Babies can be unpredictable. Your life changes when you have a baby, especially when you’re expecting your first child. Preparing for your newborn’s portrait session doesn’t need to be complex but there are some helpful tips to make sure your photos from that special time are ones that you will cherish for years to come.
1. Feeding Your Baby
A well-fed baby is a happy one for a newborn portrait session. Whether you are nursing or bottle-feeding, feed your baby for as long as you can before leaving for your portrait session. When your baby begins to become sleepy, burp him or her and then try feeding for a bit longer. Use a cold washcloth to wake your baby up and this may get your baby to feed for a bit longer. The longer your baby feeds for, the better they will fall into a deep sleep and pose for pictures.
We take breaks for feeding and nursing whenever needed throughout your newborn portrait session.
2. Dressing Your Baby
Dress your baby so it is easy for your newborn photographer to undress your baby. This will help ensure that your baby can begin his or newborn shoot without waking up. The best piece of clothing is a simple sleeper that zips up. Please do not dress your baby with an under shirt or onesie under your baby’s sleeper. If your photographer is skilled in newborn photography, he or she should be able to undress your baby and start your photo session without waking baby if baby is well fed and dressed as suggested.
3. Arrive on Time
Arriving on time will help ensure you have the best baby photography session possible. Newborn sessions at Chandra Lee Photography last between 3 and 5 hours. We never rush or offer “mini” newborn sessions here because we would never want to rush photographing your baby. We take our time here at Chandra Lee Photography and are sensitive to your baby’s needs. There is no such thing as a fast or quick newborn session that will yield positive results and high quality images with variety.
4. Talk to Your Newborn Photographer Ahead of Time
Make personal contact with your newborn photographer. Decide if you like and connect with his or her personality. Find out about your newborn photographer’s skills and experience. Do they have professional accreditations? Are they involved in the photography community? Has your infant photographer received awards, merits or recognition for their work?
5. Plan Ahead
Do your research and plan ahead for your baby’s first portrait session. Newborn photographers often book up two to three months or more in advance of your due date. For this reason, it is best to choose a newborn photographer ahead of time to avoid being disappointed. Babies’ arrival times are unpredictable so only a limited number of newborn sessions can be scheduled in advance. Each newborn photographer will have their own personal style so it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with various work and select a style which you enjoy the most and fits within your budget you have set aside for newborn photography.
6. Stylizing Your Baby’s Photo Shoot
Here at Chandra Lee Photography, there’s really no need to pick your baby’s outfit or worry about bringing items to your portrait session. We have thousands of items here for you to use for your enjoyment. Props aplenty can be found here at the studio. Rustic earth toned baskets, crates, trencher bowls, pretzel bowls, a cute red wagon, antique prams, galvanized basins and much more can be found here. If you are looking for something on the cuter side, we also have flowerpots and baby blue pails and an antique wooden truck that has become a favorite among clients.
Accessorizing your baby with complimenting hats, headbands, rompers, newborn skits can also be a part of your session. We have everything here from striking bonnets made from merino wool to charming tiaras. Stylizing is available for both boys and girls.
7. Think About What Colors You Would Like
Chandra Lee has a vast array of colours to choose from for your newborn’s portrait session. Think about whether you would like neutral colors or bright vibrant colors for your pictures. There is probably something here to compliment or match your baby’s nursery if that’s what you desire. If you have a blanket or item from your baby’s room that you would like to co-ordinate pictures with, bring it with you. Chandra Lee loves to work with beautiful colours or neutral organic set-ups. These are your pictures and the choice is up to you for your baby’s portrait shoot.
8. Decide if You Want to Include Pictures of Mom and Dad
Newborn photography is not just “newborn” photography anymore. More and more clients are expressing their desire to include images of mom and dad in their baby’s picture session. Newborn photography really only became popular about 7 to 8 years ago. Photographer’s focused mainly on newborns at first; however, as the years went on newborn photography expanded to include images of the entire family. Parents and older children are a large part of the family. We want your entire family to feel included in your baby’s portrait session if that’s what you desire.
9. Including Siblings in Your Portrait Session?
Siblings are welcome and encouraged to participate in your newborn portrait session. Older children can sometimes require an adjustment period to become acquainted with the arrival of their new brother or sister. Jealously sometimes arises as they become aware that mom and dad’s attention is being shared with the new baby.
Spend time at home with older siblings and prepare them for the upcoming photo shoot. Allow your child to have time with the new baby to practice holding the new baby and giving the baby kisses. Always have a spotter nearby to ensure baby is well supported at all times. Sibling images can almost always be captured when children are 18 months and older. The younger the child, the less patience they will have for taking photos with their new brother or sister. If sibling images are important to you, then you need to research and choose a newborn photographer with experience working with older children and a proven track record for capturing newborn and sibling images.
At our portrait studio, Chandra Lee is always your newborn photographer and has been working with families and children for nearly 8 years full-time. Family and sibling images have become a facet of newborn sessions. Always more than one image is attempted with sibling and newborn images. If your older child is around 18 months, the best plan is to have a simple setup with your newborn baby posed on a prop low to the ground on their belly with mom or dad right beside your newborn. Children around 18 months will usually quite happily walk up to their new sibling to provide a kiss atop their head. Most children of this age will sit next to the baby and have their picture taken. A third pose can be attempted if your child still has patience and one of Chandra Lee’s favorite sibling images is of your child sitting behind your newborn with his or her arms wrapped around your new baby with their head gently resting next to your baby.
10. Do You Want Professional Products or Digital Downloads?
It is a digital era. Newborn photographers are now offering plenty of options for your portrait sessions. It is now becoming more popular to find photographers offering digital files; images on USB or digital download options. There is always a positive and a negative to the digital file debate. Professional products from your newborn photographer are always the best option but not always an option that is suitable or affordable for every client. A digital file is a great way to have beautiful images of your baby without the cost associated with professional products. The downside is that the quality of printing digital images on your own can be very poor if not dreadful. Printing through your photographer will yield the best results. If obtaining digital files is important to you then it is recommended to work with a photographer who can provide assistance in printing a better quality image on your own. It is apparent that we are in fact living in a digital age and more and more clients are wanting to have beautiful imagery simply to share with friends, family and co-workers on their Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, email distribution list or in a digital frame or mobile app.
To find out more about booking a newborn portrait session with Chandra Lee Photography, please contact Chandra Lee at 905.449.2200 or email her directly at info@chandraleephotography.com or by using the contact tab located above on your desktop or in the menu of your mobile device.
