Tips For A Successful Newborn Session

Chicago baby and family photographer – www.burnettstudio.com

I LOVE photographing newborns!

Newborn & family photography is my passion. I feel so fortunate when I get to capture a four day *new* baby's first few days of life. Newborn photography is complex, and I've completed hours of training to provide you with the safest and most memorable experience. I focus greatly on the prep and planning that needs to go into your session to ensure success.  Using my experience I have gathered and provided tips below to help make YOUR upcoming newborn session a success as well.

LET'S TALK DATES

I recommend that you schedule your newborn session PRIOR to your baby’s birth to ensure a spot on our calendar. If you want to do a combination of maternity & newborn you want the maternity session to happen around 35 weeks, and the newborn session to happen between 4 days and 7 days *new*. Contact Burnett Studio during your second trimester to inquire about availability for either one. All I need is an email or a text from the mom or dad when the baby arrives, and we'll pencil in the exact newborn session date.

BIRTH DAY!

Newborn sessions MUST be scheduled within the first 10 days of life. However, my PREFERRED time is between 3-7 days new. I'll be swaddling them, curling them up, and making them cozy in all those sweet little newborn poses you see in my gallery. I'll want them sleepy enough to be happy during this session. After day 7, they get little personalities, they want to stretch... and the want mom! Another useful tip is if baby acne is going to occur, it's usually somewhere around day 14. We want to steer clear of that time frame.

YOUR IN-HOME STUDIO

My newborn sessions take place in the comfort of your own home. I bring my studio to you. You do not need to pre-clean! I have two kids. I know how the first few months are and I would be shocked (and impressed) to come to a clean home with a 4 day old baby. I really do not need a lot of space and can shoot in and around anything you have. If I have to do a slight amount of shifting furniture or moving items, I always put it back where it was before I head out.

NATURAL LIGHT

I will look for the rooms with the best natural light. When I come for your pre-session consultation we will open all of your blinds and curtains in your home, and I'll evaluate the best place to set-up for your newborn session. With the best natural light in mind, I typically schedule my sessions in mid-morning when I hope to catch the best window light. You never know where this will be. It could end up being in an office, in a kitchen near a sliding door.... we'll have to wait and see! I look for large windows if available. I will have my studio light with me if needed.

COMFORTABLE BABIES PHOTOGRAPH BEST

Newborns have a difficult time regulating their own body temperature in the beginning. To keep them comfortable with no clothing on it is important that you keep your home warm. 80 degrees is ideal for baby. I will have also have a small space heater with me to help keep them cozy+warm during their solo photos. This will ensure a sound sleep for baby & allow the session to run smoothly. We may be sweating, but baby will be nice and warm…and that’s really all that matters! Crank the heat 30 minutes before our session for best results!

PREPPING BABY FOR MY ARRIVAL

Before you give that last nurse prior to photos, strip them down to their diaper and put it on loosely. Feel free to wrap them lightly in a blanket until I am ready for them. Loose clothing before I start avoids marks on the skin that could show up in the photos and would need editing. Even while naked I'll use crafty camera angles and blankets to ensure a certain amount if discreteness in all my baby images.

ENSURING A SLEEPY BABY

Newborn Images are best captured when the baby is in a deep sleep. Although your newborn will run the show once he/she arrives, we'll mess with their desires just this once and I recommend that you keep your little one awake for at least an hour before I arrive (if you can). Probably the worst news a newborn photographer can hear when they walk in the door is “My baby has been sleeping so great all morning. He'll be so chipper for his shoot!” :) We will most likely have awake photos for a good portion of the session if that is the case.

KEEPING BABY FED AND HAPPY

A well fed baby is a happy baby! Please feed and burp baby right before our session to ensure a happy, sleepy (“milk drunk”) baby. I am more than happy to take breaks whenever needed during the session. Breaks are expected and encouraged, and I'll use the time to set-up for the next pose. We are 100% on babies schedule.

BACKGROUND NOISES

We will want to keep background noises to a minimum as much as possible. A constant noise, like white noise is extremely helpful, and I will bring a white noise app of my own. Voices (especially mom's voice) will grab the baby's attention. In fact during my time with the baby I encourage you to watch but also to sit back and enjoy this little time you have to yourself while I pamper your little one. If there are other siblings joining our shoot I will have them join in the shoot either right in the beginning or towards the end so I recommend to have an extra caregiver on hand, or if that's not possible, then the other parent, can take them into another area of the house while we focus on the newborn.

PATIENCE

Most newborn sessions can last anywhere from 2-4 hours. We base the session 100% on the baby’s mood and willingness to sleep. Since this is not something anyone can predict this early on, I prepare you for the fact that everything goes! We break whenever we need to. My top priority is that baby is comfortable and happy so we break if they are not (and this happens!). Babies pick up on any frustration in the room. If you see your baby getting fussy, it's ok. It's normal and expected. And if sleep doesn’t happen, that’s okay too! I love when I can capture wide eyes too!

I'm very comfortable holding and posing newborns. I've flown out to train with the best of the best for two years in a row. So yes! You get to RELAX!

POOP HAPPENS (A LOT)!

I come prepared for this. I have multiple blankets, and they get laundered after every session with dreft all natural. This is one reason I only book one newborn session per day. I get peed on, especially with the boys. I do have knit diaper covers if you would rather have the baby covered during the photos where you will be holding them. These slip on over the diaper.

WHAT WILL I BRING?

I have a collection of baskets, blankets, wraps, knit hats for both genders, and headbands for girls, that I bring to every newborn session. If you have any props of your own, especially something meaningful or handmade gifts from a family member, just let me know what you hope to incorporate and we will work some of this into your session. I STRONGLY encourage you to discuss any ideas, props or poses you have in mind at least a week prior to your session (we will cover this in your pre-consultation as well). I start planning out your session weeks in advance, so dropping a huge idea the day of may make it hard to incorporate it. Overall I like being fully prepared long before I meet your little one!

THE SCENT OF MOM

Your smell is recognizable to your baby from day one, if a little extra fussiness arises as you hand the baby over, I may ask mom to step back or to the other side of the room (or go make yourself some tea & put your feet up)!

SMOOTH RUNNING

Again... Your baby’s safety is my top priority! I haven't had a mom do it yet, but feel free to speak up if you see something you'd like me to change. I take every measure (including hours of hands-on classes) to ensure that your baby is never in any danger. For this reason I always prefer one parent present throughout the shoot.

HOW TO DRESS

You just had a baby and may not be feeling your best, but that new Momma glow is the best part of capturing you in those first few days. It's a trait I love most about my sessions. You are a beautiful new mom, and you just had a baby so if you'd like, use this shoot as an opportunity to pamper yourself. Go get your nails done, have someone come give you a blow out, or simply take some extra time that morning to do it yourself! Do whatever you need to do to be super relaxed. This is your day too.

Keep your clothing simple. Throw in a little color if you’d like, but skip the busy patterns. I love classy skin-on-skin portraits if this is something you are interested in. I have a beautiful lace bando I provide to my newborn mom's if this is something you'd like to incorporate, or consider a strapless tank top. They make amazing color and amazing black and white photos.

FOR THE DADS

Your hands, and possibly even your feet (if you wish), could play a major role in this session, so it’s important that you tend to them too. We will discuss your desired role in the photos during your pre-session consultation. Even if you aren’t planning on participating much in the session, you’ll still be handling your baby a bit, so it’s a good idea to lotion up the hands and cuticles (or if it's up your alley, pamper yourself and consider a manicure). Do also consider dabbing a little lotion on your face the morning of the shoot to help refresh your face and give a little glow.

A little clothing advice? Long or short sleeved knits are best. Something somewhat fitted works well. Try to avoid baggy clothing. A crisp clean undershirts also works! Wrinkles do show up in photos, so please make the clothing you choose is ironed or hanging before used in the shoot. The retouching involved is extensive and may incur an extra fee if you decide you want the wrinkles removed from your final images.

USING THE BED

One suggestion that allows versatility in comfortable posing for the newborn is to use the bed, so we may suggest this as one shooting spot. Please don't feel like you need to clean up before I arrive! Simply making the bed is enough (even if it's the only time you do it). If that’s something that appeals to you, a few tips:

1. Tidy up the nightstands.

2. A solid blanket/comforter.

3. I highly recommend white to light cream or even a very light grey solid bedding to keep things light and airy & I'm happy to use my large cream newborn blanket to accomplish this look if you do not have one. Just let me know.

That's it!  If I missed anything you'd like to cover I'm happy to help. I can be reached at [email protected] or 630-336-5894.

www.burnettstudio.com

Natural Light Newborn Photographer  |  Chicago family Photographer | Baby Photographer | Maternity Photographer