It's a fair question, and the simple answer is, yes it's free and there isn't a catch!

Your complimentary session and mounted print are genuinely free. To reserve your space, there's a £45 booking fee. This is returned to you at your cinematic premiere appointment, or can be put towards any additional artwork you choose.

There is absolutely no obligation to purchase anything beyond your included print, though many families do once they've seen their photographs and realise they would love to enjoy them as artwork in their home.

Mounted prints begin at £75, with wall art from £425, alongside portrait boxes and albums for those who would like something more substantial.

So why do we do it?

Rather than spending thousands of pounds on online advertising, we prefer to invest in local families and give them the chance to experience what makes Miranda Walton Photography different. We know that once people see their finished photographs, most choose to invest in artwork for their home or return to us as their family grows.

At your portrait premiere, you'll have the opportunity to see your photographs and, if you fall in love with more than your complimentary print, you can choose to purchase additional artwork. If you don't, you'll simply take home your complimentary mounted print and leave with a wonderful experience and beautiful memories.

We're in the heart of Towcester, on the 3rd floor above Towcester Mill Brewery (very family and pet friendly if you fancy a drink after your session. Parking is free (we'll bring you down a car parking pass when you arrive) and there's lift access. We have plenty of space for buggies, pets or large families. The address is Towcester Mill, Chantry Lane, Towcester NN12 6YY. You'll be given directions when you book.

We work a bit differntly here and don't put time limits on our sessions, that way you can be assured a relaxed, stress free photoshoot. Maternity, baby, family and pet sessions usually last around 1/1.5 hours and newborn sessions around 2.5 hours. I work around the ages of the children and their attention spans, but you'll never be rushed.

Absolutely no problem. We know that babies arrive early or late, little ones pick up bugs, and family life doesn't always go to plan.

If you need to move your appointment, simply let us know as soon as you can and we'll happily arrange another date. There's no penalty for rescheduling—we'd much rather photograph your family when everyone is feeling their best.

For newborn sessions, we also build flexibility into our diary, so if your baby decides to arrive earlier or later than expected, we'll simply adjust your session date accordingly.

Once you’re booked in, I’ll send you plenty of guidance on what photographs well and how to coordinate everyone without looking too “matchy”. In general, softer neutral tones always work beautifully because they keep the focus on your family rather than loud colours or logos. Creams, beiges, soft browns, whites, muted greens, soft blues and earthy tones tend to photograph timelessly both in the studio and outdoors.

I usually recommend avoiding:

Large logos

Neon colours

Busy patterns

Character clothing

Everyone wearing completely different colours

The goal isn’t for everyone to look identical. It’s more about making sure the colours complement each other so the photographs feel calm and cohesive.

For maternity sessions, I also have a selection of dresses, fabrics and styling pieces available to use in the studio if you’d like that more styled look, although you’re very welcome to bring your own outfits too.

Honestly though, please don’t panic about clothing choices. This comes up on almost every booking because everyone worries they’ll get it wrong. I’ll guide you through it and help you choose something that photographs beautifully without feeling overdone or uncomfortable.

This is probably the number one thing families worry about before a session… and almost always the thing they didn’t need to worry about at all! Children or pets do not need to sit perfectly still, smile on command or “behave” for me to create beautiful photographs. In fact, some of the loveliest images come from the in-between moments, the cuddles, the laughter, the running around, the personalities coming through.

I photograph pets and children exactly as they are, and after 20 years of photographing families, very little phases me anymore. Shy children, loud teenagers, energetic pets, toddlers who refuse to cooperate, children who spend the first 20 minutes pretending I don’t exist… it’s all completely normal.

The biggest thing is not putting pressure on them. Children and pets pick up on stress very quickly, so the more relaxed everyone is, the better the session tends to go.

I’ll guide things gently where needed, but sessions are designed to feel relaxed and pet/child-led rather than stiff or overly posed. We work around them, not the other way round.

I promise you, the families who apologise the most during sessions are usually the ones who end up crying at their slideshow because they can’t believe the moments we captured.

Most of the families who come to me say exactly the same thing before their session. Very few people arrive feeling completely confident in front of a camera or knowing exactly what to do with their hands, and that’s completely normal.

You genuinely do not need any experience at all. My job is to guide you through the entire session in a way that feels natural and relaxed rather than stiff or overly posed. I’ll help with positioning, where to look, what to do with your hands, how to stand, and gently guide things throughout.

A lot of the best photographs actually come from the moments in between rather than everyone staring perfectly at the camera anyway. Talking to your children, cuddling your baby, laughing together, or the dog doing something ridiculous… those are usually the images people connect with most later on.

And as for partners who “hate photos”, I hear that almost weekly, usually while the other half is standing beside them nodding very enthusiastically!

The good news is sessions are designed to feel nothing like awkward school photos. I keep things relaxed, easy-going and conversational, and I’m very aware that most reluctant partners are there because they love their family, not because they’ve spent years dreaming about a photoshoot.

The studio being on the third floor above Towcester Mill Brewery also seems to help motivation levels considerably. The promise of a drink afterwards has encouraged many reluctant partners through the studio doors!

Please don’t feel like you need to know what you’re doing before you arrive. That’s my job, not yours.

Your family, your decision. Before every session you'll get a permissions form to tell me exactly what you're comfortable with. If you'd prefer your images never appear on social media, my website or anywhere public that's absolutely fine, your files are immediately marked 'no media' so there's never any confusion . If you do allow me to share your photos, I never use names or tag you unless you ask.