How to Prepare for your Newborn Photo Session

Wondering how to prepare for your newborn photo session??  Or, just not sure what to do in the months leading up to your session?  I have found that if you focus on a few small details ahead of time, the session goes so much smoother and you get beautiful images of your baby that you can cherish for years to come!

Schedule with a professional photographer before baby arrives

Most professional photographers will have a few forms for you to sign and most likely a questionnaire.  It makes like a lot easier if you can take your time to fill everything out before your baby arrives.  Most great photographers also book up quickly.  It’s not uncommon to be booking 6 months in advance.  You don’t want to find yourself in the situation of having to pick your second favorite photographer.  Newborn images are not something that you can get a reshoot for!

Talk to your spouse about the photography session

Get your spouse or partner on board and excited about your newborn shoot.  Nothing makes a session more uncomfortable than if one parent is excited and the other is visible opposed to the session . . .yes, this has happened to me!!  If your partner isn’t doing a dance of joy to schedule, find out what his/her concerns are.  It might be something as simple as a concern about baby’s safety or being worried about traveling shortly after birth.  In these cases I find it helpful to do a studio tour so both partners can meet the photographer, see the space and get comfortable about the experience.  If you would like to see me studio, you can see it here:  Julie Kulbago Photography Studio

Prepare Wardrobe for Parents and Siblings

Nothing will ruin a session faster than being stressed out and unprepared on the morning of the session.  When clients book with me I always send them wardrobe suggestions right away.  That way, they can think and plan and check with me and make sure that everything looks great.  I typically suggest  neutrals (white, ivory, grey, muted colors) because they are very clean, are timeless, look beautiful in a white studio and allow the connection between the family to really show.  For my families, I also offer a client wardrobe so they can take this worry off their plate.  This little girl is wearing a dress from my client wardrobe.

Think about how you want to use your photos

Do you want to do birth announcements? If so, print address labels now to save time after your baby is here!  How about framed prints or canvas?  While you are still expecting and have time (ha ha – who ever has time??!) measure your walls, think about where you will want to display your images.  After all, you are investing in these portraits, make sure you display them!!  I recommend setting aside a budget; planning ahead makes you more likely to actually follow through, even in those busy first months.  For families with multiple kids or who live in new houses I find they don’t have wall space or walls; that’s why I love albums!  In another post I will share some of my favorite products.

Session Day

With all of the prep you do ahead of time, the morning of the session will be a breeze! One of the hallmarks of newborn photography (well, at least my style of newborn photography) are the sleeping baby images!  I talk to a lot of new parents who are so excited for their session but they confess they worry that their newborn baby won’t sleep well enough to get the same type of images.  Fear not!  If you are working with a professional newborn photographer they will provide you with their suggestions on how to prepare your baby before the session.  If you are wondering what I suggest, it’s actually nothing complicated . . . keep baby awake before the session and bring a pacifier.  A bottle can also help too if you are willing to bring one because often times baby’s get so sleepy while they nurse and they just use moms as a pacifier and aren’t really eating!

That’s it!  Nothing difficult!  With just a little prep you can have a beautiful newborn photo session and be able to capture images that will leave you in awe for years to come!

If you are local to the Pittsburgh area and would like more information on a newborn session, shoot me an email.  I would love to talk with you about setting up a session for your family!

xo,

Julie