Newborn photos with 12-day-old Vimalan

This is a family that aren’t scared of a big adventure. Dad Khalid is from America. He met Sarmila at a house party in Washington when a friend had introduced them, knowing they had Sri Lankan backgrounds in common.

Sarmila had flown down from her Politics and History university course in Canada to attend the party, and she and Khalid started a long-distance relationship afterwards.

When her course finished, Sarmila returned back home to the UK. Khalid joined her a few years later, as both of them felt it was a safer place to start a family.

First though, they had a wedding or three to organise: a legal ceremony in the UK, a big white dress wedding with all their friends and family in the USA and then a 600-strong traditional ceremony in Sri Lanka!

They then moved from Rugby to Bicester, which means a much closer commute for Khalid’s Formula 1 work.

They’ve also embarked on the biggest adventure of all: parenthood. Their first son, Nikhil, is now five-and-a-half years old and has recently become big brother to little Vimalan, who was born 12 days before our session.

Vimalan’s newborn photoshoot with me was on a Friday morning and, of course, Nikhil had school. To ensure he didn’t miss out, we began the session super-early, at 7:45am, starting with the sibling and family images so Nikhil could head off at 8:20am. 

This would normally be quite a tight turnaround, but Nikhil did everything I asked of him and was a model big brother, meaning I could work quickly and capture everything I wanted to.

Sarmila and I then spent another hour or so together, focusing on creating images of little Vimalan on his own.

Sarmila had used the sari she wore on her wedding day as a background for an image when Nikhil was newborn and brought it with her again so we could recreate the same shot with Vimalan.

Sarmila doesn’t mind being outnumbered at home – even the dog is a boy! – because together they’ve formed such a great team. 

Nikhil has always been great company, but both parents have especially enjoyed his development as he can now ask for what he needs, join in conversations and share interests with his mum and dad.

He and Khalid enjoy watching and playing football together, and they’ve been to see a Rugby FC match as well.

Coming from America, Khalid doesn’t have a local team to support, but plans to take Nikhil to watch Oxford FC soon. It might just be the start of a loyal, long-term relationship!

He and Nikhil also love building with Lego, which means Nikhil might have inherited his dad’s interest in engineering.

Equally, though, he can be quite sensitive and caring, traits that very much characterise his mum, Sarmila.

She works as an immigration lawyer, a job that no doubt requires an encyclopaedic knowledge of case law as well as diplomatic skills.

Nikhil has shown some diplomatic traits, too, explaining to Khalid which of his dad’s jokes he thinks are funny and which he doesn’t – but also admitting that his reaction depends on his mood that day!

Nikhil has been asking and waiting to become a big brother for three years now, and it’s clear to see how delighted he is to finally become one.

As he and his dad left the session so Nikhil could go to school, he became a little sad and quiet. His mum told me that ever since Vimalan was born, Nikhil hates to leave his side.

He even went through all his toys before Vimalan was born, picking out a selection of items for his new brother to keep and play with.

Apart from the Lego, that is. At first I thought that was because Nikhil didn’t want to share them. But no, he was simply worried little Vimalan might try to eat them.

And that shows just what an amazing sibling Nikhil is already – showing the very best of traits from his mum and dad, and enjoying every moment of this latest adventure.

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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).