‘I turned my passion into a profession’: Milton Keynes newborn photographer wins international awards for her work
A Milton Keynes woman who specialises in newborn, maternity and children photography says she very proud after winning international awards for her work.
Jitka Wenham, who is based in the Medbourne area of the city, set up her own business ten years ago and says she is delighted to have been recognised by the Guild of Photographers, one of the country’s leading professional photographic bodies.
Jitka, who moved to the UK from the Czech Republic 20 years ago, told the Citizen she had loved photography from a young age.
“Photography truly became my passion when my eldest son was born,” the mum-of-two said.
“I suddenly realised how fleeting those early days are.
“I started photographing friends and family, and very quickly became hooked.
“Ten years ago, I decided to turn my passion into a profession, and since then, I’ve trained extensively, invested in specialist newborn safety training, professional equipment and studio space, and built my business here in Milton Keynes.
“Newborn, maternity, and family photography all feel so special to me because these are one-in-a-lifetime moments.”
Jitka recently received two awards from The Guild of Photographers, being named an International Top Ten Photographer in both the People and Maternity, Newborn and Babies categories.
She was also named a top ten finalist in the ICON International Awards, a prestigious annual international photography competition focusing on wedding, portrait and creative photography.
The live judging finals for these awards are held at the WPPI Photography Conference in Las Vegas.
Jitka added: “The feedback is often very emotional. Parents frequently say how grateful they are to have beautiful portraits of a stage that passes so quickly.
“Many families return year after year, from maternity sessions to newborn shoots, and then family portraits as their little ones get older.
“Watching those families grow is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.
“Being a mum myself helps me truly understand how important it is to capture these memories.”
As well as newborn and maternity photography, Jitka also claims to be the first cake smash photographer in the area, with these sessions for babies featuring portraits with birthday props, a cake smash and a bubble bath.