Cornish Roots & Creative Work: My Photography Session with Born to Birth Cornwall

In November, after many 'big chats', me and Mr Tribe made the decision to move back to Cornwall. Bristol had been such a brilliant chapter in our lives, but we were craving more space, a bit of fresh sea air, and more time with family. So, we made the jump.

Relocating is no small thing. I’ve had all the worries — Will the kids be okay? Will the husband settle in? And what about my business — will it find its feet here too? But being Cornish born and bred, returning has meant reconnecting with some familiar faces I’ve not seen nearly enough over the years.

One of those faces is Gemma.

Gemma runs Born to Birth Cornwall, working as a Doula and antenatal teacher. She also organises The Nest — a warm, welcoming, and deeply supportive parent and baby group in Truro.

Gemma and I go WAY back. We met at college, and then worked together in our youth at a restaurant just outside Falmouth. She’s always been one of the loveliest, smartest humans I know, so when I landed back in Cornwall, I reached out to see if my photography might be useful to her. We met up for a coffee and had one of those glorious catch-ups that skips across fifteen or so years of life — two kids each, career changes, new passions, and now, new adventures.

Gemma invited me along to photograph one of her antenatal classes at The Family Space on the outskirts of Truro — a beautifully curated venue that radiates warmth and care. When I arrived, there were welcoming faces, thoughtfully prepared resources, and some truly excellent snacks (chocolate bark? Yes please). I couldn’t help but feel slightly envious — my own antenatal class six years ago definitely lacked these thoughtful touches!

It was such a joy watching Gemma at work. Her calm, confident approach demystifies the birth journey in a way that’s inclusive, informative, and empowering. She speaks with passion, warmth, and clarity — giving families the space and confidence they need as they prepare for one of life’s biggest transitions.

I asked her more about what guides her work. She shared:

“⁠My focus is on the needs of the individual, ensuring continuity of care; The relationship I have with my clients is VERY important to me. Also complimentary care; this isn't medical – I use my skills to work alongside the body (and medicine / medical approaches if needed) to boost everything.”

I’m really proud of the images I created for Gemma. They tell the story of a class that is nurturing, collaborative, and empowering — led by someone who clearly loves what she does and is brilliant at it.

If you’d like to find out more about Gemma and Born to Birth Cornwall, you can visit her page here. And if you’re curious about The Family Space, take a look here.

And if you’re a small business or community project in Cornwall looking for warm, honest photography that captures what you do — let’s talk. I’d love to help tell your story.

Sam x

Family Photography Focus

One of the brilliant things about having young kids is meeting other like minded parents. The young family in this blog I knew locally, and whilst I’m not the best at shouting out about myself, during our passings it somehow came about that as well as my telly work and ‘mumming’ that I’m a family photographer too. Having had a look at my portfolio, they decided they loved my photos and documentary style photography and booked me to capture them with their small people, whilst they’re still small.

Intimate Family Photo Shoot

The family wanted an intimate photo shoot at their beautiful home, so that I could take a record of what their time at home typically looks like. A potter and play in the garden, chilling in the lounge and lots of cuddles and family moments. With my sessions there isn’t necessarily a need to do anything special, time at home with the kids is just as perfect as a walk to your favourite woods or beach location.

Settling In

I made myself comfortable with the kids quickly, I like to do this by having a chat: asking them what their favourite toys are, what they like doing and accompany this with friendly smiles. Before we knew it, I was embedded and lying on the floor taking photos of playtime.

Here are some of my favourite photos from this family photography session. At the request of the family, they wanted non-identifiable shots of their wonderful children included in the blog, which is why we don’t see their lovely faces. But, I do think these photos capture the intimacy and magic from a beautifully simple family photo shoot.

Enjoy!

Capturing Connections

Blimey, it’s been a minute!

Blog writing isn’t something that comes naturally to me, I’ve never considered myself a ‘wordsmith’ and you won’t be surprised to hear that I’m more of a visual kinda girl, hence the, you know, photography and that.

But, lets agree to forget that it’s been nearly 8 months since my last blog, and I’ll take us to one of my shoots from 2024.

A young Mum reached out to me as she wanted to freeze frame a moment in time and capture the magical connection she has with her young daughter. This is one of the fantastic things about family photography, by investing in a photographer you can keep these memories, moments forever.

The shoot was such a joy, cakes were baked, toys were played with, beds were jumped on! I stood on chairs, laid on floors and pulled funny faces to get the shots and I’m so pleased to share these photos.

They’re a great example of the joy of the small moment, the small detail.

If you’re ready to invest in your family’s memories please do get in contact and we can plan an adventure together.

I hope you enjoy these nuggets of love and connection.