Newborns are my absolute favorite little subjects to
photograph! There is just nothing more precious in the world than capturing
those first few days of life. As a mom
of three daughters, I know firsthand how fleeting those newborn days can
be. We simply cannot recollect a few
years later, those tiny eyelashes, those little peeling feet and hands, and the
tiny little tufts of downy newborn hair.
It is important to contact me to schedule your newborn
session while you are still pregnant.
Capturing your baby under the age of 14 days is ideal, with our goal for
around day 5-6. Mom’s milk has usually
come in by then which makes for a happy full baby belly, while baby is also
still “curled” up and much more easy to pose in those sweet scrunchy newborn
positions. Babies will be photographed
in their birthday suits – clothing is cumbersome on a newborn, they don’t fill
out their clothes yet, and the clothes simply
detract from the beautiful subject – your new baby! Some diaper covers, knit pants, hats and
bloomers will also be used. There will
be plenty of potty mishaps, actually I’m surprised when there isn’t one. Everything I use is washable and we will have
plenty of wipes and diapers close by. Perhaps consider bringing an extra set of
clothing for yourself since we will both usually end up with some wet spots.
Our goal is to get your baby just falling asleep into a deep
sleep so that we can move and pose baby with little interruption. If you are coming to my in-home studio, plan
on not feeding your baby until you arrive. You will have plenty of time to feed
your baby comfortably and snuggle and soothe them to sleep. If I am coming to your home, plan on feeding
your baby while I am getting everything set up.
Since your baby will not be clothed, I will have a space
heater and heating pad to keep your baby very warm and comfortable – plan on
wearing something yourself that will allow you to remove layers as the studio
will be very warm indeed for baby. If
mom and dad will be in some of the photos, it is best to wear solid colors,
preferably black, a blank tank top on mom lends itself to striking images, with
still some skin to skin contact for baby. With a newborn session, our focus will simply be on your new baby. It is not ideal to include siblings at this time as we like to keep baby as calm and quiet as possible. Consider scheduling a family session when wanting to include siblings in a session with your newborn. Please bring along a pacifier to soothe baby between shots. Some moms prefer not to use them, but having
one handy can make or break needing to reschedule your session due to a fussy
baby. Please bring along anything you
might like to incorporate into your images – mom’s old baby bonnet, dad’s
firefighter hat, the knit blanket grandma made for your baby - anything that
has sentimental value always add to the final outcome.
Plan on our newborn photography session lasting
approximately 2-3 hours. We will give
your baby plenty of breaks for nursing and soothing, and remember that patience
is the key! We respectfully ask that you
refrain from bringing your own camera or snapping pictures during our session
with your phone.
– SENIOR SESSION
For senior portrait sessions, up to three wardrobe changes
are allowed. Senior portraits are done
on location at local parks or other scenic areas. Depending on the time of year and light
availability, more than one location can be scheduled for your session. Expect our session to last approximately an
hour or so and they are always scheduled for the hours just before sunset to be
able to capture that beautiful soft light while it is low in the sky. Seniors also benefit from my love for using
off camera flash. This is a very
dramatic lighting effect that most seniors love during sunset hours. Senior sessions are typically scheduled the
fall of the student’s senior year, but spring sessions can be done as
well. Please book well in advance as
these spots are filled quickly during the autumn months.
-FAMILY SESSION
Family sessions are scheduled outdoors, using natural light,
during sunset hours. The fee includes up
to six people, including mom, dad and the kids. Plan on your session lasting for about an hour.
These typically take place either at your home or at a local park, river,
wooded path, or anywhere you can think of!
I have plenty of suggestions if you don’t have a particular location in
mind. Anything outside of Harford County
incurs an extra travel fee.
WHAT
SHOULD WE WEAR?
For families, try to coordinate everyone in similar color
tones, but the days of matchy-matchy, or everyone in white and khaki are
over. This will date your photos and
they will lose that timeless classic feel.
Try to avoid large stripes or large logos. Adding layers and different textures always
makes for more interesting photos.
For seniors and children, several outfit changes are okay –
though keep in mind there are not usually changing facilities at the places we
will be shooting, so changing will most likely need to occur in your
vehicle. Dress in something that
reflects your style, and your personality.
Make sure children are comfortable in their clothes, or getting natural
looking images may be more difficult. I
love children in bare feet.
Just a few examples...
