close.  I did love the one of them all walking together, it made me wonder where they were off to.  Once I got to the end, though, I needed to go through their field, so decided to head back, as I didn’t want them coming near me or the dog.  I’d love to know if anyone has walked though this field and whether the cows tend to stay away.

There is a car park near here, at Stamner Lodge, which is only open from 9-5pm.  From here there are lots of lovely footpaths, so please do stick to them and do not cut across farmers fields.  The fields also have cows in them, so do take care.  If you are walking towards the poppy field please only use the footpaths and remember these crops ARE a farmers livelihood.

Meeting a lovely couple and offering to capture some photos of their bump.

When I arrived at the field there was a lovely couple taking photos.    The lady was expecting a baby, so I offered to take a couple of photos of them, together.  Due to lockdown, I kept my distance as all times.  When I got home I then emailed them their photos as a reminder of their evening together.

If you walking around Ditchling Beacon, I would love to know your favourite walk and what you like to photograph, using the comments below.

Feel free to contact me using the contact form below or pop over to my maternity photography page for more infomation.  For anything else head to my main page, by clicking here.

Family Photography after lockdown… back open and taking bookings

Family Photography after lockdown… back open and taking bookings

Family photography after lockdown.. sessions now available as lockdown eases in Southwater, Sussex

Family photography after lockdown is more important than ever. Having been through such a tough few weeks as a family, why not celebrate and book a photo session?  We have all come to realise our families are extremely important and sadly during Covid 19 many people lost family members and wished they’d booked that last photo session.

 

Now that lockdown has eased slightly, I am available for outdoor family photo sessions around Horsham, West Sussex.

 

My studio space is not suitable for adhering to social distancing safely.  So, unless you have a large enough indoor space any session will need to be done outside.

 

It is still possible however to use backdrop.  The headshots below were all taken outside, on the same day, using various backdrops.  

Outdoor session venues

There are so many beautiful areas in Sussex!  I am happy to travel to your favourite area or can choose a suitable place for you.

Being outside is ideal for families because it enables your children to be free.  They are able to be themselves and play during the photo sessions.

Having a long lens means I am able to stay further back from your family.  Keeping you safe, at all times.  Also allowing you to interact with your children without me getting in the way.

 

If you would like to know more about a family session please click HERE to be taken to my family photo page.  If you would like to know more about head shots and personal branding please email me at clairewildersphotography@gmail.com

Can I book for later in the year?

Yes, I am taking bookings for later in the year, including Christmas and Autumn sessions.  I believe Claire Wilders Photography will get extremely busy as families update their photos, so it is important to book sessions as soon as possible.  If you are pregnant and wish to book your newborn session, we can discuss the options, so please do get in touch.  You will find more information on my newborn photography page HERE

How do we keep safe and are you following guidelines?

 

I will take all the necessary precautions when taking bookings and during sessions.  At the moment only 6 people from different families are allowed to meet so I will adhere to these rules too.  You as clients are extremely important to me and I intend to keep you safe.  As the numbers ease and we can meet in larger groups, I too will work to this.  

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