Surrey Children Photographer | Morning with Densters
What do you do when your child is ill and you can’t go out of the house? Build a den or fort for them to snuggle up and play inside, they’ll forget they’re ill in an instant! Densters are a set of charming little toys, each of them designed to do a specific job during den building. Chikaboo is a strong peg, Hoopsta goes around door knobs, Grumpo is a door stop. There are more charachters to be descovered, and each of them can have another useful role when the kids are not playing with them. Zigzies are little clips which can be used to neatly tuck away cables or hold things in place, Snella is a useful smart phone holder. These child-friendly, fun toys have made our morning really fun, they’ve unleashed our creativity and have definitely kept an otherwise grumpy, whiny two year old happy and enterentained!
If you would like to learn more about Densters, hear their story, or buy a pack, head over to the Densters website. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a creative, beautifully designed and engaging toy!
Baptism Photography in London | Chiswick Christening Story
“Easily some of the best professional pictures we have had of an event! Mina is a dream to work with, very accommodating and an all round lovely person. I was expecting something good as she instilled confidence in me prior to our event but was absolutely blown away by the end result! The photos captured the day in such a way that you could feel it all over again. Just breathtaking!”
There’s something quietly special about a christening. The sense of togetherness, the soft rhythm of the ceremony, and the small, meaningful moments that unfold in between.
I love photographing events like these. Whether it is weddings, birthdays, family gatherings or christenings, I am drawn to the emotion of the day. My approach to baptism photography in London is documentary and natural. I focus on capturing real moments and connection between family members in a set of beautiful, timeless and candid photographs which you and your family can look back on in years to come.
Chiswick Baptism Photography
A couple of months ago, I photographed little B’s christening service at St Michael and All Angels church in Chiswick. It was a beautiful and intimate service, filled with love and warmth. Family and friends sang together with the minister, while children gathered around little B’s pushchair. It felt very personal, relaxed and full of connection. After the ceremony, family and friends gathered for some drinks, food and cake.
Natural Documentary-style Baby Christening Photographer London
I worked using documentary-style photography to capture the afternoon unfold, and combined wide angle shots to give the service a sense of scale and place, together with tighter framing to show detail and emotion. As Surrey christening photographer, I work across Surrey, West Sussex and London to photograph baptism or christening services.
“The photos are just incredible, thank you very much. You have captured so many of L’s facial expressions perfectly!”
Planning a Christening in London
If you are planning a christening or baptism, it is worth thinking about how you’d like the day to be remembered. Every church and family celebration is slightly different, and a natural approach to photography allows those differences to shine through.
Many churches, including places like St Paul's Cathedral, have their own guidelines around photography, so it is always helpful to check in advance.
If you are planning a Greek Orthodox baptism in London, the choice of churches is even narrower so planning in advance is advised. I have had a pleasure of photographing a Greek Orthodox baptism at St George’s church in Kingston-upon-Thames. My documentary, storytelling style is perfectly placed to capture the many rituals, traditions and steps of a Greek christening ceremony.
A Few Gentle Tips for Beautiful Baptism Photos
Like for any other type of family photography, taking a few steps to prepare in advance of the photoshoot helps create relaxed, beautiful photos. These are a few tips which will hopefully help create those lovely candid photos for your family album.
Preparation is half the work. Think of what everyone is going to wear in advance of the ceremony, and weather the colours complement one another. This will help create a pleasing esthetic in photographs. Have a rough plan of timings and when different photographs can be taken: the candid ones, the group ones, the reception ones etc. Allow a little time before or after the ceremony for quiet, candid moments.
Keep things relaxed on the day. Children pick up our energy so keep things as light and fun for them as possible. Bring a book, their favourite toy or a snack so they are entertained during the ceremony.
Don’t worry about everything being perfect, it is the real moments and connection that matter. Every baptism ceremony is different, and every child will behave differently. I will work with you and your family to make the experience as pleasant as possible.
Looking for a baptism photographer in London?
Hello! My name is Mina, I am a professional family, pet and wedding photographer, working across London and Surrey. I have been photographing baptisms and christenings for over 10 years now, and love how intimate, ceremonial, and connection-filled the event is. My approach to baptism photography is documentary-led. I observe the service and capture the day as it unfolds, making sure both big and small moments are preserved for you and your family.
If you are planning your child’s christening or baptism, and you are considering hiring a professional photographer, please get in touch to discuss your ideas and options. I would love to hear from you!
FAQ
-
Baptism photography documents your child’s baptism or christening ceremony. It typically captures the location, christening outfit, arrival of guests at the ceremony location, the interior of a church or cathedral, sacred rituals, family interactions, and candid shots during the ceremony itself. Most clients choose to have at least a part of the reception captured as part of the photography package.
-
Hiring a professional baptism photographer in London allows you to completely immerse yourself in the baptism ceremony. You can enjoy the ceremony in the knowledge that a professional photographer will capture the atmosphere, the detail and the little moments, without missing anything.
-
On the day of a baptism, expect a joyous church service (often as part of a Sunday mass). The service involves a welcome, bible readings, prayers, and the central ritual of water poured on the head (or immersion). Some of the key moments include signing with the cross, godparents’ promises, anointing with oil, and receiving a lit candle.
-
The most important aspect of any family photography is to be yourselves and relaxed. Children pick up on parents tensing up and wanting to control the situation. With babies and small children, anything can happen but generally most children find the service interesting and interacting. Some children can find the act of pouring of the water on the head a bit scary but most think it is really fun!
-
Search for baptism photographers, compare styles and prices, contact a few photographers and see who you have the best chemistry with. Everyone will feel more comfortable and confident knowing they are on the same page.
-
Go through the brief with your client, check venues, timings, and important shots. Talk to your client(s) before the even and try to answer any questions they may have. If your clients feel confident and re-assured, they will in turn be relaxed on the day, which will contribute towards having great christening photos.
Surrey Family Photographer | Richmond Park Family Photohoot
The best thing about my job (except documenting amazing moments in my clients’ lives!) is getting to know my clients over the years, as we meet to take photos at different stages of their lives. I love seeing my clients as single couples, parents of babies and young children, and parents raising their growing family.
I photographed Bhavisha and Ajay back in 2015 when Bhavisha was pregnant with Jasmine, then Jasmine when she was a newborn baby and this time it was family fun in Richmond park, together will little baby Sia! We chose Richmond park as it brings back fond memories for the family, and it has an amazing playground down by Petersham gate. It was great fun trying to capture action shots of Jasmine as she played, as well some more quiet and intimate family moments.
As Surrey Family photographer, I work across Surrey and London photographing families enjoy themselves and having a good time. If you are looking to have family photos taken, please get in touch I would love to hear about you plans.
Surrey Portrait Photographer | Professional Headshots
The thing I really like about headshot photography is getting to know the individual in a shot space of time, and seeing how they relax in front of the camera as the session progresses. I met Philip last summer - he contacted me as he needed professional headshots for his Linkedin profile. We chatted about photography and work and life in the far East over a cup of tea, and discussed options for his headshots. We settled on two looks - a more formal one using studio background and lights, and a more relaxed look using natural lights and outside space as the backdrop. You can see a selection of images from that portrait session in the gallery below; my personal favourite - natural light and a relaxed candid expression! If you require professional headshots for your business website, social media profile, or even actor headshots, feel free to contact me to enquire and discuss options. I would love to hear from you!
.
Surrey Family Photographer at Denbies Wine Estate
I had a great pleasure of photographing this joint surprise 60th birhtday party at Denbies Wine Estate, Dorking. It was a wonderful occasion with family and friends arriving from near and far to join Alan and Lesley celebrate their birthday.
Alan and Lesley’s son and lovely daughter-in-law, who are the owners of the first vegan pizzeria in the UK, Purezza, have organised this amazing celebration for them. And what a surprise it was! They had no idea where they were going or who was waiting for them. Have a look at their expressions when they entered the room - pure surprise and joy! The guests were treated to Denbies’ wines and a tour of the winery. It was really interesting to find out the history of the estate and geat to have the opportunity to photograph the guests appreciate the big canisters where wine is kept, enjoy the wine testing session in the moody Denbies cellar and having a good time afterwards!
As a family and event photographer, it is such a privilage to do a great variety of jobs, from quiet small family shoots to birthday parties to big family gatherings like this one! Photographing joyous occasions is definitely one of the perks of my job. I really enjoyed capturing Lesley and Alan’s family and friends on this very special occasion, and I hope they’ll look back on the photos in years to come.
If you are organising a special event, or a large family gathering and thinking of hiring a photographer to capture your day, please drop me an email - I would love to hear from you!
London and Surrey Family Photographer / Richmond Park Family Photoshoot
I really enjoy catching up with return clients and finding out what they’ve been up to. It was lovely to hear from Berry, who’s Cockapoo Joey I photographed a few years ago. He was a young dog then, and was very energetic so taking portraits was a big challenge! Below is a photo from that photo session; a moment of stillness before more energetic running around!
Since our last meeting, there has been a new addition to the family, and there was a big family get together to celebrate the occasion! As London and Surrey family photographer, I work at different locations across the capital and Surrey, but it was a special treat to go back to Richmond park for this photoshoot. The biggest challange this time was to get everyone comfortable and happy in front of the camera; to arrange a large group of people and take a shot while everyone was looking! I found an old tree branch which looked like the perfect spot for a big family photo. The curves of the branch provided lovely lines for an interesting compositing, and contained enough perching spots for everyone to sit (not so comfortably!), or stand around. After a few attempts, the children and Joy looked directly at me, and by some miracle I was able to capture the big group shot! The rest of the shoot was done in the lovely tall grasses in the park, and around beautiful Isabella plantation. Here are a few photos from the shoot - images will automatically change, but do use the previous and next controls if you need to.
If you are organising a family get together, or are celebrating a special event, please get in touch, I would love to hear from you!
London Dog Photographer | Surrey Dog Photoshoot
Poppy is a 12 year old golden retriever who I photographed a few weeks ago. She has lost a bit of her hearing and is a little slow on her feet, but is so full of life and was incredibly gentle and graceful.
Surrey Hills is an amazing area for recreation and anyone wanting some nature time, and is also fantastic for dog photography. Poppy’s owner wanted to have a few photos of Poppy enjoying her favourite walk. It rained the previous night so I incorporated puddles into a few compositions, and took several portraits of Poppy in her favourite places.
If you are thinking of having dog portraits done of your favourite pooch, or would like to purchase dog photography gift voucher for your family member or friend, please get in touch - I would love to hear from you! Professional dog photography is a lovely way of keeping the memory of your favourite pet in years to come.
York House Wedding / London Wedding Photographer
On a very rainy day a few weeks ago, Khine and Neil tied the knot at beautiful York House in Twickenham, a gem of a London wedding venue. Family and friends arrived from all corners of the world to celebrate this special day. The drippy weather didn’t dampen anyone’s spritis, and this autumnal wedding was happy, warm and joyous! It started off with the ceremony at The Loggia Room, overlooking York House gardens, followed by a boat ride to the Wharf in Teddington. This was a fantastic idea, and a ride which everyone enjoyed - admiring the local landmarks and gorgous houses along the River Thames. The reception was held at the Wharf in Teddington - perfectly located on the banks of the river with stunning views from the top floor.
As London and Surrey wedding photographer, I document weddings at different venues across the country, but York House holds a special place in my heart. The gardens are so nice all year round, in all different weather conditions that even a bit of rain didn’t spoil the magic and grandour of the place. Although eveyone wishes for good weather for their wedding day, there is a certain charm and romance which rain brings. As well as lots of good luck for the wedding couple!
It was a great afternoon, and I wish the bride and the groom all the best for their future together!
If you are getting married, and would like to discuss your wedding plans and photography for the big day, please get in touch - I would love to hear from you! I work across London and Surrey, as well as further afield at an additional travel cost. Looking forward to hearing from you!
London and Surrey Event Photography / Southfields prom photoshoot
I was recently commissioned to do a family photoshoot in Southfields, South West London which was centred around the prom day. It was a lovely occasion where extended family came together to celebrate the accomplishments of a beautiful young girl who just finished her A levels. I was talking to a friend about this particular photoshoot and she said how it's so nice for young people, especially girls, to celebrate their academic accomplishments and have a bit of a dress up and a party to mark this personal achievement. I couldn't agree more more!
If you would like to have some photos taken at a prom, or another event, please get in touch to discuss your requirements. As a Surrey event photographer, I work across London, Surrey and West Sussex on different photographic commissions.
London and Surrey Family Photographer / Holland Park Family Photoshoot
I thoroughly enjoyed this photoshoot of a family of five! The family received a gift voucher from their friend as a Christmas present and contacted me to arrange the photoshoot. The shoot was held in gorgeos Holland park, which is one of their favourite spots in London. It was a really hot day and the glaring afternoon sun made photography quite challenging. Luckly, Holland park has many little nooks and crannies so there were planty of choices!
It was such a pleasure getting to know and photographing these young girls, who were telling me all about their aspirations and future plans, as they were setting off to leave home and start University in September.
If you are thinking of buying a gift voucher for a friend or family member, please visit my gift vouchers page. You can also contact me to discuss details and check availability. Alternitively, you can visit my family portraits page to find out more details on my family photo sessions.
