20/08/2026
Mum messaged me a few days before she needed her session done. A toddler and newborn to photograph. A heatwave rolling in. I knew straight away this was going to be a challenge — toddlers, newborns and heat combined are just full on.
But what made this special is that her neighbour had booked me a few weeks before and she literally lives in the next village on from me - so a super local client 🫶
But that’s the thing about last-minute bookings — they’re not a problem to avoid, they’re a chance to show what I actually do. So we had to go with my soonest availability which happened to be a heatwave- the freeze pops were flowing, and we let everyone set the pace instead of chasing a “perfect” shot.
In my studio, toddlers (and newborns) are the VIPs. No rushing, no forcing anything — we work at their speed, on their terms.
Because here’s the thing: it was never just about getting nice photos on a phone screen. It’s about that little smile ending up framed on her wall — something she walks past every day for years, not scrolled past in a camera roll and forgotten.
If your family doesn’t do “sit still and smile,” that’s not a barrier — that’s exactly why you book someone who works with real kids, not posed ones. I’m often surrounded by lots of toys whilst taking these shots, some of them are more posed but that doesn’t mean there isn’t time for play in between.
If that sounds like your family, my studio is based in Derbyshire, send me a message — I’d love to chat about a session. 👶
P.S. With all the heatwaves we’ve had this year, I’ve made sure my studio has air con on hand whenever it’s needed.
