I am guessing that you are a new parent or about to become one. Let me first say, congratulations! This is a special, exciting, scary and exhausting time in your life. But what a ride it will be. Whether this is your first baby or your fourth, there is something magical and wonderful about capturing this brief moment of newness with a professional photographer.
My Style
When my first child was a newborn, long before I was a professional photographer, I took him to a chain photography studio for his first photo. He was one week old; scrunchy, wrinkled and beautiful. But the photos were sad representations. He looked lost in his too-big outfit and squished in the “baby poser” with a blue fake-fur blanket. The lighting did a fabulous job of illuminating his newborn acne. Needless to say, those photos are packed away in a box somewhere, and when I do look at them, I long to go back in time and capture him the way my memory sees him. This scenario is exactly what I want to help you avoid with your new little blessing.
My goal with each session is to capture your baby for who she is which is best done in her own environment; at home. I want to create images for you that capture the beauty of those tiny little parts; fingers curled up into tight little fists, lips full and pink, backs with lovely little folds and wrinkles. This takes time, a little preparation and a lot of patience.
The first step is finding a photographer that specializes in capturing, not just your newborn, but the essence and wonder of the first weeks of life. You have taken that first step. Now, here are some things you can do to help make that happen during our session together.
Timing
With newborns, timing is everything. It can be difficult, those first days, to think about much of anything but the basics. But capturing the essence of your newborn is best done in the first two weeks of life -the earlier the better. Because I tend to book out a month or two or even more it is important to set your session up as soon as possible. We can set the session for approximately 1 week after your due date and you can keep me posted as you go along. But don’t worry if you have procrastinated and you are holding your one-week-old in your arms right now! I keep one or two openings available for mothers who are expecting or have newborns so contact me right away to see if I can fit you in.
Preparing for Your Session
Most newborn sessions take place in baby’s home. This is the place that they are most comfortable and a new mom doesn’t need another appointment to get out the door for. When I arrive at your home I will take a look around (take a little tour 
) and find the places in your home with beautiful lighting and interesting backgrounds.
To prepare, look around your home at the places that have good window light. If you can, have your husband crawl out from under the crib parts and help de-clutter those spaces for you or ask a friend or relative to help. Favorite places to shoot can include your bed, the baby’s room, a couch or chair, but again, be prepared for anything. If you have any interests or hobbies that you would like to incorporate into your session don’t hesitate to make suggestions. Your favorite antique might make the perfect perch for baby; even your husband’s beloved hot rod (hey, it’s one way to get Dad excited about your session) Please don’t panic if you can’t get to de-cluttering. I have four kids; you can’t shock me, I promise.
Warm and Happy
Your newborn’s images will be enhanced if you prepare in a few more ways. First, turn the thermostat up. A warm baby is a happy baby and we will likely be capturing him in the outfit he arrived in so we want to keep things nice and warm. In addition, sleeping newborn shots are truly wonderful and a warm baby is often a sleepy baby, too. Often parents will throw some fluffy towels in the dryer just prior to the session. Wrapping baby in one can calm and sooth.
Second, loosen that diaper, just a little bit. Unless you want your baby’s bottom covered at all times we will want to get down to the basics. Disposable diapers, when snuggly applied (a good idea, most of the time ) can leave marks on baby’s tush. So about an hour before your session, loosen it up a bit and let his tushy recover a bit. Third, think simple when it comes to clothing or skip it all together.
Newborns tend to look lost or uncomfortable in the fancy outfits we want them in. A simple blanket to swaddle her, perhaps a white t-shirt, a cloth diaper (let me know if you need me to bring one) or something simple, like a sweater (worn alone or with a diaper) or some other soft, simple piece can be great. Little hats can also add a little something to the images. Avoid the kind with bills or rims and stick to the sock style for the best results. I recommend that you choose a few options and let me help you decide when I arrive. Often a parent will just show me to baby’s wardrobe and I then help to decide.
I frequently use parents as the backdrop for baby’s photos. After all, you are the most important thing in her little world. For some images with a black backdrop (I will bring this) it is ideal for mom and/or dad to be dressed in black pants and a black shirt. Long-sleeved is best and avoid shirts with patterns or reflective fabrics. In other images you may want to be dressed in something that is your style; perhaps jeans and a favorite sweater or anything that reflects your style and personality. Bare feet are always preferable and reflect the “family at home” feel.
Think about the atmosphere of your home. Try to create a soothing and comforting experience for baby. Soft classical music can be helpful. If you have other children, they are more than welcome to be a part of some of the images. However, it is generally a good idea to have a second or third caregiver on hand to keep them busy doing something somewhere away from the baby. This goes for the family pet as well.
What to expect
Newborn sessions take time. Expect to have me with you for 2 hours or as long as 2.5 hours. It is okay and expected that baby will need to eat, rest, perhaps cry a bit. She is new to this outside world, after all. I completely understand the ups and downs of a newborn’s day. I have been there before myself.
Naked newborns might “go” on the backdrop, or on your lap. Maybe even on me . This is no big deal and should be expected. It may be wise to have a towel and washcloth ready to go. Babies can be very unpredictable!
I hope I have answered most of your questions, set you at ease and sparked your excitement for capturing your precious new addition. If you have further questions don’t hesitate to email or call. I look forward to meeting your little one and capturing, forever, the wonder of these precious and oh-so-fleeting days.
Sincerely,
Your photographer, Anna
