I want this to be a joyful, fun adventure for you. A way for you and your family to get creative together as you tell your own story. It’s my job to make that easy for you and take care of everything. Here’s how it works.
Just be yourselves and leave the rest to me.
From our initial conversation to delivering your albums and frames, everything will be taken care of, so you can enjoy what matters most – spending time with your family.
A photography session with me is a fun, relaxed experience – in fact, it doesn’t feel like a photoshoot at all. Many families remark how lovely it is to spend time just being together without distractions. My aim is to capture not just what your children look like, but what they are like, and for the photographs to become even more precious to you as the time goes by.
“She instantly made my children feel comfortable, to the extent that my son refers to her as his friend. This has made all the difference in the world, as she’s always captured them at their best.” — April
What happens on the day?
Ahead of your session I will talk to you to discover more about what makes your family unique, and help you design your experience around it. A typical photoshoot is approximately three hours long, so if we start in the morning, we are usually done by lunchtime.
Children can be unpredictable though, so if we need to take an unexpected nap break, we can as I only book one photoshoot per day to allow for flexibility.
During the photoshoot will dedicate most of our time together to documenting one or two family activities or everyday routines, whether at home or on location such as your favourite park. I don’t expect anyone to be on their best behavoiur, so don’t stress and don’t try to be the perfect parent (there’s no such thing). Just be yourselves and leave the rest to me. The results will amaze you.
“We are a family of people who hate being photographed – uncooperative grandparents, self-conscious parents and a small baby – yet the photoshoot felt totally relaxed.” — Sarah
Getting your photographs ready
After our photoshoot I download and backup your photographs, and will go through all of them, one by one, selecting the best ones and then hand edit them by colour correcting or converting them to back and white, depending on what the image calls for.
Your photographs are typically ready within four weeks. I will also work on creating mock ups or albums and options for your wall art to present at your ordering appointment. Once the images are ready I will get in touch with you to schedule a virtual viewing and ordering session, conducted via Zoom.
We will look at the images together and I will help you decide on product and digital options that work best for you. Most album and print orders will be ready for you within six weeks of design approval, but do check with me if you have a particular deadline and I’ll do my best to accomodate you. I can ship most items overseas so please check with me for the additional fees as they will vary country to country.
“Our session was free-flowing, fun, unhurried, and a wonderful stroll through London streets and landmarks. I cried tears of happiness when I saw the photos.” — Michelle
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have insurance?
Yes, I’m fully insured, including public liability insurance.
I don’t want my photos shared online or used in promotion, can you guarantee my privacy?
I will never publish or share any of your images without your permission and I’m always very discreet. I regularly work with high profile individuals, adoptive parents and families from the Middle East. If you don’t want your images shared, just talk to me to confirm this.
We are travelling to London from overseas, can we book you?
Of course. I regularly photograph families from all over the globe, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Italy, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, USA, Canada and many other countries. Whether you are visiting for a holiday or even coming to have your baby here, I’d be delighted to show you my city.
Can our nanny join us on the shoot?
Absolutely. In fact, an extra pair of hands to look after bags and pushchairs when we are out and about is always helpful and I’m happy to include your nanny in photographs if that’s what you’d like.
Can we get a more traditional portrait as part of our shoot?
Sure thing. This will take about fifteen minutes and we can create a portrait that will be natural, relaxed and full of personality.
Can grandparents get involved too?
I believe it’s so important to capture the special moments with grandparents or even great-grandparents so I love to have them included in my photoshoots. Just let me know in advance and try to get them on board with a more documentary approach to family photography, although portraits of grandparents and children can be very beautiful too.
Can we include our pet in the photoshoot?
Yes! Pets are part of the family and you can include them in any of my sessions. I’m comfortable with animals, have owned my own cats and dogs, and know how to work around them.
My children don’t like posing for photos and I don’t know if they’ll cooperate?
I’ll tell you a secret: I don’t like posing children either, so we are a perfect match! The best photographs happen when kids are free to play and explore without having to pose. I allow time for everyone to relax so it doesn’t even feel like a photoshoot.
Do you travel for photoshoots?
Yes, regularly. I am available for travel both within the UK and overseas. I have photographed families in the USA and Europe and have travelled with my London-based clients to capture their holidays and time in their second homes overseas. Travel costs will apply.
“Antonina succeeded in capturing the personalities of my children perfectly.” — Christie
Get in touch
Ready to book a session? To schedule a quick informal consultation drop me an email, and I’ll take it from there.