Newborn Sessions

Newborn Sessions are a combination of posed and lifestyle photography.

LET’S PENCIL YOU IN
I recommend that you schedule your newborn session PRIOR to your baby’s birth to ensure a spot on my calendar. Contact me during your second trimester and I’ll pencil you in. Then, shoot me an email soon after you deliver so we can arrange a time for the session.

BABY IS HERE
Newborn sessions MUST be scheduled within the first 14 days of life. However, the BEST time is between 3-7 days after their arrival. I’ll be moving them around and scrunching them into those sweet sleepy newborn images, so I want to make sure they’re sleepy enough to allow me to handle them. Plus, babies just tend to do a lot better with the session within their first 7 days.
Somewhere around day 8 they discover the joy that is stretching. Once that happens…they’re not about to let me get them into those curly poses without a fight.
Keep in mind that newborn acne (and sometimes colic) is likely to flare up after day 14. While I can easily edit problem areas, I prefer to do as little retouching as possible to baby’s skin.

WHERE?
The majority of newborn sessions take place in your home. If the weather is warm enough and you’re comfortable with the idea, I can take the session outdoors.  Worried because your house is a mess? Don’t even stress out! You just had a BABY! If you didn't have dishes piled in the sink, dirty clothes and baby items strewn all about, it would be odd. Clutter is definitely expected.  I’ll also probably be moving furniture around to get the best light, but don’t worry – I’ll put it all back when I'm through.

LOVELY LIGHT
I ask that you open all of the blinds and curtains in your home prior to my arrival. This enables me to find the best source of natural light in your home, so that I can set up my “mini studio” in the best possible location. Nothing flatters like natural light, so I prefer to use it whenever possible. For this reason, sessions are normally done mid-morning to late-afternoon when window lighting is as its best.  When I arrive, I’ll walk through your home looking for the best light and that is where I’ll do a majority of the shoot. Sometimes the best location ends up being a foyer, by the backdoor or kitchen…usually wherever there is a large window.

CRANK THE HEAT
I recommend that you keep your home a bit warmer than normal during the session. (Like a toasty 80 degrees or so.) Newborns are used to being all bundled up, warm + cozy…and then I come in and yank off all their clothes for those adorable naked baby shots. They tend not to like that too much.
Pushing up the thermostat is guaranteed to make the session flow more smoothly and help them sleep better. I may be sweating, but baby will be nice and warm…and that’s really all that matters.  Crank the heat 30 minutes before our session to ensure that it’s warm enough in time for the clothes yanking…and I’ll bring along a space heater to help keep baby in a steady warmth. Bonus points if you’re willing to make a few back and forth trips to the dryer to keep baby’s blankets warm. They love that.

LOOSEN UP
Please loosen your baby’s diaper and clothing at least 30 minutes before the session. This gives those little imprint marks time to disappear. (Your baby will be naked in most of the shots, but I pose them so that all the “important bits” are not on display.)

SLEEPY?
Most of the images I’ll be shooting work best if the baby is in a deep sleep. To encourage this, I recommend that you do whatever it takes to make sure baby is nice and exhausted. Some tips are to play with baby, talk with baby, maybe even give the baby a bath before the session – whatever it takes to keep them alert for an hour or two.  Then, when I arrive, they’ll be ready for a long nap.  DO NOT forget the pacifier.  If the baby takes a pacifier, you can trust me that you’ll want it there during the session.

HUNGRY?
A well-fed baby is a happy baby. Please feed and burp baby right before our session to ensure a happy, sleepy (“milk drunk”) baby. I’ll also be more than happy to take as many breaks as needed to help him/her re-fuel. It’s tough work being a model.

VOLUME CONTROL
Please do whatever you can to keep the noise level to a minimum during our session. If you have other children that might create noise, try to find a sitter or family member to take them away from the home for a few hours. If you have a noisy pet, you may want to do the same. I’ll bring a white noise machine, but it doesn't always block out tantrums and playtime.
*If you have children and would like them to be included in some photos, we recommend bringing them in at the beginning or end of a session and then having someone take them. Only those being photographed should be present to help maintain a calm environment.

PATIENCE IS KEY
Newborn sessions can last anywhere from 2-4 hours. It all depends on baby’s mood and willingness to sleep. Unfortunately…this isn't something I can predict. I ask that everyone remain calm, should he/she 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.

PROPS
I have a small collection of props that I’ll be bringing to your session. I believe less is always better. You are also, of course, welcome to use any of your own props. Look for items with texture and color to help make your images unique.  If you have any family heirlooms, toys, hats, props, etc. that you would like me to use in your session, please gather them before I arrive. I may not get the chance to use ALL of the items, but I’ll look through them with you to determine what will work best.  *I also STRONGLY recommend that you discuss any ideas, props or poses you have in mind at least a week prior to your session.

MAKE THE BED
Is there anything more simple + gorgeous than a new family cuddled up in bed together? The answer is no! So I might suggest that we move the session to your bedroom at some point. If that’s something that appeals to you, a few tips:
1. Make the bed, just this once.
2. A solid blanket/comforter (or something that isn't TOO busy is best.)
3. I highly recommend white to light cream bedding to keep things light and airy.