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Christmas Mini Sessions – the magic of Christmas is coming!

“Christmas isn’t a season. It’s a feeling.” —Edna Ferber

Table of Contents hide
1 So, Christmas mini-sessions? What are they?
2 When are they?
3 Where do I have to come?
4 What should I wear?

Christmas mini-sessions can surely give you and all your family members that festive feeling all year round.

And I’m so excited about this year’s setup!!

As my photography style is very simple and timeless, I wanted to create something that reflects that. I have been thinking for a while about it and during one of my morning walks, surrounded by nature, I was trying to find how I could get inspired by it.

Christmas trees are surely nature-inspired but I used one already a couple of years ago. Didn’t want to use it again. And I was envisioning a white environment. Kind of the world of the Chronicles of Narnia! Snow . . .

White – Snow – Snowflakes

That was my train of thought. So I went home and searched on the internet for snowflakes and boom! Founded!

Smiling young girl with curly hair sitting on a white chair, wearing a cream knit jumper, in front of a festive white snowflake backdrop during a holiday-themed photoshoot

Sorry, maybe I bored you with the story of how I came up with this theme.

So, Christmas mini-sessions? What are they?

A mini-session is a very short version of a photography session. You will have limited time (20 minutes), fewer images to choose from and the set-up is already set for you. Of course, even the price will reflect this and therefore it will be much cheaper than a full photoshoot.

When are they?

Mini sessions are run on specific dates that I choose and you can select your preferred time slot.

The dates for Christmas mini sessions 2021 are the 13th and 14th of November. They are a yearly event and I try to do them in early November.

Where do I have to come?

The sessions are done in my studio in Twickenham, west London. You will receive all the information via email when you book.

Collage of two smiling girls in winter outfits posing against a white textured background, wearing light knits and neutral tones.

What should I wear?

When I thought about this set-up I was envisioning a wintery scene for timeless photos. So I would suggest simple and solid colours in neutral shades. Knitted clothes are perfect for the occasion. Jumpers, cardigans, dresses…textures and accessories are welcome too!

Here are some ideas for boys. I took the outfits from H&M, Gap and Next.

Flat lay of four winter girl outfits including cable-knit jumpers with a palette of beige, grey, and ivory
Flat lay of three casual boys’ winter looks featuring sweaters, jeans, and beige trousers in warm earthy tones, with coordinating colour swatches below.
Flat lay of boys’ holiday outfits with brown corduroy dungarees, light blue shirts, suspenders, and navy trousers, with a neutral and navy colour palette.

And here are some inspirations for girls. I would suggest white, cream or grey, but alternatively, a festive mood or warm tones work fine too.

Flat lay of four winter girl outfits including cable-knit jumpers, plaid skirts, and charcoal pieces, with a palette of beige, grey, and black.
Flat lay of six children's winter outfits in neutral, red, and green tones with plaid and knit textures, plus colour swatches below.
Flat lay of three autumnal-toned girl dresses in warm brown and terracotta shades, with matching colour swatches beneath.

I hope these ideas can be useful! Please check out my website to see more work and do get in touch if you have any questions!

Posted in holidays, What to wear

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After 15 years, so much of what I do is on autopilot.

I look for the gorgeous light and read the baby. I know when to wait and when to act. And I do it without thinking.

But the moment someone is beside me, watching, learning, everything slows down. I have to find words for things I stopped noticing years ago. And in doing that, I remember how it felt at the beginning. The insecurities. The fear of getting it wrong. The weight of feeling like you should already know. The comparison with others.

Teaching reminds me how much courage it takes to learn something new and how gently we should treat ourselves while we do.

If you are starting out, in any field, well done. Truly. I know how hard and lonely those first steps can be. But you don’t have to take them alone.

And if you are a photographer thinking about a one to one newborn training day in my Twickenham studio,I would love to be part of your journey.
Link in bio.

25 4
Open post by by_valentina with ID 17949340839173898
After 15 years, so much of what I do is on autopilot. I look for the gorgeous light and read the baby. I know when to wait and when to act. And I do it without thinking. But the moment someone is beside me, watching, learning, everything slows down. I have to find words for things I stopped noticing years ago. And in doing that, I remember how it felt at the beginning. The insecurities. The fear of getting it wrong. The weight of feeling like you should already know. The comparison with others. Teaching reminds me how much courage it takes to learn something new and how gently we should treat ourselves while we do. If you are starting out, in any field, well done. Truly. I know how hard and lonely those first steps can be. But you don’t have to take them alone. And if you are a photographer thinking about a one to one newborn training day in my Twickenham studio,I would love to be part of your journey. Link in bio.

Six weeks ago I shared a glimpse behind the scenes of this session. Today, you get to see what we made.

She arrived with her props already chosen.

Nude stockings. The kind her mother wore. The ones women mended rather than replaced.

She knew exactly what she wanted to say.
My job was simply to hold the space and let her say it.

This is what a portrait session can be.
Not a makeover or a way to fit an idea of beauty. But a conversation between a woman and her own story, made visible.

Dyana is an artist, activist and doula. She explores identity, the body, and everything that lives between and beyond definition.

I am grateful I had the chance to photograph her.

85 20
Open post by by_valentina with ID 17861247726689326
Six weeks ago I shared a glimpse behind the scenes of this session. Today, you get to see what we made. She arrived with her props already chosen. Nude stockings. The kind her mother wore. The ones women mended rather than replaced. She knew exactly what she wanted to say. My job was simply to hold the space and let her say it. This is what a portrait session can be. Not a makeover or a way to fit an idea of beauty. But a conversation between a woman and her own story, made visible. Dyana is an artist, activist and doula. She explores identity, the body, and everything that lives between and beyond definition. I am grateful I had the chance to photograph her.

Tomorrow I have a newborn session and a 1:1 training day with a photographer travelling from Switzerland to spend the day with me.

But before any of that, the work had already started.
It starts with a conversation. Learning about your birth, your family, how things have been since you came home. Then comes the studio prep, making sure the space is warm, clean and ready for someone very new to the world, with attention to every small thing that makes a family feel safe and held.

After 15 years, this is still how I do it. Every time.
That same care is what I pass on when I teach.

If you are a parent looking for a photographer who takes this seriously, or a photographer thinking about training, this is what I stand for.

📩 Links in bio for both.

21 3
Open post by by_valentina with ID 18100153727039017
Tomorrow I have a newborn session and a 1:1 training day with a photographer travelling from Switzerland to spend the day with me. But before any of that, the work had already started. It starts with a conversation. Learning about your birth, your family, how things have been since you came home. Then comes the studio prep, making sure the space is warm, clean and ready for someone very new to the world, with attention to every small thing that makes a family feel safe and held. After 15 years, this is still how I do it. Every time. That same care is what I pass on when I teach. If you are a parent looking for a photographer who takes this seriously, or a photographer thinking about training, this is what I stand for. 📩 Links in bio for both.

She almost didn’t come.

She told me she wasn’t feeling confident.
That she didn’t know how to pose.
That maybe I should photograph someone else.

I hear this more than you’d think. From women who are more reserved and introvert but also the ones who are funny and so alive in person. Women who have simply spent too long seeing themselves in a fixed way.

We spent a morning together. Just her, the light, and a space where nothing needed to be fixed or hidden.

The woman in these photos? She was there all along.

If you’ve been telling yourself a similar story, I’d gently ask you this: what if you’re wrong too?

48 10
Open post by by_valentina with ID 18093137645180251
She almost didn’t come. She told me she wasn’t feeling confident. That she didn’t know how to pose. That maybe I should photograph someone else. I hear this more than you’d think. From women who are more reserved and introvert but also the ones who are funny and so alive in person. Women who have simply spent too long seeing themselves in a fixed way. We spent a morning together. Just her, the light, and a space where nothing needed to be fixed or hidden. The woman in these photos? She was there all along. If you’ve been telling yourself a similar story, I’d gently ask you this: what if you’re wrong too?

This is the part that gets me every time.

Seeing the images inside the album, in print, held in your hands, is completely different to seeing them on a screen.

They become real in a way a digital file never quite manages.

This little one will grow so fast.

But these pages will stay exactly as they are.

Newborn photography in Richmond and Twickenham.

20 6
Open post by by_valentina with ID 18062378156418997
This is the part that gets me every time. Seeing the images inside the album, in print, held in your hands, is completely different to seeing them on a screen. They become real in a way a digital file never quite manages. This little one will grow so fast. But these pages will stay exactly as they are. Newborn photography in Richmond and Twickenham.
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VALE@PHOTOGRAPHYBYVALENTINA.COM

07577 978246

LONDON NEWBORN & MATERNITY PHOTOGRAPHER

Based in Richmond, I work with families across London to capture life’s most meaningful milestones through portrait photography.