in home sessions

You’ve had your maternity session, you survived child birth (you’re amazing), and now you are ready for your newborn session. You are in the right spot. The following will prepare you for whats next!

I have a little homework for you! Super easy don’t worry!

I am a natural light photographer so it is very important we schedule your session during the brightest time in your home. Shut off all the lights in your home for a day or two and watch the natural light for me. I will be photographing mainly in the master bedroom and nursery. Just keep note the time of day that which is the brightest so we can schedule your session.

Clean up just this once. I don’t mean hire a maid service, but fluff the pillows, make the bed, and put the dishes in the sink. A solid blanket/comforter (or something that isn’t TOO busy is best.) I do highly recommend white to light cream bedding to keep things light and airy. I am more than happy to bring some along if needed! No need to go out and buy all new furniture for our session, but I do want those bright spaces to be the best version of your house.

N E W B O R N

F E E D I N G,   C H A N G I N G,   C U D D L I N G, and repeat.

There will be time for baby to be fed and changed throughout the session. By doing so this gives time for parents to stop and feed or change their child. I want everyone to stay happy and comfortable. Taking 5 minutes for a little break never hurts! Moms tend to stress out because this is a new experience…and aren’t used to the waiting game!
They see their baby being fussy or having a difficult time getting settled and panic.

“This is a disaster! There aren’t going to be any good pictures!”

It isn’t, and I will! I will take the baby’s lead; getting them to sleep before posing takes time and they may need to be fed or cuddled a few times first. In fact, we’d say that a good 50% of your session will involve feeding, diaper changes, and cuddling to get baby comfortable. If that doesn’t work, we’ll take a break or we’ll work with what baby is giving us. Sometimes that best photos happen when baby isn’t doing exactly what we want.

Just remember: Babies can sense stress and anxiety (especially from their mommy’s!) It’s super important that EVERYONE remain calm and relaxed during this session. Keeping the environment as mellow as possible is pretty much the only way we’re going to get the shots we’re looking for.

CRANK THE HEAT! Crank the heat 30 minutes before our session to ensure that it’s warm enough in time. We may be sweating, but baby will be nice and warm…and that’s really all that matters!

Bonus points if you’re willing to make a few back and forth trips to the dryer to keep baby’s blankets warm! They love that!

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. We’ll also be more than happy to take as many breaks as needed to help him/her re-fuel. It’s tough work being a model!

S C H E D U L E I N G

In the first 10-14 days the babies are most sleepy and can easily handle noise and movement. Although during my lifestyle shoots I don’t mind if they wake up and show their eyes for a few! Newborn sessions can last anywhere from 2-4 hours. It all depends on baby’s mood and willingness to sleep. Unfortunately…this isn’t something we can predict! We ask that everyone remain calm, should he/she not want to sleep, since your baby will pick up on any frustration in the room. And if sleep doesn’t happen, that’s okay! Wide-eyed newborn photos are beautiful too.

Hope this helps as you plan for your baby’s photo session! These first family pictures are so special and sentimental. They will surely be a treasure for generations.

If you haven’t booked your newborn session yet, now is a great time to do so… newborn and maternity sessions are limited availability.