Prepping for a Newborn Session

I loved Anne Geddes as a kid. Looking back, I think thats part of what led me to become a photographer. When I started my business, I thought I had to do newborns like her – posed, studio lighting, in baskets or buckets BUT…….the longer that I did that, the more I realized that type of photography wasn’t for me – it was stressful for everyone involved. So I began doing mostly at home newborn sessions and I have fallen in love with the experience. Hopefully this post helps you decide if this type of session is right for you and how to successfully prep for one.

Most of my newborn sessions are approximately 2 hours if successfully prepared for. To prepare I recommend the following:

1. Book session within 3 weeks of baby’s birth if possible.
2. Choose your outfits to compliment both your skin tone and your home aesthetics – I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but black is not the most flattering for all skin tones. Just sayin’.
3. Do your hair and makeup before photographer arrives, but wait until I arrive to get dressed….cue spit up am I right?
4. Feed the baby right before photographer arrives.
5. Be realistic with your expectations – I recommend 2-3 looks for baby. Anymore than that will mean you will spend more time changing your baby and trying to get the baby back to sleep than the actual shooting time. Having a calm, sleepy baby means we get lots of shots. Every time you undress the baby, it takes time to get them back to that sleep calm state.
6. If you have a toddler, make sure you have things to reward good behavior and make them happy too. I usually shoot any photos with the toddler in first, then give them a break and if they’re ok for more at the end great – but the goal is to knock out as many while they’re happy and attentive as possible.
7. Lastly – your house doesn’t need to be 100% clean. Just tidy the areas around where you want photos. Most of the time that means your bed and baby’s room.

Hope you enjoy these photos from a recent session I had. Notice the colors mom chose for her family -solid neutrals and one pattern/texture that compliments everyone’s skin tone and her home decor.