Newborn Photoshoots are more than just a collection of photographs. They are some of the most important moments in life, CAPTURED.
Newborn baby shoots are such an amazing way to celebrate and capture those first few moments of your baby’s life. Babies change so much within those first few months so having a keepsake of such a beautiful time is a PRICELESS INVESTMENT. There is a bit of prep and planning that needs to go into these sessions to make them run smoothly though. So Ive compiled a few tips below to help get the very best out of your upcoming newborn session and ensure you get the most amazing photos possible!
Happy Birthday Baby!
We suggest scheduling your Newborn session prior to brith as Newborn sessions need to be done within the first 14 days of life. The BEST time is between 3-7 days after their arrival when your baby is still really sleepy and can be easily molded into all those sweet newborn poses. Somewhere around day 8 they discover the joy of stretching! Once that happens, they tend to not let us get them into those curly poses without a fight! After the second week, it’s almost impossible to get baby into that deep sleep that came so easily in their first few days. We will still be able to get some amazing photos but it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to get them into any of the more bendy newborn poses. So we must stress how important it is to book your session within those first two weeks.
On the Day of your Shoot:
Session times usually last between 2-3 hours depending on how hungry and sleepy your baby is. Keep in mind that 50% of this involves feeding, settling and changing. The newborn shoots require a lot of patience so please sit back and relax! I have a lot of experience with these types of shoots and as a Mother of two myself, I completely understand the stress and panic you feel when your baby doesn’t settle! But rest assured, it is very normal and we will take all the time we need to get all of those lovely photos.
Where does it take Place:
Almost all of my newborn sessions take place in my regency apartment Home-Studio in Hove. I use the front room of my home as my office and transform it into a newborn studio when clients come over. This allows me to create the perfect environment for Newborn baby shoots as it is completely lit by huge windows that let in the perfect amount of natural light. I prefer not to use flash if possible when I photograph babies, so natural light is very important. It also allows for a very comfortable, temperature controlled environment for babies and provides all the necessities needed for the shoot.
Sleepy?
A happy sleepy baby makes for a happy photographer and smooth session.
Most of the images work best if the baby is in a deep sleep. To encourage this, we recommend that you do whatever it takes to make sure baby is nice and exhausted. Try your hardest to keep baby up for at least 1.5 hrs before leaving your house, we recommend giving baby a bath, tickle their toes, and even let baby fuss for a little bit (no dummies) for the few hours beforehand to keep baby awake. Keeping your little one awake on top of your own sleep deprivation might feel like torture, but trust us, it will be worth it in the end!
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. You can do this prior to coming to the studio or when you arrive. I am more than happy to take as many breaks as needed for feedings to ensure a happy baby!
What to Wear?
For Baby: Please bring baby in a button or zippered top instead of something that has to go over their head. Something loose fitting makes it much easier to change them without waking them up. We keep the room about 80 degrees F / 26 degrees C, so that baby is always warm and comfortable during the shoot.
For the Family:
For any family members being photographed I recommend keeping it simple and staying away from patterns. For instance, a plain neutral or dark coloured-shirt, tank top/camisole, soft cardigans etc. For younger siblings they can wear a light coloured shirt or simple plain dress, or for boys they can go shirtless while holding the baby for a beautiful photo. This includes Dad, if he doesn’t feel comfortable going shirtless, I recommend a tight v-neck or plain t-shirt. As for Mum, I know women don’t usually feel their most beautiful after just giving birth, but these photos are so special to have! I can work wonders with dark circles under your eyes from your sleepless nights. I can pose you in a way that will be flattering. Don’t worry about any skin issues you may still have. I can retouch all that away! Remember, I am a mom too and I remember all too well what those first two weeks were like!
Props
I have a collection of bowls, baskets, blankets, knit hats and headbands for you to choose from during your session. You are also more than welcome to bring any of your own items that are special to you, that you would like to include within the shoot. Items such as family heirlooms, toys, hand knitted hats or outfits etc. We may not get the chance to use ALL of the items, but we’ll look through them with you to determine what will work best.
Motivation
I know it can be very hard to motivate yourself to do anything besides sleep after just giving birth, but remember that sometimes getting out of the house can be exactly what you need. One of the reasons I chose to do these shoots in my Home-Studio its that it provides a very relaxed and stress free environment where you can be totally at ease and enjoy the photoshoot in comfortable surroundings. So even though you may not feel like booking your session so soon after giving birth…Trust me, all of the images taken of those first few moments of life will be totally worth it!
I am a Creative Portrait Photographer based in Brighton & Hove. My vision is to create unique, authentic imagry that captures the real you, unscripted.