Newborn photoshoot with 14-day-old Raegan

I first met this close, loving and playful family back in 2022.

Tenille and Damione were looking forward to welcoming their first baby, and booked a maternity photoshoot with me.

Soon after, they returned with baby Phoenix, who had the most incredibly lush hair I’ve ever seen (see the images here).

This month they returned as a family of four, with baby Raegan eventually having been coaxed earth-side after staying inside her mum for as long as she possibly could!

Meanwhile the tiny baby Phoenix I remember so well has transformed into a walking, talking toddler with oodles of curiosity and confidence.

When Tenille told me that Phoenix is a daddy’s girl, we were quickly corrected: “No, I’m not a daddy’s girl,” Phoenix said emphatically, “I’m Phoenix!”.

She has an incredible vocabulary for a two-year-old, and with the most adorable pronunciation: ‘parrots’ become ‘carrots’, ‘cuddles’ become ‘puddles’ and ‘helicopter’ receives a wonderfully posh-sounding emphasis on the last syllable.

She also hears – and remembers everything.

When Damione called up the stairs for Tenille once, Phoenix locked it into memory.

The next time she wanted her mum (who had popped out to the shops on this occasion), Phoenix stood at the bottom of the stairs calling, ‘Tenille!”

While at times Phoenix has been less keen on sharing her parents’ attention, mostly she is curious and interested in her little sister.

Whenever I was getting Reagan ready for a photo, Phoenix would come over and watch, copying whatever I did, whether that’s smoothing down a blanket, adjusting a clamp or speaking to Raegan.

Phoenix is not one to make a fuss – her parents couldn’t even tell when she was teething because Phoenix didn’t get upset at all – but she is already showing signs of being a natural-born leader.

Damione told me about a neighbour the family sometimes see, an 80-year-old man.

After a quick greeting, Phoenix will hold his hand, guide him to a chair and offer him a coffee.

Phoenix loves to draw and will quite happily doodle away while her parents are enjoying meals out with friends.

She gets this creative mindset from her mum, whose artistic talents span almost everything you can think of, from superbly detailed paper-cut art through to personalised baby-grows and photorealistic oil paintings.

Tenille and Damione have gotten married – in South Africa – since I last saw them. 

They had perfectly stunning weather for the big day, which was proved particularly lucky and well-timed as there was an incredible downpour the following day.

Tenille handmade all the details, from cut-out butterflies to elegant single-stem floral displays of the national flower, as well as all the favours and keepsakes for the event, too.

Damione secretly organised a horse-drawn carriage for Tenille (a fitting follow-up from his surprise photobook proposal – read more about that on their maternity photoshoot blog here), organising with local horse owners to turn up when Tenille was finishing getting ready.

The horse owners wanted to check the animals would be ok around the camels at the wedding venue, so brought them over the day before the event.

Tenille is a huge animal lover, spotted them and couldn’t resist going over to say hello.

Damione ran after her to try to avoid the surprise being spoiled, and had to play along with the horse owners, introducing himself as though he had never met or dealt with them before!

Tenille has managed to turn her love of animals into a small business, called LoudBark, which offers dog walking and dog sitting services in the High Wycombe area.

She also has a bespoke gifting business named after her girls: Phoenix & Rae.

If either of these are of interest then please get in contact and I’ll put you in touch!

Tenille has also got several other business ideas in mind, including making use of her incredible creative craft skills, so watch this space!

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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).