The Newborn Guide

Dressing Baby:

First and foremost, I want you to dress your baby the way that you want to! That being said, I've come to realize that the following suggestions do help with the overall photo quality and outcome:

Soft, light colors always photograph well. Newborns have a pink/red undertone to their skin and I've found that white, cream, soft blue, soft green, and pale pink are optimal choices.
Ensure that your newborn's outfit(s) fit properly. You want to make sure your baby isn't swimming in their outfit and that clothing won't slide off during the photos.
Never underestimate the power of a good swaddle! If you're worried about ill fitting clothing, we can always photograph your baby in a pretty swaddle or with a blanket.
I always suggest that clients have at least two outfit or swaddle options, plus a backup in case of an accident. This will give the photos variety and make sure that you aren't scrambling if the spit up on one outfit.

What To Wear For Mom & Dad:

Moms, I want you to be comfortable and feel beautiful for your newborn's session. Please keep that at the forefront when choosing an outfit.
Dads, if possible, a shirt without a pattern will work best.
Try to dress in colors that will coordinate well with your newborn's outfits. Again, soft colors and pastels work best.
We want your baby to be the star of the show, so wardrobe choices for parents should be subtle and complimentary with your little one.
I suggest avoiding black, unless you are specifically looking for a collection of black and white photos.

How To Prepare:

Before the session, make sure that you have all outfits ready to go (and a backup, just in case).
Do not dress baby until right before the session begins! This ensures the outfit stays clean as long as possible.
I always suggest feeding your little one right before the start of the session.
Make sure the area we are photographing has good, natural light. Open windows and keep overhead lights off. *I ask clients to send me an iPhone photo of the area we are taking pictures in so that I can understand the lighting.*
Spend a little bit of time decluttering the room or areas of your home that we'll be photographing. Things like water bottles, Kleenex boxes, bottles, diaper cream, etc. should ideally be hidden away.
Have your necessities ready! Things like a noisemaker, fresh bottle, diapers, burp cloth, extra blanket, etc. are so helpful to have on hand in anticipation of fussiness.

Keep In Mind:

Newborns are unpredictable. We may have a session with your little one sleeping, or a session where they are crying consistently. Because of that, I require all newborn sessions to be the "specialty" package ($300) because that ensures we have an hour to shoot and be patient with your baby through a variety of moods.
Newborns don't always have perfect facial expressions. I capture candid moments, as well as "posed" moments. This means that you will have some pictures where your little one isn't looking at the camera or maybe there's a picture of them crying, being comforted by you. It is rare to get shots of a newborn smiling because a true baby smile does not occur until 6-8 weeks age.
I do not offer studio photos. If you are looking for staged newborn photos with props and outfits provided by a photographer, unfortunately I cannot fulfill this.
Please let me know if you have certain photos you'd like to see. Some couples prefer artsy, close-up shots of their sweet baby's feet or hands. Other couples only want traditional, family photos with their baby. It is up to you! I typically ask clients what they want their ratio of pictures to be: Out of your 60 pictures, how many do you want with JUST your newborn? How many with the whole family? How many with just parents + baby? This is important for me to know so that I can deliver the photos you are looking for.