Congratulations on your new baby! You are now entering the next stage of your life together, getting some gorgeous professional photographs of your newborn baby for your walls is a great way to celebrate this moment!
Here are 6 tips for a successful newborn session!
Tip 1: Choose The Right Photographer
For the safety of your precious newborn baby, it is SUPER important to choose a photographer who is experienced and well-trained in handling newborn babies.
Newborn babies, especially at younger than 1 months, are very fragile.
Photographers have to take great care during posing to ensure the pose does not cause Positional Asphyxia (blockage to baby's airways), wrap baby's chest too tightly causing respiratory stress, or over-heat / over-cool the baby risking hyperthermia or hypothermia.
Check that your photographer has completed a Certificate in Newborn Photography (which consists of 20 subjects pertaining to Birth, Newborn Health & Safety, and Workplace Health & Safety), is an accredited member of AIPP (which means they have the right business structures in place and has passed the AIPP portfolio review), and has a large portfolio of newborn photos to showcase her experience. Another tip is to look at the dates of photos on her Facebook and IG account to see how long she has been photographing newborns.
Ask your photographer about her vaccination history. Health.vic.gov.au recommends that all people working with babies should have the following vaccines: Whooping Cough (booster every ten years), measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox (if not already immune), hepatitis A & B, and seasonal flu vaccines. Babies can't get their first vaccination until 6 weeks of age, many of these diseases are very dangerous to your newborn baby, don't take the risk of exposing your precious newborn to an un-vaccinated photographer.
Tip 2: What's The Best Age For Your Baby's First Photo Session?
Newborn babies grow and change very quickly. They are very sleep in their first couple of weeks, by 2 weeks they can track you with their eyes, by 5 weeks they can grab at toys and flash you gummy grins, by 12 weeks they can coo and laugh and babble.
Read this article to learn about the different photos we can capture for your newborn baby at different ages.
Tip 3: Book Early To Avoid Disappointment
Once you're confident that you have selected the right photographer for your newborn baby, make your booking as early as you can. That way, you can have control over what age you'd like to do the photo session based on which style of photography you love.
It is super important to book your baby's session before her arrival if you're wanting a session for when your baby is 4-14 days old. we will choose a date roughly one week after your due date, then touch base closer to the date and adjust as needed.
Many newborn photographers (including myself) only schedule a limited number of newborn sessions each month and can be fully booked months ahead during busy seasons, so it's important to 'get in early' to avoid disappointment.
If you have a booking and your baby arrives earlier or later than expected, and my calendar is full, I will offer you a date on my normal day off, to ensure your baby is photographed at your preferred age.
Even if you're wanting a session for when your baby when she is older or at a particular age (e.g. 100 days), making a booking early will ensure we don't miss that window.
Tip 4: Avoid The Witching Hour
Some of you may have heard the term 'witching hour'. This is a term use to describe the period between late afternoon and late evening – anytime from around 4pm until 10pm. Between these hours is the classic time when young babies tend to be unsettled and difficult to please.
There are many theories on why most babies are not as comfortable around this time of day. Even if your baby isn't affected by 'the witching hour', it's still a good idea to avoid scheduling your session for late afternoon and evenings.
Tip 5: Communication Is The Key
Do you have any preferred colour schemes? Is there a baby pose that you absolutely love and must-have? Are you envisaging a set of three framed canvases for your baby's room? Did you baby experience any birth complications or injuries? Do you plan to circumcise your newborn baby boy? Do you have an allergy to scented candles or air-fresheners?
Whatever it is, note it down and email it to your photographer. No information is too trivial. The more information we (photographers) know, the better we can serve you, and the smoother your session will be.
Tip 6: Be Prepared
Has your photographer sent you a preparation guide? Read through them, have the clothes you want to wear to your session laundered and set aside a few days before your session to avoid scrambling in your wardrobe in the morning of your session. If your photographer has a checklist of things to bring, pack them the night before so that you can just grab and go in the morning. The more prepared you are days before, the calmer you will be on the day of your baby's photo session.