NATURAL NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY IN SURREY & LONDON
NATURAL NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY IN SURREY & LONDON
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. So that you can 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.
PORTFOLIO
Squishy newborns
New Love
SIMPLE, NATURAL, TIMELESS NEWBORN PORTRAITS
Welcome! And congratulations on this precious moment in your family life.
If you’re looking for simple, natural photographs of your baby and you hate the idea of cheesy props or awkward posing, you’re in the right place.
I specialise in creating natural, timeless baby photographs that won’t go out of fashion. No props, no babies in buckets and no unnatural poses.
I’m sure you’ll want to make sure that you choose the best newborn photographer to capture this time for your family. On this page you can find out more about having a newborn session with me. If it sounds like we’re a good fit please do get in touch to chat about your session. I’d love to hear from you.
How It Works
WHEN TO BOOK YOUR NEWBORN SESSION
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 your baby is already here please do get in touch to check last minute availability. I’ll always do my best to accommodate newborn sessions at short notice when I can.
A RELAXED, ENJOYABLE NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCE
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.
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.
CALM, BABY-LED NEWBORN PHOTO SHOOTS
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.
I know how easy it is to have a photo shoot, buy the digital files and never get around to printing them, so if you choose to order albums or wall art I provide a complimentary design appointment. This means you don’t need to guess what your frames or album will look like, or whether they’re the right pieces for your home.
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!
READY TO GET STARTED?
STEP ONE: GET IN TOUCH
Fill in the contact form below to let me know a little bit about yourself, and when your baby is due.
I'll be in touch by the next business day with information about my availability, to answer any questions you have and to learn more about your family and your hopes for the session.
STEP TWO: RESERVE YOUR SESSION
To reserve your session I'll send you a booking form, the Ts&Cs and an invoice for the session fee.
Once these are returned your session is confirmed and we can start to plan all of the wonderful details!
STEP THREE: PREPARE FOR YOUR SESSION
Once your baby is born we'll set a date for the session and run through all the final details, so that you feel prepared for a relaxed and enjoyable session.
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 below, 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.
I work on a session fee plus photographs basis.
When you book your session, you pay a session fee which secures your session time in my diary, and includes your telephone consultation, preparation emails and phone calls, and an online viewing where you can see the final images and place your order.
At your viewing you can choose to order the digital images to print yourself, or beautiful framed artwork, albums or prints. This means that you can purchase exactly the right combination of products for your family, and don’t need to commit to any particular products or packages until you’ve seen the photographs.
Please click on the link below to visit the pricing page for full pricing information:
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.
GET IN TOUCH
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.