How do I prepare for newborn photos on the day of the session? | Spokane Newborn Photographer
How do I prepare for newborn photos on the day of the photo session? I am a newborn photographer in Spokane, Washington. I am answering some of the most asked questions that I get from prospective clients. My newborn sessions are held within my clients homes, which actually takes less preparation that studio newborn photography. Let me walk you through how to prepare for newborn photos in your home on the day of the photo session.
Do not clean your home.
First and foremost, do not clean your home. I never want my clients to feel like they need to spend time cleaning up their home on the day of the newborn photo session. Spend time with your baby and taking care of yourselves. Do not clean on my behalf, I am not judging you one bit. I am a mother and was in your shoes not long ago, and I can tell you, my house was a wreck. There’s no need to impress here. I will help you tidy up the room that we will use for photos, no questions asked. I am entering into YOUR postpartum space and I want to do nothing but honor and respect you.
Take a shower and get dressed.
Get yourself showered, a (hopefully) hot cup of coffee and get dressed. You can dress up as much or as little as you’d like, I recommend casual attire, but that’s just how I roll. Leggings and a cardigan, jeans and a t-shirt, keep it so simple and basic, so that it looks natural.
Feed yourself, feed your family.
Please eat some breakfast, it can be simple like yogurt and granola. Eating with a new baby in the house is so tough to accomplish. I don’t want glassy eyes and faded smiles in your photos, so a fresh bite of breakfast will help with that. If you need to munch down some food after I arrive, that’s okay too, just make sure to check your teeth before we start pictures. I build in extra time to these sessions to keep them relaxed and easy-going. One more hot tip, keep some easy to grab snacks nearby for toddlers during the session, nothing too messy.
Feed your baby.
Feed your baby as much or as little as he or she would like about 15 minutes before my arrival time. That should allow time to feed, clean up, burp and all the things just as I’m getting there so that baby is satisfied for the start of our shoot. Don’t worry I build in time to feed your baby again during the session so we can capture those beautiful breastfeeding moments too if that strikes your fancy.
Turn off lights, check the thermostat.
I use 100% natural light in my photos, so I will turn off every light in the house during my sessions. If you have time as I’m arriving, turn off the lights and open up the blinds. Also check that your thermostat is at a comfortable temperature for your baby. We may dress and undress your baby for nearly nude photos, so it’s best to keep the home a comfortable temperature for that.
Dress your baby, gather prop items.
Last thing, dress your baby in whatever it is you’d like him or her to wear in pictures. I recommend a plain (usually white), fitted onesie in a premie size. Newborns are sometimes so small that they don’t fit in the “newborn” size, it’s a good idea to pick up a cheap package of premie onesie from the store to have on hand. Also gather swaddles or other items you’d like to use in your photos. I’m not a big user of props, but swaddles can add a nice cozy element to pictures and allows me to naturally pose the baby in more ways than if I don’t have one.
