Preparing for Your Newborn Photography Session
Your newborn photography session date is almost here, and you're sure to be excited! Newborns are best photographed in the first ten days of life. The reason is that at this age, they fall asleep quickly, which allows me to pose, position, and move them without the baby waving around arms and legs and resisting. In addition, newborns start to "uncurl" around day 7 and baby acne can start around day 10.
With that in mind... please keep us regularly updated on mom's due date, if there are changes. Please put us on your mailing list and friend us on Facebook so we don't have to pester you to find out if your baby has arrived! That way, if he/she is born before or after the expected due date, we can make changes to your session time.
To ensure that everything proceeds smoothly in the allotted time period, please be ready to start on time and to follow all preparation instructions below. Newborn photography can require more time than other portrait sessions, so being ready is especially important - being unprepared will delay the start of your session and shorten the photography time.
Clothing and Other Prep for Moms & Dads
If you would like your newborn family portraits to be on a black backdrop, then we recommend either of the following two options as clothing for moms and dads during newborn photography sessions:
- Option 1: Black tops with jeans or black pants. This way, your newborn will stand out in the photographs. If you prefer color to black & white, then try wearing solid, dark-colored tops (e.g. dark blue), and the same color for both mom and dad, with jeans.
- Option 2: Dads can go shirtless with jeans or black bottoms; same with moms, except wearing a little black top/wrap to cover up.
If you would like "environmental" family portraits (i.e. not on a backdrop), then wear colors that complement each other and the environment, and that are not too bright and that do not distract attention from your baby. For "environmental" family portraits, consult our "what to wear" guide here.
If you have other ideas, we're happy to talk through them with you at your newborn photography planning/design meeting.
***Prepare 1 or 2 extra sets of clothing for yourselves in case of spit-ups or leaks.***
- We recommend that women wear makeup, as if you were going out for a special occasion. That said, if you are the type that just never wears makeup, even for special occasions, then there's no need to change who you are.
- Limit jewelry (except your wedding rings), as jewelry is distracting.
Clothing for Newborns
- Newborns are adorable with little or no clothing. For clothing, crocheted outfits are the most photogenic.
- Beanies and stocking caps,wraps, tutus, and headbands are also adorable.
- At your planning meeting, you'll see the accessories that we have available.
- If you plan to buy your own crocheted hats, wraps, etc., you should do this 1 1/2 to 2 months before your session, as often times, these handcrafted items take a long time for delivery.
Foods & Drinks to Avoid in the 2-6 Days Before Your Session, if You are Breastfeeding
- If you are breastfeeding, we recommend that you stop drinking coffee six days or more before your newborn session, as the half-life of caffeine in newborns is up to 5 1/2 days.
- Certain foods can make newborns fussy, agitated, or otherwise uncomfortable. Check out these two guides, and consider avoiding these foods in the 48 hrs leading up to your newborn session:
- What Foods Not to Eat When Breastfeeding a Newborn Baby
- 7 Top Gas-Producing Foods (if your baby is gassy)
Getting Ready for Your Session
- Do NOT take your baby for vaccinations on the same day as your photography session.
- Make sure your baby is bathed/washed/clean, including fingernails and toenails.
- Collect any props that are meaningful to you - toys, family heirlooms - and that you would like us to use as props. For baby girls, we can also use mom's jewelry or heirloom jewelry. If you work in a particular profession that has "tools of trade," bring those out, as we can use those too (e.g.: hat, boots, and uniform for a fireman; paintbrushes and canvas for an artist; stethoscope and medical encyclopedias for a doctor, etc.) If mom/dad likes a certain sport, we can use items from that sport (e.g. football, baseball-mitt-bat, etc.) - please wash used sports items before the session. ***We will discuss and plan for props/themes at your newborn photography planning meeting.***
- We want your baby to be SLEEPING during the session. If your session is at our studio, try to time the feeding so that you feed your baby when you arrive at our studio. If your session is at your home, feed your baby right before the session, and make sure s/he drinks as much as normal and is full.
- If the session is in your home, then when I arrive, I will walk through the house to find the best area to photograph in. Usually, I will be looking for the area with the largest amount of space and the most natural light. Also put away clutter so that we have space for the photography, and avoid messy backgrounds. Newborns like to be WARM; warmth will help them sleep. Do you have a space heater? If so, let me know; if you don't have one, then I will bring one.
At the end of the session, we will schedule an appointment for your "photo reveal"/ordering appointment. Read about preparing for your photo reveal/ordering appointment here.
If you are interested in an album, it's useful for us to know this before your photography session. In addition, we can also create and print your baby announcements. View samples of all our heirloom home decor and product options here.