Newborn Photoshoot Preparation Guide
Thank you so much for choosing me to photograph your little one at the very beginning of their journey! This session guide will help you prepare for our newborn photoshoot so please have a read-through and if you have any questions or concerns please just drop me a message or give me a call and we can have a chat.
When you arrive at the studio we will have a cuppa tea and settle in. I’ll ask you to give baby a big feed, then I will settle your little one in to a lovely sleep. I will wrap your little one and we will make our way through the poses. I work to a particular flow, and will be assessing your baby throughout the session; their safety will be my priority.
breast feeding or bottle feeding
As I’m sure you are already aware, if you are breast-feeding, what you eat or drink will affect your little one, so in order for your baby to be comfortable during the session, I do ask that you try to avoid certain foods the day before the session. Gassy and spicy foods can upset babies tummy and as we wrap baby up we want him or her to be as comfortable as possible.
Curry, peppers, orange juice or fruit juices high in acidity. Tomatoes, beans, chocolate, coffee or green veg can cause gas, so please try and stick to a plain and simple diet before our session.
If your little one is exclusively breastfed, please prepare to be patient and willing to top up a little bit more often than you normally would at home.
If you are expressing or formula feeding, please bring more milk than you would normally do - during the session, the baby would feed a lot more than normal, usually (2-4 times more) due to the warm temperature in the room and due to being touched and moved all the time. I do have access to a kitchen should you need any milk warming up.
If your baby has a gassy tummy and you give him any kind of drops for that at home, please bring them to use during the session too.
before you arrive at the studio
Please dress your little one in something that can be taken off without disturbing them too much. For example, an all in one with an extra blanket or two on the top, after the baby is already secured in a carseat. Please avoid tight socks, hats, baby mittens as those will leave marks on skin. I will provide babies outfits and wraps for the session.
Please avoid using any oils before the photoshoot as this may make babies skin look shiny in the photos.
Please let me know if baby has collic or any other health issues that I may need to consider.
Please bring along a spare muslin, and nappies as required.
babies sleep pattern & posing
In order for me to start posing your little one, we need for them to be in a lovely deep sleep. Once they are completely relaxed I can position their little hands and curl them up in to safe and comfortable poses.
If you can, try and keep baby stimulated for an hour or so before the session, this will help baby fall in to a deeper sleep at the studio.
When a baby is at home, they generally do sleep all day, but they also nap a lot, and are not necessarily in a nice deep sleep. When the baby comes to the studio it will be in a completely different environment with new light, smells and sounds that they are not used to.
We will also be dressing / undressing baby and moving him or her in to different props and poses, all of which can cause baby to be a little more alert, especially if the baby is older.
I will not attempt certain poses until I am confident that your baby is going to drift off in to a deep sleep as I will always have their comfort and safety a priority above all else.
I work to a specific posing plan on the day of our session, although my sessions are baby led meaning that I will be watvhing and taking cues from your little one. I will always priorities your babies safety and comfort and will never force a particualr pose if I feel baby is not happy. Becuase of this I can not guarnatee any particualr pose. But I can promise I will do everything I can to achieve a beautiful gallery of images for you to treasure.
when you get to the studio
When you get to the studio, it would be great if you could time it so that baby has a feed on arrival.
We will talk through the plan for the session, emjoy a lovely cuppa, and you can decide which outfits you would like your little one to wear.
Oce baby is fed, winded and changed I will begin by wrapping your little one in a soft stretchy wrap. This makes your baby feel nice and secure as if still in your womb and helps encourage a nice deep sleep.
The studio will be very warm, so I do advise you wear layers that you can easily remove.
family & sibling photos
If you opted for the Balanced or Boss package you are able to incliude family or sibling images within your session.
A lot of the time, parents opt out of having their photos taken. Perhaps the lack of sleep and giving birth has taken its toll and you're just not feeling your best. You don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with, but I do highly recommend capturing images of those early days with your new baby. In years to come when you look back, you will cherish them!
I really love photographing the connection between you and your baby.Just as they encourage in the hospital, skin-to-skin contact creates the most beautiful images. But I do have a beautiful selection of maternity dresses and material that we can use should you wish or you can bring your own outfit, but please keep the colour neutral and avoid any patterns and logos.Dads, if you prefer not to be shirtless for skin-to-skin images, simple neutral coloured t-shirts work best. We can discuss colours in more detail as this will depend on the backdrop you choose.Please try to use neutral colours that compliment each other for family photographs. Please avoid clothing with logos, patterns of characters on. I’m happy to discuss this in more detail should you wish.
Make sure that nails are tidy, remoe any chipped nail polish and bring a hair brush just in case.
prep for siblings
I will never force a child to have their photos taken if they don’t want to… it will only show in the images if they don’t want to be there.
Having a new baby in the family can be a big transition and they may still be finding their feet with their new status of big brother or sister! Maybe even a little jealous of the new baby. To help prepare your younger children for the session you could play “photographers” before the shoot, show them some baby-sibling images, or try out some poses using their favourite doll or teddy.Feel free to bring along any toys or treats to entertain them or encourage cooperation.
I will do all I can to capture some sibling images at the beginning or the end of the session but I will never force them to do anything that they are not comfortable doing.
As the sessions are long i do think it can be boring for younger children. I do recommend that they join us at the end of the session for the family photos.
dogs
If you want to bring your dog along to your newborn session please let me know.
location & parking
28 Halsford Green
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 1PB
The green is a one-way system and you will find plenty of parking on the road.
Please let me know when you arrive and I will meet you at the front of the property.
07780614687
sickness & cancellation
If anyone in the household has been sick or has been unwell in the last 48 hours, please let me know as soon as possible so we can reschedule the session.
As I have allot of new born babies in the studio, it is important to keep the area as germ free as possible.If you have been in contact with anybody who has Covid or have been self-isolating, please let me know!
If you have any questions, or concerns please don't hesittate to contact me, I'm really looking forward to working with you.