Newborn photography at home, Dulwich
This was a recent newborn portrait session, taken at home in South London when the baby was just 10 days old. I am always so excited to photograph families welcoming their new baby, and it is such an exciting time for both the new parents and also for me! When babies are very new they do sleep more, although I often find, as with this baby, that my presence disturbs their peace a little and they can be quite alert and awake for a lot of the session. Having been photographing babies for over 10 years, I have worked out my own way to approach photographing newborns, as it’s a very different experience for me compared to photographing older babies and children.
I aim to capture the way it feels for you at this incredibly special time so that you can remember and revisit these fleeting days for many years, and also share them with the baby when they have grown up. It’s more than photographing a baby’s fingers and toes… it’s capturing the love and connection parents have with their newborn, and that is something that requires qualities such as intuition and sensitivity from a photographer, as much as any technical skills. I love photographing new mothers most of all, and I think that you can tell that the photographs have been taken by a female gaze. I am focused on capturing a mother’s strength and power as she enters into motherhood, having just given birth which takes up a huge amount of energy. I just think mothers are amazing, and it’s a true privilege to be there to photograph them as well as the baby at this pivotal moment in their lives.
At this session, we got lots of lovely solo shots of the baby and then with the three siblings, then some with Mum and Dad, and finally the whole family all together. Newborn sessions take around two hours, and we will always use natural light, in the comfort of your own home.
Newborn sessions usually take place within the first 2 weeks, so that the baby is still fairly sleepy, although that’s not always the case! I love capturing newborns while they are wide awake, and I find that they are often quite interested in the camera lens making a clicking noise. I like to photograph a range of their expressions, and also all the little details and things that are particular to newborn babies. The creases, wrinkles, milk spots, and flakey newborn skin are all lovely to capture close-ups. Above all, I aim to capture how it feels for the family to have this incredible new addition in their lives, and document these special moments so you can revisit them for many years to come.
If you would like to book a similar session for your family, then get in touch as I’d love to hear from you. If you can, try and book a date approximately 7-10 days after your due date, although these are flexible.
I photograph newborn babies at home in their first few days, covering all areas of London. I have over 10 years of experience as a London family photographer, and I also regularly photograph babies for commercial brands including Totter & Tumble play mats.
