Here are our top 8 tips to a successful newborn session.

When welcoming a new baby into the family, there are a lot of factors to stress about. Newborn photos shouldn’t be one of them. Here are our top 8 tips for a successful newborn session

Save your stress levels!

I know this seems like a silly thing to be at the top of our tips, but it is probably the biggest thing! Save your stress levels by booking your newborn session when you are still pregnant. This allows us to pencil your due date in and start planning your session before baby is born. We generally get your in for newborn photographs within the first 2 weeks after your little one is born, as long as baby and Mumma are doing well and are home.

This means, we will have everything sorted, the style, colour scheme, clothing for the family set ups, who’s bringing “Bruno” the 2-year-old chocolate lab and taking him home and everything in between. But getting in early and preparing your stress levels will be almost nonexistent – I mean I can’t control hubby taking a 45 min toilet break 10 minutes before you have to leave but everything else, I’ve got you covered!

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Preparation is KEY

What do they say … Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance ha-ha This is true even when it comes to your newborn session.

With this in mind, we send out a questionnaire as well as a preparation guide for your session. The questionnaire is to get to know you, your family and work out the colouring for your newborn session. It allows us to discuss colours, props – including special items from your family history, occupation or something you wore as a baby, people (fur babies too) to be photographed as well as get you thinking about what kind of wall art you’d love to display and where you want to put it in your home. Yep, I know Something HUGE in the entrance so all your friends and fam can be jealous… I mean will love them. This also gives you the chance to add anything else you think we should know about you, your baby or other family members.

Our prep guide is just that, a guide that we have created to help your session run as smooth as possible. This isn’t gospel! If you aren’t able to do some of the things in the prep guide it’s OKAY! It is just a guide, with suggestions on what we have found to be helpful in preparing for newborn sessions.

Walk the runway!

Take advantage of the client wardrobe and Emm’s clothing advice. We have sooooo many dresses available for our new mummas and even have a few for older siblings. Just ask us!
If you are struggling to find the perfect outfit for everyone, ask Emm, she is always up for a work-related shopping trip and will go out and pick up clothes specifically for your family for your session.

Emm will work with you to create the perfect colour scheme that will look beautiful in the studio as well as when those photographs are framed and hanging on the walls of your home.

Check out some of our client wardrobe now!

Reinforcements?

Plan ahead for the little ones – As newborn sessions can go for up to 3.5 hours. Its important to think of the siblings and fur babies who will be attending your session. It may be easier and better for them if they are dropped off and picked up after they have their photo taken so that they aren’t cranky and getting over it before their photos even happen.

Emm likes to start with baby only set ups while mum is having her hair and make-up done, then once mum is ready, she will do full family and then siblings set ups followed by individual parent and baby shots. This is usually a quick process and means once this is done siblings and fur babies are able to head out of the studio. But if you are unable to find anyone to do drop off and pick up don’t worry, we have a huge TV with Netflix, stan and Disney in the office along with snacks and toys for the little ones to play with.

Be an Onion

Layers! it gets hot in here. Anyone else have a Shrek moment when you read that heading ha-ha
But honestly it does get pretty bloody hot in the studio as we have the temperature set to approx. 28 degrees. This is to make sure that baby is always warm and cozy and is ideal for sleeping babies!

Although, while baby is nice and warm and sleepy the rest of us will start to look like we have just stepped out of a Bikram Yoga session ha-ha so layer your clothing so you can cool off when needed.

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Speak up!

These photographs are for you! Not us! I mean yep, we will share the absolute crap out them if you let us but at the end of the day, they are yours and you have to LOVE THEM! If at any point you feel a colour or prop isn’t your cup of tea, let us know. We only want to take photos that you are happy with and is why we ask about colours etc. in our questionnaire. But even with the questionnaire, sometimes during a session you’ll decide you aren’t loving a colour or prop you thought you did, which is totally fine. Just let us know and we will change it up.

The same thing goes with a pose, Emma is well trained in Baby Safety and has spent nearly 10 years developing her craft to ensure only the safest practices are followed. She has worked with pediatricians and midwives to make sure baby is safe. If you are ever uncomfortable with a pose don’t feel like you can’t speak up. Talk to Emm about your concerns and she will explain it or change up the pose.

Where will you put your photos?

Think about where you want your photos to go! This is something Emm absolutely loves talking about with clients.

Framed wall art collections are a very popular choice and are custom designed to suit each client’s colour scheme and even the space they have to work with. Wall art (either canvas or framed) can be a fantastic way to enjoy your new art and decorate your home. Don’t forget gifts for grandparents, remember when you have a baby Gifts are sorted for years with a beautiful photo in a frame or an album! Nanna will love it!!

Our boutique albums are next level luxury, they come in a range of finishes including bespoke leather and can have your little one’s name and birthdate placed on the cover. These albums are custom designed and approved by you before they go to print!

There are lots of options and we are here to walk you through it, every step of the way.

Want to learn more about our different print and product click here!

Chill guys- We’ve got you!

Don’t forget to relax and let Emm handle everything!

Newborn sessions can be up to 3 hours long. This gives us heaps of time to meet all of baby’s needs, extra milk breaks, more cuddles and nappy changes. If your baby wakes up or fusses, it’s important to keep calm and trust Emm. Babies will generally cry when they are moved from each set up or when they are naked. I mean Id scream too if I was nice and warm and then naked!

Babies can sense stress, so take a deep breath, it’ll be okay, Emm knows what she is doing I promise! After nearly 10 years of photographing newborns, and two kiddlets of her own, Emm has learned a few tricks, some you might even take home with you for those hell hours during the night.

Learn more about the newborn session experience here.

Those first few days, weeks, months after having a baby can throw your world into a total spin and its OKAY! There are so many emotions, hormones and new things going on that everything may seem too much, but you are not alone. We are always here if you need a chat or a break.

Have a look at our baby blues blog for some helpful information.

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