about
motherhood PHOTO SHOOTS
Your new child is now smiling, laughing, interacting and even hugging.. this is truly a special time when mothers are bonding with their new child and growing into the role of motherhood. Most people come to me for newborn sessions but then don’t think to do a shoot during this key time in both your lives. Show me your heart and I will give you the art!
“Oh wow, I love ALL OF THEM…you’re amazing, I have shown everyone I can find and they are all blown away, thank you thank you, we will treasure these images forever.”
Where do I need to come?
My West London studio is a lovely open and relaxed room at my home in Ealing. It is a home rather than a sterile studio space and as such tends to put people at ease straight away. There is parking on the road outside and we are only 2 mins walk from the Piccadilly line tube station Northfields.
At what stage do I HAVE THE SHOOT?
The best time to have a Motherhood shoot is when your baby is between 4-12 months old
What do I need to bring?
I provide a beautiful selection of materials to use in the shoot as well as dresses, skirts, shirts and drapes so you really don’t need to bring any clothing. It is advisable to bring with you black, nude and white pants and if you have one a strapless nude bra. You are very welcome to bring with you any clothing you would like to use, maybe a gorgeous dress or sari for example.
Do you retouch the images?
Yes I will retouch the images to enhance your natural beauty but not to make you look like another person. I want you to be happy with your portraits so I can take into consideration any issues you may have with your body, though I need you to understand that I am aiming for a natural look rather than an overly airbrushed magazine look and as such will not over airbrush images. Occasionally I have come across issues with other people’s screens where the contrast is extremely high and this will make your images look less appealing, I can only adjust the images to my own screen which is calibrated correctly. Rest assured your prints will look fab
How long will it take before I can see the images?
Your edited images will be placed online and be ready to view within a week of the shoot
WHAT IS THE COST?
The session fee for motherhood shoots is £600 which includes the shoot plus 6 finished portraits in digital and print form. You can of course upgrade from this once you’ve seen the images. To receive a full price list please fill out your email address here.
HOW FAR AHEAD DO I NEED TO BOOK?
You will need to book around 3-4 weeks ahead of time if you can. If you’ve left things a little late do still get in touch as I get last minute availability on occasions when newborns are late for example!!. If you would like to find a time..
I'VE FOUND SOME IMAGES I LOVE ONLINE?
Do show me any images that best describe what style you like as this will help me to give you a bespoke shoot geared to your preferences. I want you to love your images so I’m happy to try new things too.
Susan Porter-Thomas Photography
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RECENT REVIEWS
Laura Cunha Leal
12:30 20 Sep 20
Such a fantastic experience! I came with my husband and my two-year-old boy for maternity photoshoot. We felt very comfortable and relaxed at the studio, especially my boy who enjoyed playing in the garden. Susan was very helpful to advise me on what clothes I should get for my boys, and this made the preparation process much easier. Loved all materials, I felt very comfortable at the photo shoot. Stunning photos!
neelima kumar
22:07 25 Aug 20
We had a very nice stressfree session with Susan. She told us exactly what to do and that care of half the job. Very friendly and professional at the same time. The only stressful part was having to choose the pictures as they were all good.
karen Mulvihill
17:44 19 Jun 20
I have been looking for an extra large scarf for a long time. They seem hard to find and terribly expensive. But today I lucked out and purchased an extra large forget me knot scarf. I am absolutely thrilled. it is absolutely exquisite and beautifully made and good quality silk. I wish I could buy all of them, they look amazing with dress up/ down casual and event pieces. I am going to float around in all my outfits with my lovely scarf, to show my friends. When they see it, they will also want to buy one too, Thank you Susan!
Marina Gordeeva
22:21 15 May 20
Great experience throughout and fantastic pictures - from the professional communication, friendly welcome in the studio, fast turnaround of the images from the photo shoot and absolutely stunning pictures - I definitely recommend Susan to other moms-to-be.
Jasvin S
21:39 07 Mar 20
We had a great time at Susan's studio and loved the style of photography and quality of the shots. Would definitely use again.
C J
11:18 21 Feb 20
The whole experience with Susan was amazing. She was great and flexible around the booking for the shooting session.The session itself was smooth and fun and while we were worried about how our toddler would behave, everything went so well thanks to Susan’s experience !We have then received the pictures within few days only (other photographers usually take much longer).Last but not least, the pictures were astonishing ! We never had pictures like these ones. We, and more particularly our toddler, looked so naturally beautiful in the pictures!Not only we will recommend Susan to all our friends but we will definitely use her again in the future
Helena Bloomer
19:33 17 Feb 20
Susan captures the most amazing images. She completely puts you at ease meaning they look natural and is a genius with lighting and angles. Her photos manage to make you look like you’re in editorials from glossy magazines.
Sugha Murugesu
14:32 13 Feb 20
Beautiful photos - thank you!
Bhupendra Patel
11:48 12 Feb 20
Amazing pictures. Experience was very happy and relaxing.
Tim Gort
06:51 05 Jan 20
This is the second time that my wife and I have had our photos taken by Susan; the first two years ago was for a maternity shoot and more recently we did a newborn shoot. On both occasions Susan put us at ease, especially when I am uncomfortable behind and in front of the camera. Susan was very patient with our daughter in our recent photo shoot, she gave easy to follow directions and was very good with her.Overall we had two fun and enjoyable experiences which resulted in some lovely photos.
Analeesa Ciampi
14:28 11 Dec 19
We recently moved to London from New York and wanted to take family photos to share with our friends and family abroad. Susan was very professional and fun to work with. She did a great job capturing our 11 month old and beloved family dog as well as taking candid family moments. I would highly recommend her and use her services again
Veronika Pal
10:55 08 Dec 19
Me and my partner had great fun on our maternity photoshoot with Susan, she really made the whole experience easy and the photos came out great.
Oroblam
08:17 08 Nov 19
Gabriela Salomão Martins
09:18 11 Sep 19
Susan is such a talented photographer! Just had my maternity photoshoot with her and absolutely loved it. We did outdoor pictures and the results were stunning! The session was really fun and she made me feel relaxed throughout the process. I couldn't recommend more her services.
Benjamin Jinny
12:13 09 Sep 19
Great Photography...truly amazing.Very professional.
Rex Osafo-Asare
12:24 29 Jun 19
A true professional. Her work speaks for itself. 10/10
Tarana Shivdasani
19:35 06 Apr 19
Susan was absolutely brilliant -- we did 2 sessions with her, and in both cases, she went out of her way to make us comfortable. She's an absolute pleasure to work with, and the final result is exactly what we were hoping for!
Bella Y Wu Kostelec
14:35 06 Apr 19
Susan is amazing. Had my maternity photography in Susan's West London studio when I was 36 weeks pregnant, and also did my baby's 100 days photography with her as well.
Alex & Adolfo Custidianer
18:03 03 Apr 19
We had a family photo shoot with our eight month old baby and absolutely enjoyed the experience! Susan made us feel very comfortable and the photos turned out amazing! We couldn’t pick just 5 so ended up going for 15. Expensive but so worth the price, they’re a work of art and will be treasured for many years to come.
Hazel Tang
18:31 03 Mar 19
Susan is lovely! We went to her for a maternity shooting when I'm 36 weeks pregnant. My husband is quiet nervous when we have no idea what to do in front of camera . Susan was very patient and kind that guide us to pose a couple pose and the result is brilliant. We are having so much fun while shooting. She's friendly and accommodating. I would highly recommend!
Chanda Brae
13:38 08 Feb 19
I took a workshop with Susan and was so thrilled with the knowledge that I gained from just one day! I feel reinspired and cant wait to start applying the new lighting techniques into my business. Susan is patient and professional, I would recommend her to anyone looking for fine art portraits or looking to learn from her at one of her workshops. She is worth every penny!
James Martin
21:09 14 Jan 19
My partner and I had a delightful day with Susan. She spent the time teaching us some of the skills of portrait photography in studio settings and natural light. Her warmth and enthusiasm was infectious and we came away thrilled with the photos we had taken under her guidance.
Ian Saxon
11:28 05 Jan 19
Great photographer, great assistant, lovely studio where we were made to feel comfortable throughout. True professionals. We did maternity and newborn and were very pleased with both.
Rachel Faber
14:49 27 Dec 18
If you're looking for a modern portrait photographer who can capture your family in an authentic vs staged environment, then Susan is a perfect choice. We were blown away with our maternity and newborn photoshoots with Susan. Both the experience and pictures were more than we could have hoped for. We were made to feel totally comfortable and cannot wait to capture more memories with our beautiful family.
Ganna Yevtushenko
12:32 05 Sep 18
I would recommend any pregnant woman to enjoy the experience of maternity photoshoot! After months of changing body shape, focusing on having a healthy pregnancy, clothes that stop fitting and scrutiny from the outside world - it is amazing to have a few hours dedicated just to you and beauty of your pregnancy. Susan made me and my husband feel extremely comfortable during the whole photoshoot and final images are just stunning memories of our pregnancy journey.
Samantha Allarton Pointer
22:21 03 Aug 18
The whole session was so fun. I was very nervous to begin with and felt like I was shaking in front of the camera. Susan has a very calming presence and is very talkative, so I was quickly distracted from those nerves and enjoyed posing in front of the camera by the end! Despite being so warm and friendly, she is also assertive & professional in directing the session and glides around capturing all the right angles and lighting to recreate your favourite looks or new postures that come to mind at the time. I had photos in quite a few outfits, with and without my husband, in different lighting, with different backgrounds and with dramatic chunky jewellery - and we absolutely love the portfolio - just a shame we can’t afford them all!! Nevertheless, we will treasure the photos we’ve chosen for a lifetime. Such fantastic memories of bump and the pregnancy as a whole. We can’t wait to see the prints on physical form (and maybe get one framed for the house). Totally recommend Susan for this creative type of photography! We can’t wait to return for a session with Bambi to capture both the “before” and “after” moments...
Rachel Hung
17:19 04 Jul 18
Was so impressed by my pregnancy photoshoot that I went back to Susan for our newborn pictures despite living right across London from her - they were even better! Susan is fun to work with and is completely open to suggestions and ideas. Highly recommended.
Rüdiger Kloss
18:04 15 May 18
Susan made us comfortable and we were able to do many different types of shots. We are very glad with the outcome and would highly recommend her!
Yvonne Ogorek-Zarate
10:43 08 May 18
Susan was such a professional and made the whole experience very, very memorable. From offering me a fresh strong coffee after a tricky night with my little one, to making her big sister feel very special and included, it was a day and show to remember. The pictures are magnificent and they will be treasured for a lifetime. Worth every penny.
Qian Yu
22:17 19 Mar 18
It has been great experience to have Susan capturing both the bump and newborn sessions for us. Susan is professional, lovely and easy to work with. These impressive shoots from her mean so much to us.
Eliza Moldovan
20:58 05 Mar 18
Having a baby is such an amazing and wonderful experience. Susan managed to capture this happiness. I am so pleased with our newborn and family pictures. Again and again, Susan proves herself to be a professional photographer and I would highly recommend her to anyone who wants the perfect photoshoot experience. Thank you Susan.
Helen Lin-Chhatpar
20:41 31 Jan 18
Susan is an incredibly talented and professional photographer with a gorgeous elegant yet demure style. She is fun to work with, and very understanding and supportive of what you want to get out of your portrait experience. I absolutely love how my maternity portraits turned out and 100% recommend her to anyone that wants a keepsake with some "wow" factor.
Anne Raleigh Rees
18:01 22 Jan 18
my sons got me the most wonderful gift- a family photo shoot! Susan was lovely to work with and we are all happy with the finished product- thank you for capturing the family so beautifully and accurately- you even managed to get the dog in a few photos!
Aspa Psaradellis
11:02 06 Jan 18
Thank you once again Susan for a great photoshoot! We used Susan for a newborn photoshoot with our firstborn. We did it in our house so definitely more challenging for a photographer compared to being in a studio. Susan was amazing! Second time, again a family photoshoot with our second baby in our home. As always, Susan was great with the kids, and super efficient! We love our pictures! She managed to capture spontaneous moments full of laughter and happiness that to us are very precious! Thank you once again!
hpoonie
18:08 26 Dec 17
had a fab time at the shoot. Susan put us at ease.
Anna Maggioli
16:20 14 Dec 17
Susan is the perfect photographer to create beautiful memories of your family! We truly love her pictures, full of personality and love. We also enjoyed very much the shoot at her studio. She is simply professional and highly recommendable! We look forward for our next shoot with her!
Kelly Wu
00:30 30 Nov 17
We had lovely photo section with Susan, Susan was friendly and helpful. The images taken with Holland park in Autumn were gorgeous ! They are even better than I was imagined. Thank you so much Susan !
Nadia Strone
10:19 22 Nov 17
Its a pleasure working with Susan. Our exchanges before the shoot were great - I knew exactly what to expect and we got good advice on location and what to wear. The shoot went very smoothly, and Susan was able to capture fabulous shots, ticking off everything on my wish list. She was flexible and worked well with my two-year old daughter, dog, and husband - who does not like posing for the camera! I cant wait to work with her again.
Junya Hosaka
15:27 18 Nov 17
We had great experience with Susan.The shoot place were primrose hill.Her arrangements were perfect.Especially, she instructed us just right position and took us with sunlight filtering through the trees ingeniously.Our sons really enjoyed the photo shooting.The photos are so good and much exceeded our expectations.The photos and the experience are our precious memories in London !
danielle wright
13:51 10 Oct 17
We've just had our third photoshoot with Susan and are delighted with the photos yet again. Susan always makes us feel comfortable during the photo shoots and has captured some amazing images of our children.
Iivika Considine
18:35 04 Oct 17
We really enjoyed the entire session with the excellent Susan. She was prepared and patient (an essential skill when working with newborns) and was able to help Mom and Dad to enjoy the experience also! I'd have no hesitation in recommending Susan to capture those never to be replicated moments with your new arrival!
Miguel Oliveira
22:24 18 Sep 17
Susan was amazing through the entire journey: the photo session was delightful, in a very relaxed environment and it was a truly pleasant experience for both of us.The resulting pictures were absolutely fantastic: the attention to detail and expertise Susan put in the whole process made us feel more than happy with the pictures we chose.We highly recommend Susan's photo sessions.
Eliza Moldovan
10:24 17 Sep 17
Once again, we had such an amazing experience. Susan has a great personality and a spot on eye, able to improvise at any minute while we were outdoors. My daughter felt relaxed and happy and so did we. The pictures were fabulous and that is why I keep coming back to Susan for more and more photo sessions. I would recommend Susan to anyone who would want long lasting, quality memories.Thank you Susan, you've been brilliant again! xx
Steph
17:12 15 Sep 17
I really enjoyed my maternity photo session with Susan last weekend. She is warm, friendly and immediately made us feel comfortable. I wasn't really sure what I wanted, other than for us to capture 'the bump', but I love the varied, beautifully lit images she has produced. I'm happy we'll have these to look back on and remember this time. Definitely recommended!
Allegra Hardy
13:47 08 Sep 17
Susan is – extraordinary.It’s not just her astonishing ability to catch light that sets her images apart but also her innate skill at immortalising the relationships her subjects share. While her artistry is undoubtedly a well-honed gift, her easy going, welcoming and truly practical approach puts her subjects at ease and allows her to deliver startling portraits. Thank you Susan. Cannot wait till next time!
古見祐梨
09:06 08 Sep 17
Susan is such a lovely lady. She was so kind and friendly to our kids. We all really enjoyed the photo shoot. It was relaxing and so much fun! And all the photos came out amazingly beautiful. I definitely recommend her:))
Cátia Silva
15:35 15 Aug 17
Our daughters just love Susan! She's quite a talent with kids! Loved the pictures!
Heather Goodsir
19:51 05 Aug 17
We have just enjoyed a family photo shoot with Susan and have to say, the whole experience was fabulous from start to finish. Susan is absolutely lovely, warm and relaxed, putting us all instantly at ease. My children thought it was such a treat and even my husband discovered his inner diva! The resulting photos are gorgeous - I definitely recommend her!
Vincci Chan
21:53 26 Jul 17
Susan was so professional, photos were so naturally beautiful. Absolutely amazing. Enjoyed the shooting. Highly recommend her.
Kirsten Aldridge
08:16 21 Jul 17
Susan has photographed both our sons as newborns and we treasure the beautiful family images she has created. Susan has a lovely style, immediately putting everyone at ease, enabling her to get fabulous photos even when her subjects are not naturals in front of the camera!
Chris Vos
16:18 15 Jul 17
Amazing photographs, kids were really at ease. Many thanks
Yuki H
21:04 22 Jun 17
She knows how she can take pictures of best moment of family.
Franck Sauvage
14:11 12 Jun 17
Lovely people. Always happy
Tomoko Ohigashi
10:45 28 Apr 17
It was a fantastic experience. We all enjoyed every moment in the photo shoot. My children were so excited and love Susan! Photos are absolutely brilliant. Beautiful, warm, and stylish.I love the magic of natural light.
Aisha
18:41 21 Apr 17
Susan is amazing! The pictures are beautiful and magical. She made me feel very relaxed during the photo shooting and It was lots of fun! The results are absolutely gorgeous! Highly recommend her.
Yuka Aoki
19:19 28 Mar 17
Susan was absolutely amazing on photo shooting as she made us very relaxed and took beautiful photos of our family which will treasure forever! Thank you Susan!!!
Michelle Tolfrey
11:54 17 Mar 17
I had a lovely experience on my maternity photo shoot with Susan. She had a range of suggestions for the photos and created a comfortable and fun atmosphere. I'm so pleased with the results and will treasure these photos forever.
Marian Bavington
12:35 04 Mar 17
Wow! I am truly blown away by the photographs that Susan shot of my children. I can't stop looking at them. She has managed to capture such beautiful, gentle, elegant yet powerful images. I will treasure them forever. Susan made the children feel totally relaxed and at ease, they loved every minute of the shoot and had lots of fun. We have had professional shoots before but they have been nothing like this and it shows in what she has produced. Thank you Susan
Shiv Sriranjan
14:25 18 Jan 17
Susan came to our house to do a photo shoot of our 2 month old son. She was very prompt in replying to email messages and kept in touch to confirm our appointment date and time. We did not feel rushed and Susan allowed plenty of time to take photos of our son allowing for changes in his mood. We even walked around with him and played music to settle him when he was crying. We love the photos and hope to have another photo shoot with Susan when he is a bit older.Thank you.Shiv and Sen
Meena More
09:38 11 Jan 17