Newborn photoshoot with 12-day-old Maisie

When people buy Gift Certificates through me, I’m always reminded of the excellent book Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman.

In it, he states that the value and meaning of a gift comes directly from the amount of thought and effort that goes into it.

After all, it’s quick and easy to buy a present on Amazon with just a few clicks.

But when someone buys a Gift Certificate for photography services, they have taken the time to think of a gift that will last and last: beautiful images the recipient will treasure forever. They have carried out research on photographers and then gotten in contact to carry out the transaction.

Babies will grow out of clothes, chocolates get eaten and flowers wilt, but photographs get more and more valuable over time – we pass them on down the generations and put them at the top of the list of things we’d save if our house ever got set on fire.

So I already knew Sophie and Dan were a lovely couple before I met them, because they have such thoughtful friends, Jess and Liam.

Jess had been in contact months in advance of Maisie’s arrival to arrange everything with me, including writing the sweetest message to go on the personalised Gift Certificate.

Sophie and Dan told me they were thrilled with the gift, and I know that they aren’t the only ones who were excited about the photos.

Little Maisie is the first grandchild on both sides of the family (and first great grandchild!) and everyone is crazy with excitement about meeting her.

During the long wait of pregnancy, that excitement translated into lots of present-buying, and Sophie told me Maisie was already spoilt even before she was born by all the gifts and attention!

It’s been straight into the deep end of parenthood, especially for Dan, who had never held a baby before his daughter was born.

Sophie and Dan’s know one other couple who have a baby – born on Christmas Eve 2022 – and they went round to meet him soon after his arrival.

However, Dan decided that he wanted the very first baby he held to be his own daughter, so he held off holding their friend’s baby for a little longer!

Sophie had known her friend was expecting for a while, but at first it was too early to share her own happy news.

So when her friend was discussing her pregnancy experience, Sophie had to bite her tongue – she knew exactly how her friend felt, but had to feign ignorance!

When Sophie was finally able to announce her own pregnancy, her friend cried with happiness for her – and Sophie tells me that it’s been so nice to go through the experience at the same time as someone else.

So with excited relatives, loving friends and Sophie and Dan very much enjoying parenthood, it looks like Maisie is going to want for very little indeed!

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

Sarah Plater AMPA 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).