Congratulations on expecting! Whether this is your first baby or you are continuing to grow here are some key tips for a successful Newborn Session!
Newborn Sessions are typically scheduled within the first 10 days of birth. (If you are choosing to circumcise your baby boy please take care to schedule our session before the procedure. It can be very uncomfortable for baby to be posed and there is a risk of infection if a circumcision is scheduled before.) This is when baby is is still very sleepy and easily posed. After two weeks it is much more difficult to pose and manipulate them as they become more aware and are often easily disturbed.
Please feed baby as much as possible in the 12 hours prior to your session time. A full tummy will keep baby sleepy and calm. If you are bottle feeding please bring extra bottles. The fuller the baby the better.
Try to interact with and keep baby awake for 1-2 hours before your session to ensure he/she is good and sleepy for the session. This is very important! Without this we will spend too much time settling and getting baby to sleep and less time photographing them.
Dress baby in loose fitting clothes and avoid anything that needs to be removed over baby's head. I highly recommend a zipper or button pajama.
Bring a pacifier! Even after feeding baby they will sometimes need a little bit of soothing in order for them to be safely posed into certain poses. A pacifier is extremely helpful and easily removed without the potential mess a bottle would make on backdrops and wraps.
A warm studio is essential to a successful session. Please dress in layers as what is perfect for baby can be uncomfortably warm for parents.
For parent portraits I suggest neutral colors and patterns as we don't want to distract from your sweet baby. (They are the star!)
Accidents happen! I can almost guarantee that baby will pee, poop, or spit up so please bring extra wipes and blankets!
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN ARRIVING AT THE STUDIO
When you arrive we will take a few minutes to feed baby if needed and undress them. During this time we will make final selections on outfits, wraps, etc. and discuss any desired shots and poses. I will undress baby and wrap them. If siblings are present we will start with sibling poses and parent shots. From there we will move into solo photos.
Please be patient, session times can vary with each baby and can be as long as 3 hours. Following this guide as closely as possible will help to reduce the time spent settling baby.
Babies will want their mamas and can tell if you are unsettled. For this reason I encourage parents to sit back and relax while I move through my posing flow.
Your baby's safety is of the upmost importance to me so I may ask for some assistance with certain poses.
I am a baby-led newborn photographer meaning despite your dream of getting that perfect chin on hands pose or any other more complicated pose I will not force a baby into any pose they are resistant to. I will work to soothe them as much as possible but I will never risk your baby's safety for "the shot".
Thank you for entrusting your little miracle with me and I look forward to capturing all the little details that will fade from memory over time! Photography remembers the little things, long after you have forgotten everything.