The story behind the photo | A nervous flyer with children
A photography newsletter
Edition 11 - 14 February 2024
I took this photo as the plane was approaching landing in Turin, Italy. The light was great, and I always feel a ping of excitement when I see the ‘homeland’ from above as we start descending after crossing the Alps.
I’ve been travelling to Italy with the children for nearly 12 years. I took my son for the first time when he was only 10 weeks old and travelled alone with him. Packing took a whole week, and the entire journey was incredibly stressful: faffing around with the buggy, bottles, nappy changes, worrying about him crying on the plane, and relying on the kindness of others to hold the baby so I could go to the toilet or put a jacket on.
Flying with two toddlers was even harder—especially that time with a 2-year-old still in nappies and a projective-vomiting baby and no free hands to have a gin & tonic on board!
The journey is much easier now, and I admit I’m one of those parents who allows anything that makes ME have a good time (namely, snacks & screens).
For years, I was a very nervous flyer. This didn’t stop me from travelling, but I started and finished every holiday with anxiety about the journey. I am determined not to pass this onto my children, so I make a point of acting completely cool and composed when up in the air, even during bad turbulence. Having to act calm makes me feel calm, and I have to say that since flying with children, the fear has subsided. Their excitement at takeoff is contagious. My children simply don’t know me as a nervous flyer, and they have absolutely no fear of flying. My eldest has been on over 80 flights and even wants to be a pilot when he grows up.
In taking this photo, I was limited by the tight space and by the strong light: too much window light and my subjects would have been washed out. I wanted to include both children, so I used layers to fill the frame while shooting at an angle (my eldest in the foreground, the youngest in the middle, and the windows in the background).
I am a documentary family photographer based in Dulwich, primarily serving East Dulwich, Herne Hill, and Peckham, and I am available to travel across London and beyond. Get in touch if you are interest in booking a session with me.