I think I have the best job in the world! Taking newborn pics for new mom’s and dad’s is such an honor and privilege. And something I do not take lightly.
It is always important to me for parents to meet the person who will be handling their new little one. So all of my sessions include a pre-consultation!
It gives parents an opportunity to get to know me and see my studio. We visit about the way the session will go down and what to expect.
Your Newborn Session
The moment you’ve been waiting for! Newborn Sessions are scheduled by your due date until babe is born. Once your bundle has arrived, we set the date on the calendar for your Session. It is important to have your Newborn Session in the first few weeks of baby’s life ~ ideally 7-20 days new! This is when they are still curly and sleepy and they don’t mind being transitioned from pose to pose while they rest in dreamland! When you join me in the studio for your session, I will have my studio all set-up, heated up, and ready to go. It will be time for you to sit back and relax and let me do all the work. The Session will last 2-3 hours to allow for babe’s feeding and soothing needs.
What to Expect
Of course, no two babies are alike but here are a few things you can expect:
I don’t have a set structure. I take all my cues from the baby. He or she is already the “BOSS” of the house and is the boss of my studio as well!
Some babies arrive snoozy and some are wide awake. Either way works for me.
If they are sleepy right from the start we just get going and I do my thing!
Others are happily awake, so we capture gorgeous shots of them looking around.
Then there are those that arrive a bit upset, needing a cuddle or a feed. And that’s okay, too!
If they need to be fed or snuggle their momma for a few, we will just stop and make sure the baby is content.
Or if you are wanting parent images, it will be a good time to just be in the moment and I will capture sweet shots of you snuggling your little one.
If we are doing sibling shots and baby is still unsettled, and needs to me snuggled some more. I will focus on big brother or sister, giving them some undivided attention.
Whatever happens, it all works.
There’s no stressing, or anxiety that things aren’t going to the ‘plan’.
We just go with the flow here at Kandi Anderson Photography!
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Helpful Tips
I do have a few trips and tips I like to encourage families to follow before they arrive at my studio that seen to help the session to go more smoothly.
Over the years, I’ve found some very useful steps that help to ensure your family has an enjoyable experience at your newborn session.
1. Try to keep the baby awake for 45 min. to an hour prior to coming to me. One of the best ways is with a bath/sponge bath. Take your time with the bath… it’s relaxing and completely tuckers them out. Applying lotion after the bath will help with flakey skin. Feed baby ½ of the bottle or on one side before leaving home. Once you arrive at the studio I will undress baby and wrap in a warm towel and have you feed the other half.
2. Dress the baby in loose clothes to avoid any lines on their skin (including diaper) – a simple sleeper is best. Avoid “onesies” or anything else that must be pulled off over the baby’s head. Having something that I can slip off easily will be less disruptive while getting baby undressed.
3. Bringing a pacifier, even if the baby doesn’t take it well, it could save the day… sucking distracts from my constant moving them. The short amount of time we will be using one should not affect any habit-forming behaviors for your baby. My goal is to help keep the baby happy and calm during our session.
4. Please be prepared to feed the baby at the studio. Some babies tend to eat more than usual during their photo sessions. It’s best to be prepared.
5. If sibling/family portraits are wanted during the newborn session I will take these first. After sibling portraits are finished, I ask the spouse/helper to take the older sibling out of the studio for the remainder of the session. Having an antsy toddler in the room can make it difficult to finish up the individual newborn portraits. If they need suggestions to pass the time, Build a Burger is very close for lunch, a treat or ice cream. We do have a nice park (weather permitting) or some parents choose to bring 2 cars so they are free after family images.
6. The studio is kept at 75+ degrees in order to keep the baby warm. You may want to dress in layers so that you are comfortable as well. Please know that babies pee and poo on everything and you don’t need to worry. I have plenty of wipes and pads on hand and everything is washed after each session. During the session, sit back, relax and take advantage of this time to rest. I suggest bringing your laptop to catch up on some work, write thank-you notes … or just take a NAP! No outside cameras, videos, or cell phone cameras are allowed at the studio or any location session.
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Your little one may not remember the image, but he will see and feel the love his or her entire life. Invest in the memories to hang on your wall, lay on your coffee table, or have as a keepsake. Your portraits last a lifetime.
I’d love to work with your family and be your newborn photographer! Please reach out if you are having a baby soon and let’s set something up! Contact me!
