FAQ for newborn photo sessions
As a mother myself, having photos of your newborn is something rather special to me, and the memories will last a lifetime. The small memories of how they scrunch their faces, curl their toes and look like milk bottles after a feed will fade quickly. I'm here to help capture those moments for ever.
Location:
I come to you! Newborn sessions are done in the comfort of your own home. When a session at home is not an option, I also have a simple studio available in my home that can be used. Ask about this if you prefer to have it there and we will discuss it in more detail. I can do outside pictures on a nice day as well as indoors. Don’t worry if your house isn’t spotless, the focus is on the baby and not your house.
Best time to photo your new one:
Newborns grow quickly, so the best time frame for pictures is within the first 10 days of birth. Some mums may not have this luxury due to complicated births, so naturally I take photographs of newborns beyond the first 10 days; is never too late to photograph your baby.
As babies are 'rulers of the nest' for the first few weeks, it is best to photograph them after a feed. This is when they tend to be sleepy and more relaxed. I usually arrive during or just after the feed, and I can co-ordinate timings with you and be flexible to suit you and baby.
Preparations:
If you have other children home, make sure someone else is there to help supervise them. You will need to be available to feed and hold your baby at various points during the session and I recommend a calming relaxed environment where possible.
- Once I arrive, it will take about 10 minutes to get things set up for the shoot….this is a good time to 'top up' your baby.
- Please remove all clothing from your baby, dressing him/her in a loose nappy and wrapped in a warm blanket. If the nappy is on too tight, then marks will show on the baby's body, so aim for as loose as you can.
- When I arrive, I will “tour” your house to find the best spot for most of the pictures. Usually, the brightest room is best. If you have any blankets and other personal items to incorporate into the shoot, please have them to hand.
- Prior to my arrival, adjust the heating so that the house is warm.
- Be prepared to feed him/her a little “snack” during the session.
*Please note: Babies and children dictate how the session will go, and they all have their own threshold for pictures. Difficult poses take more time and may take away time devoted to other poses. Babies like softness, warmth and comfortable/natural positions and I aim to capture 4-6 different positions so as to avoid moving the baby too much. My main priority is to keep your baby safe and comfortable.
Beautiful newborn portraits are accomplished with LOTS of patience, time, and posing.
In the event that you are not able to bring your baby home from the hospital at birth, we have a couple options for doing the first session. Depending on the situation and health of your baby, we can either do a session in the hospital (if allowed), or we can do the session after you bring your baby home.
Posing:
Repositioning during a newborn session is essential and happens frequently to get a variety of shots. Even if a baby does end up sleeping in a “picture perfect” pose without any assistance, we still have to reposition the baby to get different shots…otherwise, the pictures will turn out to be pretty boring! With that said, certain poses are not always possible. The baby actually determines how many different poses he/she is willing to let us get. I will give it my best effort to get all the poses you want, but it is not a guarantee that I will be able to achieve them all.
Props:
The most interesting and meaningful props are the ones that you have in your own home already.
This can include baby items, toys, hats, socks, blankets, wedding rings, the baby’s nursery, furniture, baskets, and even grown up props such as tools/gear from a parent’s profession or hobby (for example: gardening items, golf balls, stethoscope etc).
Also keep in mind that including “grown up” tools or accessories in a newborn shot really can add a whole new personality to the picture!
The focus of the newborn session is on the baby, but parents please be prepared to be in some shots also. We will also try to get shots of siblings interacting with the newborn. A portrait type family image may or may not be achievable with siblings who are toddlers or pre-school age. It just depends on the cooperation of all the kiddos!
When we arrive at your home, I will look around to find the best possible light for pictures, which is usually directly in front of a large window that lets in a lot of light. Don’t be surprised if I move furniture to use during the session.
Putting the baby on different items in your house can result in the most adorable pictures. If I am looking around your house, it’s because I’m looking for light and furniture… I are NOT inspecting to see how spotless your house is!
Feel assured that you are not alone if you feel like your house is cluttered after bringing home a newborn. Even if your house was spotless before you had your baby, the hospital sends lots of junk home and it’s hard to find a place for all of it….so please don’t worry!
Clothing:
Less is more! The less clothing that your baby is wearing, the better the pictures will look. Most of the session will be of your baby stripped down to the nappy and covered with a wrap or cloth. I may remove the nappy at different points during the session to get a less distracting shot. Clothing changes add extra time to the session because this definitely disturbs a sleeping baby so I prefer not to photograph newborns wearing outfits. However, if there is a special outfit you’d like to use that is meaningful, then I will be happy to get shots of your baby wearing it.