Newborn
Photo session

Newborn photography and the baby poses are completely safe AS LONG AS your photographer is trained in safety. A properly trained newborn photographer will comfort, protect, and know all the safety measures to protect your new baby. I often say, “I am 100% on no babies harmed in the making of this picture,” and I will protect that with my life. Your baby is a tiny human – not just an object to be photographed. Safety, care, and attention are my priority as your photographer. I completed training by a former NICU nurse who became a photographer, and I’ve asked my parents who are doctors, chiropractors, ob/gyns, respiratory therapists and other medical professionals to watch and speak into my handling and posing of babies while at their portrait session. 

As an experienced newborn photographer, I recommend having the photoshoot in the first 7-21 days BUT I will take your baby’s pictures if he or she is older or younger. Things happen. Dads have to get to work sooner. Sometimes babies have to make a trip to the NICU for a while. I won’t turn you away based on the age of your newborn. 

The newer the baby, the more sleepy and more pliable for posing for the photo session. Some poses can only be done while baby is in a deep sleep for safety reasons.  I always love some shots with the baby’s eyes open, but newborns have a have weak eye control, so there are many more unflatter pictures that are captured. Plus, newborn babies are known for sleeping, so I love to capture that. 

• Find out what baby safety training your newborn photographer has obtained.
• Look at many newborn photographer sites to see who captures pictures that you LOVE.
• Consider your photo budget.
  • Is their pricing clear for you to understand?
  • Does your photographer have a payment plan option for your photo session?
  • Does the photographer offer a registry option for your baby photos?
    • (Yes, I offer both a payment plan and newborn registry.)
  • Should you adjust your photo budget (if you are able) to get what you want?

Oh goodness…do I have props. Short answer – yes.
I actually have 2 rooms filled with various props from backdrops, wraps, headbands, bonnets, hats, buckets, baskets, beds, swings…well, I’ll spare you the long answer. I have carefully curated my collection of newborn photography props so that your baby is perfectly captured.

I recommend booking your newborn photo session in the 2nd trimester of your pregnancy. I’ll send you some booking forms, collect a $100 retainer (that is credited to your session total), and put your due date on my calendar. I ask you to contact me either when you have a scheduled induction/c-section date OR in the first 48 hours after birth. Some mommies text me while they’re laboring – no lie. I’ll send you some open portrait appointments (usually a Monday-Thursday), and you are all set for your newborn pictures!

I want you to sit back, rest, and enjoy watching me take pictures of your sweet new baby. You are welcome to come in “the main” room where I take pictures (it will be a warm 85-90 degrees), grab a snack and some water from the fridge or  make some hot tea in the kitchen, hop on the wifi and do a little work, lay on the couch in the sitting area and watch some TV, or take a nap! 

Seriously, when you arrive, if we are taking parent/family/sibling pictures, I like to start with parent & family pictures so that everyone can relax (change clothes if you want to). If baby is super sleepy, I may skip ahead and take advantage of super sleepy time (especially if we are doing any un-swaddled bare/modest baby posing).

I’ll show you the sets I have prepared for you based on your Newborn Questionnaire and any requests you have sent from my portfolio, have you choose headbands/bonnets/hats, and we will get started. I’ll position and pose baby with the utmost care for baby safety, take pictures, make changes to photo sets, and then take some more pictures of your sweet newborn. 

I want this time to be a time you can just take in the sweet moments.

Bring a way to feed baby and a pacifier (if you aren’t opposed to using one – so many opinions by different experts, but I honor YOUR preferences).

I have diapers, wipes, burp cloths, gauze & “goop” for circumcisions, brand new pacifiers if you forget yours, and a kazillion prop options. 

If you have heirloom times you would like to include in your newborn photo session, just let me know! Quilts or blankets that a grandmother has made, wedding veils, a special stuffed animal…these items are fun to include in your baby’s pictures.

I do not travel. 

My studio is exclusively a studio. I know some parents don’t feel comfortable bringing their baby into a home studio (I had one for years, so I have experienced this one first hand).