Maternity & Newborn Sessions FAQ
When should I have my shoot?
What words sum up your style?
I'm really passionate about the way I photograph newborns. I will not do those highly stylized, babies in baskets shoots. It's definitely a skill, and I have a lot of respect for the photographers that do photograph them, but I will not.
I don't want to dress babies up like dollies and pose them like we're having a tea party. I want to capture your connection with your baby, and how tiny your babe is, and this brand new connection you have with your partner. That's the magic to me, when your child is older they'll be able to look at those pictures with you holding them and see the expression on your faces. They'll be able to see just how much they are loved.
For maternity sessions, I try to schedule them between the 30-36 week mark (34 weeks is pretty great) sometime before you’re too pregnant and over carrying this parasite, but far enough along that you’re at optimal size to show off you’re big belly! It’s the only time I ever get to schedule a shoot based on how fat you are!
Most of my clients will have their maternity session the same day as their baby shower, so that once we’re done with the portrait session you can head straight on over to your baby shower.
When baby arrives I recommend scheduling your session as soon as possible. Part of the joys of photographing newborns is showing just how tiny they were when they first arrived, and even though it might not feel like it, every single day they’re growing bigger and bigger. I always recommend booking in a shoot for the first week after you’ve arrived home from hospital.
On-going shoots One of the best parts about my job is getting to watch your family grow. Once you’re a client you no longer have to pay the photography session fee ($150) no matter how many times I photograph you. Most people will have their families photographed 3 times within the first year: Newborn session, 6 months (or when they start sitting) and 12 months (or when they start walking). Babies grow and change so much in the first year of life, so photographing them regularly is really important. Most people will take the images from those first 3 shoots and put them into a wall collection or album of “Babies First Year”
Where should I have my shoot?
This one is ultimately up to you, and it’s one of the things we will discuss during the pre-shoot consult. For newborns I recommend either at your own home, or in the studio. Newborn babies don't really "exist" in the outside world. They don't yet have a favourite spot and are rarely out of your arms. The studio is the perfect place to capture the connection between you and your new human, and to show just how tiny they are at this age, because it definitely doesn't last long! There’s minimal distractions in the studio and it makes for some really beautiful clean images.
If you feel more comfortable at home that’s always an option too! The images have YOUR background and you don’t have to worry about packing a change of clothes etc. as you’ll already have all of that at hand!
What if my baby is cranky and cries throughout the shoot?
The short answer is you do whatever you would normally do to settle them! I don’t put a time limit on my shoots, so while most shoots take 45-90 minutes, if your baby is unsettled and we fly past that 90 minute mark, don’t worry! I’m not going to kick you out!
In all reality, babies won’t cry for 2 hours non stop, and I only need a fraction of a second of calm to capture a beautiful moment. But in saying that here are a few things you can do to help minimize crying during the shoot (adults included)
Schedule your shoot around feeding times - generally babies will be pretty happy after a feed, so aim to feed right before your session (or once you get here) if you need to feed baby during the shoot, then do that!
If you’re planning on photographing baby with no clothes then dress them in something that is easy to put on and take off.
I try to keep the studio toasty and warm, but extra blankets to snuggle up in never go astray.
Are you Vaccinated?
Yes I am. It’s something that I take very seriously and I would never want to put your family at risk!
I’m up to date on all my vaccines and have a yearly flu shot too! I’m currently not vaccinated against COVID-19, but I will be as soon as I am eligible.
I’m always up for snuggles after the session is over, but during the session I do my best to touch baby as little as possible, I will direct how I would like baby to be held, but I always leave moving and positioning of baby in parents hands
When should I start planning my shoot?
I don’t have a giant waiting list, and I can generally make time for a session with a week’s notice. If you’re a new client I ask you to come into the studio so we can discuss a game plan, and go over what you’d like to achieve with your portraits. Some people have a very specific idea of what they would like their final products to look like, if this is you GREAT! I want to sit down with you and hear about your vision so I can make sure that happens! If you’re like 90% of my families though, you’ll have no idea where to even start! In which case I wanna sit down with you so we can discuss all of the options and formulate a game plan together! So make sure you leave time for that pre-shoot consult appointment! Generally speaking, if you’re thinking about maternity photos, contacting me around the 25-28 week mark is ideal! Or Newborns as early as possible! I’ll leave extra space in my diary around baby’s due date so I can make sure I can fit your family in as early as possible.
So if you’re considering a maternity or newborn shoot get in touch today!