"I'll Look Awful in the Photos" — What New Mums in South London Tell Me Before Every Session (And Why They're Always Wrong)

A reassuring guide for new parents across Balham, Clapham, Tooting, and South West London — from a family photographer who has heard this one more times than she can count

"I haven't slept properly in six weeks."

"I've still got my bump but the baby's already here."

"I just don't feel like myself right now."

"Can you maybe... just focus on the baby?"

These are the things new mums say to me before almost every session. Quietly, a little apologetically, sometimes while bouncing a baby on one hip and trying to remember whether they've brushed their hair. And I completely understand why. The early weeks of parenthood are not the weeks when most people feel their most camera-ready.

But here is what I also know, after photographing hundreds of families across Balham, Clapham, Tooting, Wandsworth, Streatham, and the wider South London area: the parents who say "please just photograph the baby" are the ones who, at the end of the session, are in tears over a photograph of themselves.

Because what you look like right now — tired, soft, completely undone by love for this tiny person — is exactly what these photographs need to capture. And with the right photographer, the right light, and a little gentle guidance, you will be astonished by what you see.

Why New Mums Feel This Way (And Why It Makes Complete Sense)

Let's be honest about what the early weeks actually look like. You are running on broken sleep and adrenaline. Your body has done something extraordinary and is still recovering. Your wardrobe may not yet fit properly. You haven't had a full hour to yourself, let alone time to think about how you'd like to be photographed.

On top of all of this, we live in a world of heavily filtered, carefully curated images of new motherhood — and those images bear very little resemblance to the real thing. No wonder so many new mums feel like they don't quite measure up.

But here is the thing. Those polished, filtered images are not what I'm here to create. I'm here to capture the real thing: the way you look at your baby, the way your baby curls into you, the particular expression on your face at 3am when they finally, finally fall asleep in your arms. That is not something that can be staged or filtered. It can only be caught in the moment — and it is always, always beautiful.

What I Actually Do to Help You Feel at Ease

I want to be specific here, because "don't worry, you'll look great!" is not particularly reassuring when you don't believe it.

I guide you through everything. There is no posing experience required. I will tell you exactly where to stand, where to look, what to do with your hands, how to hold your baby. You will never be left standing in the middle of the room wondering what to do with yourself. Think of it less as a photoshoot and more as a gentle conversation — with me quietly directing things from behind the camera.

I work with a mix of natural and studio lights. I photograph families at home or in outdoor locations across South West London — Tooting Bec Common, Wandsworth Common, Clapham Common, Brockwell Park — and I choose the light carefully. Natural, soft light, carefully combined with my own photographic lights, is the most forgiving and the most beautiful. It does not pick out every tired line or blemish. It wraps around you warmly, and in the right light, everyone looks like themselves at their best.

I shoot a lot, and I edit thoughtfully. You will never receive a photograph you hate. I cull the images carefully and only deliver the ones that show you at your most natural and relaxed. If you blinked, or your expression wasn't quite right, or the angle wasn't flattering — it doesn't make the cut. Simple as that.

I give you time to settle. I never rush into the session the moment I arrive. We can have a cup of tea. We chat. We usually focus on the newborn baby photos first, and this might even give you a moment to brush you hair and put on some make-up. By the time the camera turns to you, most parents have completely forgotten to be self-conscious — and that's when the best photographs happen.

What to Wear (So You Don't Spend the Week Before in a Panic)

This is one of the most common sources of pre-shoot anxiety, and it doesn't need to be. A few simple guidelines:

Wear something you feel comfortable in. Not something you think you should be photographed in, or something that fits better than everything else right now — something soft and familiar that you'd happily spend a Sunday morning in. Comfort reads as confidence on camera.

Choose muted, simple tones. Soft whites, creams, greys, dusty pinks, or warm neutrals all work beautifully. Avoid very bright colours or busy patterns, which tend to draw the eye away from your faces.

Don't buy anything new. This seems counterintuitive, but new clothes often make people feel more self-conscious, not less. Wear something you already own and already feel good in.

Think about your partner and children too. Coordinating tones rather than matching outfits tends to look the most natural — everyone in the same warm palette feels cohesive without looking like a catalogue.

And if you genuinely have no idea what to wear, just ask me. I'm always happy to talk it through before the session.

The Photographs That Surprise People Most

I want to tell you about a particular kind of moment that comes up again and again in sessions across South London.

It's the moment when a mum — who has spent the entire session asking me to please not photograph her, who has positioned herself behind the baby at every opportunity, who has said at least twice that she's not photogenic — sees the images on my camera screen and goes very quiet.

And then says: "Can I see that one again?"

It's always an image of her looking down at her baby. Or laughing at something her toddler has done. Or just sitting, holding her child, not performing anything. Just being there.

These are the photographs that end up framed. These are the photographs that grandchildren look at decades later. And they are made entirely from the very ordinariness you were trying to hide.

A Note on the "I Don't Look Like Myself" Feeling

Many new mums tell me they don't quite recognise themselves right now. That they're in a strange in-between — no longer who they were before, not yet settled into who they're becoming.

I actually think that makes this exactly the right time to be photographed.

You are in the middle of one of the most significant transformations of your life. Your face shows it. Your body shows it. And in ten years, you will be so grateful that someone thought to document it — not in spite of the tiredness and the softness and the beautiful chaos, but because of it.

This version of you is not a lesser version. It is a specific, unrepeatable, extraordinary version. And it deserves to be in the photographs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to be in any of the photographs?

You don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with — but I will gently encourage you to be in at least some of them, because these are the ones you'll treasure most. I've never had a parent regret being in the photographs. I've had plenty tell me they wish they'd been in more.

What if I haven't lost the baby weight yet?

This is so common, and it genuinely doesn't matter. I work with angles, light, and framing that are flattering for every body. What you weigh right now has no bearing on how beautiful your photographs will be.

What if I cry?

Then we'll get a photograph of that too, and it will probably be one of the best ones.

Can my partner be in the photographs even if they hate being photographed?

Absolutely. I work with camera-shy adults all the time. The approach is exactly the same — gentle guidance, natural moments, no stiff posing. Most self-described "bad subjects" are surprised by the results.

Where do you photograph families in South London?

I'm based in Balham and offer both home sessions and outdoor sessions across South West London — including Tooting Bec Common, Wandsworth Common, Clapham Common, Brockwell Park, and Dulwich Park, as well as home sessions across Balham, Clapham, Tooting, Wandsworth, Streatham, Brixton, Herne Hill, Earlsfield, Putney, Battersea, and the surrounding areas. If you're not sure whether I cover your location, just get in touch.

A Final Word

New parenthood is not a time that calls for perfection. It calls for presence — and you are more present right now than you have ever been in your life.

You don't need to feel beautiful to be photographed beautifully. You just need to show up, hold your baby, and let me do the rest. The exhaustion, the softness, the complete and utter surrender to this new little person — all of it is in the photographs already.

You just need to let me take them.

If you'd like to book a newborn, baby, or family session in Balham or anywhere across South London, I'd love to hear from you. Get in touch via the contact page and we'll make a plan together.

Juliet is a specialist newborn, baby, and family photographer based in Balham, South West London, serving families across Clapham, Tooting, Streatham, Wandsworth, Brixton, Herne Hill, Dulwich, Wimbledon, Battersea, Earlsfield, Putney, and the surrounding areas.