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Since we really don't know when baby will decide to arrive, a newborn session can’t be “set in stone” scheduled months out, but you can contact us and we’ll put your due date in our calendar and then we will tweak the date when it gets closer to time and then nail down a date and time after you deliver. Be sure to give us a call soon after you deliver so that we can arrange your date and time ASAP. We’ve found that the most ideal time for newborn photos is between 7 and 10 days after birth. We usually like to schedule the session for early in the AM.
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Collect any items you want used in the session beforehand – family heirlooms, toys, monogrammed blankets, etc. We’ll go through these with you to determine what will look best in the photos. A boppy and a footrest or bean bag are helpful as well!
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We have about a zillion props (blankets, wraps, hats, bows). We’ll bring a lot of them to your session. We won’t use them all, but if you see something that you really like, let us know! We clean all of our items and wash all backgrounds and blankets after each session.
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The session will take place at your home – don’t worry about the state of your house. You just had a baby. No worries if the laundry and dishes are piled up!
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We shoot newborn sessions with natural light. Please keep in mind that we will set up in the room with the best window light. Make sure the rooms we might be in are tidy, so they we can get some lifestyle-type shots in addition to the posed ones.
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Have your house warm. Ideally, you’ll want the thermostat set around 80-85. For the adults it will be hot, but the baby will be toasty and happy. We’ll bring along a space heater.
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Plan to feed your baby just before your session begins. A well fed baby is a happy, content baby.
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After the baby is full, make sure they are burped. Gas can take a sleepy, happy baby to an uncomfortable and irritable one in seconds.
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Clothing for babies should be kept super simple – less is definitely best. Most of the portraits will be done naked or swaddled if you prefer. Your baby should be wearing minimal, loose-fitting clothing for best results.
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Loosen the baby’s diaper about 30 minutes before the session. This allows time for the diaper’s imprint marks to disappear.
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When we arrive we will take a look at all the props we have and figure out what we want to use and where. Once we figure out the location (whether it’s inside or outside) We’ll start setting up while baby is being fed.
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For the first shots, the goal is to get your baby as sleepy as possible so we can get some nice sleepy shots. Sometimes it takes time to get baby to sleep but patience pays off! We’ll spend a good deal of time just making sure baby is nice and “milk drunk” before we start taking photos
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Be patient. If the baby gets fussy or alert, don’t stress out. A baby can sense your anxiety and we want to keep the environment as mellow as possible. We will try and get the baby comfortable again, but if that just doesn’t seem possible, we’ll take a break or we’ll work with what he/she is giving us. Sometimes the best pictures are ones when the baby isn’t doing what we want. We’ll make it work!
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Be assured that if there is ever a point where you’re uncomfortable with the poses, simply let me know. We only want to do poses and shots that you are comfortable with.
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Don't feel bad if your baby pees on our stuff! It happens at almost every newborn session we do. Everything we have is washable. Don't stress it
