Tips to prepare for your newborn photography session
The birth of a baby is one of those moments when there is a before and after in your life. Once you have your baby in your arms, even with the sleepless nights I can guarantee that you will wish to keep them little for as long as you can. Just in front of your eyes, day by day they will see the changes and how they grow, and before you know it, they will transition from 000 onesies to 0 onesies. Those little smiles and giggles are worth remembering and for them it will be a treasure to have their images with you.
Your newborn photography session should be an exciting and memorable time for you and your family. In order for you to enjoy and make the most of your photography session it’s best to relax. Preparing yourself for your session will allow you to be in the right frame of mind, you will be able to enjoy the day knowing that you have things covered. Try not to overthink your session, start by selecting your outfit and then you can select your partners and finally your baby’s outfit. Newborn photography sessions can take place in your home or on location depending the time of the year. Here are some tips to keep in mind while planning your newborn photoshoot:
Consider scheduling your session ahead of time:
It’s a little bit tricky to know when you should schedule your newborn session because unless you are having a scheduled C-section you don’t know when your bub will decide to finally come earthside. When you contact me, I try to schedule newborn sessions around 5 to 7 days after your due date, and then we are in touch and we can reschedule if your bub decides to come earlier or later. Even if our date is not set in stone, it’s always good for me to know that your session is on the books, especially during the busy months of Spring and summer.
Should my baby be asleep or awake before our newborn photoshoot?
Newborn schedules are all over the place and they tend to change everyday depending on how much they slept the night before. Don’t stress! It;’s ideal of your baby can go down around one hour or one hour and half before I am due to get to you. If this is not feasible then don’t worry, we will take photos while you baby sleeps and he can also have cat naps through our session. Please note that through our session we will be able to have breaks to change nappies or feed.
Consider feeding your baby during your newborn photography session.
Bottle-feeding and breastfeeding are both parts of the parenthood journey, and this is one of the elements that is lost once your baby transitions into toddlerhood. Consider having images feeding your baby to capture that special bond between mum and bub or between dad and baby if you can bottlefeed. If for religious reasons or you feel uncomfortable, please let me know ahead of time and I will make a mental note and avoid this kind of images.
Consider undressing your newborn baby.
I love using wraps on babies and if the weather allows, consider undressing your baby, this is a great way to avoid distracting patterns, and the images resulting have a timeless feel that will last. There are a number of details that I will be able to capture, like their belly button, or the little details on their fingers and little rolls as well as little wrinkles that you find around their arms.
Avoid two piece outfits
There are a number of very cute outfits that come in a set of leggings and shirt, try to avoid them because they tend to get out of place very quickly and your baby will. look like he or she is sinking on their outfit. Look for clothing options that leave the feet exposed so that I can photograph the toes and feet details.
