Congrats! You’re about to welcome your new baby into the world, which means you’ll have your hands full with feeding, bonding, and trying to squeeze some time to sleep and care for yourself too. Planning your newborn photoshoot with your photographer in advance is key. Photographing your new baby for the first time is a big deal, and whether you’re perfectionist planner, or a super chill mama, here are some tips and tricks to minimize stress for baby’s first photoshoot. After photographing hundreds of babies, I’ve accumulated some knowledge that I want to share with you to ensure you get the newborn photoshoot of your dreams.
Share your due date. I like to photograph my newborn within the first 10 days of life. It might seem a bit early, but in my experience, the best time to capture those “snuggly baby” vibes is within that time frame. Since every birth story is different, I’ve reserved some time in my schedule to photograph you and your new addition around your due date. Simply call or text me once baby arrives, and we can figure it out from there. If you need more time to heal, that’s ok too. We can really plan your photoshoot any time, but your baby’s personality will start to develop with each day, so consider this when planning your session.
Keep it clean. Let’s be honest, you’re probably going to be sleep deprived and won’t have much time to clean the house, especially if you already have other munchkins kicking around. If there ever was a time to hire a cleaner, it’s probably within the first month of having a new baby. If you already have a cleaner, arrange for them to clean your home the day before your session. If it’s not within your budget, hide the mess. That’s right, just stash all the clutter away in a closet and keep it out of sight. I like to photograph from all angle, so moving the mess to that corner in the room won’t do.
Let baby call the shots. Trying to do anything else usually fails. Let your baby decide when they are ready to be photographed. If baby is hungry, feed her, is baby needs to be swaddled, go with it. A happy baby means a comfortable baby, which means they will likely go with the flow and maybe even fall asleep during our shoot.
Plan ahead. Have your outfits and accessories all planned out ahead of time, including those for baby and husband too. Lay them out on your bed ahead of time to make sure they go together. The same thing goes for chatting about the photoshoot with baby’s siblings in advance. If they know what yo expect, they will feel prepared and open up!
Have fun with your kids. Kiss them, tickle them, talk to them and interact with them as you normally would when you’re having fun. If they feel comfortable, they will open up, I promise!
