Baby moments are short lived and best captured with professional photography. For those of you soon to have a little one, this thorough must-read list will help prepare you and your baby for a smooth first portraits session.
Book baby's first portrait session within two months of your due date. Booking a "floating date" gives you and your photog some flexibility around baby's arrival. You will be too busy tending to him after he arrives to remember to make a booking, and he will look his "newborn freshest" within 2 weeks after birth. Babies grow fast! Those tightly crumpled newborn limbs and delightfully squishy face will start changing within just a few days. Don't miss the newborn moments. They only come once!
Baby MUST be fully fed and satisfied before the session can begin. This is to assist his sleepiness upon your photographer's arrival. Understand his feeding schedule and sleeping patterns before hard scheduling your session. Hungry babies will cry for most of their session, and very few poses will work. If he's sleeping when I arrive, don't wake him. Newborns are nearly un-pose-able when they are awake, but can usually be molded like clay when asleep.
Don't stress about having a clean house for in-home sessions. I know your baby needs more attention than your house does right now. Almost all images I photograph are close ups of you and your baby, so it's not a major travesty if you have a pile of clothes sitting in a corner. The widest angle I'll shoot is a long shot of the entire nursery, so make sure at least that room is looking great. Depending on the space, I may take liberty in relocating some items with your permission.
Keep the dogs away. Nosy, noisy and too-excited animals eat into session planning time and may wake the baby or knock over lighting equipment (liability!). Before your photographer arrives, keep pets outdoors or in a room not near the one being used for photography. Also maintain your fabrics (clothing, blankets, furniture) from pet hair. A baby laying on an unintentionally hairy background tends to communicate a sense of neglect. Animal hair may even cause irritation to a new baby's sensitive skin.
Wear solid or calming patterns that coordinate. Yes, parents, you will be in many shots, and often as an organic background while cradling baby. Dress as though this is a casual engagement session, and be comfortable. Mom and dad should coordinate colors that compliment each other and look good behind baby as he is being held. Do not wear clothing with crazy colors, advertisements, or text of any kind.
Lotion up! Make sure your baby and all her extremities are well moisturized. Many newborns have very dry, flaky skin. Treat your own hands and feet too, as well as dad's... close ups will be taken.
Wipe the crusties! Before the session, be sure to wipe the noses and mouths. Dried mucus is very time consuming to retouch (plus, it's gross!).
Mind baby's skin. Let me know if there are markings you wish or wish not to have retouched from detailed shots of your baby's skin. Newborns commonly have pimples, blotches, birthmarks or scratches all over themselves. I normally leave baby as she naturally came, but if you have preferences, please do not hesitate to let me know.
Have an arsenal of toys, props, blankets or heirloom items available. I style my babies to be as natural and individualistic as they can be, so I do not provide multi-use studio backgrounds, baskets, fairy wings or tutus. I personally cringe at the idea of every baby using materials that a dozen other babies pooped on or spit up on before them. I never style any two babies' portraits the same way. I respect your baby, and I'd like him or her to be a non-cookie-cutter individual. I'd also love your input on preferences too! Share a Pinterest page of styles you like, and we'll discuss a way to make it happen.
Remove baby's clothing which may leave elastic lines on baby's skin an hour prior to my arrival if you want full naked shots. Depending which style diapers you use, this may include removing that too, as bums are often unflatteringly reddish and a little moist right after a diaper removal. Swaddle your naked baby in a cloth you won't mind getting soiled, and we'll shoot the naked photos first. Newborn portraits are most poignantly expressed in nudity: the totally fresh infant before anything worldly has yet affected him. In light of this concept, I don't recommend too many outfits (clothing changes often disrupt baby's demeanor). One favorite outfit or head accessory can be tried later in the session.
Keep the room warm! Babies don't like being cold! You wouldn't either if you just spent 9 months in a warm, fluid cushion of yumminess. Do everything you must to enhance baby's comfort, including nature sounds, music, or this quick lesson on infant massage if it interests you.
It's okay if baby cries. It's part of life, right? Expect the crying shots to be captured too. Take your time in calming him down; the interaction between you two makes great candid moments.
Many aspects of infant portraiture are played by ear according to baby's moods and reactions to stimuli. Patient and well-prepared parents win half the battle when it comes to successful portraits!
