Join us as we explore baby name trends in 2023, focusing on Māori names and the rise of gender-neutral names in Aotearoa New Zealand. Includes practical guidance on selecting a name and lists of trending names for 2023. Introduction: What will we cover in this blog? If you are short on time, you can skip to the sections you are most interested in: → The Naming Landscape in 2023 → Choosing the Perfect Name → Rising Popularity of Māori Names → Considerations for Pākehā parents → Embracing Gender-Neutral Names → Trending Gender-Neutral Names → Practical tips → Trending Names for Boys + Girls Choo ..read more

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Photographing toddlers or young children can be challenging, but when one has just been promoted to big sister or brother status, that’s a whole new ball game. Don’t worry; with the right approach, we will help you get a beautiful photo of your smallest family members. We aim to hold newborn photo shoots soon after your new baby arrives (usually between day 5 and 14 after birth), which means your other children will still be adapting to a significant change to their family routines. The arrival of a new baby can unsettle the calmest child and makes it essential to plan and prepare well. In th ..read more

Preparing for the arrival of your new baby can be an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming. One of the things that many mums-to-be find stressful — is what to pack in their hospital bag for the big day. That's why we've created a comprehensive hospital packing list to help make the process a little easier. Our packing list covers everything you'll need during your hospital stay, from essential items like clothes and toiletries to some little luxuries to help make your stay more comfortable. We've thought of everything, so you don't have to worry about forgetting anything important. No ..read more

As seen in Pregnancy Bump & Baby Magazine - Issue 15 Recently Pregnancy Bump & Baby Magazine asked me for some tips to help parents get the best photos from their newborn baby photoshoot. The magazine also printed another of my images alongside an article on building a bond with your new baby. Many thanks to my tiny clients Rafferty and Zoe who starred in the images published! Pregnancy Bump & Baby Magazine has loads of useful information for pregnant mama's and new parents and was the winner of the 2022 'Best Mother-to-be Platform" at the Lux Parent & Baby awards. You can che ..read more

Many of us, for a variety of reasons, will be choosing low or zero alcohol drinks this summer - but that doesn’t mean we should compromise on the taste. As a parent, I still enjoy a refreshing drink on a typical hot kiwi Summers day - but I don't want the kids running rings around me or the hassle of organising dinner with a headache ! I've been really pleased to find a huge improvement in the options available in New Zealand for low or non-alcoholic drinks that taste good and don't leave you feeling you've drunk a bottle of full-sugar fizzy! What makes a good non-alcoholic drink? The best non ..read more

Do I need to bring my own whānau Korowai plus other questions + answers about traditional Māori cloaks Do I need to bring my own whānau [family] Korowai? Yes, you will need to bring your own whānau Korowai. Because of the cultural significance of traditional Māori cloaks and what they represent, this is not something we can provide at the studio. Some of my clients have used a traditional whānau Korowai that has been passed down through generations and others have bought a new Korowai that has been created for their whānau with the intention of it being passed down to their tamariki [children ..read more

If you follow me on social media, you will see that I recently achieved a goal I have been working towards for a few years and gained my Associate Level Accreditation with the International Portrait Masters. As one of just a handful of photographers in New Zealand to achieve this to date (there are now two of us in the South Island), I am feeling pretty chuffed. In July 2022 there were 36 new Associates Accredited from countries around the world and the standard of the work created by these photographers is outstanding. To reach Associate I built a portfolio of 50 Awarded Images, based on scor ..read more

The early stages of pregnancy can be overwhelming and trying to find ways to deal with morning sickness, while attempting to keep the news to yourself, can make for a challenging first few months. Personal experiences vary greatly and the way your body responds to pregnancy is unlikely be the same as your friends, your family and maybe even your own previous pregnancies. We have compiled tips from medical professionals and Mums around the world to bring you a comprehensive 9 page guide full of information and suggestions. We hope the guide will assist you in managing your morning sickness and ..read more

With everything going on in the world, and with family and work life being super busy, I almost didn't enter anything into The International Portrait Masters image competition this time around. However, literally at the 11th hour before the deadline I grabbed three recent favourite images and entered them. All three images received a bronze award, which I was delighted with. There were more than 8,000 images entered internationally and the standard of the images is incredible. I feel very proud that my every day work sits alongside, and compares favourably, with the work of these talented inte ..read more