Newborn photoshoot with 13-day-old Rae

Alex is Co-Founder of the education marketing agency Clearhead. I first met him back when I was a marketing manager at an FE College, where I commissioned a video with Clearhead.

I was so impressed by what I saw that I ended up working for their team as a marketing consultant myself, before getting too envious of Alex’s role as Creative Director and deciding to take a leap back into a creative career myself!

Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to photograph three Clearhead newborns including Account Manager Nadia’s daughter Elsie, Co-Founder Gav’s son Blue and now Alex’s daughter, Rae.

It’s super timing that these colleagues are going through similar experiences at similar times, as they can share their tips and experiences.

Indeed, Nadia was the first hire at Clearhead and has worked there until recently, while Gav and Alex met at university before setting up the business at the end of their course, so they’ve already shared a lot of experiences together.

In fact, if it wasn’t for Gav, little Rae might not be here at all.

That’s because it was through Gav that Alex met Becky, when they all went to a Bloc Party gig together.

Gav wandered off to talk to another friend, which meant Alex and Becky had time to start getting to know each other.

They became Facebook friends, then Alex asked Becky if she wanted to go out together as a couple. She asked if she could have some time to think about it, but clearly opted for a ‘yes’ in the end!

Alex tells me that Becky is incredibly organised, a trait that comes in particularly handy as she manages two separate jobs; one as founder of Youthwork+, which supports and provides resources for youth workers, and the second as Operations Director for the local church.

Alex describes Becky as patient and graceful, full of care and kindness towards others.

These are all traits they hope Rae will inherit, as well as – no doubt – heaps of creativity from both her parents.

As well as being the creative force behind Clearhead,  Alex is also an incredibly talented photographer himself (check out his wedding photography here).

It’s always a little nerve-wracking photographing another photographer’s baby, but happily it’s impossible to take a bad shot of gorgeous little Rae!

Her hair in particular is incredible, as well as her super duper cheeks and teeny tiny fingers and toes! ?

Alex had been nervous about handling a newborn baby before he became a dad, but in the end it came to him naturally – all the midwives commented on how calm and confident he was with her, right from the start.

Indeed, watching his and Becky’s love for Rae during their newborn session with me, as well as the joy they take in every smile, expression and snoozy purr, is such an honour and delight.

These moments are the rewards for tracing the journey of others’ lives over a long period of time: you get to bear witness to their milestones and growth, as they transform from new company founders to competent leaders and from husbands and wives to fulfilled – and very, very proud – mums and dads like Alex and Becky with gorgeous little baby Rae. ?

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If you’re interested in newborn portraits or family photography in Bicester, Oxfordshire, please get in contact.

Sarah Plater LMPA is an award-winning qualified, certified professional newborn and family portrait photographer based in Bicester, Oxfordshire. She is the Master Photographers Association Young Families Portrait Photographer of the Year 2022 and Newborn Photographer of the Year 2019 for the Central Region (covering Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire).