TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL NEWBORN SESSION
I LOVE photographing newborns! Newborn photography is incredibly challenging, but it’s such a blessing to be allowed to take part in your baby’s life when they are just days old. There’s a bit of prep and planning that needs to go into these sessions to make them more successful and less stressful though. Here I’ve compiled a few tips and tricks below to help get the very best out of your upcoming newborn session.
BOOKING YOUR SESSION WITH ME
I put my whole heart into every newborn session that I work on. 🩷 Hours are devoted to prep, color selection, the session itself (somewhere between 2-4 hours in an 80 degree room), editing, and delivery. With all that said I don't have unlimited hours like I wish for 😅 so I tend to have a full schedule months in advance with a waitlist in some situations. I wish I could accommodate everyone but thats not always the case.
I only take 3-4 newborns a month to ensure my health both physically and mentally! 😂 for this reason:
👉🏻 👉🏻 Plan to book in at least 2 months early to guarantee a spot on my calendar! 👈🏻 👈🏻
****With all that said I do have a waitlist I keep for people, which simply means I take your name and see if I can find anyway to squeeze you in because I don't like turning away baby snuggles!****
BEST TIME FRAME FOR NEWBORN SESSIONS
Newborn sessions SHOULD be scheduled within the first 14 days of life. However, the BEST time is between 5-10 days after their arrival. This is the time frame where babies are still in their adorable sleepy phase (you know the ones I'm talking about, sleepy squishy baby snuggled in the perfect curl) Somewhere around day 10 they discover stretching! Once that happens…they’re not about to let us get them into those curly poses without a fight! After day 14, it’s almost impossible to get baby into that deep sleep that came so easily in their first few days…so it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to get them into any of the more bendy newborn poses. Newborn acne (and sometimes colic) tend to flare up after day 14 also. While I can easily edit problem areas, I prefer to do as little retouching as possible to baby’s skin. That all being said, I understand that sometimes there just isn't a possibility around waiting longer and I will strive to make the best of whatever time frame we have to work with. Just understand that in these cases, sometimes the portfolio will look a bit different (i.e. more snuggly wrapped photos)
KEEPING BABY AWAKE
This is the big one ladies and gentlemen! Most of the images I shoot work best if baby is in deep sleep mode. This means keeping baby up for an extended timeframe and minimal napping the day of the session. But don't worry I walk through all these details with you leading up to the session. <3
FEED, FEED AND FEED BABY
What’s the best way to get baby to stay in deep sleep mode? It’s called the “milk drunk” baby effect. In other words, I ask that you feed and burp baby right before the session. Also, bring extra & extra milk/formula so the baby can eat again during the session if they get hungry. It's hard work being a tiny model!
PATIENCE AND CALM
A newborn shoot will last somewhere between 2-4 hours depending on the babies mood. Unfortunately this is something that is unpredictable. So I ask that you remain calm and have some faith, because babies have a tendency to pick up on stress cues and that tends to make it even more complicated to get the baby to relax.
POOP HAPPENS!
Please don't feel embarrassed or worry when this happens, because they all do it. We wash all of our baby props and blankets between each session with non-scented baby detergent. (This is why I only schedule one newborn to two newborn sessions per day tops!) This is natural and I expect it! If we are doing a lifestyle session in your home, it would definitely be helpful if you had a stack of old towels, extra wipes and blankets available for when things get messy though.
*Also for lifestyle sessions: If you would like shots in a diaper, it’s a good idea to have a cloth diaper, diaper cover in a solid color, bloomers, or something to put over the diaper. Diapers on their own tend to look a little messy and distracting in photos, but throwing a cover over it cleans things up.
PROPS
I have a wide selection of props to use for your newborn, but I am always open to using your own props as well. If you have family heirlooms, sentimental trinkets, etc. that you would like me to use please let me know in advance! I might not be able to use all of them but we can go through them and determine what will work the best.
*I start planning out your session weeks in advance, so dropping a huge idea on me mid-session (that requires an unavailable prop) can cause stress on everyone! So talk to me early on and stay in touch to let me know what you have in mind!
SPEAK UP!
Your baby’s safety comes first! If there is ever a point where you become uncomfortable, just let us know! We take every measure to ensure that your baby is never in any danger. For that reason, we will always make sure that a parent is nearby to lend support if needed.
BUT WHAT DO *I* WEAR?
I know right?! You just had a baby and you might not be feeling at your best. Thats why I believe this is the perfect time to pamper yourself!
Go have your hair + makeup done (or better yet, have someone come to you!), schedule a massage or have your nails done. Looking super relaxed and at your best will make you feel more comfortable during the session. This is an exciting time in your life and we want to capture all of that…so take care of yourself first! And feel free to tell your husbands that we’re making you if he need a little convincing! ;)
As far as clothing? Keep it simple. Throw in a little color if you’d like, but skip the busy patterns. (And please don’t feel the need to match everyone in white shirts and jeans – there’s simple…and then there’s matchy matchy!)
We’re also big fans of skin-on-skin portraits with you holding your baby against you. They’re so simple + timeless!
So if you want some portraits like this with your newborn, consider a strapless top/bra and/or tank top as an alternative.
FOR THE MEN
Your hands, and possibly even your feet, will play a major role in this session, so it’s important that you tend to them too!
Even if you aren’t planning on participating much in the session, you’ll still be handling your baby a bit, so it’s a good idea to touch up on your grooming.
Trim and tidy your nails and apply lotion to any dry skin. (It also never hurts to dab a little moisturizer on your face to help you look more refreshed. Those late nights can take a toll on your skin!)
A little clothing advice? Long or short sleeved knits are best. (Make sure there isn’t too much bagginess in the sleeve.) Undershirts also work well.We suggest you NOT wear button down shirts with any type of small plaid pattern and make sure your t-shirts are free of logos or too much writing.
*Wrinkles do show up in photos, so please make sure all clothing is ironed or steamed. The retouching involved is extensive and will incur an extra fee.