when to schedule
The most frequently asked question I get for newborn sessions is “when do I schedule the shoot?”. We never know for sure when baby will arrive, so it makes it tough to plan.
My answer? Schedule 1-2 weeks after your due date, but anytime in the first month is fine, and we can reschedule if needed.
If you want newborn photos, the first 2 weeks after birth are great for a shoot. If baby shows up early or late, we just reschedule. Of course, if you feel like you’ve been hit by a train after bringing a baby into the world, figuring out breastfeeding, and how to keep a small human alive in general, there is absolutely no harm in waiting a few weeks until until your head is slightly above water. I photograph babies at 3, 4, and 5 weeks all the time. For some reason 6-7 week old babies can be pretty fussy, so I advise avoiding that stage.
Because I don’t pose babies in baskets, or buckets, or on boxes, I don’t have to have them at their most malleable/sleepy stage in those first 1 or 2 weeks. What is my style is to come into your home in those first few weeks, and take natural, candid photos of you as a family. Nothing too posed or forced. Just genuine love connection between your family – baby being snuggled by each parent, snuggled as a family in bed, baby getting zurburts from Dad, and swaddled in their crib or bassinet. You know, the stuff you do with baby when a professional photographer isn’t there.
where to shoot
I offer newborn sessions in the hospital, at your home, or in my studio in downtown Seattle. The hospital sessions are quick, less expensive, and less involved since you don’t have to “get ready” per se.
The at-home newborn session is my most popular. You get photos as a family, baby alone, with their sibling, and you have a chance to show off your personal style – clothing, home, and nursery. Of course you don’t have to clean the whole house! I usually use the living room couch or big window, the bed in the master, and take some shots in the nursery (if you have one).
My studio is available if you’re in the process of a move, or your feel your home is too dark for a session. We get all the same shots we would in your home, save for detail images of your nursery.
what to expect
The in home and studio sessions are 90 minutes, not because we shoot that long, but because we have to accommodate time for babies care. Most infants eat 1-3 times during a regular session. We also stop for diaper changes, outfit changes, and regular breaks if mom needs. I work little bursts of photograph around you and the baby, not the other way around.
beauty through the chaos
There is really no way to get “ready” for a newborn shoot. Most families are still overwhelmed and exhausted when I show up for the photo shoot. If the house is a mess, the older kiddo is throwing a tantrum, and mom is still drying her hair when I arrive…I call it NORMAL. We manage the chaos and then, when we get a peaceful snuggly moment, I snap snap snap for a few minutes. Then baby might fuss, so we put them back in your arms, and get a few shots by the window. Then we break for a feeding. Then I snap a few of you as a family on the bed. It’s quick bursts of photos in between the chaos of life with a new baby. I promise we’ll get you a gallery you love!
