To achieve really cute poses, baby needs to be sleeping soundly and he/she should be photographed within the first 14 days of life! After 2 weeks of age, they tend to be disturbed more easily while sleeping and it is not as easy to get the true newborn poses and look. Baby acne can also start to flare.
- It’s ideal to schedule the baby’s feeding about 2-3 hours before arriving so they can feed him/her again just before the session starts. A tired baby with a full tummy equals a very sleepy baby and beautiful portraits. I also instruct the parents to feed their baby as much as they can 12 hours before the session.
- The baby should be dressed in comfortable loose clothing to avoid any lines on baby’s skin. Avoid anything that has to be pulled over the baby’s head. Usually a baby grow without a vest works well.
- A dummy is great so don’t forget to put one in the bag just in case.
- The studio will be very warm. Babies need lots of warmth and comfort. I remind parents to come to the session dressed in layers so they can comfortable remove some clothing if they fee the room is too warm. Please feel free to sit back, relax and even take a nap!
- When you arrive, please leave baby in the car seat when bring him/her into the studio. I will remove baby very slowly in the studio to avoid disturbing them as much as possible.
- For breast feeding Mums, please be open to feeding on demand in the studio. For bottle fed babies, please bring some extra bottles too.
Parent portraits
I always encourage parents to have a portrait taken with their new baby. These can make for some very tender images and I feel, as a parent myself, these moment you will cherish forever.
I always say to new Mums... I know that you may not feel like yourself right after giving birth, but I strongly encourage you to have a portrait taken with your new baby while they are still so young. As a Mum myself, your little one will grow up and want to know what he/she looked like and what Mum looked like when they were born. I will photograph you in flattering angles, so please don’t worry. Worst case scenario is that you don’t like the image and never look at it again, but at least your child will have this moment documented.
Sibling portraits
If you have older siblings that you would like photographed with your newborn we will do these shots first. Cream, ivory or white (without patterns or logos) is recommended for older siblings. The more texture the better (knit, lace, etc). They’ll be barefoot, so no need for shoes.
Due to the nature of the session we ask that your spouse/partner take the older siblings home or out for something fun to do while we finish up with the individual newborn shots.
Remember to get in touch before your due date, we can put it in the diary!
Newborn photography may be more challenging than most other forms of photography, but it's totally worth it. Capturing your baby during the first few weeks of his or her life is such an amazing experience. Here is a really good resource on newborn photography to read.
