Family & Newborn Photographer
Natural Family Portrait & Lifestyle Photography
Because the beauty is in the everyday.
It’s those ordinary fleeting moments we treasure when life moves on.
As family lifestyle and newborn photographers, we create snippets of your family life at that specific moment in time.
WE LOVE:AUTHENTIC FAMILY PORTRAITS
LIFESTYLE NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY
RELAXED MATERNITY SHOOTS
From the moment I contacted Ayla ‘till we received our pics, she was hugely warm, informative and professional. She was fantastic with our newborn son and we loved how she captured our everyday life so naturally and beautifully. She spent over 4 hours capturing our family with excellent creative ideas and a great eye for detail. We couldn't be happier, thank you Ayla!
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— ANDREW FRANCIS
WHAT WE DONatural Family Photos
Sometimes it's the in between moments that have the biggest impact on us when we look back at them.
Have you ever looked at photos from your own childhood and thought, "Oh, I remember that room, Grandad's chair, that house, or how I used to be too little to reach that food cupboard?"
The nostalgia wouldn't be the same if your photos were taken in a studio. Whether you'd like to stay at home for your shoot or take a walk to the park, we believe the beauty is in the every day. It's those house moments, ordinary experiences we treasure when life moves on.
STAY RELAXED WITHAt-Home Family Photoshoots
The best thing about at-home family photoshoots is that you are relaxed in your own environment. This means your family photos will be a natural and true representation of your life. However, having a home shoot doesn't mean we can't venture outside for a few shots. Or, if you'd prefer an outdoor family photoshoot, a family picnic is always a good option!
But what does ‘natural’ mean?
When it comes to your family or newborn photos, it's all about context. Some setup is necessary, such as bath time, play time or choosing a nice light area in your house, but the interaction with your environment should be unstaged.
Family sessions of 3 hours or more allow the natural moments to happen. This way, you are not under any pressure to get smiles on demand and there's time for your child to sleep, eat, bathe, cry, nap and perhaps a cup of tea for the adults.
BEHIND THE LENSAyla AkdemirBased in Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex, I enjoy travelling to families in Leigh-on-Sea, London, and surrounding areas, bringing my unique, heartfelt photography to capture the essence of family life.
Family Lifestyle Photographer
My name is Ayla (pronounced like the name Isla), and I'm the chief Wagtail here at Wagtail Productions. I have always been obsessed with taking photographs, even as a child, documenting our lives at home.
I used to work in the film industry, within the camera department. I decided to move on from that and took a job as an au pair in Venice, looking after 3 children and teaching them English. That's when my passion for capturing unscripted, natural moments reignited. I was deeply moved by this family's life and documented some of their most memorable childhood moments. I realised then that preserving memories for others is my calling.
This passion is evident in what I consider my default state: whether filming a friend breastfeeding to capture the fleeting tenderness or saving home videos that showcase changing family structures. The preciousness of these memories is profound. It’s why, during a group kayaking day, I made sure to get a meaningful photo of the family I was with after they mentioned it was a significant holiday.
Family Photoshoot Packages
01
*Best for marking a family milestone with a portrait*Family Mini Sessions
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These are 30-minute slots per family in an attractive setting chosen with care by me, such as a garden, beach or woodland. They are usually perfect for framed gifts!
You will get 10 edited images.
02
*Best for a variety of shots such as playtime and bathtime*Memories Made
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2-3 hours sessions at your home or a preferred location. This sessions gives us time to have a variety of shots including garden group shots and lifestyle photos.
You get 60 edited images.
03
*Best for family portraits involving other family members*Family Feature
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I spend the whole morning or afternoon with your family from feeding, to napping, to a day out at the beach. This package works well if you have other family members that you'd like to get involved, such as grandparents.
100 edited images in colour and B&W
Up to 5 hours shoot
3 prints up to 10x8''
FAQs
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As a parent, you say goodbye to many versions of your child and get to know new exciting ones. It’s a cliche for a reason- they grow up so quickly. Let’s not forget how valuable your photos will be become to them as you grow older too. The everyday moments seem endless, until you look back and realise life is unrecognisable. Imagine looking at your twelve year old, in disbelief that they once had a newborn scrunch. You look at the treasured photos of them running towards you, arms out stretched with THAT adorable grin. Being wrapped in a hooded towel after a bath.
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We encourage neutrals for family portraits. Patterns can detract, but classics allow the interactions to shine. However, it is important you all wear something that you are comfortable in and still feel like you. For Men in particular, shirts often have logos or big writing and it is best to avoid these, especially for baby photos- as these logos can appear right next to the babies head as they snuggle on your chest.
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We have any number of family members in our shoots, from portraits focused on one baby or child, to multi-generational picnics in the park. If you are a parent who would like the moments between you and your child captured but are conflicted about being in the photos, rest assured this is not unusual, but it is usually overcome in the first ten minutes and is certainly gone when you receive such beautiful photos. We are very good and creating a no pressure environment and are happy to discuss this with you prior to shooting.
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We love natural light. The best places for this can be outdoors in the park, woods, beach, or simply at home, in the garden or inside by window light. We encourage you to interact with your child in the home as you normally would. They’ll have time to play, feed and nap. If we need more light inside, particularly for winter shoots, we may move the activity to a lighter part of the house. For example, we have used a baby bath in the kitchen/diner many times before, as that can be the lightest room. Looking at the photos, it does not look out of place as we frame out tell signs such as appliances.
KIND WORDS
THU TIEU“We got Ayla to do our first family photoshoot and it was the most relaxed and enjoyable experience.
She did an amazing job capturing all the little perfect moments and the photos turned out beautiful. I would highly recommend Ayla for those who want more of a 'natural' photoshoot and less staged.
ZARA COLLARD“We have had two photo shoots with Ayla now and have been thrilled with the photos from both.
The first was a baby shoot with me, my husband, and our daughter, who was 8 months at the time, and the second was a family shoot, with my parents and sister included, with my daughter at 19 months. The shoots are relaxed and stress-free and we are so pleased with the photos from both. Highly recommended!
IF YOU’VE MADE IT ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE, WHY NOT TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
Arrange a complementary consultation.
It's straightforward, relaxed, and comes with no obligations. We'll keep it informal, chat through your plans and focus on what you’d like to get. You can also ask any questions you may have about the packages.
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