newborn session Guideby

Niki Jones Photography

Hi, there!

Thank you so much for choosing me to tell your story. You are about to embark on what I’m sure will be the most exciting, most challenging, most rewarding journey of your life. I’m honored to have the privilege of documenting the beginning of this adventure, in all its sweet newness.

MMaybe you’ve had other professional photography experiences before, or maybe this is your rst! Whatever the case may be, this guide is designed to answer questions you might have leading up to your session. I’m sure life is a bit of a whirlwind right now, and your newborn photography session should be something exciting to look forward to, not a source of uncertainty and stress.

In this In this guide, you’ll nd tips to help us prepare for a successful session, everything from what to expect to what to do the day of your session, and everything in between.

If you still have questions after reading this guide, please feel free to email me at hello@nikijonesphoto.com. Having clear expectations is key to a great session!

II’m looking forward to meeting your sweet baby and working with your family.

welcome

Time is of the essence when it comes to newborn photography. Though the term “newborn” is used to describe the time of period from birth to four weeks old, newborn photography is most successful when scheduled within the rst ten days of life. Scheduling your session between days three and seven is ideal - this is when your new baby will be sleepiest and most tolerant of being posed. After day eight, newborns discover the joy that is stretching! They They also become more alert and less likely to fall in the sweet, deep sleep that is so helpful during a session.

Scheduling YourSession

After day 14, other issues like baby acne and colic might develop. A session after day 10 is possible, but our best chance for a successful session is between day 3 and day 7.

If it’s at all possible, shoot me a text while you’re still in the hospital. This will help me pin point possible session times. If this isn’t possible while in the hospital, don’t worry at all! We will still nd a session time that works for your family.

There are two styles of newborn photography: lifestyle and posed. I love both for dierent reasons. Lifestyle photography has a more casual approach,and aims to capture natural images of baby and family. In this style, we’re able to capture the love and amazement among a family during this sweet time. Posed newborn photography involves the fun wraps, blankets, and props.

Styling and props

I value both of theses styles, so I generally approach a newborn session as a posed session, but use the “breaks” as an opportunity to grab some lifestyle shots.

I will bring a variety of props with me. I love when I will bring a variety of props with me. I love when families incorporate unique items or ideas into their sessions. If you have an idea or an item you would like to include, please let me know prior to your session, as I typically begin planning for these sessions weeks in advance. I cannot guarantee that every idea will be successful, but I will try my best to bring your idea to life.

Please DO NOT put pressure on yourself to clean or “prepare” your home for me. Your focus should be soaking up all the sweet newness of your baby, not worrying about having your home in tip-top shashape. I promise I will not judge for you how clean your house is or isn’t! Do not stress!

When I get to your home, I’ll do a quick tour of the room(s) you have in mind just to scope out the lighting. If the room works, I may take a few minutes to adjust furniture or move some things out of the way. If the roroom doesn’t work, I may ask to check out another room just to compare the lighting and see if that works better.

Once your baby arrives, let me know as soon as possible so that we can pick a denite session date and time.

Newborn photography is unlike any other type of photography. This next section will outline what you can expect from your session.

WHAT TO EXPECTDURING YOUR SESSION

In this kind of photography, poop happens. And it’s totally normal. Your baby will likely be naked for a good portion of our session, so please don’t panic or be embarrassed if your baby decides to use a prop (or me!) as a pottprop (or me!) as a potty. It’s happened before, and it’ll happen again. I wash all props after a session, so it’s all good!

Newborn sessions are long! A typical session is anywhere from 2-3 hours. This allows for breaks for feeding, changing diapers, soothing and setting up/settling into poses.

Once we’ve decided on the room(s), I’ll bring in my equipment. This might require more than one trip out to the car - that’s normal - and it might seem like a lot of “stu ,” but I’m essentially bringing a mini-studio with bringing a mini-studio with me!

If your baby is awake or fussy, you might start to panic. Don’t! It isn’t a disaster and we will get some great photos. We will follow baby’s lead, make sure she is comfortable, and proceed from there. It’s important that everyone involved stay as mellow as possible.

Relax, again.

Babies can sense anxiety, so it’s important for you to be relaxed. Your baby is in good hands, I promise! Take this time to relax a bit; feel free to leave the room. Some parents use this time to take a power nap or grab a shower, and I’m totally ne with that!

Relax!

I know this might sound like torture - keeping a tired baby awake when you’re also tired - but if this is possible, it will help us get baby into a nice, deep sleep for our session. If talking and playing with your baby doesn’t do the trick, a bath might!

Keep baby awake before I arrive.

This will allow any marks from the diaper to disappear from the skin in time for our session.

Loosen baby’s diaper.

Babies like being warm! Aim for 75-80 degrees. We’ll be extra toasty (and we might break a sweat) but baby’s comfort will be worth it.

Turn up the heat!

Ensuring baby has a full tummy will increase the chances of a long sleep. Think “milk drunk,” when their tummies are full and happy.

Feed baby 30 minutes or so before my arrival

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

If you’re breastfeeding, avoid spicy foods the day prior to your session. This could cause stomach problems and discomfort for your baby.

PPlease try to keep noises and distractions to a minimum. If you have other children or a pet you’d like to include for part of our session, we can do so at the very beginning or the end. When they are not being photographed, please try to have another family member available to keep them occupied. This will help maintain a calm environment.

YYour baby is incredibly sensitive to his mama’s scent. Your scent can make your baby want you and/or want to nurse, even if he isn’t hungry. For this reason, it’s always great to have dad on hand, too, to help get calm baby and get him thinking sweet, sleepy thoughts, instead of “where’s my milk?!”

other helpful tips

When picking outts for other family members, I always recommend simple and timeless clothing. A classic knit short or long sleeve shirt will work great for mama and papa. For siblings, you could choose a similarly classic outt, or something a little more fun with a small and simple pattern. Some families also opt fot shirtless sibling shots. Avoid things that easily wrinkle and loud, crazy patterns.

KKeep in mind your hands may be very visible in some photos. For this reason, trim nails are highly encouraged. This doesn’t mean everyone needs a manicure (though if you want one, go for it!), but please make sure nails are clean and hands are moisturized.