PREPARING FOR YOUR FAMILY PORTRAIT SESSION {Newborn edition}
Congratulations!
YOU DID IT!
Bringing a new life into the world is HARD.
But here you are! Whether you're a postpartum mom reading this with a baby tucked in her arms, an expecting parent, a new dad wondering if you'll ever sleep again, adoptive parents marveling that your miracle is ACTUALLY here, IVF parents, first-time parents, or tenth time over parents...I am so proud of you! Having the honor of documenting your newest family member for the first time isn't something that I'll ever get over -- even after thousands of newborns! As you scroll on, I'll help get you ready for our session, along with walking you through my process so you can relax and enjoy this magical time in your life! Thank you so much for allowing me the honor of creating beautiful photos for your family. It is my hope that together we craft not only awesome memories, but gorgeous, timeless images as well. My style is photo journalistic. I love capturing families playing, snuggling, being goofy, and just loving on each other. I will always do my best to get that one desired shot of everyone looking and smiling at me, but for the most part, I will be encouraging snuggles, kisses and giggles from you and your children.
Newborn sessions are held in the morning hours, always at 10:00. Why 10? When in the womb, most pregnant women are active during the morning/afternoon and move less in the evening before falling asleep at night. The rocking motion during her active times is what lulls baby to sleep, and usually, when she lays down, that's when baby is most active and kicking! During the first few weeks, baby will have a backward sleep schedule, which will make for sleepless nights for parents but usually helps for a nice sleepy newborn session for me! Starting at 10 am is a good time to catch your newborn's deepest sleep and allow travel time along with time to do any hair/outfit/makeup prep for yourself!Please take some time to read through the following information as you prepare yourself and your family for your session. Looking forward to meeting with you!
When to book your session
The last thing I wanted to do when my babies were a few days old was leave the house, so I like to give new parents at least a week to acclimate to life with their baby. Newborns' heaviest sleep weeks are before the two-week mark, so I've found the sweet spot for recovered moms and a sleepy baby is between 10-15 days. Sometimes schedules (both mine and yours!) make that five-day window tough to catch, but don't worry! I've successfully photographed babies as young as 2 days up to three months with modifications for NICU stays.
What is baby won’t sleep?
If you get to the session and baby is ready to rock and roll...please don't stress! Newborns can have awake periods of up to two hours, so we'll spend this time capturing some awake shots! There is no such thing as a "bad" baby. My heart breaks anytime I have parents tell me that previous sessions with older children resulted in a crying baby, an upset photographer, and stressed-out parents. Over the next few pages, I'll walk you through my method that you may have heard about, I call it un-soothing as opposed to trying to soothe a newborn to sleep. Don't be worried about the term, this method is gentle and baby-led for sleep, and has worked for every session I've done!
How to prepare while you’re at home: One part to my un-soothing method is having a baby who is ready to sleep. If you want to start the process before you leave, you can do your best to create an environment where your baby is NOT sleeping.
Some ways to keep baby awake:
Feed baby 2 hours before the session start time
After feeding, don't actively try to get baby to sleep--let them be awake!
If baby is fussing, you can soothe them--we don't want a crying baby!
This is a great window of time to give baby a bath! Not only will it keep baby awake, but it will fluff up greasy hair and clean off any grimy folds newborns can get around their necks!
Letting baby kick unswaddled in a warm room is a great way for them to wear themselves out!
BUT: if any of this is stressing you or baby out, please just let baby snooze and we'll still have an amazing session!
Prior to Your Session
Siblings
Preparing your kids for our session often takes the timidness out of the evening. Please make sure kids know this is FUN! No Threats, as they usually bring about tears and added stress. Don’t even bother to tell them to smile or “be good”. My goal isn’t to get a picture of your child “being good” or just “smiling” but having fun and interacting. Some kids who have been coached to smile for the photographer get so nervous that they are fighting laughing and relaxing because they are so worried about having their picture taken or making their parents happy!
Instead, I’m a huge advocate for bribery- (ice cream after!) is always a great idea for the ones who need a little extra encouragement. However, please don’t bring sweets for bribing during the shoot. They tend to end up being a distraction. That said, I do bring Smarties as a last resort should we need them.
Dads
Spouses, I’m speaking to you. Is your husband feeling less than thrilled about your upcoming photoshoot? A little bribery seems to work well here (though, maybe something better than ice cream!) too! But seriously, let your husband know that the shoot will be relatively painless and to try to focus on having an hour to play with the kids, hold your hand and just savor the moment!
Bringing items from home: Do’s & Dont’s
I love incorporating personal items and family heirlooms into sessions! But not all items are actually appropriate sized for tiny babies!
DO: bring a special receiving blanket! Bonus points if it has a pretty matching headband!
DON'T: bring "newborn sized" crocheted hats from big chain department stores. Spoiler alert: they aren't newborn sized.
DO: bring a special prop to the session! I'll do my best to use it, but be mindful extra posing may cut into other poses that you may want me to do!
DON'T: bring cheap diaper covers or props you find online! If there's any specific themed prop you're interested in, let me know and I'll check to see if I already have something we can use, OR point you in the right direction to buy something that photographs well!
DO: bring a helper if you need to! Grandparents are welcome, along with nannies and babysitters!
DO: bring a bottle if you've done any bottle feeding. One bottle of pumped milk or formula could make a huge difference in baby's sleepiness if a full belly is what will help them stay in a deep sleep!
DON'T: stress if you haven't bottle fed baby and prefer to stick with breastfeeding! You're doing great!
Illness
Just as important as the weather is that everyone being photographed be feeling 100%. There isn’t anything worse than an up-happy and sick kiddo- they especially do not want to be in front of a camerea when not feeling well. At the first sign of sickness, please call, text, email, or message me and we can plan a new date.
Dressing your Family
WANT A FAIL-PROOF FORMULA?
Put most of the family in different neutral shades (i.e. ivory, gray, beige) and then add a few pops of coordinating color. See the sample palettes further down this post!
START WITH ONE PERSON.
It’s way easier to visualize the whole puzzle once you know what one piece looks like! Try starting with mom or daughter, since women’s clothing tends to have more colors and prints.
COMPLIMENT, DON’T MATCH.
The day of all-white shirts and khaki pants is long past! We want colors that generally complement each other: so for instance, soft colors (light blue, gray, blush) or warm colors (brown, orange, burgundy), If you want colorful images, then you should choose a more vivid color scheme for your outfits!
Generally, solids work best.
Pops of patterns can definitely look great, but if you’re looking for a fail-proof family combination, go with solids. To keep things from looking boring, include textures (think chunky knits, tulle, lace, etc). Avoid tiny prints, especially small plaid, and small stripes.
CONSIDER YOUR HOME DECOR.
If you’re planning to hang your images in your living room that’s decorated in all white, you probably don’t want your clothing to be dark. If you’re hanging them in a colorful nursery, then wear vivid outfits.
PLAN FOR THE WEATHER.
Nothing is worse than being miserably uncomfortable in a perfect outfit. If you’re planning an outdoor session in November, think about coats, gloves, and hats. In the summer, dress in layers that you can easily take off if you get too hot.
DON’T FORGET SHOES!
These are often the forgotten last element, but they can really make or break your outfits! If you can’t find shoes you love, consider going barefoot (just bring walking shoes to get from point A to point B). Steer away from athletic shoes and bright white sneakers.
TRY ON YOUR CLOTHES WELL IN ADVANCE!
Check your outfits from all possible angles in the mirror, not just the one you like best. Try sitting, squatting, leaning forward, etc. The kids’ clothes should work well in motion so that we can play during your session (think flying, tickling, and hanging upside down).
LET THE KIDS HAVE INPUT.
If your daughter hates wearing dresses, don’t force her to wear one for picture day. If your son thinks that bowtie is uncomfortable, ditch it. Happy kids make for happy photos!
Say Yes to:
COMFORT: Above all, if you feel good, you will look good! Choose clothing that gives you freedom of movement, keeps you warm/cool, and won’t require a lot of maintenance throughout your session.
TEXTURE: Add some visual interest to your images with unique fabrics. Some examples: are lace, cable knits, chambray, tweed, herringbone, chambray, faux fur, wool
PATTERNS: Don’t be scared of patterns and prints! They can work great in moderation. Try one statement piece (for instance, a colorful floral dress for mom) and one subtle pattern (maybe polka dots for baby girl), and then keep the rest of the family more simple. Large prints and patterns work best – I recommend avoiding small plaid/stripes.
LAYERS AND ACCESSORIES: These are the quickest way to take your outfits from average to amazing! Think scarves, blazers, cardigans, belts, jewelry, fun socks, and hats.
FITTED CLOTHING: We don’t want your clothing to be too baggy or too tight. Properly fitted clothing looks put together and will show your shape. For women, your upper half and lower half should be balanced: so for instance, blousy shirt + skinny pants, or tight shirt + flowing skirt.
CLASSIC CHOICES: Try to steer away from current trends, since they’ll date your photos 10 years from now.
Say No to:
FORMAL CLOTHES: Let your clothing match your surroundings. A tuxedo or formal dress will look out of place in the woods.
BRIGHT WHITE: If you love white, try off-white or ivory instead.
NEON COLORS: These create skin tone/color cast issues.
VERY SATURATED COLORS: I.e. bright red, bright yellow, etc. Instead, try more muted versions of the same color: so for instance, replace bright red with dark red; replace bright yellow with mustard, etc.
LOGOS & TEXT: Words will draw attention away from your face.
TRANSITION LENSES: If you wear glasses every day, please wear them in your shoot! However, lens glare and shaded lenses will keep your eyes from being seen. You can have an anti-reflective coating added to your lenses or wear just the frames.
ATHLETIC SHOES: Self-explanatory!
TINY PLAID, SMALL STRIPES, & COMPLICATED PATTERNS: These don’t always translate well in-camera.
Color Palettes
WEATHER (for outdoor newborn sessions)
A quick but important note: If the weather turns out warmer/cooler than you anticipated when putting together outfits, please adjust what everyone is wearing. Doing a session when it’s sweltering and kids are over dressed is never fun. Likewise if a cold front comes through. Please put sweaters on your children as I can’t photoshop out goosebumps and blue lips. I will most likely cut sessions short if I think the kids are too cold/overheated.
RAIN: I will be watching the radar all day. If it doesn’t raid but is overcast, we will still move forward with your session. However, if it’s muddy outside and no rain, we will reschedule.
As you all know, weather is forever changing here in N.Y., so don’t expect me to cancel a session until 1-2 hours prior to your session time. The cancellation will depend on how long it will take for you or me to drive to the chosen location
Arriving at the studio
The newborn studio will be HOT - 80-85º Before feeding baby, please have baby only in their diaper! Feel free to swaddle them with a blanket while they eat if needed! We provide bottled water for anyone who needs it during the session, but due to allergies, we don't keep snacks in the studio! Feel free to bring anything you need! There are several restaurants on Main Street that do carryout...and my studio shares a building with a coffee shop!
Getting Set up
While you're feeding baby, I'll start pulling set ups to use for your little one's session! If there are any images of mine that you love, please whip out your phone and show me! We can recreate them or just get an idea of the style you love! If at any point I pull out a prop, hat, headband or color that you aren't 100% in love with, let me know! This entire shoot is about what you love and will have to remember this time in your life forever!
During the session
Once we're done setting up and baby has a full belly, it's time to start your session! If baby is awake and happy, I'll be sure to document the many expressions that newborns make. Remember, babies can be awake for up to two hours, so instead of trying to soothe your baby to sleep (essentially giving them a nap to give them more energy!), we'll spend however long it takes un-soothing your newborn. If un-soothing lasts over an hour, I may have you feed baby one last time when they start to get sleepy - this will ensure a full tummy while I photograph them over the next two hours.
After baby falls asleep, either right away or after some un-soothing, I'll have about 90 minutes to get through all of the baby-only shots. I typically do 3 - 5 different backdrop colors on the posing bag, two prop shots and macro (close up details of fingers, toes, face, etc.) after we finish with family photos. While I'm used to the room's heat, and unclothed newborns prefer warmer temperatures, I understand that not all adults enjoy spending up to two hours in a hot room! Feel free to step out into the hallway to cool down, just be sure to leave the studio door closed at all times to keep the heat from escaping!