Emma Attwood Photography

Navigating the Newborn Sleep Phase: Tips and Strategies

Bringing a new baby into the world is an exciting and life-changing experience for parents.

However, it can also be a challenging time, particularly when it comes to getting the little one to sleep. Newborns have different sleep patterns and needs compared to older babies and children, and it can take some time for parents to adjust and find what works best for them and their babies.

As a newborn photographer, over the years I have learned tips that can help newborn babies settle and fall asleep… it is not unusual for parents to call me the baby whisperer!

Understand Your Newborn’s Sleep Patterns

The first step in getting your newborn to sleep is to understand their sleep patterns. Newborns have a different sleep cycle compared to older babies and children.

They tend to sleep for shorter periods, and their sleep is more fragmented. They also have different sleep cycles during the day and night, and it can take some time for them to adjust to the 24-hour cycle.

During the day, newborns tend to sleep for shorter periods of time, usually around 20 minutes to an hour. They also tend to be more active during the day, with more frequent wake-ups. At night, however, newborns tend to sleep for longer periods, usually around four to five hours at a time.

It is essential to understand that these sleep patterns are normal and that your baby will eventually adjust to the 24-hour cycle. In the meantime, it is important to establish a consistent bedtime routine and to try to keep the baby awake during the day to encourage them to sleep better at night.

Create a Consistent Bedtime Routine

Creating a consistent bedtime routine is essential for helping your newborn to sleep better. A bedtime routine can help to signal to your baby that it is time to sleep, and it can also help to create a sense of security and comfort.

A typical bedtime routine for a newborn might include a bath, a feed, and a lullaby or bedtime story. It is also essential to keep the room dark and quiet and to keep the temperature of the room comfortable.

Note that a consistent bedtime routine is not only beneficial for your baby but also for you as a parent. Having a routine in place can help to reduce stress and anxiety and can make it easier for you to get your baby to sleep.

Establish a Newborn Sleep Schedule

Once you have established a consistent bedtime routine, establish a sleep schedule for your newborn. A sleep schedule can help to regulate your baby’s sleep patterns and can also make it easier for you to plan your day and night.

A typical sleep schedule for a newborn might include a nap during the day, a feed, and then another nap, followed by a feed and the final sleep of the night. Remember that the schedule will change as your baby grows and develops, so it is essential to be flexible and adjust the schedule as needed.

Promote a Safe Sleep Environment

Creating a safe sleep environment is essential for keeping your newborn safe while they sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies be placed on their backs to sleep to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Keep the room dark and quiet, and keep the temperature of the room comfortable. It is also important to use a firm, flat mattress and to avoid using soft bedding or pillow, as these can be a suffocation hazard.

In addition to ensuring that the baby’s sleep surface is safe, keep the baby’s sleep environment free from any potential hazards. This includes keeping the baby’s sleep area free from any loose items, such as toys or stuffed animals, and keeping the room free from any potential sources of smoke or carbon monoxide.

Moreover, keep the baby’s sleep area free from any potential allergens, such as dust or pet dander. If your baby has any known allergies, it may be necessary to take additional steps to ensure that their sleep environment is as safe as possible.

Respond to Your Baby’s Needs

Newborns have different sleep patterns and needs compared to older babies and children, and it can take some time for parents to adjust and find what works best for them and their babies. Therefore, respond to your baby’s needs and be flexible in your approach to sleep.

If your baby is not sleeping well, it may be necessary to adjust your approach. This might include trying different sleep positions, adjusting the sleep schedule, or even seeking advice from a paediatrician or sleep specialist.

However, not all babies are the same, and what works for one baby might not work for another. Therefore, it is essential to be flexible and to be willing to try different approaches to sleep.

Interact with your baby during the daytime

Infants should only be awake for brief intervals and often, this time is spent on diaper changes, feedings, and lots of cuddles. However, by engaging in playful activities with your baby during their wakeful periods, you’ll be helping to strengthen the bond between you and your little one. Additionally, playing can aid in the development of their brain and provide stimulation that can help them to sleep for longer periods.

Examples of ways to play with your newborn include:

Reading a book to them and displaying the pictures, which can be a great bonding experience while also helping to develop their language skills.
Softly singing while dressing them, which can be entertaining for both you and your baby.
Showing them objects with contrasting colours, as a newborn’s eyesight is limited in the first few weeks and they can only see a short distance, but they can see black and white more clearly than other colours and this can be very captivating for them.
Allowing them to explore you by lying close to their face and this will help to create a strong bond.

More Newborn Sleep tips…

Should you have missed my previous post, go check my Newborn Sleep Tips guide!

It’s normal to feel exhausted while caring for a newborn baby and dealing with sleep deprivation, but it’s important to remember that this is a brief stage in their lives. As the months go by, they will improve their sleep patterns and be able to sleep for longer periods.

It’s crucial, however, during the newborn phase to prioritize your own needs, to make sure you get as much rest as possible.

If possible, work together with your partner to take daytime naps and eat healthy nutritious foods to maintain as much energy as possible.

But most importantly, cherish this newborn phase as much as you can because it goes by quickly.

SUNSCREENS FOR PREGNANCY

Congratulations on your pregnancy, and welcome to a whole new ball game of taking care of yourself!

Pregnancy brings with it a multitude of things you are required (and not required!) to do, to keep yourself and your unborn baby healthy:

Eat well

Your prenatal diet is important to look after yourself and to promote a healthy pregnancy.

Regular checkups

You will have regular appointments with your midwife, as well as several scans during your pregnancy to ensure everything is progressing well.

Rest

It’s so important to ‘rest when you need to’, before it becomes a case of ‘resting when you can’

Relax

Ditto on relaxing!

Stress isn’t conducive to a happy pregnancy. So, take time to put yourself first as often as you can!

No… bubbles

Stop drinking. Ugh!

We don’t like this one much. But giving up the after-work glass of wine or weekend cocktail is essential to your baby’s wellbeing and growth.

On top of all these, there are things that probably never even occurred to you, one of which is skincare.

Now, most of us are aware of the importance of keeping your skin well moisturised, paying particular attention to your bump to avoid stretch marks, however, did you know, that it is especially important to look after your skin in the sun?

SUN, SUNSCREENS AND PREGNANCY

During pregnancy, your skin is thinner, there is increased blood flow, and you are at more risk of burning.

This might not be as simple as slathering on your usual sunscreen though!

SUNSCREENS FOR PREGNANCY: PAY ATTENTION TO…

There are some ingredients of sunscreens that are not safe for use in pregnancy.

Look out for these four main ingredients and avoid at all costs:

Oxybenzone

Octocrylene

Avobenzone

Octinoxate

These are not only bad for you, but they are also harmful to your unborn baby and the environment.

When choosing your sunscreens for pregnancy, make sure it has none of the above ingredients.

SUNSCREENS FOR PREGNANCY: LOOK FOR…

Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that offers both UVA and UVB protection
Must be a minimum of SPF 30, or higher
Opt for hypoallergenic sunscreens

BEST SUNSCREENS FOR PREGNANCY

We love Great Barrier Suncream by Tropic, available in SPF 30 or 50 and costing £18.00 for 100ml or £28.00 for 200ml – not the cheapest of options, but it’s a super safe and extra hydrating sunscreen, which is as kind to the environment as it is to you.

For smaller budgets, this Holland and Barret favourite – Alba Botanica sensitive mineral free sunscreen, priced at £11.99 for 100ml is perfect too. Light, non-greasy, SPF 30 and broad spectrum it covers all bases.

There are lots of options out there, and if you are unsure, you can always ask your GP or midwife.

Your local pharmacist should be able to advise too.

OTHER THINGS TO REMEMBER

While you don’t need to hide away indoors when the sun is out during your pregnancy, do remember to:

Stay in the shade between 10am and 2pm when the sun is at its hottest.
Ensure you apply sunscreen 15 minutes before going outside and re-apply every 2 hours
Try not to have too much bare skin exposed
Stay hydrated
Wear a hat.

There is no reason you can’t safely enjoy the sun and warm weather during pregnancy.

Emma Attwood Photography – based in Eckington, Pershore- specialises in newborn, baby, and maternity photography.

Want to know more about my Newborn Session? Head over to https://emmaattwood.co.uk/newborn-sessions-worcestershire/

Or how about a Maternity photoshoot to capture your beautiful bump? https://emmaattwood.co.uk/your-maternity-photoshoot/

5 INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS FOR YOUR PREGNANCY!

💣 Getting bombed with pregnancy information?

Expecting a baby is such a minefield… Advice is chucked at you from all angles, some of it welcome, some of it, not so much!

With so many well-meaning friends and family members offering opinions, it is often hard to know who to listen to!

Here you are, at the beginning of arguably the most important adventure of your life, some help navigating it would be beneficial, right?

When it comes to Instagram accounts to follow when pregnant, there is a whole UNIVERSE of them out there! Finding one that speaks your language can be a bit of a task.

To ease the pressure, we have compiled five of our favourite IG accounts to follow when pregnant. Enjoy!

Happy Mum, Happy baby

Giovanni Fletcher became the nation’s sweetheart when she was crowned Queen of the jungle.

The ‘I’m a celebrity, get me out of here’ winner won our hearts with her down to earth attitude and deep love for her family.

When she founded Happy Mum, Happy Baby, its content started helping new parents from all walks of life. With advice right from early pregnancy to dealing with older kids, it is a safe space for everyone.

There is everything here from memes, inspirational quotes, relatable stories, guest interviews (with both celebrities and everyday folk, like you and me)

Scary Mommy

Follow Scary Mommy for authentically real, no-nonsense advice for those looking for an honest approach to pregnancy and parenting.

Throw in some belly laughs and this is the one for you. And the memes! If ever any memes could help you through pregnancy, then it is the ones shared on here.

Project Nursery

Looking for nursery designing inspo?

Then this is the IG account for you! The only issue with Project Nursery is it might make you want to have twenty children, just so you can try out as many of the incredibly beautiful ideas as possible.

You can easily get lost on this account for days – it is a veritable feast of interior design for babies. Do not blame us if you end up planning a much bigger family because of this account!

@emma_attwood_photography

Want to know how to get even more excited about the birth of your little one… and see some extra squishy, cute, beautiful babies?

Check out my Instagram account @emma_attwood_photography

With a feed full of stunning images that capture those first precious few weeks, this IG account will melt your heart. If you have decided on a newborn session for your baby, it will also give you the chance to bookmark any ideas and images that you love – to be re-created with your little bundle.

Pregnancy Fitness

Want to keep active, safely during your pregnancy?

Then Pregnancy Fitness is the IG account for you! For advice on tailored workouts to suit whatever stage of pregnancy you may be at, you will be fighting fit ready for labour.

Evidence suggests that fitness levels play a huge part in how your labour goes and will also help you be more well equipped for those sleepless nights as your body recovers from birth.

Or you could do what we did and eat more cream cakes and get plenty of rest.

Shhhhh, do not tell Pregnancy Fitness though!

INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS FOR YOUR PREGNANCY: READY TO GO?

Of course, there are hundreds of IG accounts that you could follow when pregnant, and these are just the tip of the iceberg.

It’s a good starting point though, before you slip down the wormhole of pregnancy accounts.

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Emma Attwood Photography – based in Eckington, Pershore- specialises in newborn, baby, and maternity photography.

Want to know more about my Newborn Session? Head over to https://emmaattwood.co.uk/newborn-sessions-worcestershire/

Or how about a Maternity photoshoot to capture your beautiful bump? https://emmaattwood.co.uk/your-maternity-photoshoot/

BEST BABY BOY NAMES FOR UK MUMS

Your child’s name is one of the gifts you give them that will stay with them for life.

… Unless they really hate it and change it by deed poll of course, so hopefully you can avoid that!

This is why it is so important to get it right!

Recently there seems to have been a big trend for elaborate and fancy names. With names being appropriated from TV shows and films, favourite books, and the like.

There is nothing wrong with doing this, however, your child will be around long after most of these TV series have been forgotten.

There is also the risk of your child being one of six children with the same name – that name you considered so unique at the time of their birth, is suddenly as common as the ‘John’ of years ago.

BABY BOY NAMES: OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER

Bullying

Children can be brutal, so it’s vital you check whether your chosen name has any hidden connotations.

Kids have enough to worry about when starting school, without fearing being mocked for their name.

Be sure that there are no obvious, horrific nicknames they could be lumbered with.

Shortened versions

Can your chosen name be shortened?

Do you still like the shortened version?

For example, you might love the name ‘Teddy’, but hate the diminutive ‘Ted’

Do you and your partner agree on the name?

It might seem like a small thing, but the name of your baby can be part of the bonding process. If a name is chosen that one of you doesn’t like, there could be a knock-on effect. It could also cause underlying resentment from the party who did not get to choose!

If you are finding it hard to come up with a name you both like, compromise.

You could agree one chooses your child’s first name and the other the middle name.

Or agree that whoever doesn’t choose this time, gets to choose with your next baby.

Whatever you do, don’t choose a name that one of you HATES.

Immediately rule out any that don’t pass muster for you both, even if that means rejecting your first choice name.

Will your chosen name ‘suit’ your child as they grow?

Bear is an extremely popular name currently, but while it is pretty cute for a newborn, does it really translate well to a grown up?

While more unusual names are being more widely accepted, we still live in a world where people are sometimes judged on their names.

Imagine calling your child Thor (you may laugh, but that’s not the strangest name we have heard) but your child grows up to be a slim, quiet, bespectacled bank manager – this could be a source of mirth to many.

Spelling

Whilst it can be tempting to give your child an elaborately spelled name, or even change the spelling of a well used name to make it unique, do not forget that not only will your child need to learn to spell it, so will everyone else!

Names with difficult or ‘original’ spellings can cause all sorts of issues. From other kids struggling to write party invites or Christmas cards, to people getting it wrong on official documents.

So, with all these things in mind, we have come up with our list of simple baby boy names. For those wanting to avoid the potential pitfalls illustrated above.

We love these ten simple baby boy’s names and have included their special meanings.

BEST SIMPLE BABY BOY NAMES: OUR TOP 10

Harvey Strong and worthy

Miles Merciful or a soldier

George Farmer/earthworker

Cole Victory

Kai Sea

Max Greatest

Jack Gracious

Toby Good

Rory King

Luke Light giving

BEST BABY BOY NAMES: GOT YOURS?

Of course, there are hundreds of lovely, simple baby boy’s names out there, and hundreds of gorgeous elaborate names too. It is entirely up to you whether you go simple or fancy.

All we advise is to consider your child’s future and whether the name you choose will be a source of pride or embarrassment for them!

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Emma Attwood Photography – based in Eckington, Pershore- specialises in newborn, baby, and maternity photography.

Want to know more about my Newborn Session? Head over to https://emmaattwood.co.uk/newborn-sessions-worcestershire/

Or how about a Maternity photoshoot to capture your beautiful bump?

FIRST BIRTHDAY IDEAS: FRUIT SMASH!

Spiky palm trees, a little lemon, pineapple, strawberries, oranges… sounds like a holiday? It’s a fruit smash!

I don’t see myself as just a photographer, I am an artist at heart, I have always loved to make and create things even as a little girl.

I still hold that passion when planning my photography sessions. Although I do use plain or painted backdrops, I also love to include physical items to add depth to your images and artwork.

These items may be props that I have at the studio, or something that I have bought or made specially for the session.

From a photographer’s perspective, of course this means preparing for the session takes a little longer… but I believe this is the real meaning of “bespoke” photography: it’s art we create for you and your family.

An example of this work is my new milestone session, the ‘Fruit Smash’ sessions.

These sessions are perfect for celebrating a baby’s first birthday, but instead of doing it with a cake, delicious (but healthy!) and colourful fruits are used.

If you are looking for first birthday ideas … keep reading.

COLOURS, FRUIT, PROPS… LET’S TALK SETUPS

This image was taken from one of my most recent Fruit Smash sessions.

To create interest and depth to the scene, the backdrop is made of hanging fabric tropical leaves. The addition of a spiky palm type plant, a little lemon tree and lots of real fruit, created the overall effect I was aiming for.

This adds excitement to the experience as your little one can explore the different shapes and textures of the fruit.

The cute strawberry romper I had made for this session, added the finishing touch.

I lovingly create a fruit ‘cake’ made out of fresh melon, pineapple and other fruits.

It is so rewarding watching the little ones enjoy munching on the juicy melon or sweet strawberries.

YOUR CONSULTATION: WHY IT MATTERS

At the heart of this type of styling, there is your pre-session consultation.

Many studios choose to skip this step in favour of an online questionnaire only or phone call, but I prefer for you to be able to see the studio, props and products in person.

This will also give us a chance to get to know each other and talk about other styling details.

First Birthday Ideas — First Birthday Celebration Fruit Smash

THE SESSION: HOW IT WORKS

Fruit Smash and Cake Smash photoshoots include 3 “mini” sessions:

Before the cake classic portraits, to capture all the smiles and your little one in their birthday outfit. We do this to ensure you have some non-themed portraits that document your baby’s growth.
The fun “messy” portraits as your baby dives into the cake… or fruit!

This part is where we get to capture the surprise and all cute, funny and memorable expressions.
And at last.. bath time. To relax and get baby nice and clean for your journey home using our miniature tub.

FIRST BIRTHDAY IDEAS – DISCOVER MORE

When it comes to first Birthday ideas, a fruit smash photoshoot is a popular choice.

I do get booked up in advance, so don’t delay in booking your little one’s First Birthday Photoshoot.

I recommend you book the session to be about 3 weeks before their Birthday so that you will have the gorgeous images from your session to use as part of the celebrations. Maybe display a beautiful canvas at the party or use your digital images to make personalised invitations or thank-you cards.

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I’m Emma Attwood, a Fine Art Photographer specialising in Maternity, Newborn and Babies.

My specialist studio is situated on the edge of the Cotswolds in the village of Eckington.

If you would like to know more about booking your little one in for their First Birthday photoshoot, click here.

BESPOKE BABY PHOTOGRAPHY COTSWOLDS

Imagine planning a beautiful summer evening with the person you love.

For an important anniversary maybe and you want it to be memorable.

A special gift is ready, waiting to be opened, you have chosen your dress and… you are getting ready a mental list of restaurants you might want to book.

Am I right thinking a fast food takeaway would not be at the top of your list?

For your best memories, the most special moments, you want the best. You want something unique.

BESPOKE BABY PHOTOGRAPHY COTSWOLDS: YOUR (TRULY) UNIQUE MEMORIES

Right now you are probably thinking: “Ok, what’s that got to do with my baby photography?”

When it comes to photography, baby photography especially, creating truly unique photographs and artwork for your family requires some planning.

To me, in fact, “bespoke” does not only mean using colours or props you like, it goes as far as creating entire setups exclusively for you – for example, to incorporate a piece of your family history in the scene.

Bespoke baby photography. Dairy Farm baby.

A… DAIRY STORY

This gorgeous little boy came to visit me a few weeks ago for his newborn session.

His parents are Dairy Farmers, a successful family business going back many generations.

Knowing the farm would obviously be a huge part of his life, I wanted to include some elements of this in the styling of the session.

Fresh Milk, Glass milk bottles and freshly picked meadow flowers allowed me to create a ‘down on the farm’ feel to the set and it was such a pleasure to pick buttercups and cow parsley in the morning sunshine on the way to the studio that day.

Of course, your artwork doesn’t need to have a ‘theme’ as such – or such a strong characterisation.

I could design your set up around a certain colour palette that would go amazingly with your newly decorated living room, or maybe you simply loved the flowers that were in your wedding bouquet and would like them to feature in the design.

A MATTER OF STYLING

Our pre-session consultation is key in this sense.

It’s time we dedicate entirely to getting to know one another and ensure we are a good fit, but also to create a vision for your session.

We want your tiny one to be the focus of your photoshoot and photographs, of course, so it is my job to ensure all elements of our setups work together harmoniously and don’t become a distraction.

Imagine having a wonderful piece of artwork on your wall featuring your beautiful newborn baby, now add in some personal elements to give that artwork a bit of a story with some family connections.

It is no longer simply an image of a gorgeous baby, but it is your baby, the new addition to your family!

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

The best time to photograph your baby is when they are under 3 weeks of age, so you can contact me any time after your 20 weeks scan.

Want to know more about setups and styling options? Get in touch now! Emma Attwood Photography is located in Pershore (Worcestershire) and specialises in Fine Art Newborn and Baby Photography.

Rise International Photography Awards

Although being a professional artistic photographer is an amazing job, it isn’t straight forward by any means as I don’t just take photos, I create artwork.

Art is very personal and I must produce work that satisfies my clients’ expectations as well as being creatively beautiful.

As an artist it is sometimes hard to believe in yourself and your work. I am very self-critical which often leads to self-doubt. I strive to have the courage to believe in myself as I work in a sea of amazing and talented photographers.

It is important to test your abilities occasionally, to help you to aim for greater things and to also give you the confidence to believe in yourself. This is why I entered the annual ‘Rise International Photography Awards’this year.

The aim of the RISE awards is to encourage photographers across the world to strive for excellence, and provide them with feedback from qualified and experienced photography judges. There were 1699 entrants from 79 different countries this year and I was one of them.

The standards of the Rise Awards are very high so I was over-the-moon to be presented with 3 Bronze Awards! (see images below) Plus, the Judges gave me brilliant feedback with tips on how I could improve my skills further.

Although entering any competition can be a bit stressful, this was a great experience and I am looking forward to entering again next year.

Emma.

Safety in the Studio – Covid – 19

The health and wellbeing of my clients has always been my top priority.

I believe that I have taken every precaution possible to adhere to Government guidelines and to keep everyone safe in my studio.

The studio will be available for Fine Art Maternity sessions, Newborn mini sessions, Sit & Giggle Sessions, Cake Smash & Splash sessions and Fine Art Child Portrait sessions.

Family photoshoots and Themed Sessions (eg. Fairies) will not be available until further notice.

Below I have outlined a detailed breakdown of my new studio procedures:

All studio surfaces will be thoroughly sanitised between sessions, and I will allow at least 48 hours between each session.

All clothes, blankets and backdrops used during each session will be washed and all props will be sanitised.

Headbands and fluff layers that cannot be machine washed will be steam cleaned and be left for 48 hours between use.

A sanitised clear Perspex sheet will be used over the backdrop floor for Cake Smash sessions. This will ensure that your little one is able to have ‘safe’ fun making a cakey mess in the usual way.

Clients will be encouraged to bring their own refreshments, but disposable (compostable) cups will be available.

Dettol All in one Disinfected spray will be used after each session to sanitise the fabric seating.

Let’s work together to maintain a safe studio environment so that you can enjoy your studio experience and we can create beautiful artwork for you and your family to treasure.

Please ensure that you have been symptom free of any illness for 72 hours prior to attending the studio. If you or any of your family feel unwell, please notify me as soon as possible and do not come to the studio.

Follow Covid-19 isolation rules if you have contracted the illness.

Please do not attend the studio if you have been in contact with anyone with Covid -19 symptoms up to 14 days prior to your photoshoot.

The above also applies to me as your photographer, I will notify you as soon as possible if your session needs to be rescheduled.

The ‘Covid-19 secure’ rules state that where possible we must put in procedures to remain 2 metres apart but where this is not possible appropriate measures must be implemented to manage transmission risk.

Please try to adhere to 2 metre distancing where possible. I appreciate the studio is a small space but the following procedures will help with social distancing.

A marker tape on the floor marks 2 metres from the area where your child will be placed for their photos (excluding newborns). I will remain behind this line and ask that a parent remains close to the backdrop and near their child at all times. Sitter and Cake smash photoshoots will be limited to 1 child (or twins) and two parents only, to ensure that 2 metre distancing can be maintained.

Unfortunately, siblings will not be able to attend these sessions.

Maternity sessions will be limited to the expectant parents only. If you have older siblings to be included please notify me in advance and we will plan accordingly.

Only newborn ‘mini’ sessions will be arranged (until further notice) in order to minimise the session time.

Due to the nature of newborn sessions, it means that 2 metre social distancing is not always possible, but every care will be taken to work as safely as possible. Only immediate family members will be allowed to attend the session, preferably just the parents.

Handling and posing newborns will be kept to a minimum and parents will be given the option to undertake wrapping and posing if they wish to do so.

Babies will be snugly ‘wrapped’ for all newborn poses so that the studio will not need to be heated to the high temperature that is usually required for a full newborn session.

I will wash my hands thoroughly before and after sessions and use hand sanitiser throughout. There will be additional hand sanitiser available for clients to use in the studio.

Clients will be asked remove their shoes and to wash their hands on arrival.

Cloakroom facilities will be available to clients as usual, with the addition of disposable paper hand towels and disposable baby changing mats.

Anyone in the studio, (unless they are being photographed or under 2) must wear a face covering (mask). You are welcome to bring your own to wear, but I have a supply of disposable ‘masks’ available for you to use.

I will wear a professionally made cloth face covering (mask) during each session. A fresh mask will be used for each session and will be machine washed to sanitise after every session.

Please only bring items into the studio that are necessary for your session and ensure that any outfit changes you bring with you have been washed prior to attending the studio.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: emma@emmaattwood.co.uk

Looking forward to seeing you in the studio very soon

Emma

Studio Opening Update

The Government has stated that Photographic Studios are permitted to re-open from 15th June.

However I specialise in maternity and newborn photography, so more care needs to be taken to ensure the safety of my clients.

With this in mind, my studio will not re-open until the 4th July and this will be for existing bookings only (excluding Newborn). Newborn sessions will commence once the Government has given beauticians the go-ahead to treat clients again, which is more in line with the type of contact required for a newborn session.

My sessions will change slightly to abide by safety guidelines, for example:

· There will only be one session per week (until further notice).

· A deep cleaning routine will be in place and the appropriate safety wear will be worn by the photographer and available for clients at every session.

· Only immediate family may attend each session.

More specific safety guidelines will be discussed with each client before their session.

Although these extra safety measures will be in place, I will make every effort to ensure that your session is relaxing and you have the enjoyable experience that you would expect at Eckington Studio.

I would like to thank all of my clients for your patience and understanding throughout these difficult times and hope to see you in the studio before too long.

My Lockdown …

Well, what a strange and difficult few months is has been, not only here in the UK, but across the world! We have all been forced to live our lives in a new way in order to look after each other and to try and prevent the unforgiving virus Covid-19 from spreading.

This, for me has meant the immediate temporary closure of my lovely photography studio, homeschooling my two children, keeping my family safe, looking after their mental wellbeing and trying not to go grey with worry about it all.

The first couple of weeks were a nightmare in our household, the children were loving the novelty of being home and trying to treat it like a holiday and we as parents had the juggling act of working from home and homeschooling. It all became incredibly overwhelming!

By the third week, we had started to settle into some sort of routine; school sent out workbooks to keep us on the right track, Joe Wicks was doing his best to keep us fit (dress up Friday was always an incentive for our youngest to join in) and the children had begun to understand the enormity of the situation and why we had to stay home.

Thankfully, our family hasn’t had to go through the pain that thousands of families of Covid-19 victims have gone through and are going through. Our thoughts are with them and all of the wonderful hard working ‘keyworkers’ in our hospitals and our communities.

Thanks to the beautiful weather (which seemed crazy, following the terrible floods only a few weeks before), we have tried to make the most of our family time together. The children have spent as much time out in the garden as possible, they are growing lettuce, potatoes, carrots and lots of tomatoes! Infact we ended up with about 120 tomato plants! (Most of our lovely neighbours happily adopted some of our tomato plants.)

Our once a day exercise was often a little family bike ride in the evening out to a farm where we were surrounded by fields and a beautiful view of the Malvern Hills. The bird song was incredible … without the sound of road, rail and air traffic, all we could hear was nature. This was our little escape from it all.

In our garden, we also enjoyed the new ‘quiet’, it was so relaxing but also rather strange.

I think that has been the unsettling thing about being in lockdown … even though we are in our safe space, our home, we are constantly worried and on guard the whole time, which is exhausting! I’m desperately missing being able to give my wonderful Mum a real hug, not just a virtual one.

It has been incredibly hard just simply putting my beloved Photography business ‘on hold’. Watching the weeks go by on the calendar with booking after booking either cancelled or re-arranged to an unknown date, feeling like I have let my clients’ down … It is of course a small price to pay for the safety and well-being of my family and my clients … but that doesn’t make it any easier to bear.

I have tried to stay positive and use any bits of time I had (mostly evenings) to do online training courses to keep up to date with the latest photography techniques and improve my business skills.

I also spent a lovely few days at the studio creating my very own ‘Fine Art’ canvas backdrop. It was amazing to work on such a large canvas, also very therapeutic and I was really pleased with the result. Click here to watch a little video of it’s creation. The following weekend, my daughter agreed to a photoshoot and the images I took of her against my backdrop are stunning. I can’t wait to start up my Fine Art Child Portrait sessions again.

I have since been planning a deep cleaning routine and changing things around in the studio to make it as ‘covid safe’ as possible, so that when I re-open to clients they will be happy in the knowledge that their safety is my top priority.

It is going to be some time before we get back to the ‘normal’ that we once knew. The way I photograph many of my sessions will change slightly, but I will still be able to produce wonderful artwork for you and your family to treasure forever.

Stay safe

Emma x