Newborn Sessions: What to expect
There is nothing more precious to capture than those beautiful hazy days when your little one has first arrived. My approach is very natural and relaxed, expect your session to be calm, slow and most importantly - enjoyable. I myself know how much of a blur those first weeks can be, and it’s so important to document those early days. I’m here to photograph your new family as you are, where you are most comfortable - which majority of the time will be in the comfort of your own home. And please don’t worry about making sure the house is clean and tidy, quite frankly that’s the last thing I expect to be on your mind with a newborn. I’m here to tell you not to stress, your session is all about embracing those gorgeous snuggles and soaking up those precious moments.
When is the best time for a newborn session?
The beauty of my style of photography means there isn’t any pressures on when the ‘perfect’ time is to capture your little one. I’m not here to squish your newborn baby into obscure positions while they sleep - I’m all about the natural, authentic you. I’ll always recommend those initial two weeks as the best time to schedule in a date with me, but please don’t feel like this means its the only time you can capture your little one. Every delivery is different and if you need some extra days to settle in then I am always flexible with my dates and we can move to a time that suits you. So whether your baby is six days, six weeks or six months, the main thing is that these photos are for you and when you feel ready to capture this time, no matter what stage they are at.
What should I expect during a home session?
When I arrive we’ll have a little chat, I can help chose outfits if you haven’t quite decided, and I’ll ask to have a look around. I’ll be looking for the best spots with the most natural light, this is usually a bedroom or wherever has nice big windows. We will often start with you cuddled up on the sofa and go naturally from there. If baby needs feeding or changing that’s not a problem at all, I will keep shooting whatever feels comfortable and will guide you into positions to capture those beautiful shots.
What should we wear?
Most importantly, wear something that you feel comfortable in. I always recommend sticking to neutral colours or more earthy tones like sage greens, rusty orange or blue hues as they compliment your babies skin. Try and keep everyone coordinated within the same colour palette and avoid anything bright or patterned as these don’t photograph well on camera. For dads I always recommend a simple plain shirt or t-shirt looks best. And for your little one - I’d always go for an outfit where their feet are out (who can resist those gorgeous newborn toes!) Textures look really lovely, a soft knitted romper or cute wooly dungarees.
Is there anything I should prepare?
A few little things I always like to mention ahead of your session - if you have any cute knitted blankets they’re always great to keep handy. Don’t worry if you don’t though, I always bring a couple along with me. And bed sheets - if possible I’d always suggest light, plain bedding - no patterned sheets. The reason I recommend this is because I’ll often choose your bedroom for the space to photograph you so it’s good to make sure there are no distractions in the background and also a nice neutral place to lay your little one for their all important feet shots!
As always, if you ever have any questions or worries just drop me a note and I am always happy to help.