WELCOME TO THE WORLD... BABY LILY
FOLLOWING A FAVOURITE BUMP SHOOT FROM LATE LAST YEAR, WE GET TO MEET BEAUTIFUL BABY LILY. RAVI AND PATI INVITED ME BACK TO THEIR GORGEOUS HOME TO MEET THEIR LITTLE LADY, AND CAPTURE HER CHARACTER AT A TENDER SIX WEEKS. WE WERE EVEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO CAPTURE HER FIRST SMILE!!
It wasn't long ago that I was last in their home, for their baby bump session. Pati was less than a month from her due date, and the excitement was really setting in. The nursery was almost finished; the wardrobe filled from edge to edge with adorable little outfits; soft and cosy teddies lining the cot; and perfect white and grey blankets piled high. When Ravi and Pati stood embracing in this room,
LIT ONLY BY THE DULL WINDOW LIGHT, THERE WAS AN OVERWHELMING SENSE OF PEACE AND CONTENTMENT.
I wondered how far from this they would be when I came back! We all know, with a knowing smile, that along with the absolute heart-stopping love of a newborn, is the complete chaos. This chaos, from the outside,
SHOWS ITSELF AS A TORNADO OF MUSLIN CLOTHS, NAPPIES AND DUMMIES.
I fully expected to catch up with these guys through this sort of chaos.. But I was wrong.
I turned into their open plan kitchen/ living space, to the peaceful vision of baby Lily feeding. All was quiet and super still. Pati was
STROKING LITTLE LILY'S LONG DARK HAIR WITH HER FOREFINGER, SMILING AS IT SPRUNG BACK UP ON ITS END.
What heaven. I even found myself whispering my 'Hello', so as not to pierce through the moment.
This peace obviously didn't last the entire day. At one point, Lily was inconsolable. Her father, Ravi walked her over to the kitchen window and started rocking her back and forth. As I snuck up on them with my camera (not as creepy as it sounds, promise. I do this a lot during baby sessions) I heard music. Whilst still hushing and soothing Lily, Ravi whispered to me,
"IT'S HER FAVOURITE SONG, IT ALWAYS SENDS HER TO SLEEP".
The song? Blur's 'Tender'. I melted into a puddle on the floor.
I was 16 when this song came out, and it still sounded so fresh that day, 18 years later; sweet and heartfelt. Even the lyrics were fitting at times...
"TENDER IS THE TOUCH, OF SOMEONE THAT YOU LOVE TOO MUCH"
So though we had the loveliest time photographing Lily in own her right, it was these two moments which struck a chord; one with her mother, and one with her father. In-home sessions, for this and so many other reasons, are super special. I understand the value of studio work, and the creative control it achieves.
BUT OH MY GOSH, I WOULDN'T CHANGE THESE MOMENTS FOR ANYTHING.
It might be messier to work between the madness of a newborn's daily routine, at home, but how else could you possibly want to remember this?
Huge thanks to this beautiful family, for inviting me and my camera in. Lily is already an utter heartbreaker.. I mean, look at her! R & P... You made a beautiful human :)
Here is that Blur track, incase you needed another Lullaby to hush your little ones to sleep.
GWx
