A family of five in a forest, including a woman, a man, a young boy, a girl, and a baby, sharing a moment of affection, with the girl and man kissing.

PREP GUIDE

Pregnant woman holding a bouquet of pink and white flowers outdoors, with sunlight casting a shadow of flowers on her belly.

What To Wear

With regards to what to wear, I suggest choosing something that reflects who you are.

  • A woman and a young girl are smiling and touching noses, while the woman holds the girl close, in front of a large tree with sprawling branches. In the background, a man and a girl with an umbrella are near the tree.

    Plain coloured clothing

    Plain coloured clothing works wonderfully. If you love prints, these are perfect as well, however thank you for choosing more subtle ones (dramatic or bold patterns tend to ''steal the attention' away from the smiles).

  • A family of four outdoors in a field, holding hands and smiling, with a cloudy sky in the background.

    Pastel / Neutral tones

    Pastel / neutral tones look great in family photos: light pinks, peach, whites and blues. If you do find pastel colours flattering, then neutral tones will work just as well: white, beige or grey.

  • A woman and two young girls with long black hair are on a bridge, smiling and playing together. The woman is squatting and taking a face-to-face selfie with the girl on the left, who is looking up at her. The other girl is hugging the woman from behind, looking at the camera. The background features a decorative white wall and a blue railing.

    Warmer tones

    Warmer tones look great especially in the colder season: rusty red (not too bright!), mustard, toned down yellow etc. If the colours are too bright, they might reflect onto the skin tones on a sunny spring/summer day.

  • A family of three outdoors among trees with yellow leaves, with a woman, man, and child, sharing a kiss and holding the child.

    Jewel tones

    Jewel tones are also very lovely as long as they are balanced with lots of lighter tones.

  • A woman in a white dress holding a baby on stone stairs outside a historic building with columns.

    Textures

    Textures textures textures! Textures can elevate a photo from 5 to 10 and they will add a deeper depth to our photos: chiffon, leather, silk, linen, wool.

  • Close-up of a baby's hand holding an adult's fingers. Other babies are visible in the background, lying on a soft surface, wearing patterned clothing.

    If it's authentic to YOU, it will look perfect

    In any case, these are guiding tips, not rule of law by any means. As long as you feel comfortable and authentic to you, the images will be perfect.Description goes here

YOUR CHILDREN:

I will follow you around as you engage with your children and I will capture more natural moments between you instead of directing you (too much).

My style of photography is both casual and natural, as I feel the best images are taken when your family is less aware of the camera.

To get the family shots, I usually direct the adults to simply "be" with the child, or hold the child and we go from there.

Our session is all about meaningful interactions and quality time with your kids. My goal is to capture who your family is right now, not to make you do anything stiff or unnatural. 

I promise we will have a lot of fun!

I encourage snacks for young children, but to avoid any spills, stains, and dirty cheeks!

A woman with long hair, wearing a dark top, sitting on a bed and holding a young boy with curly hair and striped shirt. They are looking at each other closely, with the woman gently touching the boy's face. The scene is in black and white, and the bed has light-colored sheets and pillows.

Newborn and In-home Sessions

Your baby: I would suggest keeping baby clothing as simple as possible (no logos or prints) and that shows your baby's little fingers and toes. If you are ok with it, we can also take newborn images without too many clothes - to show off that amazing baby skin and those newborn features. Simplicity is key.

Thank you for avoiding large / messy prints, these steal the focus away from the smiles. For outdoors shoots, thank you for choosing baby clothing of the right size so that their face/limbs are fully visible.

A knitted blanket might come in handy.

Indoor: No need for shoes or socks for the indoor photos, feel free to enjoy a morning of cuddling with your little ones whilst I capture all that adoration and love.

Your home:
If possible, I would suggest decluttering a little bit, especially in spaces with lots of light (living area, bedroom). White sheets on the master bed could also be a plus (it reflects light back onto your skin tones).

A man and a young girl are playing with a blanket on a bed in a bright bedroom. The man is throwing or waving the blanket, and the girl, wearing a pink dress, is standing on the bed laughing or smiling. The room has a window with blinds, curtains, and a nightstand with a lamp.
A young boy with a toy gun aiming it at a woman holding a baby, in a cozy living room.
Family sitting on a white sofa in a bright living room with skylight windows, with a dog lying on a mat and children and a woman holding a baby.

All these above - please take them as suggestions, not a rule. I want you to feel comfortable and at ease on the day. The photos should represent YOU and this wonderful new page in your family's story.

  • Please arrive on time or be ready to start on time: your session is scheduled according to light and crowds.

  • It is important that we start on time, especially with London being such a busy city. For landmarks shoots, even 15 minutes are super important and it gets crowded by the minute.

  • Please plan for traffic, especially on a weekday morning or parking constraints. It's best to arrive early.

  • If your children are shy towards strangers (especially toddlers!), I find that it is very helpful to talk to them as often as possible the months/weeks before the shoot about what will happen. You can show them my photo and tell them that I will take photos whilst you will sing, dance, play and run around.

  • Please don’t tell your children to smile towards the camera, that might put pressure on them and they will not like the process or we might get fake smiles. It’s important to capture their true nature and the real emotions.

  • As long as you engage constantly with your children, I promise you we will capture the best photos.

  • I encourage you to make this a fun family experience. Instead of bribing your children with a treat, make this a feel good day. Make plans to go out for dinner or a treat before or after the session as a family. Not as a reward but as part of the overall experience.

  • I will worry about your kids behavior, you just need to show up prepared to have fun and relax.

  • My style is natural and organic; I try at every photo session to capture the essence of the family I am working with. If I can even show just a glimpse of the love and connection between family members, I am happy. You will hear me say a lot "get closer together", "touch your heads", "hold hands", "give a big hug" and so on. I am all about capturing the family dynamics and the love.

  • There will be no need to look at the camera unless I tell you so, my family sessions are all about genuine emotions and beautiful images that you can't wait to hang on your walls. Your love for your children is my magic ingredient for beautiful family photos. Engage with them, hug them, cuddle them, play with them and my camera will be the witness capturing this timeless magic. Your magic!

WHAT TO BRING

  • Snacks and water for children. Please avoid snacks like orange puffs that can easily leave traces on the clothing and are hard to clean. Dry snacks and water are perfect.

  • The focus during a shoot is always to capture loving moments of connection, therefore I do not use props. If you have something special in mind and something personal to you, thank you for letting me know. Your suggestions are welcomed.

  • A back-up outfit for young children in case we will need it. Not a must though! The real family life is messy and that’s absolutely fine with me!

  • Positive energy and lots of smiles. I promise you I will make you look good and I will show how beautiful your family is. As long as we have the smiles, the love, the cuddles, the moments of connection, you will love the photos!

Pregnant woman in a brown dress walking in a field with tall grass and trees in the background.
A family of four enjoying a hug outdoors, surrounded by trees and grass, on a fall day.
A woman with black hair and earrings cuddling a baby with blue eyes on a bed.
A smiling toddler with blue eyes lying on a person's lap outdoors, with a woman gently patting his head. The child is wearing a yellow shirt and denim overalls, and the background is blurred with greenery and sunlight.
A woman with short, curly hair is sitting on a chair in a softly lit room, breastfeeding a baby with a window in the background.
A woman with long, wavy blonde hair wearing a black jacket and black dress walking through a lush green forest.