Session Details

Newborn sessions are so cute and they seem so easy, like you just lay the baby in the set and poof you get adorable photos. The reality is a little different. These sessions are 2-3 hours long and shot around 10am. The time of day is for 2 reasons; one is that there is more available light in the home, two is 10am starts baby's natural sleep cycle. Most babies are on a 3 hour feeding schedule which means that 10am is sleepy time.

The way these sessions roll is:

• I arrive at your home at 10am.

• I set up the set (This depends on the type of session requested) A backdrop, floor drop, bean bag, bowl with filler or other.

• You get baby naked, keep the diaper on for now and add a bloomer if you don't want naked, swaddle them up and feed them to sleep.

• Once baby is good and asleep, like 10:20, I take baby and pose them on the set. Or if we are doing hand held shots, then moms holds baby and we start shooting.

• We shoot until one of three things happens:

1. you are comfortable with the shots we've gotten
2. the baby is fussy and done
3. we run out of time.

This is why there is a window of 2-3hours. Just in case. And it has happened. Some babies don't like all the movement. The flash doesn't bother them, the movement does. The session is a lot of work for them. They are more stimulated than they are when you just let them sleep.

But, don't worry, they sleep like a log after the session and may even sleep longer than normal.

• The final step is looking at the photos and choosing your favorites for the package you purchased.

~By the way, I do offer in house financing if you want want a giant photo wall but need time to afford it. Ask me about a payment plan.

Style Tip: If you want shot of two hands holding the baby, you need at least two people at the session. It's not something me and mommy can do. I use the camera, two other people hold the baby. We pose over the bean bag or coffee table and you prop your elbows for support. Then Dad, Sister, Wife or older child, other person, holds the other side. If you don't have another person, the shots will be different. Look at some examples below. One set of hands vs. two. Sometimes it can be older siblings or cousins, whoever you want.

One Set of Hand or Two?

Asleep or Awake

Siblings, Bucket and Bowls

I do have sessions where no one holds the baby, so all photos are in a bucket or bowl. There are also sessions where baby is awake and wont pose in the sleeping positions which also end up as held poses or bowl poses.

The age where siblings can hold babies is around 7. If you send your child to fetch your baby, then they are old enough to hold them in photos. If they aren't that old, they can only pose next to the baby or do a supported hold like laying on the floor.

Every session is custom and we flow with baby's needs. If you want children in the photos with baby, these poses need to be done first so that the older children can go somewhere else. The best scenario would be if auntie or grama took the older sibs to the park for the rest of the session. BUT, speaking as a mom of three with no helpers, I know we don't always have the luxury of older children leaving, so we roll with the baby and their needs.