There are two parts to delivering the best photography service in Oxfordshire and beyond. The first is providing an unbeatable client experience. The second is continually ensuring that my photography skills are the best they can be.
One way to achieve the latter is to regularly monthly and annual photographic competitions, pitting my work against other full-time professionals in the UK and overseas. You can see the results of this below.
In terms of an unbeatable client experience, the most important tool for me is client feedback. You can read all reviews for my business here or you can search for ‘Sarah Plater Photography’ on Google and then click ‘Reviews’.
In the meantime, scroll down to see some of the most recent images that have won awards, including the judge’s comments and client feedback (where available):
January 2024: Two Merits and a Finalist | MPA Annual International Awards
The above three images scooped a Finalist and two Merit Awards at the 2023 MPA International Awards. Results were announced at the start of 2024. You can see the full maternity photoshoot with Leeanne and Noble here.
March 2023: Highly Commended Award for Portrait Photography
The above image won a Highly Commended Award in the March Portrait competition run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
Judge David Calvert FMPA commented, “This is a lovely shot and a great example of a classical portrait, a genre which I love. The lighting you’ve used has produced a really good catchlight in the model’s eyes. You’ve also used a rim or kicker light on the model’s right hand side which has helped separate the model’s dark top from the dark background, and you can see a very subtle highlight running down her right arm. I like the pose as well – really really good, well done!”
See more from Ayo’s themed 30th birthday photoshoot here.
February 2023: Highly Commended Award for Maternity Photography
The above image won a Highly Commended Award in the February Maternity competition run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “I just love the great lighting, vibrance and feeling of spontaneity in this picture: her pose is very natural and realistic and she has a great expression. Everything about it is delightful and it works.”
See more from Evgeniya’s maternity photoshoot with me here.
February 2023: Highly Commended Award for Portrait Photography
The above image won a Highly Commended Award in the February Portrait competition run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
MPA Chairman and Judge Ray Lowe FMPA commented, “I just love the great lighting, vibrance and feeling of spontaneity in this picture: her pose is very natural and realistic and she has a great expression. Everything about it is delightful and it works.”
See more images from Ayo’s 30th birthday photoshoot here.
January 2023: Gold Award for Maternity Photography
The above image won the Gold Award in the January monthly qualified photographers competition run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “This one I really like: the connection, the expression on their faces, the lighting, the editing – it’s a well-constructed shot that ticks all the boxes. I love the way that she’s looking at the camera and he’s looking at her; he’s looking really lovingly and it just looks natural and really pretty. The parents are going to love it and treasure it for a long time – and I love it as well. Spot on.”
“We can’t thank Sarah enough for the fabulous experiences and amazing pictures we have to cherish from our Maternity and Newborn photoshoots. It’s not easy to get out of the house with 2 kids and being pregnant (and even harder with a newborn) let alone get everybody to act natural and smile for the camera. That’s when Sarah comes in and nails it! Honestly we were so relieved how at ease she made us all feel at the shoot- and kids loved – they just had fun and wanted to go back after we left! Highly highly recommend Sarah – if you want amazing professional pictures and enjoy the process look no further!”
Evgeniya, maternity and newborn photography client from Oxford, Oxfordshire
December 2022: Gold Award for Newborn Photography
The above image won the Gold Award in the December monthly qualified photographers competition run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “I love this, it’s very symmetrical, the editing is nice, you’ve got the matching colours going on and it’s beautiful – worthy of the winner, well done!”
“I can’t recommend Sarah highly enough. It was very much a last-minute decision to get some ‘proper’ photos done of our little one, but we were lucky in that one of Sarah’s prior appointments had to be re-scheduled and this opened up a slot for us. From start to finish she made the process effortless and enjoyable. The pictures were exactly what we wanted and she was excellent with our 2-week-old throughout the shoot. That all her Google reviews are 5* is not a surprise!”
Russell, newborn photography client from Oxford, Oxfordshire
November 2022: Highly Commended Award of Excellence
The above image won a Highly Commended Award in the November Inspirers competition run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
MPA Chairman and Judge Ray Lowe FMPA commented, “This for me is the strongest of your three [entries] …it’s got the strength in her upper arms; the way you’ve posed her; the way you’ve got the main light coming across the front of her face. I’m sure she absolutely adored these pictures and for me this is the strongest because of that lighting that’s coming across. A very good quality image.”
See more images from Jade’s bodybuilder photoshoot here.
November 2022: Highly Commended Award for Newborn Photography
The above image won a Highly Commended Award in the November monthly qualified photographers competition run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “I love this one… the image would work well in a [qualification] panel as well as a regional competition. You’ve done it really well, it’s really sweet, the colour tones are beautiful and baby is absolutely gorgeous so well done. A classic shot, nicely done.”
See more images from Tessa’s newborn photoshoot here.
October 2022: Silver Award for Newborn Photography
The above image won a Silver Award in the October monthly qualified photographers competition run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “This one I love: the expression on big sister’s face is gorgeous and you’ve done really well to pose baby and sister so lovely [together]. I like the white background, I like the fact that you can still see the beanbag and it’s not been bleached out – it’s been handled very, very well. It’s beautiful and the parents must love it because it’s absolutely gorgeous and you’ve worked really hard on that. Editing is beautiful, well done; definitely, definitely deserves this award.”
See more images from Tessa’s newborn photoshoot here.
October 2022: Highly Commended Award for Newborn Photography
The above image won a Highly Commended Award in the October monthly qualified photographers competition run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “Absolutely gorgeous: the wrapping is beautiful, the background is beautiful; I couldn’t fault it in any way, I love the expression on baby’s face and your editing is lovely. I honestly can’t see anything wrong with that. It’s beautiful. It would sit nicely in a [qualification] panel and I think it would definitely get a merit in the national awards. Absolutely lovely and beautifully handled.”
See more images from Oscar’s newborn photoshoot here.
August 2022: Silver Award for Maternity Photography
The above image has won the Silver Award in the August 2022 monthly maternity competition run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “I think this is sweet. I like the expressions on their faces, the lighting is really lovely and soft and it really is quite cute. You’ve taken the height difference away and the way you’ve placed the hands so we can still see the bump is really, really lovely. Nicely handled, nicely put together – I really like this. It’s a shot that makes you go ‘ahhhh’ – well done.”
See more images from Emily and James’ Maternity Photoshoot here.
“My Husband and I met Sarah recently for our early maternity shoot. From the moment we stepped inside Sarah’s lovely home, she made us feel so at ease & comfortable. Both myself and my Husband had never experienced a photoshoot before, so we were pretty nervous, but Sarah made us feel so relaxed & comfortable immediately – which enabled us to have so much fun! Sarah made such an effort to get to know us as people and as a couple & was so complimentary and friendly. Then, we received our photos and we were over the moon! Sarah captured exactly what we wanted – everything as perfect!”
Emily, maternity photoshoot client from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
August 2022: Highly Commended Award for Newborn Photography
The above image has won a Highly Commended Award in the August 2022 monthly newborn competition run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “Beautifully done: absolutely beautifully wrapped, hands are good [and] handled really nicely. I’m not going to critique this at all because I think you’ve done it really well – it’s spot on. Very well done, Sarah.”
See more images from Alice’s newborn photoshoot here.
June 2022: Photographer of the Year | Central Region
The above image has just scooped me Young Families Photographer of the Year 2022 by the Master Photographers Association (MPA). The Award covers England’s Central Region, which includes Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Camxbridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.
Read more about the Award (and why it means so much to me) here.
June 2022: Highly Commended Award for Newborn Photography
The above image has won a Highly Commended Award in the June 2022 monthly newborn competition run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “It’s really hard to get twins together [and] I love what you’ve done with the colour tones: it’s very, very pretty… the basket is nice, you’ve got a beautiful wrap on each baby which is very neat [and] the babies’ faces are beautiful. Well done.”
See more images from Imogen and Kingsley’s newborn photoshoot here.
June 2022: Highly Commended Award for Family Photography
The above image won a Highly Commended Award in the June 2022 monthly indoor family portrait competition run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
MPA Chairman and Judge Ray Lowe FMPA commented, “As a family portrait it’s fabulous… it’s what grandparents want to see as well. Your lighting and high key effect coming through is good [and it’s] a nice idea with the sibling resting a hand on both cocooned babies. You have the most remarkable patience as a newborn photographer and get great expressions… you just bring something out that just works so well – well done.”
See more images from Imogen and Kingsley’s newborn photoshoot here.
May 2022: Gold Award for Newborn Photography
The above image has won a Highly Commended Award in the May 2022 monthly competition run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “This one I think is beautiful – it’s very well put together, very well thought out. You’ve got it all: baby is beautifully lit, hands are lovely, you’ve got your colours going on with a nice texture in the background. I feel that this is a lovely, lovely image – you should be very proud of yourself. It’s very, very pretty and the colours are truly fabulous.”
“Sarah made us feel completely at ease during our shoot with our newborn baby (first time parents). She was brilliant with our little girl too, very calming and gentle. We didn’t feel rushed, able to tend to our daughter as needed and ultimately came away with some fantastic photos that have captured our new little family perfectly. Highly recommend!”
Dann, newborn photography client from Didcot, Oxfordshire
May 2022: Highly Commended Award for Family Photography
The above image has won a Highly Commended Award in the May 2022 monthly competition run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
MPA Chairman and Judge Ray Lowe FMPA commented, “This one I really like because it’s got subtlety and it’s such a quality high key [bright-toned] image. There’s a lovely feeling – a serenity – about the picture [with] great control of lighting and posing. Just beautiful, absolutely beautiful.”
See more images from Blue’s newborn photoshoot here.
April 2022: Gold Award for Newborn Photography
The above image won a Gold Award in the April 2022 monthly competition run by the Master Photographers Association.
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “As soon as I opened this month’s images, this is the one I thought should be the winner; this one [or] the other one you’ve taken of these twins.
“This has been beautifully put together, you’ve really thought about your colours, your wrapping, everything… and the babies are gorgeous. It’s a fabulous shot – I really, really love it, couldn’t fault it [and think] it’s well worthy of the winner so well done Sarah!”
See more images from Claudia and Sienna’s newborn photoshoot here.
April 2022: Highly Commended Award for Maternity Photography
The above image won a Highly Commended in the April 2022 monthly competition run by the Master Photographers Association.
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “I quite like this one; I think it’s really, really good, well thought out [and] managed very well. The connection between the two is lovely: the first thing you look at is the bump which is lovely and then you go to the connection between the parents. Well done Sarah!”
“I’m so pleased we chose to work with Sarah for our maternity shoot. The images she created are beautiful which I’m sure is due to how relaxed and comfortable she made us both feel on the day. We laughed a lot throughout! It was extremely well planned from the guide we received in the post to the telephone prep meeting and shoot itself. I would not hesitate to recommend her or book again for family pictures in the future.”
Jess, maternity photography client from Northamptonshire
April 2022: Highly Commended Award for Newborn Photography
The above image won a Highly Commended in the April 2022 monthly competition run by the Master Photographers Association.
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “To do this shot properly is hard and this one is lovely. The posing and finishing is beautifully done [and] I like the little bit of wrap showing so well done. Another lovely, lovely shot.”
See more images from Phoenix’s newborn photoshoot here.
January 2022: Highly Commended Award
The above image won a Highly Commended in the January 2022 monthly competition run by the Master Photographers Association.
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “I like this shot – I think it’s really cute, I like the fact mum and dad are holding his hands [and there’s a] lovely expression on baby’s face. Editing wise I think you’ve done it beautifully… It is very, very cute and I love the colours. Beautiful expression, well done Sarah; it’s fabulous!”
“My partner and I had not considered pictures before the arrival of our little man, however after a traumatic birth and seeing his changes every day, we decided that we wanted to get some pictures we could treasure forever. Little man was 10 weeks at the time of photographing, and Sarah was more than happy to deal with an older new born. Before the shoot Sarah was quick with responses and made everything clear as to how the shoot would work. On the day, we walked into a beautifully presented and warm studio and were instantly relaxed. Neither my partner nor I are very comfortable in front of the camera, but Sarah made everything so light hearted and easy. She handled our little man amazingly and We felt very comfortable letting Sarah work her magic with him. At the end of it all we have a bundle of beautiful photos that we will keep close to our hearts for many years to come. Highly recommended.”
Emily, newborn photography client from Buckingham, Buckinghamshire
January 2022: Highly Commended Award
The above image won a Highly Commended in the January 2022 monthly competition run by the Master Photographers Association.
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “Fantastic storytelling. I think you’ve really thought about this one, Sarah, and it’s really good – I really like this one a lot. I like the pose, you’ve managed it really well, you’ve placed the hands beautifully. I don’t think I could improve that at all… Well done!”
“My Fiancé and I had a wonderful experience in Sarah’s studio, shooting my maternity images. Sarah made us feel comfortable and confident by getting us laughing and talking about us as a couple, with little games. We would highly recommend Sarah to any of our friends and family and are looking forward to have her take our newborn photos when our baby girl arrives.”
Amy, maternity photoshoot client from Wallingford, Oxfordshire
November 2021: Highly Commended Award
The above image won a Highly Commended in the November 2021 monthly competition run by the Master Photographers Association.
Judge Sarah Tate FMPA commented, “I love this one, I think the lighting is beautiful; it’s not been over-edited; the colours are lovely. You’ve done a beautiful knot, [baby is] beautifully laid out, the colour and lighting are fabulous. It’s beautiful, Sarah.”
See more images from this session and meet the family here.
October 2021: Silver Award
The above portrait won a Silver Rosette in the Master Photographers Association (MPA) Maternity and Newborn monthly competition for October.
Judge Sarah Tate commented, “You entered quite a few images and they were all very, very good… I’ve picked the best one which I thought deserved the Silver Award. Cracking shot, well done!”
“What can I say! Amazing! Sarah is so professional and friendly. My sister booked a maternity photo shoot for me as a gift and I’ve never done anything like it before. I needn’t have worried though as Sarah was so encouraging and professional the whole way through, she totally put me at ease. The photos also turned out so amazing and I can’t thank her enough for capturing such precious memories. We have a newborn shoot booked too which I’m so excited about! 10/10 recommend, Sarah is everything and more that you’d want in a photographer.”
Shannon, maternity photography client from Abingdon, Oxfordshire
September 2021: Highly Commended
The above portrait won a Highly Commended Rosette in the Master Photographers Association (MPA) monthly portrait competition.
Ray Lowe, Chairman of the MPA, commented, “I love this delightful picture! The way you’ve constructed the image, the way you’ve got that material coming up underneath the chin as if the baby is just waking up in the morning, the way the softness drops off after the eyes, the symmetry of the photograph.… [it’s] got such a freshness about it [and] I adore it.. I just think everything about that is beautiful; a beautiful image.”
“Sarah I am actually crying I love them so so much! You are incredible at what you do!!! Thank you! Xx”
Josie, family photography client from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
August 2021: Highly Commended
The above portrait won a Highly Commended Rosette in the Master Photographers Association (MPA) Maternity and Newborn monthly competition.
Judge Sarah Tate commented, “I think this is rather lovely; nicely posed, nicely lit as well… Lovely parent shot with a newborn… well done Sarah!”
“As a new Mum I was anxious about how we would get through a photo shoot with an unpredictable baby. I needn’t have worried, Sarah is a pro and guided the session completely, put us at complete ease and if we needed to stop for a feed or nappy change, that’s what we did. Sarah was so patient with my little one and has a great ability to capture the exact kind of photos that you are after, I fully recommend! We had a great time during the shoot, she is lovely to work with and we are very pleased with the resulting pictures.”
Sarah, newborn photography client from Oxfordshire
April 2021: Highly Commended
The above image won a Highly Commended Rosette in the Master Photographers Association (MPA) Commercial category of the monthly competitions.
Judge Roy Wooding FMPA commented, “It’s simple, it’s elegant and it’s well done… I’m pretty sure that anyone looking at that will see this is a real quality product and worth the money you are going to spend… You’re going to go, ‘Oh wow, fabulous products; I want to buy them’. Really well done. The lighting is simple but elegant.”
“Sarah has just created fresh images for our website and social media. They are absolutely beautiful and will totally transform the look of our company. It was such a pleasure to work with her. She is very professional and made it all so easy for me, even though I was unable to work with her in the studio due to lockdown. We used Whats app to check each shot and it worked like a dream. The results are stunning.”
Kym Y, product photography client from Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, and owner of crumblecottage.com
You can see more of the images I created for Crumble Cottage at the top of the Food and Product Photography page.
March 2021: Highly Commended
The above portrait won a Highly Commended Rosette in the Master Photographers Association (MPA) Maternity and Newborn monthly competition.
Judge Elli Cassidy commented, “I love this image: I really like the simplicity of the styling that you’ve chosen… Baby looks beautiful. You’ve got their head to the camera perfectly, really soft, delicate hands, skin tones are great; really strong photograph. Beautifully posed. Delightful image.”
“We decided last minute to have professional photos for our newborn baby boy. We were lucky enough to get a cancellation slot with Sarah, which we were so grateful for and over the moon that we could get our little one photographed when he is still so new. Sarah informed me what to bring for the shoot and made it very clear as to what can be expected etc, as we have never had a professional photo shoot before. Sarah is an absolutely fantastic photographer and provides an extremely professional service. She was very friendly and made us feel very welcomed and relaxed. Sarah was very patient in order to capture the most perfect photos of our new born baby. We are so impressed with our photos and the quality is amazing. We will definitely be booking in for George’s 1 year birthday and the cake smash!”
Amie, newborn photography client from Ambrosden, Oxfordshire
January 2021: Silver Award
The above portrait won the Silver Award in the Master Photographers Association (MPA) Maternity and Newborn monthly competition.
Judge Elli Cassidy commented, “I adore this image… what I like about it very much is [that] it’s a beautiful pose but it’s [also] a really relaxed pose. You can see all the fingers and toes but the hands look relaxed, the baby looks relaxed, [and] you can see the downy hair on the face and the cheeks – I love all the detail you’ve managed to capture in the skin. Your editing, your lighting and the posing is really nice, well done… Gorgeous little white shot.”
“We booked Sarah for a newborn shoot but the results were so much more than that. Sarah ensured that we had some beautiful family shots, as well as priceless shots with our 4 year old and newborn. Sarah was super interactive with our 4 year old and made the whole process fun for him. I would not hesitate to recommend Sarah, a very talented photographer and lovely person to work with.”
Pippa, newborn photography client from Bicester, Oxfordshire
January 2021: Highly Commended Award
The above portrait was awarded a Highly Commended Rosette by the Master Photographers Association (MPA).
Ray Lowe, Chairman of the MPA, commented, “I think this is gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. I love the sweep and flow of the material [and] I think the lighting is excellent. And I just love this because when you’ve got twins you’ll always have one doing something the other doesn’t do, they very rarely do identical things. You’ve got depth; you’ve got texture; you’ve got quality in the whites; the skin tone is beautiful. Technically [and] photographically that is beautiful. I love the way you’ve put the little teddy in. Quite beautiful. That is quite, quite superb… it is sheer perfection.”
“Couldn’t be happier with the pictures Sarah had taken of my family! My twins are 15 weeks and I was worried as to whether we would get many good ones of them together as they can get quite cranky when they want sleep but she was very patient and able to entertain them! We will forever cherish these pictures.”
Amber, family photography client from Kidlington, Oxfordshire
December 2020: Highly Commended Award
The above portrait was awarded a Highly Commended Rosette by the Master Photographers Association (MPA). Ray Lowe, Chairman of the MPA, commented, “Absolutely gorgeous… I love this shot… beautiful expressions, lovely lighting, this image works really, really well… It would score well in the national [competition].”
November 2020: Highly Commended Award
The above portrait was awarded a Highly Commended Rosette by the Master Photographers Association (MPA). Ray Lowe, Chairman of the MPA, commented, “I think it’s quite clever [and] you’ve done a brilliant job. Your lighting is good and I love the shoot-through-the-middle [approach] which creates a shape that brings the whole thing together. A terrific shot. Keep doing it. It should become one of your ‘signature dishes’.”
“Sarah made me feel at ease straight away. It’s a bit daunting going with a new born baby to a photoshoot. You pray your baby doesnt cry (my baby did), doesn’t soil their nappy (my baby did) or decide that they dont want to play along with the photo shoot (my baby did this aswell). However because of Sarah’s professionalism and obvious experience she was able to handle all of this and still capture some truly amazing photos. Post baby the last thing any mum wants to do is a take a photo of themselves… however the images she captured didn’t make me feel like the slightly over weight tired mum that I thought I looked like! I woud highly recommend Sarah. Added bonus that her studio was super sterile and she took all precautions needed in regards to COVID. I am more than likely going to use Sarah again.”
Karlene, newborn photography client from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
November 2020: Highly Commended Award
The above portrait was awarded a Highly Commended Rosette by the Master Photographers Association (MPA). Ray Lowe, Chairman of the MPA, commented, “[An] absolutely exquisite maternity portrait… you can’t do anything to improve it. Perfect. Classy. Delightful… Everything about that is top notch, absolutely top notch.”
“We did a maternity photoshoot with Sarah, which was something I’ve been debating whether to do it or not for a long time because it’s something completely out of our comfort zone. Now I am SO glad I did it and I am so thankful that we have found Sarah! She made everything so personal, of our taste, the session was a lot of fun, very romantic and relaxed. Sarah made us feel very comfortable, almost like she was a long family friend and not someone we have just met! The pictures were stunning – very hard to shortlist them though – and I am so happy with the result! I would recommend her a million times and can’t wait to see her again to do a session with the baby ? Thank you Sarah for making this day so special and helping us to register this special moment of our lives in the best way possible.”
Beatriz, maternity photography client from Kidlington, Oxfordshire
September 2020: Highly Commended Award
The above portrait was awarded a Highly Commended Rosette by the Master Photographers Association (MPA). Ray Lowe, Chairman of the MPA, commented, “That’s what I call the grandparent shot – if I was their grandparent, this is the picture I would want. You forget your troubles. You look at that picture and it’s an absolute delight… happiness personified; absolutely beautiful, beautiful, beautiful…Sheer beauty in terms of a fabulous family portrait… I’m sure [the family] absolutely loved it… Just a delightful image. This is the portrait that the grandparents will cry over. [It] would look fabulous on the wall.”
“High quality experience! Sarah exuded the upmost degree of professionalism from the initial booking, to the planning and guidance, and throughout the photo-shoot in her comfortably accommodating studio. Sarah’s expertise was repeatedly apparent in her recommendations of colour palate and poses. The final images were truly works of art! I was fearful that my one-year old had been too moody and squirmy to capture good photos, but I was wrong! Sarah knew how to negotiate the little one’s mood and capture great shots of my baby and family. The packages were a bit expensive, but “you get what you pay for”, and what I got was GREAT images of my family that I can cherish for a lifetime!!”
Brandi, First Birthday & Cake Smash Photoshoot client from Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire
September 2020: Highly Commended Award
The above portrait was awarded a Highly Commended Rosette by the Master Photographers Association (MPA). Ray Lowe, Chairman of the MPA, commented, “I love this… [it’s a] nice high key [image]; the hands are good – mum and dad from each end… lovely expression on the baby; everything about it works very well. Delightful newborn with parents, lovely image.”
“We had a bump-to-baby photoshoot with Sarah. The whole experience was excellent and the photos are amazing! We loved the attention to detail and the atmosphere in the studio, putting everyone totally at ease. That really shows in the pictures. Sarah even did a diaper change mid-shoot and there was no rush when baby needed feeding, so as new parents were able to relax as well. We could not recommend her highly enough!”
Stephan, newborn and maternity photoshoot client from Oxford
September 2020: Highly Commended Award
The above portrait was awarded a Highly Commended Rosette by the Master Photographers Association (MPA). Ray Lowe, Chairman of the MPA, commented, “Lovely image by Sarah Plater… The connection between dad and baby just works beautifully well; his hands are so gentle on baby… He will love this picture and he will love this forever.”
“We had a great time doing a newborn-ish photoshoot of our little girl with Sarah. Sarah is really lovely, and very talented – we got exactly the kind of photos we wanted to mark this special time in our lives, she really captured the love we have for our little family. I would 100% recommend going to Sarah for photos of your little one, it was great fun and so relaxed.”
Jade, newborn photography client from Bicester, Oxfordshire
August 2020: Highly Commended Award
The above portrait was awarded a Highly Commended Rosette by the Master Photographers Association (MPA). Ray Lowe, Chairman of the MPA, commented, “This one for me really works; yes, it’s the right angle [for a maternity portrait]…and I love the hands.. but what I really love is the excitement in her face… The pose is great but the joy that she’s showing is wonderful.”
July 2020: Highly Commended Award
The above image was awarded a Highly Commended Rosette by the Master Photographers Association (MPA). Ray Lowe, Chairman of the MPA, commented, “This one works for me because it’s got that lovely triangle of the three heads coming together but baby is still the prime subject… [There’s a] lovely softness and gentleness within the whole picture.”
“Sarah is fantastic! I did a lot of research to find a photographer to take new family photos following the arrival of daughter no. 2 and upon viewing her gallery and reading other reviews I decided upon using Sarah. I’m so glad I did. The entire experience was brilliant – friendly, relaxed and professional from the outset. She made sure she knew what we wanted so she could tailor the shoot accordingly. She knows exactly how to capture those precious moments and does so in a calm and controlled manner. She was so good with my two year old who doesn’t like sitting still for photos, but Sarah engaged with her and made the experience fun. Her entire approach is spot on ensuring a pleasent and stress-free time. The results of the shoot were outstanding. I am beyond pleased with all of the images especially ones of the two girls together. I would not hesitate to recommend her! Thank you Sarah!”
Alex, Newborn Client from Chinnor, Oxfordshire
July 2020: Highly Commended Award
The above portrait of Florence was awarded a Highly Commended Rosette by the Master Photographers Association (MPA). Ray Lowe, Chairman of the MPA, commented, “I love the little twist, as if she’s looking over her shoulder playing peek-a-boo. I love the chair that you’ve photographed her on; it’s cute, a lovely chair that works… I love the whole image.”
“Having had a recent photo shoot with Sarah since she restarted up after lockdown I can thoroughly recommend her services. She had clearly thought the whole process through and worked hard to make it as safe as possible. The experience was however still friendly, relaxing and had a very enjoyable feel to it. On top of that the photos from the shoot were just beautiful! Thank you Sarah!
Louise, children’s photography client from Bicester, Oxfordshire
July 2020: Highly Commended Award
The two images above were awarded a Highly Commended Rosette by the Master Photographers Association (MPA). Ray Lowe, Chairman of the MPA, commented on the first image, “It’s a lovely picture of Rupert. It’s fun, it’s enjoyable… what he’s holding is not distracting, it’s personal to him. It’s a good quality, high key image.”
Regarding the second image, Ray added: “This is delightful! I love it… it’s clean, a very good high key with a lovely expression… Really gorgeous image that has worked an absolute treat. It just comes together.”
“We were gifted a family photo shoot with Sarah from close friends, we decided to use it to celebrate our sons first birthday. From the very first contact Sarah was a real pleasure to deal with, so thoughtful, professional and kind. She gave us lots of advice as to how to get the most out of the photoshoot as well as offering comforting words to myself (feeling not so body confident after having a baby!). When we arrived she was so welcoming and really made us feel at ease and spoilt with refreshments. She was great with my son and extremely patient not pressuring us into getting the shoot done in a set time, she just worked with what my son was happy to do. We received our proofs the following week and were blown away with how fantastic they were, in fact I can’t stop looking at them! We cannot recommend Sarah enough, she’s a real talent!”
Emma, Family Photography client from Cambridge
Summer 2020: National and Regional Merit
The above image was awarded a Regional Merit by the Central Region of the Master Photographers Association (covering Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire) in the annual awards.
A few months later, the same image also won a merit in the MPA National Awards.
“Sarah is an incredible photographer. She is great fun and managed a party of 5 teenage girls effortlessly. The teenage makeover and photo shoot will be fondly remembered by all the girls and the photographs were just gorgeous. We would not hesitate in recommending Sarah to any of our friends and family in the future, with the confidence that her work will be beyond your expectations. We are looking forward to having our second photoshoot in the very near future. A great big thank you from all of us! :)”
Anita, teenager and makeover photoshoots client from Oxfordshire
February 2020: Highly Commended Award
The above image was awarded a Highly Commended Rosette by the Master Photographers Association (MPA). Ray Lowe, Chairman of the MPA, commented, “This is gorgeous… there is absolutely nothing at all I can criticise in that picture. Cocooned beautifully, photographed beautifully… the time and effort and patience that you’ve gone to to get it is absolutely superb and you should be very proud of yourself. Another perfect newborn.”
“Thank you Sarah for an amazing experience and so many amazing photos of our beautiful baby girl. The whole process was very professional from the booking to the consultation before the shoot. Sarah was brilliant on the day and everything ran smoothly. The photo reveal was very emotional as the photos were SO good and we just couldn’t decide on the best ones so have ordered them all :). Thank you again Sarah for capturing such a special time in our lives.”
Lisa, newborn photography client from Oxford, Oxfordshire
January 2020: Highly Commended Award
The above image was awarded a Highly Commended Rosette by the Master Photographers Association (MPA). Ray Lowe, Chairman of the MPA, commented, “A perfect newborn taken by Sarah Plater. It just works. It’s a beautiful, gentle high key newborn portrait.”
“Sarah is great! From the initial emails to the photoshoot itself she was professional, friendly and lovely. She was absolutely brilliant with our newborn and we got the most perfect pictures. When I started looking for a newborn photographer I came across Sarah and knew straight away that her style was for us. She put us at ease on the day and the communication has been fantastic from start to finish! We would strongly reccomend Sarah to anyone wanting the most adorable shots of their newborn! Thank you again Sarah and we hope we get the opportunity to be photographed by you again in the future!”
Roberta, Newborn photography & family photography client from Witney, Oxfordshire
Summer 2019: Newborn Photographer of the Year
The above portrait was selected as the best newborn portrait in the MPA Central Region Annual Awards, with Sarah Plater chosen as the Newborn Photographer of the Year 2019 for that region (which includes Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire).
Prior to that, in March 2019, the same image was awarded a Highly Commended Rosette from the Master Photographers Association (MPA). MPA Chairman Ray Lowe commented, “[This is a] perfect newborn… absolutely superbly done. Well dressed, well cocooned, well controlled, well lit, [with] the right space all around the picture.”
“Really pleased with our shots, we have some great memories to treasure and can’t wait to see them around the house. Sarah’s studio is a relaxing and welcoming environment and Sarah really made us feel at home. Sarah has a really lovely manner, was great with our baby and so calming. Sarah allowed plenty of time to get the shots and was really patient. I’d definitely recommend and use Sarah again.”
Mum of Ethan, Newborn Photography Client
The four images below were also finalists in the same competition:
July 2019: Highly Commended Award
The above portrait was awarded a Highly Commended Rosette from the Master Photographers Association (MPA). MPA Chairman Ray Lowe commented, “This one I really love. It’s probably one of the best high keys* I’ve seen for some time. I love the way you’ve got the boy being the tallest and cuddling mum where the girl is on mum’s lap [and] the expressions are superb, absolutely superb… Beautiful shot.”
*A high key image is a picture with predominantly bright tones.
“Sarah is a fantastic photographer and we would highly recommend her. Whilst it is clear to see her talent from her photos, she is also amazing behind the camera. She is professional, slick and experienced. Trying to capture the perfect moment with three children including a baby is no simple task, however Sarah is able to do this with ease. It’s no surprise she achieves amazing results.”
Roz, Newborn Photography Client from Ambrosden, Oxfordshire
May 2019: Highly Commended Award
The above portrait was awarded a Highly Commended Rosette from the Master Photographers Association (MPA). MPA Chairman Ray Lowe commented, “This one I love… the baby is cute, she’s got her little teddy bear and she’s smiling. I love the way you’ve taken the whole picture… you’ve dressed it beautifully and everything about that is a perfect picture.”
“I love Sarah’s style when I first saw her website as it’s simple but very classic and modern. Sarah took photos for our little one and we are pretty impressed by her professional skills on the shoot day. She is so patient with new born baby while she can capture every amazing moment at the same time. I’m so moved when I was shown the portraits. Thanks for Sarah’s hard work that these fabulous moments can stay forever. Highly recommend!”
Yingting, Newborn Photography Client from Bicester, Oxfordshire
October 2018: National Merit
The above image of tiny Bryn was awarded a Merit “in recognition of outstanding photographic skill and excellence in imaging” at the 2018 Master Photographers Association Awards. Merit winners are selected from thousands of entries by the best in the industry, not just in the UK but globally.
May 2018: Awarded Licentiateship of the Master Photographer Association (MPA)
The judges’ comments given to Sarah included words like ‘sheer quality’, ‘impact’, ‘stunning’, ‘outstanding’ and ‘unique’, which described the strength of the whole panel.
Ray Lowe, chairman of the MPA, said, “Huge congratulations to Sarah. Licentiateship of the MPA is the hardest qualification to achieve within the photographic profession, and it takes a great deal of time, work and dedication to your art to reach this level.”
Read more here.
Sarah Plater LMPA is a qualified professional newborn and portrait photographer based in Bicester, Oxfordshire. To find out more or get booked in, you can contact Sarah here.
All text and images (c) Sarah Plater Photography
