Tender Newborn Portraits East London

Newborn photography always feels like a privilege and this year, with lockdowns and families not being able to meet as they normally would, it feels even more special.  I’m so lucky to be one of the first people to meet these beautiful tiny babies and to record these early days in pictures that they and their families will treasure.

When I’m working as a newborn photographer I always find myself drawn to connections whether that’s by look or by touch.  Sometimes it’s the look of a parent to a child that melts my heart. Other times it’s that wonderful look between parents – the smile of love, pride and achievement as they acknowledge that they have made this tiny new person, they have bought a wonderful new life into the world.  I love the look that newborns will give their parents too, a look of love and also one that seems to be filled with a wry humour beyond their years.  Sometimes the look seems to say ‘Wow? Is this what the world is like? How curious’ as a sibling pulls a face in an attempt to make them laugh. From start to finish on a newborn shoot I’m looking for these moments as the family enjoy a morning together.

Looking through my images after a shoot it can be hard to pick a favourite there are so many moods and moments from tender embraces to laughter to the glorious peace of a snoozing newborn.  But there are always a few which stand out, which pull on my heart strings and which I know the children will love as they get older. And that, of course, is what it’s all about. Images that the children will love as adults, that have a natural feel and a beautiful aesthetic.

I ended up choosing two for my sneak preview today – it’s almost Christmas after all – and I love them both so much.

The first image I was drawn to for its feeling of peace and tranquillity.  I love a sleeping newborn shot but I love them even more when there’s a story to tell.  Here that story takes centre stage with her parents’ hands tenderly holding her.  It’s more than that though, I love how her parent’s hands are also tenderly holding each other, that soft touch between their fingers as they cradle and protect their baby daughter. It’s so tender, so loving, so beautiful.  Saavan’s clearly so happy and content, so snuggly and warm, so surrounded by love with her little fingers just visible under her mother’s hand giving us such a sense of scale, how tiny she is in these early days.

The second picture has our beautiful baby awake and looking right up at the camera.  Here again we have connection, beautiful baby Saavan reaching out to hold the arm of her big brother as he looks down on her with such tenderness.  It’s such a priceless moment.  You can already feel how their relationship will develop, I can almost see them running through the park, Saavan reaching up to her brother as he looks down to her and encourages her onwards, teaching her to play football and sharing his Marvel toys.  You can tell they are going to have a wonderful and loving relationship and so much fun together over the years.

I can’t wait to share more pictures with the family, but in the meantime I hope you enjoy these images, today’s sneak preview from a recent newborn session in East London.  For more information about my newborn photography then do visit my East London Newborn Photographer page or browse my website to see galleries, how it works and recent press coverage.