I’ve been feeling… energised lately.

Not in a loud, “new year new me” way. More like a quiet kind of energy, the kind you get when something inside you softens again, and you suddenly realise you’re breathing properly for the first time in weeks.


A few days ago I photographed my first session of 2026. It was booked back in 2025, but it landed at the exact right moment, and honestly, I didn’t even realise how much I needed it until I was driving there with my camera beside me, thinking, oh… this is what I’ve been craving.

That familiar feeling coming back.

That feeling of: this matters.


A maternity session that reminded me why I do this


It was a maternity session with a previous client, which already makes it special.

There’s something so grounding about returning clients. Because it’s not just “a session”, is it? It’s trust. It’s connection. It’s being invited back into someone’s life again, when everything has changed and yet somehow it still feels familiar. I photographed her first baby bump. And now I’m photographing her third...Third.

It really hit me for a moment. Because… wow. Time goes fast. It’s almost unfair how quickly it passes. But it’s also kind of beautiful.

Like watching a story unfold in chapters, and realising you’ve been there for more than one of them.


The drive felt like therapy (countryside views for the soul)


The drive to her home was just… stunning.

That kind of countryside view you don’t get in London, and you suddenly remember how much your body relaxes when there’s open sky and fields instead of traffic lights and noise, It made me feel so grateful to do what I do, because my work as a maternity photographer around London and Bromley often takes me to places that genuinely calm my nervous system. Not just pretty, but peaceful.

When I arrived, her new home was beautiful. Fresh, warm, and full of that gentle “new beginnings” energy, And soon, this space will be completely transformed.

Soon it will welcome the cries of a newborn baby, The little sounds that fill a home. The chaos that becomes normal. The kind of love you can’t even describe.


Talking about the past, the present, and the future


We talked in that way you only talk when you’ve known someone, The past. The present. And of course, the future...Because in a few weeks, I’ll be back for her newborn session. And the baby’s gender is still a surprise.

How lovely is that? In a world where everything is revealed early, tracked, predicted, posted… this is one of the rare things that still feels like a true surprise. You could actually feel the excitement in the room. It reminded me how powerful anticipation is. Like the magic isn’t gone, we’re just not always giving it space anymore.


New year energy also means… garden dreams


And because my brain is the way it is, my thoughts have also wandered straight to the garden.

New year means new garden projects.

It’s not even a want at this point, it’s a need. I’m craving that slow joy. That gentle rhythm. Planning what to grow. Starting to sow some seeds indoors. Watching tiny little shoots appear and feeling like life is happening again.


I’m dreaming of flowers (always).

I want veggies too.

I want the full “little heaven” experience.


There’s something about gardening that feels like healing. Like choosing softness on purpose. And I think that’s what I’m craving this year.


Relaxation.


A calmer pace.


More beauty.



A quiet kind of hope for 2026


So here I am. Feeling energised, but softly. Feeling grateful for the first maternity session of 2026 and the way it pulled me back to myself. Grateful for returning clients, for countryside drives, for baby surprises, for future plans. And maybe that’s the real gift of this season. Not knowing everything. Letting some things remain a surprise. Trusting that the next chapter is coming.



Thinking of booking a maternity or newborn photographer in London, Bromley or Beckenham?


If you’re currently expecting and looking for a maternity photographer in London, Bromley or Beckenham, I’d love to photograph this part of your story.

My maternity sessions are calm and guided, never rushed, and always centred around what feels comfortable for you. And if you’re planning newborn photos too, we can keep the same natural, relaxed style and create something consistent from bump to baby.


If you’d like to chat about a maternity session or book your newborn photography session in advance, you can message me anytime.


Because these weeks go fast… and I promise you’ll want to remember how it felt.


Always with Love,

Deborah xxx