Congratulations on the birth of your baby! I am honoured and humbled that you chose me to capture your precious new baby.

 

I have a few tips and pointers that I wanted to make you aware of prior to your session.

Scheduling:

I typically like to do newborn sessions within 14 days of the birth. The earlier we get them in for their session, the more likely it is that they will be sleepy and that newborn curl is oh so perfect!

If you are booking your session prior to the baby being born, we will book for 10 days past your due date and adjust as needed. I will always make room for a newborn. Please also be aware that a newborn session has no time limit and can take sometimes up to 4 hours, so plan accordingly.

 

Prepping your baby for the session:

Please make sure you TRY to keep your baby awake for an hour prior to your session time. If they fall asleep in the car ride, that is perfectly fine.

Feed your baby just before leaving your home to come to my studio. A well fed baby is generally a sleepy baby and we want them to be as sleepy as possible for as long as possible. Please plan on feeding your baby at least twice as much as usual. So if you are bottle feeding, bring at least twice as much food as you think you need. If you are nursing, plan on nursing A LOT! If you are using pacifiers, make sure you bring one.

Please have your baby dressed in a sleeper with a front enclosure. No over the head clothing unless it is something you specifically wish your baby to be photographed in. Also, loosen up the diaper about half an hour before, so there will not be any lines on the skin.

Have baby bathed and hair clean and fuzzy for the shoot. Please moisturize the skin a TON, so there is little flakiness. I tend to not edit out all flakiness as I believe in keeping the baby looking as natural as possible and flaky skin just shows off how brand new they are! I will edit out scratches or acne, things of that nature. If you have a preference for what I do and do not edit, please do not hesitate to let me know at the session.

Please bring plenty of diapers, wipes and receiving blankets. Since baby will be naked for the shoot, expect messes…and lots of them! Please don’t be alarmed or embarrassed or apologetic. That is the nature of the beast with newborn portraits! I’m so very used to it and all of my props and materials are washable, so please do not worry about it!

If you have personal items/clothing you would like to incorporate, please limit it to 2 items. I don't use outfits on babies often, as it disturbs their sleep, I have found. If there is something specific you would like to bring, please only bring a couple.

 

Prepping for Parents and Siblings:

Parents, as I said earlier, expect messes. On my props, my clothes and very likely on you as well! Please bring a change of clothes for yourselves as well.

If you plan on being in some of the photos, please wear neutral colours with no writing or insignia; As plain and non distracting as possible.

I tend to do the sibling and parent portraits in the very end of the session. I would ask that one parent arrive first, alone with the baby and we will contact the other parent when the solo part of the session is done. I find that the babies sleep the soundest when they first arrive at the studio and we can zip right through!

Please be aware that it will be VERY warm in my studio the day of your shoot. The studio is kept super warm in order to help keep the naked baby comfortable and sleepy. As such, please dress accordingly. Layers are always good!  Moms, I prefer tight fitting tanktops for your portraits with your baby. Dads, shirtless or a snug t-shirt works best for you.  Siblings, snug shirts or shirtless as well.

Please be sure that fingernails are clean. If you have on nail polish, make sure it’s a fresh coat as your fingers will most definitely show in your photos.

Checklist:

• Lots of wipes and diapers
• 4-5 receiving blankets
• 2 warm blankets
• If bottle feeding, bring twice as much as you would normally feed in a day
• Soother
• Change of clothing for mom, dad and siblings
• Loose clothing for baby
• Loosen diaper 30 minutes prior to session
• Try to keep baby awake for an hour prior to the session
• Feed just before leaving for the session

I am so honoured and grateful that you have chosen me to capture this beautiful stage in your baby and your family’s lives.  I vow to you that I will always have your child’s safety in mind. If at any time, you are uncomfortable with anything I am doing, please do not hesitate to speak up. I will be calling on you for help with some posing. Mom, if you had a c-section and can’t move very well, please have someone accompanying you who may be able to assist me if needed. Your baby’s safety is my first priority, far more important than any shot I may be trying to get. Hands are on baby or at least VERY close to baby at all times. I am a whiz at photoshop, and hands are edited out no problem. Your baby is my first concern.

I am very much looking forward to your session and snuggling your sweet baby!! If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to talk to me about them.

Thank you!

Dana Marie