What a better blog post to start on than getting to know me. If you have seen my website or my social media posts then you have seen the work i produce, that’s a little bit of me, but not all of me, so here goes.
My name is Anneka Harden and i live, and have always lived in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. I’m 34 years old, however when people ask me my age i always go to say 32, i maybe in denial about getting older, but aren’t we all!
I have three children, my daughter Aniyah, who is 14, loves make up and can do perfect eyebrows! I still can’t believe i have a 14 year old, i was only saying the other day how i can remember being her age, time really does pass you by so quickly. Ethan who is 6, mad on lego and does a fab batman impression, and my littlest Charlie, who is 2, and such a chatterbox. My better half is Graham, and we have been married for 8 years and together for 10. He always supports my plans and crazy ideas, bless him!
Career wise photography was never my plan, when i was 15 i wanted to be a Midwife, and if you are around my age you will remember those red burgundy record of achievement books, i still have mine and it says in there i wanted to be a Midwife. Well i never made it that far, i did however work for the NHS, right up to June this year. Those who have known me for my 4.5 years in business know that i have done both jobs alongside each other until the time came that i loved photography more and it worked for my family, I can say now that the last 5 months have been wonderful for my work – life balance and that really is the most important thing.
So, photography started accidentally, i bought a camera then wanted to know its functions in manual, so i did an evening course, i completed level one and two and fell in love with photography. My friend from university was pregnant and her baby was the first i photographed, Baby Alma, who has now just started school! That is where i began and loved it so much. Since then i have invested time into training,to know how to pose a newborn safely, this is so important when looking for your Newborn Photographer. I always think you are trusting a stranger with your most precious possession, for them to fully understand what they are doing is the most important thing.
I have always been mobile, so i always go to the client, this really works for me. The whole family are so relaxed being in their own environment and i thank all of my clients who welcome me into their homes and for making me a lovely cup of coffee, which i have by the way as i don’t mind it cold. I say this to all parents because if your baby is sound asleep i will continue to work and drink my coffee later!
I adore my job, who wouldn’t want to meet someone so new, precious and tiny. To be given the honour to photograph them professionally, probably for the first time. It is an art, which i am obsessed with. I have a perfectionist attitude, that’s just me, i can spend a good half an hour straightening fingers, just ask some of my clients!
A few years ago i decided to volunteer for a charity called Remember My Baby, we provide a service where we photograph precious memories of babies born Stillborn, it is an honour to volunteer for this charity, that is so precious http://www.remembermybaby.org.uk/
My job isn’t even a job to me, it is half of me, the other half is being a Wife and Mother, some days its hard, but that’s the same for us all. Some days i will pick up my camera to take some photos of my kids and my husband will say have a day off! HA HA, its not work i just love it
Thanks for reading,
Anneka