A fluffy white outfit, wide-open eyes and one very clever little baby shucher…
Some newborn sessions begin with a sleepy little baby who barely stirs. And then there are sessions like Liam’s, where the tiniest person in the room has his own plans for the day!
Liam came to my London studio with his lovely mum and dad for his newborn photography session. I had plenty of beautiful ideas in mind for his photographs, but Liam had one small request of his own: he wasn’t quite ready to fall asleep just yet.
And honestly? I think he was simply too curious about the world to close his eyes!
A fluffy white outfit and a pair of wide-open eyes
We started the session by changing Liam into one of my cute, fluffy white newborn outfits. He looked absolutely adorable, and I was ready to capture those precious, sleepy newborn photographs that parents love so much.
There was just one little problem.
Liam was wide awake.
He had his eyes open, taking everything in, and sleep was clearly not at the top of his priority list. He wasn't particularly upset or grumpy about it either. He simply seemed quite happy to be there, as long as he didn't have to miss anything!
Of course, we followed his lead. Newborn photography is never about rushing a tiny baby into a pose or expecting them to follow a schedule. It's about giving them the time, comfort and cuddles they need while creating beautiful memories along the way.
And sometimes, the awake moments turn out to be just as special as the sleepy ones.
Enter the baby shusher…
After a little while, it was time for Liam's feed, which was exactly what he needed. Once he had enjoyed his milk, I gently took him to see if we could help him drift off to sleep.
He was becoming a little unsettled, with a few tiny cries, so I reached for one of my favourite little helpers in the studio: the baby shusher.
I switched it on.
And suddenly… silence!
Liam quietened down almost instantly, and we all looked at each other and smiled. It was one of those lovely little moments when something so simple seems to work like magic.
His dad's reaction was priceless.
“Oh wow, we need one of them!”
I couldn't help smiling. If only every newborn came with a little button that made everything quiet!
The baby shusher seemed to help Liam settle beautifully. He was calm, relaxed and content, listening to the gentle shushing sound. There was only one thing he still wasn't quite ready to do.
Fall asleep.
Apparently, even the baby shusher couldn't convince him that he was ready for a nap just yet!
The awake baby who surprised me
As a newborn photographer, I'm used to working with babies who need time to settle. Every little one is different, and no two sessions are ever exactly the same.
But Liam gave us something rather special while he was wide awake.
One of my favourite newborn poses is the little tummy pose, where babies curl up into that beautiful, natural newborn position. Usually, I'm looking for a sleepy baby who is comfortable and settled enough for this pose.
Liam, however, decided to show us that being awake didn't mean he couldn't be a little superstar in front of the camera.
He was happy to lie there, wide-eyed and curious, without much fuss at all. It's quite rare to have a baby so alert and still be comfortable in this position, so it was a lovely surprise.
Those little eyes were simply irresistible.
Instead of fighting against his curiosity, we embraced it. We captured those gorgeous awake photographs, preserving the way he looked at the world during those very first days of his life.
Because one day, those wide eyes will belong to a little boy running around, exploring everything and keeping his mum and dad on their toes. These photographs will take them straight back to the beginning.
Patience, cuddles and a little bit of newborn magic
Of course, we didn't give up on our sleepy photographs. We took our time, allowed Liam to settle at his own pace and made sure he was comfortable throughout the session.
Eventually, after a little patience, some soothing and a few cuddles, we managed to get him to sleep.
And it was worth the wait.
Those tiny features, soft newborn details and peaceful little expressions are exactly why I love photographing babies in their first days of life. They change so quickly, and there is something incredibly special about preserving this fleeting chapter for families to look back on.
Liam reminded me that newborn photography isn't just about capturing a perfectly posed, sleeping baby. It's about capturing your baby, exactly as they are.
The curious ones. The sleepy ones. The ones who need an extra feed, a few more cuddles or a little help from a baby shusher.
Every little personality deserves to be remembered.
Liam's newborn photographs: memories to treasure forever
To Liam's mum and dad, thank you for bringing your beautiful little boy to my studio and allowing me to capture these first memories together.
I hope that, years from now, when Liam is much bigger and far too busy to sit still for a photograph, you'll look back at these images and remember your tiny boy with his wide-open eyes, his fluffy white outfit and the day he made us all smile with his very own newborn-session schedule.
And Dad, I hope you've got that baby shucher on your shopping list!
Looking for a newborn photographer in West London?
At Bumblebee Photography & Film, newborn sessions are designed around your baby's needs, with a calm, gentle approach and plenty of time for feeds, cuddles and settling. Whether your little one sleeps through their session or prefers to stay awake and take in the world, we'll capture beautiful memories of this precious chapter.
Because the days may feel long, but the seasons are short.
And these little moments? They're worth keeping forever.
Discover newborn photography at Bumblebee Photography & Film in Ealing, West London.
