I recently had the pleasure of hosting a newborn photography session for sweet baby James and his family. I first met family ‘W’ back in 2011, when James’ parents brought in his older brother for newborn photography. I was delighted when they contacted me to book a session for their second son, the beautiful little boy in the pictures I’ve included here.
The Toronto newborn photography experience is undoubtedly different at every studio. Every photographer develops their own routine and technique for posing and taking the photos in each baby’s newborn photography collection. Having photographed more than 600 newborns in the past, I, too, have developed a process that I follow so that each session is as seamless and enjoyable as possible.
The Toronto Newborn Photography Experience at My Studio
It goes without saying that over the years I’ve learned what’s necessary for keeping newborn photography sessions stress-free and productive. While my job is to capture beautiful portraits, working with a baby that’s just days old can be challenging, and so, above all else, I’ve learned that reading baby’s cues and adapting to their needs is not just what keeps baby content, but mom and dad relaxed too.
Sometimes, for instance, I sense that a baby doesn’t like the white noise that newborns typically find soothing, and so mom, dad and I will improvise to find something to which the baby responds well. In the past, I’ve taken photos to the tune of just about everything, from classical music to the hum of a hair-dryer! But, perhaps most importantly, I know that rushing newborn photography does little more than upset the baby and compromise the quality of the images that are taken.
When families arrive at my studio, I like to take some time to get acquainted and baby usually needs to be fed before we get started. Having nursed my own daughter for 14 months, I’m comfortable helping a mom get set-up to feed their baby with a vinyl nursing pillow and blankets for baby’s head. Or, if a baby is bottle fed, I’m happy to help in any way I can in this case, as well.
While the baby is being fed, I like to talk to the parents about the types of colours they would like incorporated in the newborn photography. I then throw some blankets into the dryer on the steam setting so that they’re free from wrinkles and warm and cozy for the baby.
A Sleepy Baby is the Key to Capturing Memorable Newborn Photography
One of the things I’ve developed and mastered while working in Toronto newborn photography is what I like to call ‘transitional posing.’ By ordering baby’s poses in a specific way, I’m able to move baby from one pose to another without disrupting their sleep. With a sleepy baby, I’m able to incorporate many more poses into a session, and so keeping little ones content and drowsy is ideal.
Another way to do just that is to ensure the baby is well-fed. Like I said, I find that when a baby like little James and his parents first arrive at my studio, it’s a good idea to get in a feeding before getting started. In fact, it can be beneficial to burp and change baby mid-way through their feeding, so as to wake them up a little and encourage them to feed longer. Sometimes, I’ll use a cool washcloth to coax an already sleepy baby to stay awake during their feed, because a baby who’s had enough to eat is more likely to sleep soundly later, during their portraits session.
By following this routine I’ve developed, I can typically get through half of the session without baby waking up to be fed. While baby is sleeping, being posed and having their portraits taken, mom and dad can relax in the lounge area and watch TV, read or connect to the Wi-Fi on their laptops or smart phones.
The Time it Takes to Create Beautiful Newborn Photography
No two babies or their families’ wishes are the same. It’s because of this that I now offer a few different options for the lengths of the newborn photography sessions:
1. Full-Length Newborn Sessions: A full newborn session, like the one I did with baby James, lasts anywhere from five to seven hours. This may sound like an eternity to anyone with a new baby, but when each pose takes approximately 20 minutes to set-up, and we take plenty of breaks so that baby can be fed and changed, it’s amazing how quickly those hours pass.
During these longer Toronto newborn photography sessions, we’re able to do between four and five poses on the pillow, two prop poses, family images, sibling images (where applicable), posed photos in daddy’s arms, as well as capturing all of a baby’s special little features like tiny toes and fingers, soft eyelashes and baby’s hand clasped around daddy’s finger.
If parents choose Toronto newborn photography because they wish to capture images with complicated poses like those where a baby is posed on top of a guitar or inside a construction helmet, the full-length session is the one that allows us to do just that. These more challenging poses are the perfect example of how each baby will dictate what takes place during their session. Active and alert babies aren’t candidates for these types of poses because it just isn’t safe to pose a baby in such a way if they’re squirming.
2. Full-Length Newborn Sessions with Siblings: When parents choose to include family members, like other children, in their baby’s Toronto newborn photography, I always recommend that we take these images on another day. One of the reasons it’s beneficial to reserve one day for straight newborn photography and to use some amount of time during a second day to capture images with baby, their siblings and parents, is that it’s a lot to ask an older sibling to be patient for five hours while we capture their baby brother or sister’s portraits. Plus, for newborn photography, the temperature in my studio is kept at about 85 degrees, something that’s necessary for keeping newborns comfortable but can be rather uncomfortable for an older child.
With that being said, I’m happy to work around my clients’ schedules and if a second day isn’t possible, we can either choose to take the sibling portraits at the beginning or the end of the newborn photography session. My studio is well-equipped with a variety of toys, colouring books and children’s movies to keep older kids entertained when they’re not being photographed. Plus, with my years of experience behind the lens of a camera, doing anything and everything it takes to capture great pictures of kids, I’ve got a real knack for getting even the least-enthused kid to smile.
Another reason the second session is beneficial is that it can be overwhelming for moms, who have given birth only days before, to have to think about their own hair, clothing and make-up. Sometimes, too, it isn’t ideal for dads, who may have taken days off from work right after the baby was born, to take yet another day off so soon.
These are some of the adorable images we took during baby James’ session with his big brother:
3. Shortened Newborn Photography Sessions: For parents who wish to keep the newborn photography focused on baby, it’s possible to reduce the session’s length to three hours. In these shorter sessions, we’re typically able to photograph baby in three poses on the pillow, using a variety of accessories like wraps, hats and headbands. I will also have time to do one prop pose and am still able to capture all of those little details that make your baby special.
By following a process that’s been tried and tested over the course of my photography career, I’m able to work with parents to achieve a collection of newborn photography that they love, no matter their preferences or baby’s needs.
I’d like to thank family ‘W’ for visiting my studio for the second time; it’s been wonderful having you as my clients! For any moms or dads-to-be who are interested in learning more about the Toronto newborn photography experience here, at my studio, please call 905.449.2200.
