What to expect from your newborn session
A newborn session is such a special way to capture memories of your new addition while they are still so fresh and tiny. They lose those sweet newborn features so quickly! Over the years I have developed a workflow that captures your baby's cuteness while also getting you in and out of the studio relatively quickly so you can get back home to those new baby snuggles. I no longer pose babies unwrapped in/on props or posed on plain fabric backdrops. I can give you recommendations for other local photographers that do this type of posing if you prefer. I have examples of what you can expect from my various types of sessions further down this page.
Initial Inquiry
Package — When reaching out for information on a newborn session, I'll need to know whether you want to do a Classic, Petite, or Wrapped Mini session. Mini sessions include only 1 backdrop, while the Classic and Petite sessions include 1-2. All packages include photos on a fur blanket in addition to the prop(s).
Schedule — You’ve selected a package, it's time to get on my calendar! I'm available most weekdays between school hours as well as evenings for studio sessions. I always try to leave at least one weekend morning free each week for a newborn. Since babies (generally) come in their own time, I will simply add your due date to my calendar and you'll reach out to me ASAP once baby arrives. We'll then work to find a date that works with both of our schedules, generally aiming for when baby is 9-15 days old.
Backdrops/props -- Once the package has been selected, I will send you my questionnaire. I have many backdrops available, from simple wood and brick options to whimsical and floral designs. Choose something classic that goes with your home decor, choose something fun that goes with your baby's nursery theme, or choose something that reflects the season/nearest holiday.
Retainer & Contract -- Once we have the package selected and your due date on my calendar I will send over a retainer invoice and contract. After both have been signed/paid, you are officially booked! Due to the nature of photography, this is non-negotiable.
Schedule — You’ve selected a package, it's time to get on my calendar! I'm available most weekdays between school hours as well as evenings for studio sessions. I always try to leave at least one weekend morning free each week for a newborn. Since babies (generally) come in their own time, I will simply add your due date to my calendar and you'll reach out to me ASAP once baby arrives. We'll then work to find a date that works with both of our schedules, generally aiming for when baby is 9-15 days old.
Backdrops/props -- Once the package has been selected, I will send you my questionnaire. I have many backdrops available, from simple wood and brick options to whimsical and floral designs. Choose something classic that goes with your home decor, choose something fun that goes with your baby's nursery theme, or choose something that reflects the season/nearest holiday.
Retainer & Contract -- Once we have the package selected and your due date on my calendar I will send over a retainer invoice and contract. After both have been signed/paid, you are officially booked! Due to the nature of photography, this is non-negotiable.
Classic Newborn Session
The Classic Newborn Session includes 1-2 hours in the studio. We will start out with baby swaddled up nice and snug for family and sibling shots - this almost always puts baby into a nice deep sleep, but it's also very helpful to keep baby contained if they are awake. After parent/sibling shots I will move on to the prop shots. It's so cute to see baby wrapped up all cozy in cute crates and baskets. I'll do a couple of different wraps and swap headbands/bonnets to get different looks without doing much to disturb baby, then I'll switch to the second prop and do the same thing. If the session is going smoothly I may add in a third prop of my choosing. After the prop shots I will carefully unwrap baby (unless you prefer wrapped shots, then I'll just switch to a new wrap) and pose him/her on one of my cozy furs
Petite Newborn Session
The Petite Newborn Session includes about 1 hour in the studio. As with the Classic session, we will start with baby wrapped for family and/or sibling shots. I will then move on to the prop shots incorporating a few looks with each prop. We will end with unwrapped shots on a fur blanket (unless you prefer swaddled or partially swaddled). Baby may wake up at this time, but that often leads to cute shots of their eyes open
Wrapped Mini Newborn Session
The Wrapped Mini Newborn Session is meant to be short and sweet at only about 30 minutes long! Baby will be wrapped for both the prop shot and fur shot. The goal is always to get baby to sleep for photos, but if baby is awake and calm I will go ahead and swaddle and start anyway. Sometimes just being swaddled up is enough to get them to sleep, otherwise shots with their eyes open are adorable too :)
Preparing for your session
No matter which session you choose, there are some helpful things you can do beforehand to give us our best shot at a happy and sleepy baby!
What to bring (an email with all of this info will be sent a few days before your session):
•Desired snacks/beverages
•A brush or comb if your baby has hair
•Blanket for baby to snuggle in between setups and during feedings, and an extra for me to put down on my boppy lounger.
•Pacifiers- even if you do not plan to use one long term, being able to quickly soothe baby during the poses can be the difference between a easy session and a tough one!
•Extra diapers and wipes
•If bottle feeding, bring plenty of formula. If breast feeding, I will have you nurse as needed during the session. It may also be a good idea to pump a few ounces for me to feed the baby if needed. Baby is likely to eat at least twice as much as normal during the session due to the extra stimulation from their hands constantly near their face and being woken up. Sometimes even when you think baby is full, another small feeding will push them over the edge to a "milk coma" :) It’s also not unusual for the baby to cluster feed so try not to stress if baby suddenly eats more than “normal”. The baby is in charge and I allow for plenty of time for diaper changes and feeding breaks.
Prepping baby:
•Try to interact with baby to keep them awake 1-2 hours before we start the session. I know this is hard, especially if their days and nights are switched, but do your best - this will help ensure a very sleepy baby for our session. A bath can be a great way to wake up a sleepy baby. It’s also ideal to schedule baby’s feeding right before you leave for the studio so baby is sleepy with a full tummy upon arrival. If traveling more than 30min to my studio you will likely have to feed when you arrive.
•Please dress baby in comfortable, loose clothing. Button or zip up pajamas are recommended as little ones tend to get cranky if you pull their clothing over their heads!
Parent & Sibling Portraits:
•Parent and sibling shots are typically taken first. I recommend wearing solid neutral colors, especially grey, black, white, tan or cream. Older siblings can wear a light colored shirt to match the gender of the baby, solid neutral colors, jeans and/or dresses for girls. Try to avoid busy patterns and graphics. I have fancy dresses available for girls to wear, let me know if you'd like to see what I have available.
**Keeping the studio quiet and calm is crucial to achieving the best shots of your baby. Once the sibling shots are complete, I highly recommend that someone take siblings home if that is an option or out for something fun while we finish up. I know this has gotten harder due to covid, so if children plan to stay, please bring along something fun (and relatively quiet) for them to do for a couple hours! I know my girls love curling up on my studio couch or chairs with their tablets and headphones :)
•Please make sure hands and nails are clean, as your hands will be in photos. Put on some fresh nail polish if you want to add a little color.
During the session:
•I have a variety of wraps, hats, and headbands on-hand so you don't need to bring anything! If you would like to bring something please let me know in advance.
•A couch is available in the studio for your relaxation and comfort during the photo session. It is a vinyl fabric so it is easily sanitized between clients. I also have some chairs I use as props if you’d like to pull one up for a closer view the session. Because these sessions can take up to 2 hours depending on the baby, I recommend that you don't plan anything immediately after the session, just in case it runs long.
•I will have the temperature in the studio set to a toasty 80 degrees. Babies are very temperature sensitive and because we want a happy sleepy baby, it’s best to keep them comfortable. Be sure to dress in layers you can remove or bring something cool to change into after the family/parent posing if you feel you will be too warm.
•When we start the session, I ask that mom handle baby as little as possible. Babies who are nursing will often wake up when they smell mom and think it’s time to eat.
•If needed, we will stop and do diaper changes and food breaks throughout the session. It all depends on baby’s mood and willingness to sleep. I ask that everyone remain calm, should baby not want to sleep, since your baby will pick up on any frustration in the room. And if sleep doesn’t happen, that’s okay! Wide-eyed newborn photos are beautiful too.
•Some babies may fuss and cry while they are being wrapped or posed just because they don't want to be messed with (I mean who likes to be moved around while trying to nap) and this is normal. Please feel free to voice any concerns or questions you may have while I am working with your baby. I will always attempt to get the "perfect pose" but sometimes baby has other plans :)
RELAX!
I will take the baby’s lead; getting them to sleep before posing takes time and they may need to be fed or cuddled a few times first. I would say a good 75% of your session will involve feeding, diaper changes, and cuddling to get baby comfortable. If that doesn’t work, we’ll take a break or we’ll work with what baby is giving us.
POOP HAPPENS!
For the shots on the fur blanket at the end of the session you have the option to have baby swaddled, in a diaper cover/pants, or nude. Please don’t panic if your baby decides to use my fur (or me) as their own personal potty. This is natural and I expect it! Please don’t feel embarrassed or worry when this happens, because they all do it. On top of the many newborns I’ve worked with I also have 2 children myself! I also wash my baby props and blankets between each session with non-scented baby detergent.
•Desired snacks/beverages
•A brush or comb if your baby has hair
•Blanket for baby to snuggle in between setups and during feedings, and an extra for me to put down on my boppy lounger.
•Pacifiers- even if you do not plan to use one long term, being able to quickly soothe baby during the poses can be the difference between a easy session and a tough one!
•Extra diapers and wipes
•If bottle feeding, bring plenty of formula. If breast feeding, I will have you nurse as needed during the session. It may also be a good idea to pump a few ounces for me to feed the baby if needed. Baby is likely to eat at least twice as much as normal during the session due to the extra stimulation from their hands constantly near their face and being woken up. Sometimes even when you think baby is full, another small feeding will push them over the edge to a "milk coma" :) It’s also not unusual for the baby to cluster feed so try not to stress if baby suddenly eats more than “normal”. The baby is in charge and I allow for plenty of time for diaper changes and feeding breaks.
Prepping baby:
•Try to interact with baby to keep them awake 1-2 hours before we start the session. I know this is hard, especially if their days and nights are switched, but do your best - this will help ensure a very sleepy baby for our session. A bath can be a great way to wake up a sleepy baby. It’s also ideal to schedule baby’s feeding right before you leave for the studio so baby is sleepy with a full tummy upon arrival. If traveling more than 30min to my studio you will likely have to feed when you arrive.
•Please dress baby in comfortable, loose clothing. Button or zip up pajamas are recommended as little ones tend to get cranky if you pull their clothing over their heads!
Parent & Sibling Portraits:
•Parent and sibling shots are typically taken first. I recommend wearing solid neutral colors, especially grey, black, white, tan or cream. Older siblings can wear a light colored shirt to match the gender of the baby, solid neutral colors, jeans and/or dresses for girls. Try to avoid busy patterns and graphics. I have fancy dresses available for girls to wear, let me know if you'd like to see what I have available.
**Keeping the studio quiet and calm is crucial to achieving the best shots of your baby. Once the sibling shots are complete, I highly recommend that someone take siblings home if that is an option or out for something fun while we finish up. I know this has gotten harder due to covid, so if children plan to stay, please bring along something fun (and relatively quiet) for them to do for a couple hours! I know my girls love curling up on my studio couch or chairs with their tablets and headphones :)
•Please make sure hands and nails are clean, as your hands will be in photos. Put on some fresh nail polish if you want to add a little color.
During the session:
•I have a variety of wraps, hats, and headbands on-hand so you don't need to bring anything! If you would like to bring something please let me know in advance.
•A couch is available in the studio for your relaxation and comfort during the photo session. It is a vinyl fabric so it is easily sanitized between clients. I also have some chairs I use as props if you’d like to pull one up for a closer view the session. Because these sessions can take up to 2 hours depending on the baby, I recommend that you don't plan anything immediately after the session, just in case it runs long.
•I will have the temperature in the studio set to a toasty 80 degrees. Babies are very temperature sensitive and because we want a happy sleepy baby, it’s best to keep them comfortable. Be sure to dress in layers you can remove or bring something cool to change into after the family/parent posing if you feel you will be too warm.
•When we start the session, I ask that mom handle baby as little as possible. Babies who are nursing will often wake up when they smell mom and think it’s time to eat.
•If needed, we will stop and do diaper changes and food breaks throughout the session. It all depends on baby’s mood and willingness to sleep. I ask that everyone remain calm, should baby not want to sleep, since your baby will pick up on any frustration in the room. And if sleep doesn’t happen, that’s okay! Wide-eyed newborn photos are beautiful too.
•Some babies may fuss and cry while they are being wrapped or posed just because they don't want to be messed with (I mean who likes to be moved around while trying to nap) and this is normal. Please feel free to voice any concerns or questions you may have while I am working with your baby. I will always attempt to get the "perfect pose" but sometimes baby has other plans :)
RELAX!
I will take the baby’s lead; getting them to sleep before posing takes time and they may need to be fed or cuddled a few times first. I would say a good 75% of your session will involve feeding, diaper changes, and cuddling to get baby comfortable. If that doesn’t work, we’ll take a break or we’ll work with what baby is giving us.
POOP HAPPENS!
For the shots on the fur blanket at the end of the session you have the option to have baby swaddled, in a diaper cover/pants, or nude. Please don’t panic if your baby decides to use my fur (or me) as their own personal potty. This is natural and I expect it! Please don’t feel embarrassed or worry when this happens, because they all do it. On top of the many newborns I’ve worked with I also have 2 children myself! I also wash my baby props and blankets between each session with non-scented baby detergent.
What comes next?
Sneak peeks are typically posted on my Facebook Page or sent via email (if you don't allow Facebook sharing) within one week of your session. (This is subject to change depending on workload.)
Your image selection gallery will be delivered within two weeks of your session via password protected online gallery. The instructions to access gallery and choose your images will be included with the email.
The gallery will also include options to purchase prints through my professional lab. You can even purchase prints for photos that you do not select for your final gallery. You may also share this gallery with others who will then have the option to purchase prints as well.
Your image selection gallery will be delivered within two weeks of your session via password protected online gallery. The instructions to access gallery and choose your images will be included with the email.
The gallery will also include options to purchase prints through my professional lab. You can even purchase prints for photos that you do not select for your final gallery. You may also share this gallery with others who will then have the option to purchase prints as well.
