Newborns
There is nothing more pure and innocent than capturing a newborn baby in their first few days of life. During the first year of your baby's life, your newborn will go through so many changes and will only be this tiny for a short time. It is my vision to capture your newborn so you forever remember their delicate eyelashes, soft skin, and curly womb poses. Making the investment in newborn photography is one you will cherish for a lifetime.
The best time to photograph newborns is within the first four weeks of life. Newborn sessions MUST be booked during your pregnancy. If you know that you are interested in a newborn session with us, please plan ahead and give us a heads up on your due date so that we can pencil you in on our calendar.
Please note that we no longer offer naked/nude newborn sessions. Our sessions all start out as fully wrapped, and can end in a partial wrap to capture baby's details, if desired.
You may be wondering what to dress your baby in. We have a variety of wraps and sets (including headbands and hats) for your baby. Simply dress them in a white short-sleeved or tank onesie (if it's cold outside you can put a sleeper over it) and we will wrap them over the top of their clothes when you arrive.
Family Backlit Images
Backlit images look great in both color AND black & white! These are the types of photos you will want to print on a large canvas and hang on your wall. They are timeless, beautiful, and capture the bond between family members and your newborn baby. If you'd like backlit images included in your session, please be sure to let me know in your newborn questionnaire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I gift a newborn session?
Absolutely! I offer gift certificates and e-gift cards, which can be found under the "Info" tab on my website.
WHY MUST NEWBORN SESSIONS TAKE PLACE WITHIN FOUR WEEKS OF BIRTH?
Babies change very quickly within the first few weeks of their life. They quickly adapt to the real world outside of the womb and begin to "unsmoosh" within just a couple of days, which means that they are less likely to stay in a deep sleep. It takes a lot longer to get them to fall asleep and are much more difficult to settle. Babies older than four weeks are much more alert and in tune with their surroundings. They also tend to go cross-eyed (which is entirely developmentally appropriate, but can make for some less-than-desired images) if they are not fast asleep. Newborns grow quickly! Not only are they getting bigger, but their muscles are developing a little bit more day by day which means they aren’t as flexible or as easy to wrap. Sometimes by four weeks, they don't even fit in our wraps!
TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT NEWBORN SESSION PACKAGES?
Studio Wrapped, Studio Family, and Studio Deluxe are all considered wrapped newborn sessions. A wrapped newborn session is a style that I gravitated towards in the past few years, and as a photographer have discovered are my personal preference and choice in what I offer for newborn sessions. During a wrapped session, I am able to swaddle your baby so that they remain calm throughout the session. Though they won't always fall asleep, they tend to remain more peaceful and will focus on the camera or family member's faces if they do not fall asleep during the course of the session. Wrapped sessions also make it easier to position your baby because we don't have to worry about their tiny arms and legs flailing around since they feel nice and snug and secure in a wrap. This results in a more gentle session that doesn't stress out the baby, family, or photographer.
If you would like to include your family members in your portraits, please book a Studio Family or Studio Deluxe newborn session. These sessions include siblings and immediate family members who will hold the wrapped baby. I offer a variety of poses designed specifically for each family. Poses may include siblings only, parents and newborn (individually and together), and any other combinations that you might be hoping for. The main differences between the Studio Family and Studio Deluxe packages are the number of images you will receive, the amount of time for the session itself, and with the Deluxe package you'll get more images of the baby alone to choose from (including close-ups of baby's details, if desired).
WHY DON'T YOU OFFER NUDE/SPECIALTY POSES ON A BEANBAG ANYMORE?
After years of trying various styles of newborn photography, I decided that I would no longer be offering the naked newborn beanbag poses anymore for a few reasons. Newborns take a very long time to fall into a deep sleep to allow for posing them without them waking up. An unwrapped newborn session becomes a marathon of several hours and can be exhausting for both the family and the photographer. Over the years, I have found that I prefer the natural wrapped style over naked newborns in poses that often need to be created from a number of images and composited together for safety purposes.
Will you do newborn session in our home?
I do sometimes do newborn sessions in your home, if preferred. It also depends on the time of year and my availability. If you're interested in an in-home session, please reach out early on in your pregnancy to see if I have availability for an in-home session around your due date.
Can I bring a special outfit or props?
Typically I prefer not to include crocheted, knit, or special outfits for newborn sessions, but if you have something specific in mind, please don't hesitate to ask.
I have many props and positioners that I will use for your newborn's photos. If you have something specific that is special to you, feel free to bring it to the session! Many families bring a wooden birth announcement sign, special tiny soft stuffed animals or rattles, or a special blanket handmade by a family member. I'm always happy to incorporate these items in the photos.
Do you offer themed newborn setups?
Absolutely, as long as it isn't too over the top. I find that with newborn photos less is more. In the past I've done tasteful military, holiday, and seasonal setups for newborns. If you have a specific theme in mind, please let me know early on so that we can plan accordingly!
