NATURAL NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY ON THE SURREY / LONDON BORDER
Natural, Timeless Newborn Portraits, With No Props Or Awkward Posing
The first weeks with your new baby are such a magical time; a crazy whirlwind filled with love and emotion. And they pass in a flash!
My newborn sessions capture these precious early days for you with simple, natural photographs. No props, no babies in baskets and no awkward, unnatural posing.
So you can always remember just how tiny your baby was when they were first born, how it felt to hold them in your arms, and all of their gorgeous, squishy little newborn details.
A Calm, Relaxed Newborn Photography Experience On The Surrey / London Border
Welcome, and congratulations on this precious moment in your family life!
As you explore the world of newborn photography you’ll no doubt find that there is something out there for everyone. Every photographer has a different approach and their own unique style. So what can you expect when you work with me?
First – a natural, baby led approach. To me, babies are wonderful just as they are and so the focus of every session is your baby, your family and the wonder of this magical time. No props. No complicated set ups. Just simple, natural photographs so you can remember exactly how perfectly tiny and wonderful your little one was in those early days.
Second – a relaxed, professional experience. Booking a photo shoot with me is not just about turning up on the day – I’ll support you every step of the way and only work with a small number of families each month to ensure that you receive the very best experience.
You can find out more about booking a newborn session with me below. If it sounds like we’re a good fit and you’d like to chat about booking your shoot please do get in touch – I’d love to hear from you.
Interested, but not quite ready to get in touch? Click here to download my booking and pricing guide.
Safety Always Comes First
Your newborn baby is the most precious person in the world, and I know you’ll want to be sure that you make the best choices for them.
I’ve worked with hundreds of babies and am committed to the highest standards of safety in posing and photographing them. I’m DBS checked, first-aid trained and fully insured.
So you can be sure that your gorgeous new baby is in safe hands throughout your trip to the studio.
Interested, but not quite ready to get in touch? Click here to download my booking and pricing guide.
What To Expect From Your Newborn Photography Experience
Booking Your Newborn Photo Shoot
The best time to capture squishy, sleepy newborn portraits is when your baby is between 5 and 14 days old, so it’s best to book your session before they’re born. This means you can be sure that I’ll have availability when your baby arrives and you don’t miss out on capturing these magical first weeks.
When you book I’ll make a note of your due date, and ask you to let me know when your baby is born. We’ll confirm the exact date of your session after your baby’s birth to make sure it’s within the 5 to 14 day window.
I only book a small number of newborn sessions each month and keep my diary flexible so you don’t need to worry about your baby making an earlier or later than expected arrival. If you’ve booked in advance you can relax knowing there’s a space for you.
Advanced bookings are currently open for babies due between December 2023 and April 2024 – if your baby is due in this window please do get in touch as soon as possible to secure your spot.
Preparing For A Relaxed Newborn Photography Session
Life with a newborn can be hectic so my aim is to keep your photo shoot experience as relaxed and easy for you as possible.
Before your session I’ll be at the end of the phone to answer any questions you have, and will share lots of practical tips to help you prepare, from what to bring to what to wear. Saving you the stress of worrying about whether you’ve chosen the right outfit or forgotten something essential.
What Happens On The Day Of Your Newborn Photo Shoot?
On the day of your session we’ll spend 3-4 hours together at my studio, but I won’t spend all of this time taking photographs.
Most babies will need a few breaks during the session for a feed, nappy change or cuddle with you, and the sessions allow plenty of time for all of these things. This means that we can work at your baby’s pace and you don’t need to worry about how your little one will perform – I’ll give them all the time they need.
Having a new baby in the family is a special time for everyone, and time for family portraits is included in every session. If you have older children it’s lovely to include them in the session, and grandparents are very welcome to join in too.
Viewing Your Newborn Portraits
A week or two after your session you can view the fully edited photographs from your session online, from the comfort of your home, and choose what you would like to order.
At this stage you’ll have the option to purchase the high resolution digital files to print yourself, or to choose from a carefully curated range of expertly made wall art and albums.
This is when you place your order and pay for the items you’ve chosen. Digital images are delivered to you within 48 hours of payment being received and printed items are delivered 4-6 weeks later. Complimentary delivery to your doorstep is included too, so you can have your birth announcements sent out and beautiful framed prints up on the wall in no time!
Visiting My Newborn & Baby Photography Studio
My studio is designed to be a little oasis of calm. With everything you need to have a relaxed morning – from organic teas, coffee, snacks, changing mats and feeding pillows. And everything I need to safely capture your baby whilst they are teeny tiny, and brand new.
It’s a short walk from Hampton Court Palace on the London / Surrey border.
Most families choose to drive, and there’s plenty of free parking outside. It’s also walking distance from Hampton Court train station, which is served by direct trains from Waterloo, Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Wimbledon and Surbiton.
Meet Your Photographer
As you’re thinking about booking a session with me, you might want to know a little more about who I am.
As well as being a photographer I’m also a mum of two girls, and live on the Surrey / London border with my husband and daughters.
I’ve been photographing babies and families professionally for the last eight years and absolutely love what I do.
I know first hand what a whirlwind the first weeks with a newborn can be, so it’s always a huge privilege to be trusted by my clients to capture their baby’s magical first days. I care passionately about making sure that every family I work with has a relaxed and enjoyable experience as well as beautiful photographs.
Now that you know more about me, I’d love to learn more about your family and start planning your newborn session. Click on the button below to get in touch.
Interested, but not quite ready to get in touch? Click here to download my booking and pricing guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m sure you’ll want to make an informed decision about who you choose to photograph your baby, and you might have some questions. If you can’t find your question here please send me a message using the form at the end of the page, and I’d be delighted to answer it for you.
It’s best to book your newborn session a few months before your baby is born. You can book your newborn session any time after your 12 week scan.
When you book I’ll make a note of your due date, and ask you to let me know when your baby is born. We’ll confirm the exact date of your session after your baby’s birth to ensure it’s within the 5 to 14 day window.
If your baby is already here please give me a call to check last minute availability. I may be able to squeeze you in if other babies have arrived a little earlier or later than planned.
It’s best to book your newborn session a few months before your baby is born to make sure I have availability around your due date. You can book your newborn session any time after your 12 week scan.
When you book I’ll make a note of your due date, and ask you to let me know when your baby is born. We’ll confirm the exact date of your session after your baby’s birth to ensure it’s within the 5 to 14 day window.
If your baby is already here please give me a call to check last minute availability. I may be able to squeeze you in if other babies have arrived a little earlier or later than planned.
My studio is in East Molesey which is on the Surrey / London border and walking distance from Hampton Court Palace.
We’re a short walk from Hampton Court train station, which is served by direct trains from Waterloo, Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Wimbledon and Surbiton.
Most families choose to drive, and there’s plenty of free parking outside.
Please click on the link below to find the full pricing information for newborn sessions:
The ideal time for newborn photographs is between 5 and 14 days of age. After 2 weeks, babies will typically start to spend longer periods awake, uncurl, stretch out and grow larger. As these changes happen the likelihood increases that a baby may not be able to manage some of the poses, and may spend a larger proportion of the shoot awake.
However, it is possible to create beautiful photographs after 2 weeks of age, and I do photograph older newborn babies up to 8 weeks old at my older newborn sessions.
My style of photography is very natural, and I don’t use props. I prefer the focus of the photographs to be on your beautiful baby, rather than lots of props or novelty sets. I use simple blankets and wraps as I pose your baby. The exception is for special, sentimental items such as a blanket crocheted by Granny or a special soft toy. Please feel free to bring these to the session and I will incorporate them into one or two of the photographs with your baby.
I fully expect that your baby is going to be awake or unsettled during their session, so please don’t worry if you seem to have a particularly wakeful baby.
This is partly why I allow a few hours for the session; I use the times when babies are calm and sleepy to take the photographs. The rest of the time I will be settling them into poses, soothing them to sleep or they may be with you for a feed. Whilst all this is happening you can relax, and I have a good supply of tea, coffee and snacks for you to enjoy!
That being said, there is a lot we can do to give us the best chance of your baby settling to sleep. Before the shoot I will give you some simple tips for preparing your baby so that we have the best chance of them being sleepy when you arrive. I also make sure that the studio is a nice environment for babies to sleep in.
Most babies will be unsettled at some point in the shoot, and it won’t be a problem if your baby is unsettled too – I expect them to be to be honest!
You might also find these articles helpful:
My baby is very unsettled. I think we should postpone our newborn session.
It’s very unusual for me to photograph a baby during the newborn period who doesn’t have spots or flakes or blotchy skin. Most babies do, in my experience, and it’s a completely normal part of their development.
When a baby has blotchy, flaky or spotty skin (which is the vast majority of babies that I photograph), and with their parents permission, I fix these issues when I am retouching the photographs after the shoot.
You can see a before and after photograph in this article:
My baby has spotty or flaky skin. Should we postpone the shoot?
The first days with a new baby are a rollercoaster of emotions. If your baby is born prematurely or has an extended hospital stay you’ll probably feel this even more intensely as you recover from the birth and adjust to your baby’s unexpected situation.
When you’re ready to think about newborn photographs please get in touch and we can have a chat about the specifics of your situation. Often we can be a bit more flexible with the ‘optimal window’ when babies are born prematurely.
You may also find this article helpful: I’ve booked a newborn photo shoot. What if my baby is born prematurely?
I take your privacy very seriously, and will only publish your pictures in my online portfolios with your permission. If you do give permission the pictures are always shared anonymously (I would never share your or your baby’s names.)
I will ask you about this when you book your session, and if you don’t want me to share the pictures from your session you can tell me then.
Ready To Start Planning Your Newborn Session?
I’d love to hear from you and to start planning your session!
Click on the button below to get started.
Interested, but not quite ready to get in touch? Click here to download my booking and pricing guide.
Let's Start Planning Your Session
It’s great to hear that you’re interested in booking a session! Please let me know a bit more about yourself and how I can help using this form, or send me an email at clare@claremurthy.com.
I’ll always respond to your message by the next business day (Monday to Saturday.) If you haven’t heard from me during this time there has probably been some kind of technical hitch. Please do get in touch again.