Your Guide To a perfect family photoshoot in tokyo

The best time to have a maternity photoshoot is typically between 28 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. During this period, your baby bump is prominently visible, and you generally have enough energy and mobility to comfortably pose for photographs.

However, every pregnancy is unique, and the timing may vary depending on individual circumstances and personal preferences. Some expectant mothers may choose to have their photoshoot earlier or later, depending on factors such as the size of their baby bump or any specific milestones they want to capture.

Any age. Any stage. When you think you want a photoshoot - book it! Every age is precious and gorgeous in its own way and you will treasure those memories forever.

You will often hear that newborns are best photographed between 4 and 14 days old when they tend to be very sleepy and flexible. While this is true for a posed studio photography session, it is not necessary for a lifestyle session at your home. Although photographs of your new baby can be taken from just a few days old, I recommend you give yourself at least 4-5 days to make sure you have an opportunity to recover after birth and gain confidence in holding and comforting your baby.

If you choose to wait and have your session beyond the first few weeks, you may want to wait till the 12 to 16 weeks mark. This is when the little ones become more alert and aware of their surroundings resulting in more eye contact, curious expressions and even occasional smiles on the photographs. They are still tiny babies but their personalities begin to shine through. By this age they also often learn to hold their head up steadily enough for some nice tummy time posing.

I offer unposed lifestyle photography in the comfort of your home which means I will travel to you and you do not need to worry about anything. Alternatively we can discuss a possibility of an outdoor session or a combination of indoor and outdoor locations.

I cover central Tokyo area within the Yamanote train line. Additional travel fees may apply outside this area.

When I am in the UK, I cover Greater London but can travel further out.

I tend to photograph a lot of close-ups focusing on the connection between the parents and the little one so please do not worry if you think that your home does not look pristine. I simply won’t photograph things that will look distracting in photographs and we can always move things around and out of the way or shoot in a different direction.

I do not have a strict time limit as my aim is to make sure that I capture amazing shot for you but generally my sessions tend to last around 2 hours. We can take breaks if necessary for naps and feeding - timewise there is never any rush or pressure.

Comfortable, simple, plain-coloured clothes tend to work best, as do those with a subtle pattern. It’s best to avoid bright colours (as they can cause a colour cast on the skin), geometric patterns, slogans, pictures and writing on clothing. Colourful nail varnish can also be distracting so natural manicure/make-up is preferable. We want the focus to be all on you, the little one and the emotions.

Use the same approach when selecting clothes for your little one - natural materials, plain colours, subtle patterns, not clashing with what you will be wearing.

I do not use props or artificial lighting. Instead I will simply ask you to play, cuddle and interact with each other.

Within a couple of days of our session I will send you a preview of some of your best shots.

I will then create an online gallery for you to pick you favourite images from. Once you have chosen your images I will finalise the editing. Your images will be delivered to you via a digital download.