Many cultures around the world celebrate the birth of their baby by organizing what is called a Naming Ceremony. It differs in different countries, and even within countries, may differ within families. Working with Rukayya and her family for the second time, I kind of knew what to expect seeing that I’ve documented the arrival of their first birn daughter, Nadine, a couple of years ago.

This time, with the birth of Nadia, Rukayya had chosen to birth and celebrate in Dubai. Her birth took place at Al Zahra hospital and the naming ceremony took place at a beautiful Moroccan restaurant downtown called Bab Al Mansour.

A Naming Ceremony includes the official naming of a child that has been newly welcomed into a family. Parents and significant family members have an opportunity to come forward with declarations of their promises & commitments to raising this new baby. It is a wonderful experience to watch how family members come together to celebrate this brand new life, and wonderful to see how despite being thousands of miles away from home in Nigeria, Rukayya and her family still chose to hold one here in Dubai!

Don’t forget to check out the video below!

What I love about Dubai is the fact that it’s a huge cultural melting pot. People come here as individuals, open to a world of new experiences, and sometimes they get lucky and meet the loves of your lives :) Being a Dubai Newborn Photographer gives me a small peak into many people’s lives, which is something I find SO interesting and curious. I love analyzing family dynamics, watching people fall in love with their little ones, or fall in love all over again with their loved ones. Life is too short, and it is meant to be enjoyed.

Baby Oliver, here, is the cute result of a multicultural love, he’s half Polish half Romanian and 100% adorable.

I love at home newborn shoots. I say it all the time, I KNOW! But i just love them. The pictures will almost always be guaranteed to look and feel different, and guaranteed to have a relaxed vibe.