Why I Photograph Families: My Journey into Lifestyle Photography

Lifestyle Family Photography in Swanley & Bexley: My Journey and Story

I’m not usually a person who feels comfortable being vulnerable, but I wanted to share how it all started and why I became a Lifestyle Family and Children photographer in Swanley and Bexley.

Here’s my story.

From Hobby to Heart

I’ve always loved photography, but family photography wasn’t something I had considered. I work in IT, a job I love, so photography was a hobby — something I did for myself. I was drawn to perfect sunsets, flowers, and the Northern Lights. But when my daughter was born, everything changed.

As a child, I lost family members I loved very much, far too soon. Those losses made me fully aware of how precious life is. We often take our parents and grandparents for granted, thinking they will always be there — but sadly, that’s not the case.

Motherhood and the Early Challenges

My own journey into motherhood wasn’t as easy or as joyful as I had hoped. The loneliness of a global pandemic, being an expat far from family, sleepless nights with a baby who wasn’t well, and the exhaustion of caring for a newborn — all of this made those early months incredibly challenging. Having a newborn is hard enough, even without a global pandemic.

I started taking photos of my daughter to remember the tiny moments of joy — candid smiles, giggles, and the love we shared. Life can feel overwhelming, even now with school runs, clubs, and daily activities, and it’s so easy to forget those small, happy moments. Children grow up too fast, and I wanted to capture the everyday magic before it slipped away.

The Moment Everything Clicked

When my daughter was just over a year old, a parent’s worst fear happened to someone I knew: a newborn was taken away by SIDS, only a few weeks old. That night, as I tucked my daughter into bed, I thought: if anything had ever happened to her, the photos I took as a newborn would be the only way to remember her forever — to preserve the tiny details my memory might lose, like her little toes or the way she smiled.

I thought of the photos I still cherish of my own grandparents, and those my husband cherishes of his father, who passed away too soon. Photography, I realised, is a way to keep people and memories alive.

Discovering Lifestyle Photography

I took photography courses and classes, but the perfectly posed photos never touched my heart the way real, candid moments did — the times she smiled at me, searched for her dad’s eyes, or giggled uncontrollably. That’s when I discovered lifestyle photography, a gentle, observational approach that captures authentic love and connection.

Now, my goal is to help other parents and children capture these fleeting moments — to look back and see themselves happy, playing, and loving one another. So that years from now, children can see they were cherished, loved, and celebrated, and parents can remember just how beautiful these everyday moments really were.

Let’s Capture Your Family’s Story in Swanley & Bexley

Life moves quickly, and children grow up faster than we realise. If you’d like to capture real, joyful moments with your family, I’d love to hear from you. Let’s create memories that you and your children will treasure forever.

Contact me to book your lifestyle photography session in Swanley & Bexley