Hidden Gem in Wimbledon - Baby & Family Photography Shoot

I was contacted by this lovely French family living in Wimbledon soon after their baby daughter had been born. They already had a 3 1/2 year old boy and wanted to get some professional family photographs done. They wanted some photographs that would not only give them some beautiful photographs of their newborn girl, but also some natural photographs of their boy playing and their whole family together having fun.

When I first spoke to Trang (their mother), she was worried that their home would be a bit small and dark and was keen to do as much of the photo session at the local favourite park. With a newborn baby it was a little more important that the weather was on our side as newborn babies can't run around in wellies... however, I reassured her, that even if the weather was not on our side, that it is amazing what we can do in a tiny space and a little light and we would still manage to get a great set of photographs, whatever the weather.

Trang had also warned me that her little boy, Cedric, could be a little camera shy. So I made sure that I had a longish lens in my camera bag, so I wouldn't have to be standing right in the boy's face should he be a little shy - it never came out!

I arrived at their home and the grey clouds were covering the sky, but it was dry. Trang made sure Sarah, the baby, was well fed and Cedric was dressed and ready to go. Whilst this was happening I made friends with Cedric, who was already singing nursery rhymes to me within five minutes and was playing for the camera in no time at all. I grabbed a few photos of Sarah on their sofa and then we grabbed our coats and headed straight to the park.

They took me to a wonderful and little known park in Wimbledon. It was an absolute gem for any family photographer - John Innes Park. It felt like the rather wild gardens to a country house with secret pathways between the overgrown hedges, wonderful yew trees for climbing and playing hide and seek, a pond covered in lilly pads, beautiful, well maintained flower beds full of colour and even a small band stand. What's more, I think we saw only two other people in the whole time that we were there, despite it being half term.

We got a whole variety of different photos of the family before we then headed back to their home to get a few photographs of Sarah for some birth announcement cards - these photo shots included some of Sarah sleeping on the bed, some little close up details of her feet as well as a few more of her being cuddled by her big brother.

A fun baby and family photography session. I shall definitely be going back to John Innes Park.

To see more photos from this photo shoot go to my Facebook page.

Baby & Family Photographer - Wimbledon, SW20.