A Greenwich maternity session at home, in the park, and at the Old Royal Naval College
Andrea Whelan is a London Maternity photographer based in Greenwich, South East London. She photographs families, newborns, maternity, and visiting families across London and beyond.
Greenwich Maternity Photo Session
When I arrived for this maternity session, there were still builders’ tools in the hallway.
The nursery wasn’t quite finished. The bed, the actual bed they’d be sleeping in when they brought their baby home, hadn’t arrived yet. We were past 35 weeks. The countdown was on!
I love this stage of pregnancy. There’s a particular quality to it that you can’t fake or recreate earlier: a softness, a turning-inward, a sense of waiting that’s gone from abstract to imminent. You can see it in how people stand, how they hold each other, how a hand rests on a bump differently at 36 weeks than at 28.
Starting at home in Greenwich
We started in their home. Just the two of them, in the kitchen and on the sofa, with the late afternoon light and the big sash windows. I followed them around while they made tea and sat together and laughed about the unfinished rooms.
This is how I like to begin a maternity session whenever I can. At home, where people are most themselves, before anyone’s thinking about cameras or what to do with their hands. By the time we go outside, the awkward five minutes are already behind us.
Why I love being a Greenwich maternity photographer
One of the things I love about working in this part of London is that I never have to manufacture a backdrop. The Old Royal Naval College is never far away. For couples who live nearby, we can move from a quiet domestic scene to one of the most beautiful baroque architectural settings in London without anyone needing to drive anywhere or change clothes more than once.
It also means I know the light. I know which colonnade catches the late sun, which gate to walk through to avoid the tour groups, which corner of Greenwich park stays gentle when everywhere else has gone harsh. Years of photographing families here adds up to something useful.
Up into Greenwich Park
Then up into the park, where the autumn light was doing exactly what I’d hoped it would. Low, warm, slightly golden, and gentle enough that nobody had to squint.
There’s something about photographing a couple this close to meeting their first baby. They’re already different people than they were six months ago. They’re already a family. The third person just hasn’t arrived yet.
Baby Arrived Early
Soon after this session, and earlier than expected. The bed arrived just in time, and I got a message asking if I could come back for a newborn shoot.
I love it when a maternity session turns into a newborn session turns into a first birthday, and so on. It’s one of the quiet privileges of doing this work for as long as I have. You don’t just photograph a moment, you get to photograph the people across moments.
Thinking about your own maternity session?
If you’re pregnant with your first baby and you’re based in Greenwich, Blackheath, or anywhere across southeast London, and you’re thinking about a maternity session that mixes home and the park and maybe a few minutes at the ORNC, get in touch. I’d love to hear from you.
What you get
A gallery of around 60 to 80 edited images, delivered online within two to three weeks. High-resolution, print-ready, yours. Optional prints, frames and a fine-art album if you want them.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to book a maternity session?
Somewhere between 32 and 36 weeks is the sweet spot. Late enough that the bump is properly there and unmistakably a bump, early enough that you’re still comfortable walking around, sitting on the floor, and standing through a session. If it’s your first baby, you’ve usually got a bit more flexibility at the later end. If it’s your second or third, I’d lean a little earlier.
Where do you photograph maternity sessions in Greenwich?
Most of my Greenwich maternity sessions start at home and then move outside. Favourite outdoor spots include Greenwich Park, the colonnades at the Old Royal Naval College, and the streets around Maritime Greenwich.
Do we need to know how to pose?
No. My job is to set up the situation, find the light, and then let you be together while I work around you. Most clients tell me afterwards they forgot the camera was there for stretches at a time, which is exactly the goal. Don’t worry, I offer gentle guidance on all my shoots.
How long does a maternity session last?
Around 90 minutes, give or take. That’s long enough to settle in, move between locations if we’re doing both home and outside, and end before anyone gets tired. At 35+ weeks, longer than that isn’t usually a good idea anyway.
Do you photograph newborns too?
Yes. A lot of my maternity clients come back for a newborn session in the first two weeks after baby arrives, and many continue with family sessions after that.
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