What to Expect: Newborn Baby Photo Session

I’m very excited about your upcoming newborn photo session. There are a couple of tips to follow in order to help your baby rock the photo shoot!

Prep Before Your Session

In order to help your baby fall asleep during the session, and get those sleepy baby poses, I recommend keeping your baby awake for the 1.5-2 hours before the session. I know, I know. It’s a newborn. They LOVE to sleep. But if they’ve just taken a 2 hour nap right before I arrive, chances are, baby isn’t going to want to fall back into the deep sleep we are looking for to try for those sleepy baby poses. You can always try to give baby a bath to keep them awake (that always works, at least as long as the bath lasts :-D). When I arrive, I’ll need to get a bunch of stuff set up (usually takes about 30 minutes), so aim to start feeding your baby right when I arrive. That way, baby will likely fall asleep right after eating. Just make sure baby is in an outfit that is easy to take off (i.e., snaps) or is already just in a diaper :)

Babies usually sleep if they are fed and warm! To help with this, I ask that you crank up that thermostat starting about 30-45 minutes before arrive, up to at least 80 degrees. This can be uncomfortable (especially for the dads!), but it really does help keep them nice and drowsy once I get there! I’ll also bring a space heater to keep drafts out of the area we are working in.

Poses

During the session, if something isn’t working, we can always stop and try something different. If baby just won’t sleep, don’t stress about it! We can get some great pictures when the baby is a wake too! Looking into a newborns’ eyes is so amazing, so that is always beautiful too. If he needs to be fed, or changed in the middle, we’ll take a break and take care of his needs first.

If you have any specific pictures or poses you’d like, please let me know and we can see what we can certainly try! Each baby is different, and based on temperament or how they are doing that day, not all poses are possible (but I’m certainly will to try!).

I’d also be more than happy to get a picture of baby with mom and dad (if you would like). The parent pictures I’m looking for typically only have mom’s head and shoulders (holding baby close). If you do want to try for a picture, I recommend plain or neutral colors. Dad can wear a short-sleeve shirt, more on the snug side. For mom, I recommend a loose-fitting tank top if you have one. If not, a short-sleeve t-shirt would be good as well.

If you would like any sibling pictures, I usually try to get those right away (as soon as baby is asleep). For younger siblings (3 and under), what usually works best is laying down poses. We'll have them lay on a blanket/rug on their backs and then place a wrapped up baby next to them (bribes are often required to get this pose :-) ). If you want to try anything else, we can certainly do so!

Props/ Lighting

I’ll bring some props/blankets with me that I need and since I usually use natural light, I’ll just look for a brightly lit place when I arrive. I just ask that you have curtains opened up and I’ll pick out the perfect spot! This might be in front of sliding glass doors, in the living room, or wherever there is good lighting I might move a bit of furniture around if needed, but I’m sure we will be able to find the perfect place for the natural look I like. I also bring lights just in case we need a bit more light.

Do not under and circumstance worry about cleaning up a mess! Your house is SUPPOSED to be a disaster – you have a newborn!!

Style

My style for pictures tends to be simple and pure. As such, pictures of babies at this age are usually taken without any clothes on. I will of course make sure all important bits are covered in the angle I’m shooting, but this allows you to get a picture of your baby that just focuses on her and how perfect she is! Of course, I want YOU to feel comfortable, so if this doesn’t fit your image, please let me know and we can get some shots of her in some wraps that I have (or we can try both)! Most poses that I’m planning will work best if baby is sleeping with the baby all curled up (so cute!), but if baby decides to wake up, don’t worry, we’ll get some ones with eyes wide open

Safety

Safety for your precious one is number one priority, and I’m not going to do anything to risk that! If you ever feel like something isn't working for you, or is making you nervous, just let me know and we’ll absolutely stop right then. Most of the photos take place on a beanbag, but we’ll have someone (you or your husband) nearby as a spotter just in case. You don’t need to prepare anything for the session, just relax and I’ll take care of your baby.

Time

For the newborn session, plan for around 2 – 3 hours. We are going to work on getting baby to sleep right away, but we’ll need to follow baby’s cues and make sure they are feed, happy and sleepy. It might take some work, but don’t stress your baby is fussy – sometimes babies pick up on mom’s cues, so just relax and we’ll see what works out! The reason the time may vary is because each baby is different, so we’ll just have to be patient and see what happens!

Photo Release & Schedule

I’ll collect from you a (e)-signed contract and a photo release for your baby (as well as anyone who wants to be in any pictures). Basically it just gives me the right to use these pictures in my portfolio (website, promotional materials, etc.). The day of the session, we’ll set up a time and location to meet for your viewing and ordering session. This is when you’ll select the pictures you love and what kinds of products you’d like. This session is usually set for 2-3 weeks after the session (we just need to find a time when everyone who wants a say in which pictures are selected can be present).

I’m so looking forward to meeting your sweet baby! I don’t want you to stress about the session. If there are any problems or concerns, feel free to let me know!