Newborn Photography

Our Planning for Your Newborn Photography Session

Your newborn photography booking email will have a booking letter PDF as well as some links and questions. Please make sure you respond to our questions as these help us prepare accordingly for your newborn photography session.
In particular, we would like to know if you have any particular colour requests for the newborn photoshoot (ie blue/grey/white for boys or pink for girls). We also ask that you peruse our newborn photography portfolio and pick out and send back to us, 3 samples from our work that you love. This helps us understand your vision and expectations for the newborn photoshoot. 


Ideal Timing

The most ideal time to photograph a newborn baby is when they are between 5-10 days old. This allows enough time for the mother’s breast milk to come in but is also early enough for the baby to still be in that curly, fresh womb-like phase. That said, we have photographed babies that have been older, and their sessions have gone wonderfully, and their newborn photographs have still been beautiful.

What to Bring

Pack your baby bag with your usual items: nappies, wipes, burping cloths, spare set of clothes (not used in session), a dummy/pacifier (even if you do not intend to use one permanently, the sucking sensation is very soothing for babies and can help keep them to be calm and settled while positioning them). If you are breastfeeding your milk may still be coming in so if it is possible, please bring a bottle of expressed milk or formula to help keep your baby nice and full.

How to dress baby for the newborn photography session

Please dress your baby in items of clothing that are easy for me to undress. Nothing either too small, or that requires me to lift over their head as this can wake them up. If it is a cooler time of year, please do not use a singlet, rather we suggest wrapping a warm blanket around them during your commute to the studio. Our preference is a loose fitting zippie onesie, these tend to be the easiest to remove from baby without waking them up.

What to Wear (for parents during the session)

The newborn photography studio will be nice and warm at all times so baby will be very comfortable and happy. The warm temperature helps baby to sleep more soundly and which helps the posing. It can get quite warm in the studio, please keep this in mind when dressing yourself. We suggest wearing something comfortable and light to the newborn photography studio, and changing into something more appropriate for the photos, when it is your turn in front of the camera.

What to Wear (for parent pictures)

If you and your partner wish to be in some photos, please try to stick to plain clothing. Nothing with logos or patterns as this can take the focus away from baby. Ideally we prefer clients to wear white or light coloured (light pastels or light neutrals) clothing for their parent photographs. If you think you may want to borrow one of my dresses for your photos, please bring a strapless skin coloured bra to go underneath.

Happy Baby

A full, warm and gas/wind free baby is a happy baby. Please have a read through my breastfeeding guide and try to feed your baby as close to the session as possible.

We recommend waking baby for a big feed just before leaving the house. With a full tummy, and after being in a moving car for a time, baby should be in a nice deep sleep by the time they arrive at the newborn photography studio. Please do your best to keep baby asleep when transitioning them from car to studio, please feel free to bring them inside in their capsule. We are experienced at removing sleeping babies from capsules and have a great success rate of keeping them sleep.

Happy Parents

Most newborn sessions take between 2-4 hours so please bring something to eat to refuel, especially if you are breastfeeding. I will provide water, tea, or coffee however I encourage you to bring something a bit more substantial as well.

Code Brown!

Accidents happen so please do not feel embarrassed if your little one wees or poo’s. Baby will be very full, warm and relaxed, so some sort of accident is inevitable. I wash every item I use at the end of every session in a sensitive washing powder so not to irritate skin but also to ensure hygiene.

Timing

We completely appreciate how stressful it can be getting everyone out the door on time, particularly when you have a little newborn that wants to feed. However we do ask that you let us know if you are running late on the day. While we ask that parents give baby a big feed just before travelling to the newborn photography studio, we do allocate about 3-4 hours per newborn photoshoot which will allow plenty of time for feeding and comforting baby if required.

Relax

Take the opportunity to sit back and relax with a cup of tea while we work.

Newborn Photography Check List

• Contact us to obtain more information about our packages and process.
• Book in with us.
• Read the booking email, links and PDF.
• Respond to our questions.
• Pick colour preferences and send us 3 samples of our work that you love (now we can start planning and styling your newborn photography session).
• Pay deposit 20% of package price.
• Let us know you’ve had the baby.
• Lock in a time and date with us for your newborn photography session.
• Pay the balance of your package.
• Attend the newborn photography session and relax while we create beautiful art that you will love forever.