Barbican newborn photoshoot: a first outing to where it all began

Andrea Whelan is a London family photographer based in Greenwich, South East London. She photographs families, newborns, maternity, and visiting families across London and beyond.

Parents holding their newborn by the Barbican lake between concrete columns

At home in Shoreditch and then the Barbican


VIEW GALLERY
READ POST
Mum and dad walking along a London pavement with the pram, seen from behind
  • Parents holding their newborn beneath the Barbican Centre sign on a brick walkway
Mum and dad standing together holding their newborn son at home, black and white
Couple walking with their newborn between concrete columns beside the Barbican lake

Barbican newborn photoshoot: a first outing to where it all began

This Barbican newborn photoshoot started somewhere much smaller, on a sofa in Shoreditch. Their son was tiny, sleepy and completely unbothered by my camera. By the afternoon, though, we were standing under a lot of very famous concrete.

Why the Barbican for a newborn session?

It isn’t the obvious choice, I know. Most people picture soft blankets and a quiet nursery. But this family had three very good reasons.

Mum is an architect, and the Barbican is her favourite building. I had also been itching to shoot there for years. Above all, this is where the two of them got married.

So this was more than a walk with a pram. It was his first proper outing, to the place where their story began. Here is how I put it on Instagram:

Baby’s first proper outing and it was such a wildly perfect and meaningful place to take him. These photographs aren’t just about a new baby.

Starting at home in Shoreditch

We began at home, where everything is easy and warm. Dad sat in a bright red chair in front of a wall of books. Somehow the shelves were colour coded, which made me very happy. Meanwhile, mum leaned in and laughed at every tiny yawn.

I kept these first frames slow and close. Newborns are happiest when nobody rushes them.

So we fed, cuddled and settled at their pace, and I worked around it. Some of my favourite images are simply hands. After all, a small head resting in dad’s palm says plenty.

Columbia Road, yellow shopfronts and The Birdcage

Next, we packed up the pram and stepped outside. Our first stop was a brick wall with “meet your new best mate” chalked across it. That felt like a sign, so we used it. Then we wandered over the cobbles past Campania & Jones and on to Columbia Road.

The yellow shopfronts there are made for colour. And mum’s dress was a dream against them. Think bold stripes of red, blue and white, with a flash of mustard. I will be thinking about that dress for weeks.

We finished this part outside The Birdcage, with its green tiles and hanging baskets. Dad stood with his hands in his pockets. Meanwhile, mum held the baby and grinned at the sky.

Arriving at the Barbican

Of course, the Barbican has moods. Inside, one walkway glows blue from the ceiling lights. Another corner has textured walls and round globe lamps, like a stage set. We tucked the three of them into a deep window recess and let the lamps do the work.

There was also one mirrored ceiling I couldn’t resist. Look closely and you’ll spot me in it, crouched with my camera. Usually I end up in a gallery by accident. This time it was on purpose.

Snack breaks, the lake and Bunyan Court

Newborn sessions need pauses, and this one had lovely ones. They sat on a brick step near Breton House while dad handed mum a snack. She kept the baby wrapped in a blanket and ate one handed, like a pro.

After that, dad leaned down and kissed her forehead. Nobody asked him to.

Down by the lake, the columns and water made everything feel calm. At Bunyan Court, dad pointed up at the building mid story. Still, the look on mum’s face told me enough.

Planning your own Barbican newborn photoshoot

The estate is huge, so plan a loose route before the day. There are lots of steps, although lifts and ramps help with a pram.

Weekday mornings are usually quieter than weekends. In summer, the deep shade under the walkways is a gift for a new baby. It is still a home for thousands of people, so we keep things calm and respectful.

If you add Columbia Road, remember the flower market runs on Sundays. It’s busy and joyful, but tricky with a newborn. On other days, the street is much quieter.

As for clothes, one bold piece goes a long way against concrete. This dress proved that beautifully.

Places that shape a family

We ended on the big Barbican Centre steps, with the arched rooftops glowing behind us. Mum leaned against the Frobisher Crescent sign in her sunglasses. Later, dad followed her down the stairs with the pram.

These photographs are about more than a new baby. They show two people returning to a place that saw one chapter begin. This time, they brought back the tiny person who started the next.

A newborn shoot can happen anywhere that means something to you. Your home counts, and so does a favourite café. Even the building where you said your vows counts.

If a Barbican newborn photoshoot sounds like you, have a look at my family photography sessions in London. Then drop me a message and tell me about your place. I’d love to hear from you.

Parents with a pram silhouetted against a huge colourful digital art screen in London

  • Couple laughing together with their newborn beside a bright yellow Columbia Road shopfront
  • Mum and dad walking along a London pavement with the pram, seen from behind
  • Couple walking with their newborn between concrete columns beside the Barbican lake
  • Parents holding their newborn beneath the Barbican Centre sign on a brick walkway
  • Parents standing with their newborn beneath The Birdcage pub sign on Columbia Road
  • Couple holding their newborn outside The Birdcage pub on Columbia Road, low angle
  • Dad pushing a pram while mum carries their newborn past Columbia Road shops
  • Mum and dad looking at each other while holding their newborn by a yellow door
  • Mum and dad holding their newborn and looking out over the Barbican lake
  • Mum and dad in sunglasses leaning over their newborn son at the Barbican, black and white
  • Mum and dad standing together holding their newborn son at home, black and white
  • Dad with hands in pockets and mum holding the baby outside a pub, low angle
  • Newborn baby lying on dad's lap at home in Shoreditch, black and white
  • Close up of a newborn's hand wrapped around his mum's finger
  • Close up of a sleeping newborn cradled in his dad's hand at home in Shoreditch
  • Close up of a newborn asleep in his mum's arms against her bold striped dress
  • Mum carrying her newborn down the Barbican steps with dad and the pram behind
  • Mum smiling down at her newborn son beside green tiled pub windows in East London
  • Mum in sunglasses leaning against the Frobisher Crescent sign holding her newborn
  • Black and white reflection in a Barbican mirror ceiling showing the couple and the photographer
  • Black and white shot of parents walking by the Barbican lake with their newborn
  • Parents holding their newborn by the Barbican lake between concrete columns
  • Couple with their newborn framed between two concrete columns across the Barbican lake
  • Mum and dad resting foreheads together over their newborn outside The Birdcage pub
  • Dad kissing mum's forehead as she holds their newborn beside a Barbican column
  • Couple cuddling their newborn outside Campania & Jones near Columbia Road
  • Parents with a pram silhouetted against a huge colourful digital art screen in London
  • Dad standing with the pram in front of an East London tower block
  • Dad pointing up at Bunyan Court while mum holds their newborn in the sunshine
  • Dad in sunglasses lifting his newborn son up at the Barbican, black and white
  • Dad laughing in a red armchair with his newborn son in front of full bookshelves
  • Dad in a red chair holding his newborn while mum leans in, bookshelves behind Description
  • Dad holding their newborn while mum chats under a glowing globe lamp at the Barbican
  • Dad holding his newborn son upright against his chest at home, black and white
  • Dad feeding mum a bite of a snack while she holds their newborn in a blanket
  • Parents carrying their newborn along a cobbled street past Campania & Jones in East London
  • Couple cuddling their newborn in a Barbican window recess between two globe lamps
  • Couple with their newborn laughing against a Shoreditch brick wall with chalk writing
  • Black and white silhouette of the couple against Barbican towers and a lamp post
  • Couple sitting together with their newborn outside Breton House at the Barbican, black and white
  • Couple on their sofa cuddling their newborn under framed art prints in Shoreditch
  • Smiling couple in sunglasses holding their newborn with Barbican terraces behind
  • Black and white view of Barbican columns and lake with the couple small in the distance
  • Mum sitting on a brick step with her newborn while dad stands by the pram at the Barbican Description
  • Couple walking with their pram along a blue lit walkway during their Barbican newborn photoshoot
  • Couple walking with their newborn down a long lit Barbican corridor in black and white
  • Wide view of parents with their newborn against a textured Barbican wall with globe lamps
  • Wide view of the Barbican Centre steps with the tiny family walking down
  • Parents cuddling their newborn with the Barbican's arched rooftop terraces behind them

FAQ

Got Questions?

Weekday mornings are usually the calmest time at the Barbican. The walkways are quieter, and the light under the concrete is soft. Also, most newborns are fed and sleepy by then. We can plan the timing around your feeds.

Yes, although there are plenty of steps. Lifts and ramps link most of the main levels, so a little planning helps. I’ll suggest a route that keeps the pram moving. That way, nobody ends up carrying it down a staircase.

Concrete loves colour, so one bold piece works really well. Keep the rest simple and comfortable. Choose clothes that make feeding easy, because you will stop to feed. Soft layers help too, since the shaded walkways can feel cool.

It’s a short hop across East London. Many families take a cab between locations to keep things easy. Others walk it slowly with the pram. We’ll choose whatever feels right on the day.

That’s completely normal and fully expected. Newborn sessions run at the baby’s pace, not mine. We simply stop, feed and cuddle, then carry on. Some of my favourite pictures happen in those pauses.

Absolutely, and it’s one of my favourite ways to shoot. Home gives you the quiet, close pictures. Then a meaningful place adds the story around them. Tell me what matters to you and I’ll help shape the day.

JOURNAL

TRENDING

AS SEEN IN

Ready for me to bring your

STORY TO LIFE?

If your preferred date is not available, I'll let you know alternative dates I can do