I PHOTOGRAPH MOMENTS AND PRESERVE MEMORIES TO BE ENJOYED & TREASURED FOR YEARS TO COME BY YOU & YOUR LOVED ONES.

​​I believe we all deserve to exist in photographs.
I know this because of the way it makes me feel when I look at photographs of the people precious to me.
​One day your loved ones will look for photographs of you - what will they find?

PHOTOGRAPHS ARE A CELEBRATION OF OUR LIVES.

portrait sessionS

Getting family portraits taken shouldn’t be just something to tick off the to do list - I help ensure the experience is fun & relaxed from planning through to beautiful final products. My goal is to capture people’s personality and to fill your photos with life, love & laughter!
I create a variety of portraits for you. I make sure to get those well composed, classic family photos but what really sets my creative heart on fire is the in-between moments, memories being made, quality family time - just real candid moments while you hang out as a family. 
Together we plan a laidback shoot that is special and unique to you.​
It could be an afternoon at the beach, complete with sand castle building and looking for crabs in the rock pools.
Or you might take the kids out to your favourite spot on the farm with a picnic.
Roasting marshmallows around the fire pit in the backyard, with mulled wine for the adults!

Let me show you what we could create for you...
MY SIGNATURE PORTRAIT EXPERIENCE
​includes:

PRE-SHOOT PLANNING
together we plan a fun, personalised portrait session that is customised uniquely for you & your story,
and I send you my planning guide to help you get the photos you dream of.
+
ON-LOCATION PHOTO SESSION
this might be at your home, farm or a location special to you where you love spending time,
or I can help you find a location that suits your style.
I suggest to allow 60-90 minutes for your session.
+
ALL FINAL IMAGES 
edited in my signature timeless style & delivered to you in high resolution
via a secure online gallery which also links to NZ’s professional printers; Queensberry
​so you can design beautiful prints too if you wish.
Do you only do family portraits? Absolutely not! I love photographing people - period. Whether that's couples celebrating their recent engagement, maternity shoots, portraits of the kids, family groups small & large, lifestyle newborn sessions in your own home, even pet portraits! I also offer personal brand portraits too. I just love creating portraits that document your life & your story. 

Who chooses the location? Together we make a plan for a location that suits your family. Southland is where I've spent most of my career on-location for photoshoots, however starting in mid-2025 I will be full time travelling around NZ so the whole country is our playground in terms of locations! Get in touch for details on any pop-up photo session locations I have on my itinerary (or check the location calendar on my home page), but rest assured that Southland will remain my predominant location for late Spring & early Summer sessions.
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Any tips for what to wear? What time of day is best? When you book your portrait session in with me we start the fun of the planning. I send you my portrait planning guide PDF with answers to all these questions, tips for getting the most from your portrait session & more. I also make a time to chat with you to brainstorm ideas, personalise the location etc.

Got more questions? Or ready to book a session? Follow the link below to my contact form & tell me a little bit about the portraits you're dreaming of having - I can't wait to chat soon!
Looking for something a little less?
​Check out my Limited Mini Sessions for a short, sweet alternative option...

My philosophy

Fun & relaxed
I love capturing natural moments as they happen so I work hard to ensure you're relaxed & having fun in front of my camera. I will give you guidance & direction so that you don't feel awkward but rather enjoy creating memories together.
A great experience
As your photographer I believe my job is not only to take the photos but also to provide an awesome experience for you. This includes helping you plan for epic photos, creating a fun relaxed shoot and producing high quality portraits that will be treasured forever.
Timeless & real
You will see my imagery is bright, real & authentic. I want to produce a final result for you that will stand the test of time and be treasured for generations. My style comes from years of experience & the hours upon hours I have spent learning my craft.
WHY I'M A PHOTOGRAPHER...
​I've been obsessed about documenting life with my camera most of my life. As a young girl I watched Dad's hobby of photography with interest & soon had my own camera to capture my adventures with. 

I started Heidi Horton Photography in 2012 when my passion for photography out grew just being a hobby and in 2016 it became my dream full time job! 

Over the years I've photographed hundreds of families, couples, children & beloved family pets with a focus on capturing the in-between moments, the laughter, love & personalities of my clients.

Alongside my portrait photography my husband, Matt, and I photographed a decade's worth of beautiful wedding days together which taught me so many skills in working with varying lighting, diverse personalities and coaxing emotive imagery from my subjects in tight timeframes. 

This visual craft of documenting life will be my life long obsession.​​

kind words:

"Everything from first booking, to the photo shoot, to going over the photos, to the final prints has been the coolest journey and now I finally have memories of our family to put up on the wall."
"This whole experience has been so relaxed and fun."
"We love our photo wall! The canvases are unreal, amazing quality!"

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