5 Newborn Photography Tips for your Newborn Photo Session
As a Fort Collins newborn photographer, I have the amazing opportunity to share one of life's most magical moments within a family.I am head-over-heels with each and every perfect baby I meet. Welcoming them into the world by taking baby photos of their every perfect detail has been my lifelong dream come true. Photographing newborn photo sessions gives me butterflies, however, for a new mom and dad, it can be understandingly overwhelming. From my experience as a local photographer, I have shared newborn photography tips to ensure a successful newborn session.
Being a professional photographer, I am constantly learning. From online research to in-person workshops, I have been professionally trained to photograph your new baby with the utmost safety techniques. Your newborn baby's safety comes first. As a lover of raw and real emotion, I photograph your baby as he or she would naturally be. No crazy posing, or any pose that questions the safety of your little one. Dreaming of becoming a mom myself, I can only imagine the love and overload of emotion a new momma must feel. Trusting someone you just met with your newborn can be very nerve racking. As a professional, I am there to talk you through every step and hold your hand along the way.
If it be in-studio or in-home, follow these top 5 newborn photography tips to prepare for your upcoming session:
1. Wide-eyed Baby Your newborn photography session is all about photographing your newborn in those sweet little baby poses, squishy and sleepy. I recommend that parent's keep their little one awake for the couple hours prior to your newborn session. If your baby has been snoozing all day, often times they will arrive to the session wide-eyed and ready to take on the world. This makes my job much more difficult, and much of your session time is then spent trying to get the baby back to sleep. Some helpful ideas to keep your baby awake could include giving the baby a bath, playing and talking with them, or perhaps even taking them out on the town. Once the newborn session begins, they will be ready to sleep the time away!
2. Full Baby, Happy Baby A full baby is a happy baby. While we will take any breaks needed to bottle or breast feed, beginning the session with a full tummy ensures a great start (and will keep them peacefully sleeping). For in-home sessions, it is best to feed the babe just upon my arrival, or as I am setting up. For in-studio sessions, I ask that baby is fed just before leaving the house.
The more flexible momma is with feeding, the better! Often times all baby needs is a little topper. Be sure to have a bottle prepared and with you if you are breastfeeding.
For nursing mommas, it is important to watch what you eat about 24 hours prior to your photo session. Try to avoid anything spicy, anything the baby may be allergic to, or that might hurt the little one's tummy.
3. Dress in Style Have baby dressed in a button-up or zip-up sleeper for their session. We want to avoid waking the baby at any cost, so arriving to your session with baby in a sleeper allows me to undress the baby without waking him or her. Most newborn photos are photographed nudie. So while having that perfect or cutest outfit that J.Crew Baby has to offer is nice, it isn't always necessary. Loose fitting clothing and diapers ensures less lines on the baby's skin.
4. Raise the Temp (Or, "It's Getting Hot in Herre" in reference to the famous rapper's lyrics ;) ). For in-studio newborn sessions, the studio will be warm! We want the baby in as comfortable as an environment as possible. For in-home newborn sessions, I ask that mom and dad crank the temperature to 80 degrees prior to their session. I know it sounds crazy, but I promise I don't ask these things for the sake of asking. We will begin every session with mom and dad and older siblings, this way they aren't photographed looking as if they just walked out of a sauna. Dress in layers so that following your photos, you can cool off a bit.
5. Be Patient Newborn photo sessions take time. Please plan for at least 2 hours time. Every baby is unique. While every step above may be followed, we may still need to take time away from the camera to get baby to sleep. And that's completely okay! I ask that mom and dad are patient and relax. The baby reads off of your energy, if you are calm, they will be too.
Are you interested in newborn photography? Contact Fort Collins newborn photographer at info@mirandalsober.com for photography session details and booking availability.