My top 10 images of 2020
It is such a wonderful time to reflect on the past year, to see where it went beautifully and where it went a bit crazy. In my line of work, I get to look through the backup folder of all my lovely clients’ sessions: Actual proof of the fruits of my labour!
With everything coming to a drastic halt in March, I was expecting that the feeling of accomplishment that one enjoys end of the year would be lacking… Thankfully, in just in three months I managed to document and experience so much to appreciate and enjoy, and I would like to share that with you now.
In no particular order, here are my top ten favourite images of 2020:
Birth Photography is so much about the big moments that we often overlook subtler moments of labour. I just adore capturing dads, present during the birth of their child. This photo has such great nuance!
A proud mama, a new big sister and a brand new baby. This wonderful newborn session was certainly a highlight for me in 2020.
Labour is raw and emotional and obviously painful… But it is also intimately beautiful. You don’t get much more beautiful than this image, taken at an incredible home water birth. See their stunning birth film here.
Probably the most unique Meet-the-Family session I’ve ever documented… With the family not allowed anywhere near the hospital, baby Charlotte-Rae met her big sister from the comfort of her car seat in the driveway. It was still an intimate and beautiful meeting, and definitely one that I will remember for the rest of my career. You can watch their full birth film here.
How very special to celebrate the arrival of these little boys with cake and some new family portraits with their older brother. Check out this blog post, relaying the arrival of two sets of twins to one family.
I just love this totally honest moment… Can’t you just hear him saying, “Mooooooom!”? This little guy turned six in 2020, and I was honoured to continue a long-established tradition of documenting his birthday (previously beautifully captured by Marysol Blomerus).
Imagine being a fly on the wall during one of the most intimate moments of someone’s life. As a birth photographer, I get to do that. Even better, I often then walk a journey with my dearest clients - I document newborn and one-year-later sessions, birthdays, annual family photos, the arrival of baby number two, three, four and even five!
In this fantastic family session, little bro Andreas is ten months new, and this photo encapsulates this wonderful family’s beautiful and genuine now.
Nothing tugs at the heart strings more than a new dad holding his tiny little baby…! Bonding and cherished moments for both parents are always on the top of my list of capturing images when I am in a newborn session. Trying to really embrace those small intimate moments between parent and child.
Perhaps it was the golden glow of the late afternoon light; the fluffy white clouds that flitted above us in a crisp blue sky; Table Mountain on the horizon; the mesmerising fields of purple flowers, gently dancing in the breeze… Or perhaps it was the genuine bond between a loving couple and their son that made this family session one of my all-time favourites of my career.
No stranger to birth photography, Jessica’s birth stories were previously documented by Alda Smith and Marysol Blomerus respectively (see her last hospital water birth, captured by Marysol, here). Having taken over from both Alda and Marysol in recent years, it seemed fitting that I would follow in their great footsteps by documenting the arrival of baby number five (yup, you read that right!). But… Life happened, and in a twist of fate, I missed their emergency c-section! Nonetheless, their session was gorgeous.