Newborn Session Prep Guide

Yay!! I know you are just excited as I am to capture those little tiny fingers and toes while it last! Once you and baby have been giving the green light to go home, please contact me right away to schedule a definite date and time for your babies newborn session.

When scheduling the session the earlier the better. Newborns much younger tend to do very well in the studio, oppose to a baby that is 14+ days old. They tend not to wake up frequently and as easily when getting them posed for the scene. A mere 48 hours in a newborns life is very crucial when prepping them for their session. I have witness many, many times after the 10 day mark, newborns have discovered the art of stretching!

Still need to come in after the 14+ day mark? No worries, my training and experience as a mom myself has taught me ways to soothe and nurture the feistiest angels to sleep and beside who really doesn’t want to cuddle and hug these little human beings ALL DAY long!! It helps calm my own baby fever ;)

Newborn sessions take place either in the comfort of your own home or a private studio space in Hartford, CT!

In home sessions are very heavy on the candid and documentary nature of a session. They tell your story, from the comfort of your home. No rush getting everyone out the door, making sure the diaper bag is packed and baby is strapped in the carseat. There is little to no posing. From diaper changes to feedings to lounging on the couch, I document it all! You can absolutely round up your own items to incorporate into photos, such as your own swaddles, hats, basket, headbands, outfits, etc. for babe. Outfit/blanket changes are absolutely okay and I love when we get some a variety of pictures of babe in different outfits and blankets! I cannot emphasize enough the lifestyle nature of this session: it is super heavy on the candids and truly just capturing your new life at home with your newest family member! We will do lots and lots of candid pics to really get some genuine smiles and laughs and all of that with babe. they really capture all of the wonderful (and range of) emotions going on at this new stage of your life.

Studio sessions are a litttttle more formal. We will still start off every session the same. Feeding & snuggling to get that baby to sleep. With studio sessions, I typically have 2-3 prop set ups and try to get some more solo baby images. Don’t worry though! We are still going to get all those family snuggles.

Once we narrow down our session date and time (they usually take place around mid day, for lighting purposes) I will ask what areas of you house you would like to session to take place in. I like to have clients pick one or two rooms that have the best natural light. Master bedrooms, living rooms, baby’s nursery and spare bedrooms are most common. Opening all blinds and curtains before my arrival will help me to figure out which spaces are best. Please do not feel the need to deep clean your entire house before I come. Please. There is zero need to impress me, like at all….. I’m a mom… of two boys. So literally nothing scares me. However, if you can, try and declutter items on counters/floors in the spaces you’d like me to photograph in. Less is more when it comes to these type sessions. That’s why spare bedrooms are always clients favorite rooms to shoot in because most of the time, those are the rooms with just a bed. Also, keep in mind your bedding. There are some really wonderful colors and patterns out there (which is amazing) however, if you have a white sheet/blanket/comforter definitely bust that out and lay it on top. The reason being, bright and bold colors will cast shadows and colors on skin, leaving a tint of whatever color the blanket is. So if you can, keep it simple and plain. Whites and creams are always ideal to ensure esthetically please images to the eye.

If you have older kiddos, let me know before we schedule a time. I always like to make sure we aren’t heading towards a nap while I’m there. I try my best to be flexible on the time of day we shoot to accommodate for such schedules.

If possible, try and keep your house warmer than usual. Babies love being warm and cuddly and when the house is cold, they’ll let you know if they don’t like it.

Babies do very well in the studio for newborn session when they are in a very deep sleep. To encourage this I highly recommend, stimulating the baby at least two hours before your scheduled arrival, a warm bath always does the trick. This also means keeping them awake during the car ride here (when having a studio session) when possible and refrain from feeding 2 hours before arrival as well.

As mentioned I’ve seen it all, unfortunately their have been a few moms that will say,” my baby sleeps through anything”. Well, come to find out in a very unfortunate way, no they actually don’t.

Once you arrive you will feed your baby right away. Whether you nurse or bottle feed, I try to get some sweet moments of you feeding your babe. Once burped, we will then start preparing them for their session, meaning any and all clothing must be taken off, except for the diaper. As you might know babies don’t like the feeling of being naked, they want to be warm and completely snuggled (although I keep the studio warm) still, they are naked. That alone completely startles and wakes up a baby faster than anyone expected and because of that, they are now fully awake. Some babies fall into a deep sleep once picked up, wrap in a small blanket and soothed for about 15 minutes and then there are the babies that have been asleep for 3+ hours before arriving and are now refusing to go to sleep. So just be prepared.

From experience, babies that have been asleep prior to arrival are unfortunately the babies that are more difficult to pose and work with because as soon as the blanket comes off, they get startled again and it’s back to trying to put them to sleep. That alone can take up to an hour, if not more and unfortunately does count against your session time.

Keeping in mind these two instructions will most certainly give you a well rested baby. In return we’ll be able to maximize the time you have in the studio with plenty of scenes and photos so for that reason please do not underestimate and risk how well your baby sleeps after a feeding. We need your bundle of joy to be tired and a bit hungry. I know it will be hard, atop of your own sleep deprivation but I promise you, it will be well worth the effort to get those sweet snuggly moments with your babe.

Once you arrive you will feed your baby right away. Whether you nurse or bottle feed, I try to get some sweet moments of you feeding your babe. I know some babes that nurse are very attached to the boob and that’s okay. Please be prepared that if your babe is like this, you may not get as many solo shots of baby but I will do my best to get those shots in between feedings.

This is totally up to you! I tell moms to pick their outfit first and build others outfits around that. I love a good natural color palette so creams, grays, blues, greens, and blacks are always a good choice. I do encourage moms to wear something comfortable and flowy so as not constricting on their fresh postpartum body. I have a whole closet of gowns that are very flattering on postpartum bodies and will have some along with me always. Having a light sweater or cardigan to go over your outfit works well too for pictures.

Photographing the connection between you and your baby is one of my favorite things. Just as they encourage in the hospital or at home birth, skin to skin contact creates the most beautiful images.

Moms: A subtle application of makeup can soften your skin and accent your facial features. Neutral looking fake lashes can really flatter your eyes. Keep the color neutral and design simple. Be sure your nails are tidy and clean as your hands will make their way into the images. Also, rest assured, I aim to photograph using flattering angles and lighting to bring out the natural beauty in you and your family.

Dads: Be freshly shaved with a new razor, shaving cream and moisturizing after-shave lotion to avoid bumps and redness. Trim your beard, sideburns, mustache or goatee. Make sure your nails are clean and trimmed. A tight fitting v-neck t-shirt with a pair of jeans or khakis will work perfectly.

Including older brother/sister(s) in your newborn’s portrait is the perfect way to document this fleeting time in your lives.

Clean, clean, clean - clean nails, clean hair, clean feet, fresh scrub teeth, and wipe away eye boogers and snotty noses. The cleaner the child, the better their photos will turn out. If your child is still of napping age, make sure they nap before the shoot.

It is perfectly okay to bring bribes to your session – some cereal, snacks or candies that won’t stain their teeth. Avoid colorful drinks or lollipops within 24 hours of your shoot. Do not let them eat or drink anything will stain their cheeks, mouths or teeth.

Sister(s): Please tell me your child(ren) size prior to your session and I will make sure to have a dress in her size in a natural color palette. The girl’s hair should be well polished + ready to go when you arrive.

Brother(s): A snug pair of jeans and shirtless are preferred.

Due to the duration of the newborn session, I recommend bringing young children into the studio either in the beginning of the session for about 30 minutes or at the end.

Please arrange for childcare for them when they are not being photographed. Young children do not have long attention spans (2 hours is way too long for them). They may not do well in unfamiliar places and will disrupt the environment in the studio necessary for newborn photography. These tips will help you prepare for your newborn shoot and ensure that your session runs smoothly so we can focus on capturing your newborn baby’s portraits.

Typically around 2 hours. Some babies are super sleepy and I can get a whole session done within 45 minutes, others take a little more work and take the full 2 hours. Please always be prepared to spend the whole 2 hours with me, but know it can be quicker! I try to be as quick and efficient in getting you all the snaps you want. Providing me with a list of some shots you’d like to get definitely helps too! While you probably provided some examples when first reaching out, you can always email me other ideals as well.

I do my best to have a speedy turnaround time for my clients, especially when it comes to new babes because I know how excited you are to see those pictures. After your session, your proofing gallery will be uploaded within 48 hours of your session. Once you select your favorite images, you will receive a sneak peek within a day or so and your final gallery will be delivered within 2 weeks from the day you submit your favorites.