Newborn Photography captures one of the most precious stages in a families journey. And as precious as this time is, it also comes with its fair share of chaos and tiredness! I know that for many new parents, the day they come to have their newborn photos taken is often the first outing they will have with their newborn, and I always want to make every effort to make the whole process as stress-free and easy as possible.
Preparation for any photography session is important, and even more so when there’s a newborn involved. From years of experience photographing newborns, I’ve learned what works well to help a session run smoothly and how you can prepare for your newborn photos even before baby arrives.
Newborn Photography Checklist | Studio Sessions
- Change of clothes for baby; vest and neutral coloured baby grow / sleepsuit
- Extra bottles with breastmilk (if giving through a bottle, otherwise you are enough!) / formula
- Baby wipes
- Nappies
- Muslin cloths – ideally in a neutral colour
- Dummy – even if you are deciding not to give one to your baby, these can be really helpful to sooth baby if they become unsettled
- Sentimental keepsake – handmade blanket, teddy etc. (if applicable)
- Snacks for siblings – raisins and rice cakes are ideal as these don’t cause clothes to get dirty!
When should I book my newborn photos?
Ideally, a newborn photography session should take place within the first two weeks of babies life. At this stage, babies are very sleepy and easily settled, leading to a relaxed session that allows us to easily transition from pose to pose, and shot to shot.
After this time, babies are generally more awake and alert making the process a little more difficult (but not impossible!) to achieve.
For this reason, I always encourage expectant parents to book while you are pregnant to ensure you can secure your date and not have to worry about finding a photographer when your newborn is here. To secure your date simply send me an email and let me know when you are due.
Where will the session take place?
I travel throughout Ireland, capturing newborn photos in the comfort of your own home or outdoors. I also have a beautiful and bright home studio in my home in Manorhamilton, Co.Leitrim.
An in-home session works best if you have an open space with plenty of natural light flooding in and neutral tones in the background.
Based on light, colour in the environment, time of year and location – I can work with you to recommend the best location for your newborn photos.
How should I prepare my home for an in-home session?
A newborn photography session in the comfort of your home can be really beautiful. Ideal spaces will have plenty of natural light flooding into them and neutral tones for the best results.
- Warm It Up: Babies love warmth. Ensure the heat is on for an hour or so before we are due to start to keep them warm and create a cosy and relaxing environment for them to settle off in.
- Declutter the Shooting Area: Clear unnecessary items from the room we will be working in to create a clean backdrop.
- Have Essentials Handy: Diapers, wipes, pacifiers, blankets, and extra outfits should be nearby.
What should we wear?
The clothing you choose to wear for your photos – the tones, textures, patterns and flow – all have a huge impact on how your final photos will look and feel.
Large patterns, logos, branding and dark or neon colours can easily date and deviate attention away from the people in the photograph. Neutral, earthy tones (creams, whites, beige, pastels, muted tones etc.) dainty textures and flowing fabrics all photograph really well and give a timeless feel to images.
I have some beautiful pieces for baby to wear and can recommend what works well for them also if you would prefer to dress them yourself.
When dressing 4 or more, it’s important to consider how each outfit compliments the other without being too matchy-matchy!
What do I need to bring to my newborn photography session?
These are the essentials I would always encourage you to bring;
- Change of clothes for baby; vest and neutral coloured baby grow / sleepsuit
- Extra bottles with breastmilk (if giving through a bottle, otherwise you are enough!) / formula
- Baby wipes
- Nappies
- Muslin cloths – ideally in a neutral colour
- Dummy – even if you are deciding not to give one to your baby, these can be really helpful to sooth baby if they become unsettled
- Sentimental keepsake – handmade blanket, teddy etc. (if applicable)
- Snacks for siblings – raisins and rice cakes are ideal as these don’t cause clothes to get dirty!
Is there anything I can do to help my baby settle ahead of their shoot?
As crazy as this may sound to a sleep deprived parent – I would advise, if possible, to try keep your baby awake for an hour or two ahead of their shoot. Give them a bath beforehand to help keep them alert and awake. 15 minutes or so before we begin, you can offer your baby a feed to ensure they are full and settled, ready to drift off to sleep just as we begin.
My style of photography is very natural and lead by your baby. While a sleepy baby isn’t essential, it does help.
If you are choosing to dress your baby in their own outfit as opposed to one of mine, I would recommend having this on them before we start to avoid disturbing them!
