Sofie had her first camera at 5. A friend bought her a disposable camera to make a scrapbook with, and then I gave her my old mini digital point and shoot. While she has hefted my ‘proper’ camera before and got some nice shots I need it too much to risk it being dropped before a shoot! But if I’m honest, Milo has had very little to do with cameras himself, and even Sofie’s digital camera is in a drawer somewhere right now. Bad mummy.

And I don’t mean using the camera on your phone or other device either – for me it’s important for children to know what it’s like to look through a viewfinder, to compose and think about what they see – and not just because that brings us all the fabulous photographers of tomorrow, but because it will make your family session go a whole lot easier – let me explain!

Now I’ve no scientific study in this area, but I have noticed that children who are used to the idea that a person looks through a box at them and goes ‘click’ are much more comfortable in portrait sessions. They know that when the crazy lady (ahem) disappears behind the black box she’s still there, still interested. They know what the click means. And when the crazy lady reappears again they know they might (if they ask very nicely) get to see a picture of themselves on the back. I simply don’t believe, from my experience, that children get the same comfort with a portrait session from Liveview on an iPad or iPhone.

Take these images with little Samantha, aged two. I brought along another of my little props, this fabulous Fisher Price Camera, for her to play with and get used to. She loved looking through it (both ways!), clicking, pointing at us, and having it pointed at her. She’s naturally pretty relaxed in front of the camera but I believe this was a lovely interlude that helped the session go smoothly.

So if you’re planning a portrait session, and you’re not sure that your child is comfortable with the idea of a camera snapping, why not pull out an old camera, or a toy, and let them play? Explain what happens, make it a game, and then when you meet me they’ll be super excited! Of course I always ensure everyone is at ease while I work, but this little bit of prep might just save a meltdown or two when the big black box comes out to play.

What do you think? Do you agree? Let me know your thoughts, or also if you’d like to make your very own snap-happy booking! See you soon!

Coming all the way from Leicester, Nia was my last session of the day and she was so energetic I forgot my achy feet and we had an absolute ball – here is Nia in just one of her ensembles, and as you watch the images, you have to imagine her belting out One Direction as she went…

The aim for my photography is to capture your child the way they really are, in an environment that they can really relax in – if this sounds like something you’d like to arrange, do get in touch – whether it’s urban or rolling fields, I can’t wait to meet you all!

Available in a choice of colours including this wonderful baby blue, I will design each spread individually for you to include your favourite images. You can even select foil lettering for the cover too – I think this works beautifully with baby’s name, what do you think?

Of course it’s the usual high quality archival lustre-finish printing you’d expect from my suppliers too, and available both in my a la carte ordering and in my product collections. Go on… breathe in the baby powder…

If you’d like to book a newborn portrait session, and receive beautiful image galleries like this one, get in touch and let’s book you in! Don’t forget, newborn sessions are ideally held in the first two weeks after birth, and booking is advised by the beginning of your third trimester.

Sometimes the light is just right, the conditions are just perfect, and everyone is comfortable. So it fell with this delightfully relaxed at-home portrait session with little Elena and Jessica and their mummy and daddy, near Danbury in Essex. Of course we did use other parts of the house and garden, but these are the shots I keep coming back to smile at…

When we’re using your home, I will talk with you beforehand about the areas to use (they need to be nice and bright, in the main), and when I arrive I will scout out the light. Houses don’t need to be ultra neat and tidy, we just need room to play – and sometimes, cuddles on the sofa are good for plenty of lovely moments…

If you’d like to consider an at-home portrait session, just get in touch and we’ll have a chat about how best to use the space to show you and your family at your best!

A pre-Mother’s Day gift in a way, this was June and Samantha’s special morning together, and I was so delighted to be invited to capture it. Here you have a mother who makes her daughter smile with the tiniest glance, and laugh with the tiniest tickle – and it’s clear they just enjoy being with eachother! Samantha is two, a traditionally terrible age, but I have never held that theory in much regard, and sure enough she was full of energy and good humour throughout our session. These photographs make me smile every time!

If you’d like to book a smily family portrait session, and receive beautiful image galleries like this one, get in touch and let’s book you in!

Even in this digital age, prints remain a central part of every single order my clients place with me – of course I supply only beautiful quality lustre prints with true colour rendition (which helps) but I find the real reason is because prints give you something to share, to hold and to smile about long after your session.

I don’t sell prints, or indeed any other product; I don’t sell anything at all. In fact at your ordering session I’m simply there to advise you and offer options – what you choose is up to you entirely. However I know that the reason you booked me as your professional photographer in the first place was because you wanted images to bring home, and the story starts with prints.

Gift prints are available in sizes up to 8×10″ – these are popular sizes, easy to frame at home (some of my clients have made stunning picture walls from different sized framed prints!), wonderful gifts, and perfect for the desk at work.

I also offer Giclee Fine Art prints at sizes from 10×10″ and beyond –  these are printed using specialist papers and archival inks to resist fading, and are wonderful aways to show your images in a favourite large frame (of course I offer framing too!).

Some photographers do not now offer digital image files after a session; and I completely understand why. Feedback from my own clients over the past few years indicates to me that when you simply buy the digital images from your session, the disc or USB rarely ever see the light of day again. Images go unprinted and forgotten in a drawer, and what seemed like a great flexible idea at the time turns into a millstone of decision-making that gets put off day after day, year after year.

I do sell digital images; however I do my best to give you the advice you need to consider them useful archives for your favourite images that complement, not replace, the physical gorgeousness of your prints and products. When I’ve done the right thing by you, you’ll choose the products that absolutely suit you at your ordering session, and you’ll have no decision-making worries again – just beautiful images, at home, to enjoy again and again!

Let’s talk about how YOU’d like to use the favourite images from your session!

Taken just before Christmas, here is a tiny selection of the gorgeous images for you to enjoy, all taken at home in Bishop’s Stortford. We cranked the heating up beautifully, had some lovely natural window light, and Ryan snoozed beautifully for the camera – of course!

If you’d like to book an at-home newborn portrait session, and receive beautiful image galleries like this one, get in touch and let’s book you in! Don’t forget, newborn sessions are ideally held in the first two weeks after birth, and booking is advised by the beginning of your third trimester.

The meadows were looking a little forlorn, but we’d woken to blazing sunshine so at 7.30 in the morning we were there, catching the sunlight in flare and haze. One thing I do love about this yearly journey is that it allows me to see how my style is changing, and how I’m attempting things I might not have tried before, and while my images are generally pretty full of light anyway, these were at the edge of my comfort zone for sunflare and haze. What do you think?

Sofie was a trooper as ever, as it was still very cold – so we kept the session light, and short, and went home to some hot buttered toast. Thanks, as ever, go to the Daffodil Reserve for granting me special permission to use the meadow.

So, 2014… perhaps I could put in an advance order for warm and fair weather to go with Sofie’s natural flair..?

We spent a glorious, if chilly, afternoon tramping along Hampstead Heath, but what I didn’t show at the time was that we made the session a dual-location occasion…

Before we set out, and to give everyone a chance to get used to me and the camera, I followed Amala around her baby bedroom while she played with her toys. I even got the Lensbaby out again! What followed was a collection of gorgeously relaxed and REAL images of a baby absolutely in her comfort zone – gorgeous!

Play that xylophone, little girl!

Adding an extra element to your session is often possible, especially when the weather decides to keep us guessing – and if we’re staying closer to home, I don’t even need you to get the cleaners in! All I need is light and a little space, the rest is up to your beautiful babies – how does that sound?

Daniel is an adorable poppet, simply beautiful eyes and lovely dark hair – just like his big sister. Over two sessions at home he gave me his best sleepy face as well as some gorgeous awake shots in a lovely comfy wrap, including some of my favourite sibling shots with Ruby. It’s so wonderful to know how special these images are to this growing family – maybe next time I’ll get mum and dad in the picture too (hint hint!)!

I always keep time at the end of a newborn portrait session for family shots if you’d like them; while the focus of the portrait session is clearly the new arrival, it’s lovely to have some time to document how your family tree is growing, leaf by leaf!

If you’d like to book a newborn portrait session, and receive beautiful image galleries like this one, get in touch and let’s book you in! Don’t forget, newborn sessions are ideally held in the first two weeks after birth, and booking is advised by the beginning of your third trimester.