Their little story begins here
“There are no words that can describe the euphoria you feel when your baby recognizes you for the first time and smiles.” —Jared Padalecki
They're only this small for so long
your newborn guideline
I created this guideline to help guide you towards & during your newborn session.
Session day prep
Your newborn session usually takes about 1.5 hours depending on your package. I ask that you feed your baby right before leaving home. Babies generally feed every 2-3 hours, therefore; feeding right before a session can sometimes guarantee an uninterrupted session. In the event that the baby is fully fed, but still may seem hungry during the session, we will take a break to feed your baby. Parents are to keep their baby awake for two or three hours prior you leaving your home & the car ride over.
It is very important to understand the preparations for the parents end prior to their session. Lastly, parents are to arrive to my home studio minimum 10 mins prior to their session to ensure the session remains relaxed.
It is very important that you bring extra milk - bottles or pumped milk.
Newborn Packing List
Please bring the following:
• dress baby in loose pajamas
• pacifier
• spare diapers
• baby blanket
• baby wipes
• extra milk
• any newborn keepsakes or special items you would like to incorporate in some images
Even though your baby normally does not take a pacifier, please bring it just in case. Newborn sessions are new to your baby and they often want to self-soothe by sucking more often than normal. Using a pacifier during a session will not encourage bad habits - we promise!
I understand the importance of this session to you! I will guide & direct you during the entire session. I am your eyes! Remember, babies cry! A crying baby is a healthy & living baby. My sessions are calm, relaxed & care free we are all here to make memories for you. Babies feed off of our energy, its important for us to stay relaxed & allow the session to blend. I ask everyone apart of the session, including guests talk quietly or not at all. This is a quiet session for the baby to feel relaxed & calm. Please ensure any other children are quiet, no yelling, banging or screaming/walking into my studio space. Children not being able to stay quiet or give me space will be asked to sit in their families car with a member until it is their time. Babies get fussy, its normal! I play white noise to help sooth babies if needed. Please ensure we are not snapping our fingers, clapping our hands or anything loud to get babies attention. If this happens at any point I will kindly ask you to stop. We can not force your baby to calm down & I will ask you to sit down if this happens. If your little one wakes up & becomes fussy while in a prop DO NOT come over & take your baby. I am a professional & will let you know if I need assistance. Your babies comfortability & safety is my number one.
Nursing Food Suggestion
What a mom eats affects what is in the milk, if you breastfeed. I ask that you keep a bland diet 24-48 hours before your session. Please eat comfort foods such as bread, pasta, potatoes and whole grains to keep your baby comfortable.
Here is the list of food to avoid 48 hours before the session to prevent your baby from being gassy. Please use at your own discretion and consult professional help when needed:
• citrus fruits - cranberries, pineapple, grapefruit, oranges, lemons, strawberries, all berries
• acidic food - tomatoes or tomato products, chocolate, nuts, pizza, spaghetti, chilli, tacos/spicy/Mexican food/salsa and ketchup
• gassy vegetables - asparagus, onions, cucumbers/pickles, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and cabbage
• restrict foods - soda, coffee, wine, beer
Things to be made aware of
Many babies sleep through their session with the proper pre-session guidelines. Keeping your new little one up for a minimum of 2-3 hours prior to your session & the car ride over. This ensures they're sleepy & ready to be swaddled! In some cases babies are more active - We do our best to soothe baby & achieve as many adorable poses & props as possible within your package. With the pre-prep for your session with a more active baby we don't want to stress out the little one & we work to achieve as much as possible. Though, sometimes we are unable to achieve all poses for baby & will move forward with more family photos so little one is not stressed. Parents understand we are unable to control or force their baby to cooperate & its about their health & safety end of day.
achieve
Babies are babies and they will cry! I do everything I can to soothe and comfort them and surround them with a comfortable environment. Toddlers may not cooperate for sibling photos or family photos. Children are children, and I do the best I can when working with them of any age.
I retouch baby skin - removing acne, red spots, jaundice, etc. If your baby has too much dry skin, I ask you let me know in advance and kindly ask you use baby wipes & safe lotion to help your babies skin right before the session.
If your baby just got circumcised, we can still photograph your baby as long as he is healing well. Most babies have healed by their session. Many parents use vaseline or another gel that the doctor has recommended for healing.
If your baby still has the umbilical cord, I take extra care and will have no problem photographing your baby. When your baby is wrapped, we wrap your baby with the diaper on and cover the cord so that it does not catch on the fabric
How your session will run
Alright, so you are now officially at your session date! How exciting! My home studio is located in the beautiful woodsy part of Brookswood Langley. Client's have their option of parking inside or outside my lot, upon arrival I will come outside & get you & we all go upstairs together. Upon your arrival I will already have the babies solo's set up & ready to go. Dependent on babies age, I will have various set up's depending on your package & wraps/costumes ready to accommodate the color theme. If you have any requests on the set up's or theme colors kindly take a look at my newborn portfolio prior to your session & let me know which one's you like if not I create them on my own. Baby will arrive in lose pajamas so changing hopefully won't wake them up ( sleepy baby is a happy baby ) I wrap all babies on my thighs then safely transfer them over to the set up's so they're never far from the ground & always supervised. Some sessions I request the help of either mom or dad, to stay close to baby while they're in the prop set up when they're more active to keep them safe. Though, I kindly ask parents & any other members please give me space to work. Babies over the age of 3 weeks I normally request either parent's change their little one as baby is more active & we want them to stay comfortable! This allows them to be in the hands of their parents which allows them to feel more comfortable in their new environment. When we move onto family photo's you will have the choice of ( one ) of the wraps or costumes used for the session for family photos. Moving forward from babies solos, we move onto Mommy & me's & Daddy & me's then finishing off with full family portraits. There you have it, a successful newborn session! :)
Your children
Siblings are always welcome and included in sessions whenever possible, and I will always do my utmost to encourage their involvement. I have a variety of techniques to help engage reluctant children; however, if a child is genuinely uninterested and their participation is negatively impacting the session, they will not be forced to participate. Under no circumstances will I tolerate a child being pressured, coerced, or physically forced into photographs to the point of distress or unhappiness.
Please remember that sessions take place within my family home, which must be treated with the utmost respect. Children must remain supervised by a parent or designated adult at all times. Running, screaming, stomping, throwing objects, entering restricted areas, touching personal belongings, handling props or setups without permission, or entering my studio or downstairs storage spaces is strictly prohibited. This includes all photography props and equipment, particularly for hygiene and sanitation reasons.
If older children begin screaming, stomping, throwing items, grabbing personal belongings, or disrupting the session environment, you will be asked to take them outside until they have calmed down. Should any child or parent disregard these rules, or if personal belongings, props, equipment, or restricted areas are accessed without permission, the session will be terminated immediately without exception.
For the newborn portion of your session, a quiet and controlled environment is essential for your baby's safety, comfort, and the success of the images. During this time, there is to be no talking, unnecessary noise, or disruption. Only individuals specifically invited by me may be present in the studio area. Parents, siblings, family members, and guests are not permitted to enter the studio space unless requested. This policy allows me to maintain a calm atmosphere, keep your newborn settled, and ensure that all posing and handling can be carried out safely and efficiently. Failure to respect these boundaries may result in the newborn portion of the session being paused or, if necessary, terminated.
This is not a play area or jungle gym. It is both my family home and a professional photography environment, and I expect it to be treated as such. To help ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for everyone, I strongly encourage families with multiple children to bring a friend, partner, or additional family member to assist with supervising siblings during the session.
The newborn & Family Wardrobe
It is client's responsibility to follow the color graph shown here. This insures everyone blends together beautifully within the album. I recommend slacks, dress pants or dark jeans for men/boys. As well as sweaters, PLAIN t-shirts or long sleeves & button up shirts alone or over top shirts. For the ladies - dresses, skirts, sweaters & regular t-shirts are all perfect within the color graph. Soft textures like wool & knitted clothing always look fantastic! I am stern on no logo'd clothing of any sorts examples being - No Nike/Puma, kids logo's on their shirts etc. No pull over sports hoodies, sweats or track suites. Lastly please no running shoes for adults or kids & if at all possible please no base ball caps either. Clients are to send me their outfit choices for me to approve for their session. Thank you! I can't wait!
