Mother looks at son standing in cot documentary child portrait
Images of motherhood abound and always have done even before the days of family photography – even before the advent of photography at all paintings depicted the Madonna and Child, and before that artists carved stone and wooden carvings and before that even cave paintings depicted the mother goddess and her children.

In mainstream media photos of mothers and motherhood can often focus on stereotypes and these can be perpetuated with images or perfection and family bliss on Instagram and social media. I’ve been delving behind these stereotypes both in my work as a family photographer focusing on more natural and real images of mothers – and fathers and children – and in my personal project work. My exhibition on Motherhood and Identity opens on Mother’s Day at On the Hoof in Sydenham and will be available to view for the whole of April, exploring and sharing stories of real mothers as their sense of identity adjusts to being a parent.
As Mother’s Day approaches I also wanted to bring together a wider collection of work looking at photos of real motherhood that I’ve collated from my work photographing families in London.
Madonna and Child: Images of Modern Day Motherhood.
Maternity photoshoot Wimbledon
Mother makes a cup of tea while holding newborn baby natural portrait London
Natural portrait of breastfeeding mother at home in Blackheath
mother breastfeeds her baby daughter on sofa at home in Blackheath
maternity photography London
mother and daughter enjoy reading on the sofa Blackheath family portrait
mother and son giggle over lunch at the kitchen table London family portrait
mother and children on their sofa at home family portrait
Mother looks at son standing in cot documentary child portrait
Mother sits with her daughter in the poppies Hall Place Bexley
Mother plays with her sons at home in London environmental portrait
Mtehr and sons at their home in London
deaf mother signs her daughter's name documentary portrait London
mother and son with downs syndrome sit on back step documentary portrait


Mother bottle feeds baby on sofa Forest Hill
documentary family photo session Horniman Gardens
son holds onto mum's leg. Mum holds younger daughter with I love mummy socks. Horniman Gardens
toddler waits for mum to finish washing up documentary family photos London
mother cuddles toddler documentary photo
Mother tends to sick child Sydenham
mother and children laughing on sofa Forest Hill
mother and baby on sofa natural photo
Horniman gardens natural photo mother follows daughter
Clapham natural family photos child kissing mother
documentary family photo session Clapham - mother dresses child
Mother and son laughing as they paint crafts. natural photo Clapham
Beautiful toddler natural photo London
black and white mother and child photo in blackheath

Mother and child London image
Mother kissing top of toddler son's head Tooting
documentary mother brushing daughter's hair London
Happy mother and child natural photo
Mother and child photo London
black and white photo of mother and child at Rockwell park London
mother and child cuddling Brockwell park
mother and child in Greenwich park photo session
newborn baby and mother photo session
Mother and child photo session - child kissing bump
Pregnant mother photo black and white London