Hello & congratulations!
Thank you for inviting us to photographing this precious milestone for your your growing family. We are thrilled to welcome your expanding family to ours! Read on for our best advice to ensure a successful newborn session experience!
-aaron&ashley, hint of whimsy photography
When to Book a Newborn Session
Since the first week of life is when newborns sleep the most, this is the best week for capturing a peacefully slumbering baby, so that is when we prefer to schedule your little one's session.
That being said, we do recommend calling to book your newborn session at the start of your third semester so ensure availability once your little one arrives. If you've already passed that mark, or baby has already arrived, don't feel as though as if you've missed out – just give us a call and we'll take a look at our earliest availability!
What to Wear
Baby will likely be wrapped or bare for the entire session, but we encourage soft neutrals tops for the rest of family. Consider including varying textures and layering to add some dimension to your images.
(Example: cream, white, gray, pastel, lace, knits, cardigans, scarves, etc.)
Note: The studio is kept quite cozy to ensure your bare baby is comfortable at all times - we highly recommend dressing in layers or bringing lighter clothing to wear so you are comfortable as well.
We recommend keeping baby awake for 1-2 hours prior to the session and timing feedings so that he/she arrives quite hungry as well. We will have you feed your little one immediately when you arrive at the studio so baby is nice and sleepy for us to get started. Tip: A good way to keep baby alert, is to plan a bath just before the session.
Additionally, baby might feel hungry between posing, so come prepared with extra bottles or to nurse on site if needed.
What to Bring
Siblings
The birth of a new baby is the perfect excuse to update outdated family photos! We love including siblings in newborn sessions but have a few recommendations to ensure the experience is stress free and fun for everyone!
- We will capture family and sibling photos immediately after baby has settled. If other siblings (or fur-siblings!) will be joining us, we recommend that someone swings by to pick them up 30-45 minutes after the start of the session, once we've captured family and sibling photos. If that isn’t an option, don’t worry – we have lots of toys and activities to keep them busy and have been known to invite kiddos “help” with the session to keep them from going stir crazy!
- Bring lovies! Having a beloved blanket or stuffed animal there can ease the fear of a new place and new faces.
- Bring incentives! A small treat does wonders. We keep fruit snacks on hand, but even cheerios can do the trick!
Babies cry, spit up, poop and pee! Don't fret! Baby will be bare for most of the session, so please do not be embarrassed if an accidents happen. It may be a surprise to you, but it's just part of the job for us! All items are washable, and baby will likely feel much better after they get it out of their system!
Accidents Happen!
Not all babies cooperate with the poses we have planned. We will not force a newborn into a pose that is unsafe or upsets your little one. The safety and comfort of your baby is always our top priority. Unfortunately, sometimes that means a pose we were hoping to achieve or that you suggested may not happen. We will simply calm your baby and move on to the next pose or next set up.
Unless mommy or daddy requests a specific color, prop, hobby, or theme, we will dream up a handful of sweet set ups for your new little one that you’ll swoon over! Many of our accessories are hand made and speak to our whimsical style of photography. If you’ve seen a pose or set up we’ve done before that you just love, don’t be afraid to request it!
If you'd like to incorporate something specific, please just let us know prior to so we can prepare.