Is there anything on earth that is more precious than a newborn baby? Newborn photography exudes a certain calmness that I can’t describe. I know how special and fleeting the first few days of your baby’s life are. When my first little girl was born, I don’t think I ever looked away from her for at least a week. She was not only the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen, but she almost seemed to change and grow right before my eyes. I took countless photographs in a desperate attempt to capture this tiny, peaceful stage forever. Now, almost 6 years later, I cherish every image of her first days because I know she will never be that small again.
- My passion for newborn photography stems from a desire to provide every new parent with the opportunity to document their newborn’s first few days as well as turning images of their precious baby into fine art. I take a minimalist approach by eliminating background distractions, and implementing muted colors so your newborn is the primary focus of the image. In order to create the perfect newborn portrait, There are a few guidelines to follow:
- “When should I schedule my newborn session?”
- To insure the sleepy, curly, newborn poses I advise scheduling a newborn session within 10 days after delivery. Parents of breastfed babies should wait until the mother’s milk comes in so your newborn will have full tummy. For baby boys, I recommend waiting until after the session to schedule his circumcision.
- “How long will my newborn photography session take?”
- Newborn photography sessions take at least 2 hours and, depending on the baby’s disposition, may take up to 3 hours.
- “How do I prepare for my newborn photography session?”
- Newborn photography requires a good amount of planning and an insane amount of patience. My goal is to recreate a womb-like environment for your newborn. With any newborn baby, there are a set of rules and guidelines I require with all my sessions.
- I prefer to go on location to the client’s house for newborn sessions. This way, everyone is comfortable and all the baby’s necessities are easily accessible. Newborns are also surrounded by the familiar sounds and scents of home. To prepare your home for a newborn session, I suggest you do the following things:
- 1) Open all of the blinds in the house and turn off all of the house lights. When I arrive, I will walk through the house looking for the best source of natural light to do the session. I will bring a portable backdrop stand and some other equipment I have mentioned below. I will also need adequate space to set up everything so we may be moving your furniture around a bit.
- 2) About an hour before your session, turn your house temperature to around 80-85 degrees. Newborns love to be warm, especially when they’re naked. I will also bring a space heater for added warmth.
- 3) Please keep young children and other distractions that could cause startling loud noises out of earshot. I want to create a quiet atmosphere to keep your baby calm and asleep. I will bring a noise machine with me as well.
- 4) Make sure your newborn is well fed and sleepy when I arrive. Many images I take require your baby to be in a deep slumber. If you'd like you can wait until I get there and then feed your baby while I'm setting up.
- 5) I love capturing sweet moments with mom and dad as well. To keep the focus on your baby, please have available a solid gray, cream, black or brown shirt, blouse or sweater. (no logos) Make sure your outfit is washable because I guarantee there will be accidents with a diaper-free baby in your arms. :)
*Note- if your home does not get adequate natural light, we can schedule your session in our studio.
