{Seniors}
{Engagement}
18 & up {Boudoir}
{Bellies & Babies}
{Family}
{Portraits}
{Fine Art}
Newborn
NEWBORN FAQ
Where will the newborn session be?
I always do newborn sessions in your home or a location of your choosing. I prefer your home because then we can incorporate parts of your house into the photos – whether it is your dining room table or the great rocking chair that you have in your nursery. I also love to use parents’ beds, so please be open to me taking pictures in any room once I get there! And of course we can clean around things as we go. No one expects a house with a newborn to be spotless!
When should I schedule my newborn session?
Newborn sessions are best done within the first four weeks of the baby being born. I prefer the first week simply because they are still usually very sleepy and able to be put into the newborn style poses that everyone loves. When you schedule your maternity session or just your newborn session, you’ll tell me when you are due and we will make a tentative session date for the Saturday or Sunday following your due date. Obviously, as babies don’t like to follow schedules, we will adjust as needed. Once the baby is born, you will call or email me to let me know and we will go from there!
What will my newborn wear?
For newborns – nothing! A diaper can work if you have a diaper cover, or if you use plain cloth diapers. We will also do pictures swaddled in blankets and using any hats or booties that you may want. For mom and dad I recommend black shirts and pants or another dark colored plain shirt – very flattering on a new mother and provides a beautiful backdrop for pictures. There is the possibility that I will ask the father to take his shirt off and pose with the baby for skin-to-skin pictures. Of course, dad can always say no! It is really up to you, these are just recommendations.
How can we best prepare for a newborn session?
There are a few very important things that I recommend before coming for a newborn session. The first is that about an hour before your scheduled session, you should turn the heat up in your house – ideally about 80 degrees. The reason for the heat is simple – newborns need things very warm. In order to do the traditional newborn shots with them undressed they need to be warm in and out of blankets. We will be sweating, but they will be happy! Portable heaters are also an option – the potential drawback is that if we switch rooms, the room may not be warm enough.
The second thing is that you try and feed the baby about 20 minutes before I get there and change their diaper. A fed baby is a happy sleepy baby. I am also more than glad to do nursing pictures if that is something you are interested in during the session. As with any session, breaks for feedings, diaper changes, etc., are perfectly acceptable and expected. Along this same line, at some point the baby will go to the bathroom, possibly several times — it’s okay! We will stop to clean as needed and then continue from there.
Mothers and fathers- I encourage you to be in some of the photos- Even if you don’t plan on it, I’ll still work you in there somehow! Take note of what your fingernails look like because I adore the close-ups with your baby’s tiny hands on yours.
The last thing is that the baby should already be undressed by the time I get there. Keep the diaper a little loose starting about 30 minutes prior and wrap them up in a warm snuggly blanket. The reason for the loose diaper is because then there are no diaper marks on the skin in the photos.
How long will my newborn session be?
I also allow for extra time for newborns, so those sessions are a little longer than others. These sessions can take up to three hours because I really like to relax and take my time with the families, the babies, the poses and the shots. We may also need extra time to get the baby to fall asleep or for feedings.
