Preparing for your newborn session!

newborn turtle baby

Are you excited to show off your new little peanut to the world and you’re going to hire a professional photographer to capture those sweet little toes, gassy smiles and of course this little ones sleepy cuteness?

Wonderful! This period of time only happens once in life, so it’s important!  baby sleeping, moms caress

little feet, baby feet

To help you prepare I wanted to give you a few tips and tricks to help you and your baby stay comfortable throughout the session! 

First things first… know what type of session you would like to have. 

Are you looking for a lifestyle type session? This would be moments of you and daddy holding the baby with the nursery as the background, or laying on the bed, being natural. This style looks more photojournalistic than a traditional newborn session. 

Do you want something more along the lines of a stylized session, with more of a studio feel? This type of session would still be photographed in your home, it would just include more props and a portable studio setup. 

frog protector, newborn baby

Great! Now that you know what type of session you are looking for, here are some things to set up and help your session go smoothly. 

Your session will take place in your home…

This is where you and your baby are most comfortable. Please don’t worry about cleaning up your home prior to our arrival, we understand – you just had a baby! Things are bound to be out and about in the house. 

 Loosen things up….

sleepy little new babybig brother with new

Regardless of a lifestyle session or a posed session, please loosen your baby’s diaper and clothing about thirty minutes prior to the session time. We will be photographing your little cutie in the buff a lot, so we want to ensure there aren’t any imprints on that cute new new skin. Please note, we always ensure all of the important bits are covered, so they will never be showing. 

Please be sure to feed your baby while we are setting up the studio set or getting prepared for the session.

Feeding helps the baby to sleep, and we want them nice and full & dreaming sweet baby dreams for the session. 

Keep the house warm.

If you have a space heater, please turn it on in the room you are thinking will be best for us to photograph in. We will go over the best rooms in your home in the pre consultation talk. If you don’t have a space heater, please turn the heat up in your home, yes, even in the summertime. We also have a space heater we will bring along, so don’t worry. Babies need to stay warm, so we will likely be working in a tank top and shorts to ensure we have a room warm enough for your sweetie to stay calm and sleepy, even while naked.

newborn wrapped up in heirloom blanket

Be prepared for a longer session.

The baby is the boss, and we can not always keep sessions within a 2 hour time frame. We will take many breaks to ensure the baby is well fed, snuggled and sleepy. If you or the baby need to take a break, that’s not a problem at all! 

got daddy's back future guitar player

Blankets and Props…

Have a few blankets ready, especially special heirloom blankets, props or toys. The most special part of this is showcasing your new little one with a piece of family history. Even an antique chair that is special to you & your family can make a big difference. 

Be prepared to be pee’d or pooped on. It happens. We have the diaper off and well, it happens. Choosing a few outfits for both you and your partner is perfect, so if you need to make a quick costume change, its isn’t something you have to stress over, as you’re already prepared. We ask that you also have at least 3 different blankets you would like to use for the baby so we can layer them onto a posing cushion or your boppy, with pee pads in-between for quick blanket changes. 

baby in wooden shipping box new baby on white blanketPreparing for this session is key, so we will send you a few more tips prior to your session, so you can feel calm and relaxed throughout. 

We also always want you to feel comfortable speaking up with us as well, if you ever feel uncomfortable with something, just let us know, the safety of your baby and your comfort is of the utmost importance to us. 

Have more questions? Please feel free to email us at info@shanistudios.com