It might only be September, but Christmas is getting scarily close and let’s face it, this year hasn’t been all it was hyped up to be. We started the year in lockdown, have been jabbed and prodded too many times to count (okay it was only twice, but that second vaccine really hurts right?) and we’ve missed out on so many summer experiences we once took for granted. While we’d usually be terrified to utter the C word before the sun cream has been swapped for seasonal flu remedy in the chemists, unfortunately summer seems to be over. So there’s nothing left to it, this year we’re embracing Christmas early!

So, let’s throw caution to the wind. It might only be September but we’re unpacking the tinsel, queuing up 'Now That’s What I Call Christmas', and scheduling in our Christmas mini shoots to celebrate Christmas being back.

Think of this Christmas as a sequel to last year’s. We have a bigger budget (well we never managed to book that holiday…), better special effects (go on, splash out on those 35m Christmas lights), and an all-star ensemble cast, featuring a fully vaccinated Nana and Grandad. There’s a big, bad guy who tried to cancel Christmas last year, and it wasn’t the Grinch. COVID-19 managed to steal joy from us all, but it especially hit our families. From socially distant Santa’s to presents exchanged through the window, our families really missed out on spreading the Christmas cheer with our little ones. So, we think it’s really important to bring back the magic of Christmas, and we’re here to help you capture it. 

Our Christmas Mini Sessions are being held during October & November, giving you the perfect opportunity to share some Christmas magic with your friends and family. Not only are the sessions a great way to capture that perfect Christmas card image for your family, they’re also the perfect way to allow your all to get into that Christmas feeling!

Our sessions are being held on the following dates:
 
Friday 22nd October 
Sunday 24th October
Sunday 7th November
Sunday 14th November 
 
Our Christmas mini sessions start at just £99 and include:
 - 20 minute professional studio session (up to 3 people, please get in touch for larger families so I can extend your time) 
- Use of props 
- A bespoke viewing appointment on our 52’’ screen 
- New backdrops for 2021 (Please note these are last years)

Your payment will be deducted from your chosen package:
* Sapphire - £99 - 1 background, 3 digital images 
* Ruby - £199 - 2 backgrounds, 8 digital images 
* Diamond - £249 - All backgronds, all digital images in your gallery and all images as 7x5 gift prints, and a digital video with Santa

You might have already noticed, but we LOVE talking Christmas, so if you have any questions about the sessions, please get in touch! Otherwise, bookings are now OPEN. All you need to do today is pay £20 to secure your session. If you’d like to book, click here to pick your time slot and secure your session. As of the 1st September we have sold 60% of our slots now so get in quick.

​Backdrops for this year:

​It’s been 9 months… (or if you’re like me your little bean decided to make an early arrival), the heart burn, peeing every 2 minutes, not being able to sleep more than 5 minutes without a dig to the ribs has now all ben worth it! You have imagined what they will look like and how it will feel to hold them in your arms and now they are here. What better reason to book a photography session than to document every precious moment of them before the weeks fly by. 

People never forget their wedding day, but the birth of a child is even more special - it can only happen once! It’s a time that deserves to be captured forever with beautiful pictures that you can look back at again and again. You wouldn’t want your wedding pictures taken on an iPhone or by an amateur photographer - so why do so many families miss this HUGE milestone in their lives?

​This is more than likely going to be your first outing as a family, the first time you’ve handed your baby over to a stranger, and the first time you’ve got to drink a hot drink whilst its actually still hot! This is an emotional time for you, take this chance to marvel over your precious baby and everything you have created. 

​They really do. Nearly all my clients comment on how fast their little bundle has changed in the short space of time in-between their session and coming to view their final images (don’t worry parents, we keep a box of tissues to hand). My job is to capture a moment in time stood still, they’re never going to be this small again! 

​Take this opportunity to sit back, enjoy the view, and watch us sooth your baby. We will document all of the little details, their tiny hands, little toes, button nose… those pouty lips, chubby cheeks and gorgeous skin wrinkles. 

Newborn photographers have years of experience to be able take the most gorgeous pictures of your precious baby - from posing and styling to being able to pose them safely. 
We know after the birth of a child you don’t feel you’re best, you’re tired, drained and emotions are often running wild. BUT it is so important to capture some images with you and your precious baby, trust us, were amazing at capturing the right angle and raw emotion. 

​Whether you choose to have framed wall art, a beautiful album or a deep framed canvas you are creating the history of your family that can be enjoyed for generations to come. There will sadly be a time in the future when we will all only exist in photographs, so this is a perfect opportunity to capture your family as art.

​We all know how amazing phone cameras days are now, but that’s not what you’re paying for. It’s the experience, training and safety aspects we have undergone. You need to know that your photographer has had the correct training and can handle your baby with confidence. We cannot underestimate the power of photographs to keep us feeling linked to others and belonging. They cement us into our network

​This is the perfect gift for your partner, family member or friend, we also offer baby shower links for multiple payments. Once you have your products you can also gift these images 

​Once this newborn phase has passed, you don’t get another opportunity to capture these memories. I, like many newborn photographers photograph babies up to 14 days old. We take bookings from your 20 week scan, and sometimes have last minute availability so it’s always worth asking to see if we have space. We take on a limited number of babies within a 4 week period to ensure we can capture your session within time frame. For more information on our newborn sessions please click here.

3 Important Ways to Take Care of Your Gums While Pregnant
Dr. Amanda Tavoularis (dentably.com)
 
Pregnancy is a special time in a woman’s life, and it’s important to be as healthy as possible for yourself and your baby. However, because of hormone changes, pregnant women are more likely to develop gum disease or gingivitis during their pregnancy. Gum disease can result in premature births, so it’s important to take care of your gums to help prevent this. I have been practicing dentistry for nearly 20 years and have worked with expecting mothers on keeping their mouth as healthy as possible so they can safely carry their baby to term. 
 
1. Regular Dental Visits
A beneficial way to prevent gum disease while pregnant is to continue visiting your dentist regularly. Professional dental cleanings are more important during your pregnancy and are essential to preventing tooth decay and gum disease. Your dentist can also evaluate your periodontal health so you both can work together to decrease the chance of adverse pregnancy complications. Let your dentist know that you are expecting, and they will be able to accommodate to your baby’s needs as well as your own. 
 
2. Effective Dental Care Routine
Another important part of preventing gum disease is having a good dental care routine during your pregnancy. Good dental hygiene consists of brushing twice a day, flossing once a day, and using an antimicrobial mouth rinse. Another important way to keep your mouth healthy during this special time is to avoid sugary foods. Excessively eating foods high in sugar can lead to tooth decay and gum disease, so try incorporating more vegetables, lean proteins, and nuts and seeds into your diet to help prevent gingivitis.
 
3. Receiving Treatment 
Because of the hormonal changes that come with pregnancy, women have up to a 70% chance of developing gingivitis before giving birth. If you’ve been diagnosed with pregnancy gingivitis, it’s important to seek treatment as soon as possible to prevent delivering your child preterm. The bacteria from gum disease can attack the ligaments, gums, and bones surrounding your teeth to create infected pockets similar to large infected wounds in the oral cavity. These pockets can provide access to your bloodstream and allow bacteria to travel throughout your body, down to the uterus and placenta. 
 
Visiting your regular dentist is the best way to treat your gingivitis or gum disease but note that most doctors recommend waiting until your second trimester before receiving dental procedures. Your dentist will give you a deep cleaning to get rid of plaque and build-up that’s contributing to the disease. If your gum disease is severe your dentist or doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help combat the infection. Your doctor will know which medications are safe for you during your pregnancy but be sure to let them know of any allergies that you have.
 
A good dental care routine, regular dental visits, and seeking treatment are some of the best ways to help prevent gum disease and preterm birth. Enjoy this special time in your life and embrace the wonderful changes happening to your body, but always keep your overall health in mind. You are growing a human so it’s important to prioritise you and your baby’s health as you wait to welcome your new little one.
 

For this session we were asked to do some skin on skin images which I love doing; there is nothing more precious than holing your baby tightly and just taking that moment in! This moment is raw, pure, emotion and shows the bond between child and parent(s). After all they do say skin to skin contact has so many benefits. Studies show that skin to skin contact after birth and in the coming weeks help calm and soothe babies, stimulates digestion and an interest in feeding and simulates the release of hormones which helps with the bonding process. ​

I’d like to introduce the Pateman’s back into the studio, this time with a new addition to the family, Evelyn.

For this newborn session I got to capture adorable Evelyn and her big sister Isabella too. We first met the family over a year ago when they came to us for a newborn session when Isabella was born. It was so lovely to be able to see how grown up Isabella was along with meeting their new addition too. So of course the first thing we started with for their session was the sibling images. Isabella made it so simple for us and was amazing for her photos. We always ask parents to bring a few of their favourite toys so that we can hide them in the props which helps them to look in the right direction. ​If you’re a follower of my blogs, you’ll know sibling images are done as a composite. This is where we take the image of sibling and empty prop and then take one of baby in the prop one their own and add the images together. This is the safest way to get these images. 

​Mum and Dad had requested we did the session in a different style for Evelyn so when their images are on their legacy wall they would clearly be able to see a difference between the two girls, so we ensured we used different props and backdrops so the photos weren’t the same. 
 
We captured some beautiful images of Evelyn on some of our floral backdrops. As you can see from these two images here we captured two images differently just by showing little elbows and shoulders in one but not in the other.