Mother and Baby Studio Photography Session

When new mum Layla enquired about a photoshoot in my Derby studio with her newborn baby Esme, I was very excited to get them in.

I've known Layla for many years actually, and I photographed her mum and dads wedding back in 2010. She had heard of my increasing desire to conduct studio portraiture having spent sometime chatting with me about my investment in studio lights and backdrops.

Esme was newborn pretty much - about 6 weeks old, so not as newborn as some, but not far off it. And to be honest, photographing a 6 week old baby is, I think, and in some ways, easier than a baby that is only a week or two old.

I am not the typical modern photographer - I am more about real-life moments with mum and baby, as opposed to just baby placed on his\her own on a pillow or blanket. More often than not I like both the mum and the baby to feature in the photograph. And where possible, Dad too! It is not essential of course, but the bond between either parent is incredibly strong and one that must surely be photographed. The Dads are all too often left out of the picture. As a father of two children myself, I have never understood that. When it comes to preserving the special memories of parenthood, the Dad is equally as important as the mum. So I will try and photograph both if I can.

By using lighting creatively, even the most anxious, self-conscious new mum or Dad can be lit to look remarkable.

My time with Layla, Esme, and her Dad Luke in the Derby studio was memorable for no negative reasons at all. Esme was super settled, and I was quite happy to wait while she fed. Rushing a shoot and causing tension will never result in good outcomes or memories. We all had a great time. And both parents, Layla and Luke, were all too happy to follow my direction and we got some spectacular photographs.

Below is a small selection of some of the highlight photographs of them.