Newborn Planning Guide

 
 
 

With 20 years of photographing newborns behind us, we know a thing or two about creating a successful and peaceful session. We’ve narrowed it down to the following:

 

Do not let baby sleep through the night the evening before the session.

Keep baby on a 2-3 hour feeding schedule through the night.

 

Feed baby right before heading to the studio or immediately upon arrival.

We highly recommend a bottle of breastmilk or formula the morning of the session. Signs of a full belly are limp, relaxed hands and no rooting or hands in the mouth.

 

Please no coffee the day before or morning of your session.

Baby will be handled more during their session than when at home. So even if you normally drink coffee, if you are breastfeeding, this WILL lead to a fussy, wakeful baby during the session.

 

Pack the following:

  • Extra bottles, formula and/or breastmilk

  • 5 diapers & wipes (we do have diapers in the studio for your use as well)

  • Pacifier (it will help soothe baby between moving poses and will be seldom used)

  • Burp cloth

  • Outfits for you and your spouse/family (clothing suggestions below).

  • You will not need an outfit for baby unless baby is older than 6 weeks, in which case just bring pajamas, a knotted sleeper gown, or onesie. We do not photograph babies in street clothes. If your baby was born early, this might not apply. Talk to me if you’re concerned about this and we will put together a plan.

  • Makeup and hair brush (we have clear rubber bands, bobby pins and hairspray for your use).

 

Your baby’s comfort comes first. So we only do the most natural poses.

We are sometimes asked about naked baby poses. I only photograph baby down to a diaper, with the diaper covered with a blanket for a natural look. All poses are natural and simple, so you will not find me photographing a naked baby in bowls or with their head propped on their hands. My preference is to create elegant, naturally posed portraits that will resonate for years.

 

We can not guarantee any specific poses or images. Every baby is unique.

Our sessions and poses are baby led.

What one baby loved, another baby might not. Please allow your baby to be posed in ways that are comfortable for him or her rather than attempting to match a sibling session or images you’ve seen online.

On that note, every artist is different as well.

If you’ve had previous children photographed at the newborn stage, please know that my vision might not be completely similar to that of your prior photographer. My sessions are a bit organic in nature. My hope is to provide you with beautiful and unique imagery for this new member of your family rather than re-create images from older sessions.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Styling your session

SOFT & FLOWY, with that at-home feel

While we will handle the entire baby wardrobe, the rest of the family will be styled by you. So let us help with the following guidelines to make sure your images are soft and beautiful, just like your new baby.

 
 
 

Light Colors

• White, soft wheat, cream, blush, light gray, light blue tones

• Avoid all deeply saturated and dark colors such as navy, dark denim, black, and jewel tones, as well as logos and graphic shirts.

 

Texture, pattern & movement

Add interest to your styling by incorporating subtle patterns, textures such as linen & knubby knits, as well as movement with flowing fabrics.

This sweet big sister and momma incorporated some playful patterns that are balanced by the neutral color palette.

 

Recommendations for women

• Soft, natural fabrics that drape and flow to add a beautiful dimension and motion to your images.

• We recommend bare feet for the whole family (you might want to warn your spouse about this part) to create an intimate, at-home feel to your images.

• Avoid dark clothes.

 

Recommendations for men

• An untucked button-down with the sleeves rolled.

• A nice t-shirt sans logos or graphics.

• Medium-toned denim, or a casual fit khaki or gray pant. The lighter you can keep your color palette, the better.

• We recommend bare feet for the whole family to create an intimate, at-home feel to your images.

• Avoid looking like you’re headed to work. Think more “lazy Saturday morning” or your “nice” weekend wear.

 

WHERE TO SHOP: 

  • For mom: Vici Dresses, Morning Lavender, H&M, J. Crew

  • For dad: J. Crew, Zara, Gap, H&M, Target, Nordstrom

  • For kids and baby: Target, Baby Gap, Old Navy, Zara