The emotions fathers feel in the moments immediately before and after their children are born have been captured by a celebrity photographer.
Tom Oldham spent 72 hours taking pictures of nervous dads at University Hospital Lewisham as their partners gave birth, and hours later as they held their newborns.
Hector Adebambo, 32 from Bromley, who named his son Zion, said: “I can’t find the words to describe how I felt when I first held him. Just amazed.”
First-time father Toan Lam, 34, saw his son Jace, born on April 4. He said: “My outlook changed instantly and I knew I would need to be there every step of the way.”
Portraits of nervous dads taken by Tom Oldham
Lead Midwife Tracy Thomas said the project was important as there is “not enough focus on the rollercoaster that men experience”.
Portrait artist Oldham, who has worked with Ed Sheeran, Muse and The Prodigy, said: “It was incredibly difficult to focus through the tears in my eyes.” Becoming A Father was commissioned by PlayStation to mark the release on Friday of God of War in which hero, Kratos, navigates fatherhood.
