Newborn photography is incredibly challenging, there is a bit of prep and planning that needs
to go into these sessions to make them a success. I've put together a few tips below to
help us get the very best out of your upcoming newborn session. 

• Get in the books
  We recommend that you schedule your newborn session PRIOR to your baby’s birth to ensure a priority spot on our schedule. In your last couple weeks of pregnancy, give us a call and we can pencil you in.
• B-day!
  Newborn sessions MUST be scheduled within the first 14 days of life. However, the BEST time is between 3-7 days after their arrival.
  We’ll be moving them around and scrunching them into those sweet sleepy newborn images, so we want to make sure they’re sleepy enough to allow us to handle them. After day 14, it’s almost impossible to get baby into that deep sleep that came so easily in their first few days…so it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to get them into any of the more bendy newborn poses. Keep in mind that newborn acne (and sometimes colic) is likely to flare up after day 14. 
• Location
  The majority of our newborn sessions take place in our studio. If the weather is warm enough and you’re comfortable with the idea, we can take the session outdoors. We have an amazing wooded, grassy scene that I have developed into a photographers "nature backdrop" that is located on our 6 acre personal property. We can also meet at a public park and I will bring all props needed per your unique requests.
• Warm is good
  Newborns are used to being all bundled up and warm …when we come in and take off all their clothes for those adorable naked baby shots, they tend not to get upset! I will have the studio "preheated" so the session flows more smoothly and help them sleep better. We may be sweating, but baby will be nice and warm…and that’s really all that matters!
•  Clothing
  Please loosen your baby’s diaper and clothing at least 30 minutes before the session. This gives those little imprint marks time to disappear.
  Your baby will be naked in some of the shots, but we pose them so that all the “important bits” are not on display. Beautiful young lady in a beautiful sunset
• Sleeping is good
• Most of the images we’ll be shooting work best if the baby is in a deep sleep. We recommend that you keep the baby active before your scheduled session time, this will keep them exhausted for their
  photo shoot. Keeping your little one awake will be worth it in the end!
•  Feed baby before session
  A full baby is a happy baby! Please feed and burp baby right before our session time. This will also help with getting a sleepy  baby. We’ll also be more than happy to take breaks as needed to help them feel comfortable.
• Quiet!
  Please do whatever you can to keep the noise level to a minimum during our session. If you have children and would like them to be included in some photos, we recommend bringing them in at the beginning or end of a session and then having someone occupy them for the rest of the session. Only those being photographed should be present to help maintain a calm environment.
• Relax
  I'm pretty comfortable holding and posing newborns. I have had a few myself. :0) Your baby is in safe hands, I promise! So relax in our studio gathering area and I will call you if I need mommy's assistance. 
• Accidents will happen
  We will have a changing table in the studio for your convenience. All surfaces will be sanitized and ready for your arrival. Your baby is going to be in the buff for some of the shoot. Please don’t panic if your baby decides to use our blankets (or us) as his/her own personal potty. This is natural and we expect it!
  We wash all of our baby props and blankets between each session with non-scented baby detergent.
• Props
  We have a collection of bowls, baskets, blankets, knit hats and headbands that we have in our inventory. You are also welcome to use any of your own props. Looks for items with texture and color to help make your images unique.
  If you have any family heirlooms, toys, hats, props, etc. that you would like me to use in your session, please gather them and bring them with you. We may not get the chance to use ALL of the items, but we’ll look through them with you to determine what will work best.
  *I also STRONGLY recommend that you discuss any ideas, props or poses you have in mind at least a week prior to your session.
  I start planning out your session weeks in advance, so dropping an idea on me mid-session (that requires an unavailable prop) can cause stress on everyone! So talk to me early on and let me know what you have in mind!