Category: Blog of a Portrait Photographer

Crochet Octopuses

They say that you learn something new every day. I thought that I had been doing this job for long enough now that I had heard almost all birth stories and baby related facts. I love meeting premature babies for a photoshoot. Their stories are always remarkable and incredible.

When we do the newborn baby photoshoot parents often bring some form of cuddly toy for baby to be photographed with. Often this is something that has been bought or given for the new arrival. Sometimes it is a family heirloom or perhaps the same toy that mum or dad had when they were a baby. More rarely it is an octopus. And these octopuses generally come with the babies who were born early or premature.
Only recently did one parent explain to me the exact reason for this. There are charities such as Octopus for a Preemie. They crochet these little octopuses to help premature babies through their first days of life. On their website: https://octopusforapreemie.com/who/ they explain that:

“These little octopuses make babies, and their parents feel calmer and safer. The babies play with their tentacles as if it is their mother’s umbilical cord.
At the same time, parents can have the deserved little break, knowing their tiny precious ones feel more safe and calm with the tentacles in their little hands instead of pulling those life-saving tubes and cables out.”

Apparently it is quite a common occurrence for the alarms to go off in the intensive care unit. Baby pulls off one of the cables and this causes unnecessary concern for parents.

Isn’t my baby going to be too old?

If you are interested in booking a photoshoot for your premature baby do get in touch here. We understand that they may be older than babies normally are for a newborn photoshoot. Do not worry. We consider their suitability based on when they were actually due. If your baby was ten weeks early, then at six weeks of age they will still be very sleepy and very flexible. Still very suitable for a premature baby photoshoot and we would love to see them. We have many different props of different sizes for all sizes of baby. You can read all about a newborn baby photoshoot here.

Is is better to come to the studio or to have the newborn photoshoot it in my home?

This is a question that I am often asked. Of course there is a difference in price because we have to allow time for loading the car, driving to you and back. But I would advise that this shouldn’t be the deciding factor. There are many factors to consider depending on your circumstances. Below I have listed some of the advantages of each.

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Advantages of coming the our Baby Photography Studio

Choice

If you come to our baby photography studio you will have the choice of our full range of props, outfits, headbands, hats, blankets etc. If we come to you then we will have to make a selection to bring with us. We have a comfy sofa for you to sit on, outside space for taking photos and for your children to play.

Siblings

If you already have children you may want to consider how they are going to behave during the session. Depending on their age they may not see going to a baby photoshoot as the most exciting activity of the week. Often though, by bringing them to a new environment, they are on their best behaviour and we can get the best out of them. We try to get the family photos and the photos of them with their little brother or sister taken at the beginning of the session. Then they are free to go for a walk around our woods with dad, or play on our swings or talk to our chickens.

Tea

When you come to the studio you do not need to worry about a thing. Just turn up with your children and relax. We will put the kettle on. We will change their nappies and get them dressed. Also we will clean up after them. If you bottle feed we will take care of that too. You can sit back and enjoy the experience. We don’t even mind if you close your eyes for a minute or too. Just remember that if you have any sentimental items that you want to include then you need to bring them with you. And you might want to bring a change of clothes in case your baby has a little accident during the session.

Advantages of not coming to our Baby Photography Studio

The number one advantage has to be the fact that you are already there. You have just given birth. You might not have left the house yet with your little one. We could be coming to you anytime from day 5.  We like to capture those precious moments when they are still newborn. When they are still super squishy and still curl up like their were in your womb. So if you chose this option all you have to do is open the door to let us in. We are happy to move furniture around as required to make an ideal space for photographing your beautiful family. 

Siblings

If you read my comments above about how bringing your older children to the studio could be beneficial you must remember that the opposite can also be true. Only you know your children and how they are likely to behave. Sometimes parents decide that they are best off staying at home in a familiar environment and with all their toys to hand. Again, we try to get their involvement dealt with as early in the session as possible. Then they can run back upstairs once we are finished with them. We can always call them down again if we need them.

Tea

Unfortunately you will be responsible for putting the kettle on and you might need two extra cups 🙂 At the same time we like to remind you that you do not need to worry about tidying up, getting dressed or making an effort on our behalf. We understand that you have just given birth. We have been there and we just want to come and take some beautiful photos of your new baby.

Booking a Baby Photoshoot

You can follow this link to book either the studio or the home option for your newborn photo shoot.

 

Is Outdoor or Studio better for a Pregnancy Photoshoot?

This is a big moment in your life. You’re pregnant! Your body is amazing. It is doing amazing things. And you look great. Obviously your want to record this special moment and an outdoor pregnancy photoshoot is a great way to do it. Plus you get to come and have a fun chat and a giggle with us whilst getting dressed up. It’s a perfect excuse to go and get your hair and make up done. Perhaps you are on maternity leave already and have decided to pamper yourself before the arrival of your new precious baby.

So you’ve decided you’d like some photos. You’ve decided that you love the style of our work (you have good taste). But where to have them done? Here are some of the advantages of being on location and of coming to our studio.

Outdoor Location Pregnancy Photoshoot

We will come to you at any location within an hours drive of the studio (further by arrangement – I hear the south of France is nice at this time of year – but remember you might not be able to fly if you are too many weeks along). It could be your garden, a park, somewhere with beautiful cherry blossom, or the lovely colours of autumn leaves.

We will bring a selection of our dresses and gowns with us. You can bring whatever you want to wear too. It’s worth having a think about where you might get changed.

Let us know and then keep your fingers crossed for the weather.

Studio Pregnancy Photoshoot

Alternatively you may decide that you prefer the idea of coming to our studio. It cosy and warm, with cups of tea and all the facilities that you might need. We have a selection of different backdrops to provide you with a beautiful varied gallery of images and you won’t have to worry about privacy when you want to show off your bump.

On top of all this we are blessed with lots of outside space to use too. Immediately outside the studio is a gravelled courtyard, so if the weather is a bit hit and miss we can dash out and grab a few quick shots before rushing back into the warm. Beyond the Cotswold stone wall is 6 acres of woodland planted with 2000 British native trees so there are lots of different opportunities for beautiful backgrounds. What this means is that by coming to the studio you have the benefit of being able to combine the studio style photos with outdoor photos and without the need to pay the extra for us to come to you. Plus we will have all the dresses here for you to choose from and somewhere to get dressed.

Milk Bath Photoshoot

For the icing on the cake. Or the milk in the bath. We also offer, to those who fancy it, the option of having a milk bath. Not as a spa treatment but as a different photo opportunity. Here you lie in a bath of milk with beautiful flowers placed around you. Read here for more information.

Do get in touch if any of this sounds of interest. I’d love to chat to you, put you at ease or hear your exciting ideas.

Family Photography Studio

When we were choosing where to locate our family photography studio we always new that we didn’t need a high street location. The level of service that we offer means that we are not expecting newborn babies to be knocking on our door. So instead we choose a rural location offering us many of the things that we were looking for.

Reasons for a countryside location

The best part about where our family photography studio is located is the peace and quiet. Apart from the birds chirping we can go about our business without disturbance. Another plus is having ample free parking. A definite plus compared with clients having to struggle with car seats and changing bags in a busy town centre location. On top of that we have a beautiful woodland which we can use for photographs when the weather allows. We can either use the trees as a backdrop or we can wander along the paths. When we reach the other side of the woodland we can lose ourselves in a field of barley. It is really suited to maternity photoshoots, to family photoshoots and to toddlers who love to explore.

Reasons against a countryside location

There aren’t many really. Our family photography studio can sometimes be hard to find. To help we send out directions before the day and sat navs are pretty good these days. The internet speed isn’t the greatest but that is due to improve shortly. In fact I only thought to write this blog because the other night we had a power cut and because they could not find the problem they turned up at 4am with a generator as pictured. So all in all we love our location and fortunately so do our clients. I hope you get to visit it soon. To find our more about what we do you can read our other blogs here or look at our Instagram page here.

How many hours work go into a newborn photography session?

Some people are unaware how much work goes in to a newborn photoshoot. They assume you can just pick up your i-phone and take a few pics. Of course you can and there is a time and a place for these photos. Those spur of the moment photos; those special, private, intimate moments; the feeding in the middle of the night photos. What we are talking about is the photos on the coffee table photos, the photos on the wall of the nursery photos, the photos on your desk at work photos. So just to give you a little idea, here goes:

Before the newborn photography session

Before the day that we photograph your newborn baby there will have been plenty of emails shared between us. You will have let us know your due date so that we can reserve sufficient space in our diary. You will have decided whether you are going to come to the studio or whether we are going to come to your home. Once baby has made an appearance we will have sent you a form to fill in with your details and preferences. We will then have spent a couple of hours planning which different set ups we are planning attempt. Also, we will be matching colours and textures according to your requirements, your baby’s size and sex. We then get everything packed up or set up for the big day.

The day of the session

If we are coming to you, then the two us (two of us for safety reasons – one to hold the camera, one to hold the baby) will jump in the car with all of our equipment. We drive anywhere within an hour of the studio (further by arrangement). If you are coming to the studio then we will have tidied up and put the kettle on.

We tell parents to allow up to 4 hours for the session. The main reason for this is so that everyone is relaxed (keeping baby relaxed). We don’t want anyone feeling that they have to rush off for anything. The other reason is to allow plenty of time for feeding, cuddling, changing, accidents etc. Oh, and the occasional cup of tea.

After the session

Anyone keeping tabs will see that we are already up to potentially 16 man hours. Next Pamila heads to the computer to see what gems we have captured. She will make a selection of the finest images and retouch them to her unique style. This will be at least another full day’s work. Then we invite you back to the studio to watch a slideshow of the images and to decide how you would like to keep and display them. This may also involve coffee and biscuits.

Overheads

That’s all the fun stuff. As you can see we devote a lot of our time to your precious little bundle. You only get one chance as the newborn window is very small and we want to do our best for you. On top of all the hours we have had a lot of training from some of the best in the industry primarily focusing on your baby’s safety. We have public liability and professional indemnity insurance. We have spent thousands of pounds on top of the range equipment from iMacs and backups to cameras and lenses to studio lights and backdrops. Oh and a few hundred headbands, bonnets, blankets and props.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this article and that it might go some way to help you understand what is involved. To find out more or to make a booking click here or send us an email here.

Stay up to date with our latest photography sessions by following our Instagram feed here.

Ancient Milestones

At the gateway to our studio from the road is a small piece of stone jutting out from the ground. I had been noticing them around the county recently as the grass on the verges is at its lowest and the sun has been shining brightly. Of course many of these are ancient milestones and therefore I assumed that ours would be too. This got my mind thinking about the subject of this blog: milestones.

The reason that we focus our business on the first year of baby’s life is that it contains so many milestones. Their first smile, the first time they roll over, the first time they say mama, the first time they crawl, their first tooth, maybe even their first steps. Yes, there will be many important milestones through the rest of their life. Such as learning to drive; going to university; their 18th birthday. But their first year of life is so jam packed with milestones.

Photography Milestones

The main services that we offer are: the maternity photoshoot. I know this isn’t technically one of their milestones but you don’t want to forget how you looked at this stage. You never know, one day they might be interested to see what you looked like pregnant.

Then as soon as they are born we like to do the newborn photoshoot. They change so much in the early weeks and you will be in a sleep-deprived blur for most if. You don’t want to forget how they looked at this young age. Besides it will give you something to compare to the next photo shoot.

The next time we normally get to meet you is for the sitter or child photoshoot. This can be at any time but we recommend that you wait until they can sit up unaided. This gives us lots of different options for photos. Normally it means lots of smiles as they are beginning to see the world from a different angle.

Then the biggest milestone of the year is their first birthday and we love for them to come to the studio and really have some fun. You have survived a whole year. You have sustained them, nurtured them, grown them. Now you can sit back and watch them smash a cake, splash around in a bath full of bubbles and even get a family portrait.

Post Office Markers

Naturally it made sense for me to include a photograph for the blog. Unfortunately when I got there I discovered some letters on the post: GPO. After a quick google it transpires that this is not an ancient stone milestone (potentially viable as we live on the Old London Road). It is actually a concrete marker post. The General Post Office (GPO) was established in 1660 by King Charles II. The post marks where a cable runs with the distance measured in feet written on it. Not such a romantic notion but I will think about these milestones every time that I pass it and I hope that you look out for it when you visit the studio too. Just remember to turn when you see it so that you don’t miss us! You can see us on the map here. See you soon.

Antenatal Classes in Oxfordshire for 2019

We are pleased to announce that hot off the press is the latest and most up-to-date version of the antenatal classes in Oxfordshire leaflet. It is called Pregnancy Classes and Services leaflet for West Oxfordshire. It covers all kinds of antenatal courses in Oxfordshire. Sarah from Birth Baby Balance kindly compiled this leaflet.

In the leaflet you will find all the information and contact details for every kind of services that you will need in your pregnancy. “This leaflet aims to help expectant parents make the best use of the various classes and services in West Oxfordshire offering information and support on pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood. These include a range of exercise and relaxation classes, antenatal classes, active birth teaching and more”.

We are very excited to be included in this leaflet as it is handed out by all the local midwives. This includes our very own Chipping Norton Midwives at the Cotswold Birth Centre, as well as the Witney Midwives. We believe that whilst the midwives run their own free antenatal classes in Oxfordshire it is worth considering what you might gain from a more thorough course offered by the likes of Birth Baby Balance.

Bumps, Balls and Breathing

Sarah herself runs antenatal classes; early pregnancy classes (free); Bumps, Balls and Breathing classes. She is also a doula and offers placenta encapsulation. We like that fact that in addition the leaflet covers: yoga, pilates, aquanatal, hypnobirthing, massage, reflexology, acupuncture, counselling and psychotherapy.  We are included because we offer Bump, Birth and Baby Photography. Our best-selling package is our Bump to Baby option. I have included a link so that you can see the full leaflet by clicking here: Pregnancy leaflet 2019

We believe that the leaflet covers a sufficiently wide variety of options for anyone who is pregnant in Oxfordshire. Not all will be relevant to you but all the services providers are lovely people offering a wonderful service. We recommend that you organise some antenatal classes as well as some classes that will help you to relax and make your pregnancy as comfortable as possible. I would be delighted to hear from you if you have any questions about what to do during your pregnancy. I am happy to offer advice based on my own experience of pregnancy.

The Gift of Motherhood

Having a baby is the most incredible journey you will ever go on. As a newborn photographer I always dreamed that one day I would have my own baby and that I would be able to go on this journey too.

It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t like you see in the films. Eventually I fell pregnant.

You experience such a mixture of emotions in such a short space of time. You celebrate, you cry, you laugh, you cry a bit more… There is no day like the first couple days. You’ve just successfully given birth to your baby, you’ve run the equivalent of a marathon and …. you’ve survived. Your baby is safe and well. You feel on top of the world when you see just how perfect your baby is.

The toes,

the lips,

 

the hairy back….

 

You might not even love your baby straight away but that is ok. You’ve only just been introduced. It won’t be long. You won’t be able to avoid their charms. Soon you will love them more than you have loved anything or anyone ever before.

 

It’s incredibly hard being a new mum but yet it is the most rewarding job ever. The sleepless nights, the worrying, the not knowing what to do when baby cries. Nothing can prepare you for motherhood. No books, no NCT classes, no YouTube videos, not even One Born Every Minute (or my favourite Call the Midwife).

But one thing is for sure. YOU CAN DO THIS and you are doing an amazing job, even if baby can’t yet tell you what an awesome mummy you are!

Get in touch with your Newborn Photographer

I hope you have enjoyed reading about some of my experience of having a baby. As a newborn photographer I always enjoy sharing my experiences during the newborn photoshoot. There’s normally plenty of time with all the feeding, changing and cuddling that’s involved. I’m also happy to give advice where I can. If you are expecting a little one soon then I recommend booking your session as early as you can (we normally recommend waiting until after the 20 week scan) as I have limited space in my diary for newborns. Get in touch. I look forward to meeting you and your little bundle of joy very soon.