Oh Sweet Thing...

Get excited, because today I am doing a refresher on my Newborn post! Today I get to do my favorite thing, which is a ramble post where I talk about my love and adoration for newborn photography. This post will offer a behind the scenes look on what it's like preparing for a newborn session, what to expect, why you need one, and I'll display some of the cutest newborn photos I have done at the end.

⋆｡°✩

So say you yourself are a photographer or are just curious about what goes into it. Is newborn photography really that complicated? The short answer is yes, but the long answer is much more interesting. Newborns are fragile little humans, but the process begins with getting newborns to photograph. I established in my last post that newborns are unpredictable. We can't perfectly predict when they will be joining us, so having a flexible schedule for expecting parents is crucial. With that flexible schedule comes the understanding that you need to be ready to grab that camera, point, and click when the little lamb decides to announce itself.


You may feel a bit frazzled wondering how to handle a baby, especially if it's for the first time. I encourage you to take a breath, and while babies are fragile, they are also contrarily resilient. Be careful, mindful, but don't be afraid! When positioning them in their poses, know they are a lot more squishy and flexible than you might think but if you are worried, move slowly and precisely. Look online for more tips and tutorials on how to pose babies, or ask fellow photographers (always feel free to ask me!). When it comes to outfits and sets, focus on creating a unified palette. We want baby to be the focus, so nothing too crazy should be going on. In order to ensure my clients are getting unique results from one another, I typically have a collection of hats, bonnets, bows, and more that I often cycle thru only a handful of times before replacing or reselling. This keeps all the sessions unique and visually interesting, while also offering variety. Speaking of props, babies have a grasping reflex you should know about! What does this mean? Well, when you place something in their hand, they will often grab onto it. You can have them hold adorable little stuffies or other small props.


Onto technical things. When you are bringing babies into the studio, be sure you have a clean environment. Personally, I believe in heavy sanitization before a newborn comes in. If mom or dad is worried about baby getting sick, always have a mask on hand that you will be able to wear in that case. Speaking of sickness, if you are experiencing any symptoms of illness at all, do not take a newborn client, no matter your deadline. Those pictures are not worth the potential health and safety of the baby, and you can always reschedule. As long as the environment is germ free an healthy, you move onto the next step; warmth. I like to keep a heater going when I have newborns to keep them cozy. This also promotes sleep and makes sure they don't get cold! When doing the session, keep in mind that newborn sessions are a process in themselves. Expect these sorts of sessions to be much longer. You need to allow time for changings, feedings, and be prepared to soothe the baby for a little bit to get them to sleep. While you are the professional in the room, baby is the one calling the shots! If they're already fussy, don't force them into a pose as you risk making them even fussier.


With all this in mind, my message to parents is as follows: DO A NEWBORN SESSION!


While there is so much that goes into it, there are people like myself who are so passionate about it, and I would hate for any parents to miss out on these fleeting moments. Your baby is only going to be that small once, and it lasts for just a blink.


If you like the images below, or are curious about my availability for newborn photography, you can click right HERE for more information.


I hope this post was insightful and maybe helpful. I feel as though I do not often get to talk about all that goes on behind the scenes of my sessions, as well as the skill of it involved. Until next time friends!