I am so grateful that you have chosen me to photograph you and your tribe and I cannot wait to connect with you to be part of your memory making.

If you have reached out to me to capture your portraits, it's because you love my portfolio and work. Below is some guidance, to make sure that you have a collection you love, in my defined clear style. I love to photograph portraits in an organic way and nothing brings me more joy than capturing a priceless moment, beautifully. For me, photographing families is all about love and connection.

╸MILK DRUNK & baby rolls ╸

For in home newborn photo shoots running up to 90 minutes, I want you to plan to feed your little one 45 minutes before I am due to arrive. The perfect scenario would be that you remove their clothes (assuming you want to include those juicy back rolls and all their little details too - if not, then please dress them in a neutral simple onesie), wrap them in a swaddle and then feed them so they have a very full milk drunk belly. Then we can try to start straight away with a sleepy baby. Don't worry, later there will also be time for awake portraits too.

The session is always baby led. I would normally try to start with some family portrait combinations of them in your arms (usually stylized in my way so I can also document all their little details too), then when they are sleeping later on, move on to some solo baby portraits. If they are not looking like they are going to sleep after I arrive, then I may reverse my flow or swaddle them to help then settle. We will just see how we go.

Baby outfit - As mentioned, if you want to have all the baby details photographed, please remove the clothes and just use a blanket. I will bring my natural wraps that I work with. If you prefer your baby dressed, neutral or pale colours are timeless and best. Generally I would avoid words splashed across the fabric or bold prints. It is not really my style to photograph your baby dressed in different outfits, as this can also be a little unsettling and that takes time away for lots of other style of portraits that I normally try to achieve. If it is important to you though, please flag this early with me, so I can try to plan the flow of the session to accommodate.

The Space - I will usually work next to a large window, to get the most natural light. If you could tidy the space near that, that would be wonderful. If you have a nursery space or a master bedroom with a bed near a window too, we can also do some portraits there (please try to tidy away any clutter that doesn't need to feature in the portraits (they can literally be in a box on the other side of the room! If you have time to send me a phone snap of the space, that is always really helpful too. The temperature of the space is also very important, ideally, we are aiming for 26-27oC.

Pacifiers - Even if you don't use them, they can be the difference between achieving specific shot or not at all, so I do use them in my sessions, but I use them quite lightly. If you have one, please bring it sterilized and ready to use. They are used just to help the baby settle between poses for a short time, if the baby needs just that little extra help soothing. 

Top Up Feeds - As the sessions are always baby-led and never rushed, we may need to do a top up feed. If you are bottle feeding, make sure you have the necessary milk to do a good full top up feed (not a small snack feed) ready.

╸ Glamour Ready ╸

It's best we optimize your time with me. So if possible, please be your version of 'glamour ready' and wearing your outfit for the start of the photo shoot. That means hair and make-up done. For kids with long hair, I recommend having it either fully or partially up. This means that even the most wild dynamic captures will still work well, because they won't have hair all over their face. Also, you won't spend a lot of energy in the session smoothing it out and trying to fix it, which can annoy them and squash all the good mood vibes!

╸ Wardrobe Guide ╸

I highly recommend a 'less is more' approach. This works best with my minimalist natural style. The most important thing though, is that you are comfortable. So please do wear an outfit that will help you all relax and ensure that you have a range of movement to play and connect with your little ones. For newborn and 100 day photo shoots, I usually prefer to use neutral onesies, diaper covers and my 4 way stretch photography wraps, so I can capture ALL those little details.

Here are a few quick tips to follow -

╸ Little oneS ╸

I recommend making sure that any siblings at the photo shoot also have something in their belly. If possible, I like to try to schedule the photo shoot when they are not due a nap if they still enjoy a siesta, so please do connect with me on this ahead of time. Where possible we can plan the best time to schedule the photo shoot around their daily routine. If there are any motivators that may help them to enjoy the session i.e. snacks that don't leave orange food dust and stains everywhere, toys or songs, do organize them before hand.

╸Session Flow ╸

I have outlined this above but just to summarize, I would usually plan to start with a whole family portraits. Then move on to a range of all the family portrait combinations. I do some close ups of the baby within the family portrait flow, and then after I tend to do more dedicated solo baby captures. I will always keep the session fluid and will change things up depending on the mood and how they adjust to the space, as well as me.

I love making all my photo shoots bespoke. So please do let me know ahead of the shoot if you have any concepts, preferences and ideas in mind e.g. Do you have a portrait concept, or wall in your home that you would like to plan a portrait for in a frame? It's always a pleasure to try to tailor the session to your family where possible, though kindly note, this is not always possible for mini sessions.

I am so looking forward to photographing you and your little one x