I am a photographer. I am a newborn photographer. But this is only a part of what I do. Part of my job is creating art. Not just any art, but meaningful, timeless art.
And the subject is a beautiful new baby. Loved by everyone they have met in their short little lives.
So it is essential that this baby is captured in such a loving, compassionate way for the baby and its’ family.
That is why I design every newborn session individually. Each one is bespoke. Each one is meticulously planned. I send out a questionnaire to understand what is expected of me in producing a gallery of perfect images for the parents.
And if I am able to find out any family tradition or culture, any family story, I will create a photo that not only shows off your beautiful baby, but paints a story.
Recently, a lovely lady got in touch to book a newborn session. When I spoke to her on the phone prior to that day she confided in me that this baby was the culmination of trying for 10 long years. So I immediately said that we need to tell this story! At that time, I had no idea how I was going to go about it, but I knew that I had to photograph this much longed for baby to tell his parents story of how desperately wanted he was.
“Leave it with me” I said. And after hanging up the phone I immediately set about figuring out how I was going to tell their story in a picture.
This baby is not a rainbow baby (a baby born after loss), nor was this baby conceived through IVF (although they did use this option, this baby was conceived naturally). So I could not use the obvious rainbows and IVF needles that you may have seen in many baby pictures online.
And then…
It came to me while watching a period drama…
In the sumptuous BBC Victorian TV show, the hero pulled out his pocket watch to complain about how much time had past since he arrived for a meeting at his bank. (Not relevant, I know, but trust me!)
TIME!
10 long years of hoping, 10 long years of dreams, 10 long years of anguish, to be then granted their deepest wish.
Straight away, I googled miniature pocket watches! I was going to get their baby to hold the pocket watch to indicate the time his parents have waited to become parents, the time it has taken for their baby to arrive. In one picture I will be able to tell their story!
The watch that arrived was perfect! Perfect size for a baby to hold. Perfect simplistic style that would not detract from the baby. Just perfect!
Eventually, baby Oscar arrived and it was time to complete the newborn session. I came with all my props and the pocket watch. As I prepared baby Oscar for this much planned set-up I asked his parents “what time was he born”. So then I inputted that time into the watch, turning the hands to match that time. And then I place the watch into the baby’s hands, making sure that the watch could be clearly seen.
Click… I got the picture. And the mother cried!
Tears of joy. Tears of relief. Tears of 10 long years.
I knew in that moment, this picture means so much! A picture can literally paint a thousand words, and this picture represented the joy and struggle of the new baby.
I didn’t fully appreciate her emotions until after the session had finished and I arrived home. But as I viewed the images from that session on my computer, I knew I had captured something really special for that family.
The finished picture