How autism has shaped me as a mother and a family and newborn photographer.
Pegston Hills, Bedfordshire. Summer 2025.
Being a mother has changed me in countless ways, but nothing has shaped me more deeply than raising my two girls, Isabelle and Evie. They are twelve and ten now and both of them have taught me different lessons about love, patience and what it really means to understand another human being. Our autism journey with Evie has not been neat or predictable. Some days feel overwhelming, some feel full of pure magic and most fall somewhere in between. Every moment has softened me, stretched me and made me slower and more intentional. It has changed the way I mother and the way I see the world through my camera.
Evie experiences the world differently and because of her I have learned to do the same. I do not get tiny hints with Evie. I get the full storm. I know the exact moment her energy flips, when the world gets too loud, too bright, too much. Nothing about it is subtle and that is how I have learned to love her best. She has taught me to stop in my tracks, to breathe before I speak, to bring calm when everything around us is shaking. She has shown me how important it is to celebrate the tiniest wins, even on the days when we are barely scraping by. She has taught me that safety and trust are everything, that overwhelm is communication, not misbehaviour, and that there is incredible beauty in seeing someone exactly as they are.
And then there is Isabelle. She is growing up alongside a sibling who experiences the world differently and that comes with its own challenges. Their relationship is not always smooth. There are moments of tension and moments of distance as they both work out who they are and how to exist alongside each other. Even through the tricky days, Isabelle brings her own quiet strength into our home. She has her own softness, her own courage and her own way of reading a room. She teaches me just as much.
All of this has naturally shaped the way I photograph families. My work is slow, gentle and deeply intentional. I watch carefully for comfort cues. I give children space when they need it and closeness when they seek it. I never force smiles or push for perfection. My aim is always to create an environment where everyone can breathe, be themselves and let the honest moments unfold.
Customers often ask me how I am so patient. The honest answer is that I live in a very neurodiverse house. Patience is not a skill I only picked up for photography. It is something life taught me long before I ever picked up a camera. It is wired into how I move, how I listen and how I understand children who sometimes need the world to slow down for a moment.
And I know I am not alone in this journey. So many parents are walking similar paths. Some are years into their autism story. Some are just beginning. Some are still searching for answers or the right support. Wherever you are, I want you to know you are not alone and you are not behind. Your child is not too much and neither are you. If you ever need a listening ear, whether you want to share a win, talk through a hard day or simply feel understood for a moment, I am always here. Parenting a neurodiverse child can feel isolating, but connection makes everything feel a little lighter.
My girls have shaped me in so many ways. Isabelle with her honesty and kindness. And Evie with her sensitivity and her wildness and her creativity and the unpredictable, full-hearted energy that keeps us all on our toes. Together they have influenced how I mother, how I slow down, how I pay attention and how I create. Their presence is gently woven into everything I do, into the calm, the empathy and the way I hold space for families. All the challenges, the breakthroughs and the soft everyday moments with them have added something to the photographer I am today and I am grateful for every bit of it.
I photograph newborns, mothers and families in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire in a gentle, natural style that celebrates real connection. If this sounds like you, I would love to create something meaningful for your family.
