at-home newborn photography - what to expect

I'm so pleased that you're considering booking in for a newborn photo shoot in the comfort of your own home. I try to keep the whole experience very relaxed and enjoyable so please don't worry about a thing leading up to it - as a new parent you have enough to think about! The following advice is here for you to read mainly so that you have an idea about what to expect during the photo shoot, but also so that you have some ideas for how best to prepare for the session - but don't worry at all if you don't get chance or it doesn't go to plan!  

Before the Shoot
When is the best time for a newborn shoot? The best time for newborn photo shoots is between 5 - 14 days old, ideally before 10 days old if possible. This ensures the best chance that they're still in the very sleepy phase, and the father is usually on paternity leave as well. Please contact me once your baby is born and we will book in a convenient slot for you. If you're not feeling up to it yet though that's not a problem - just let me know and we can plan it around your needs.

There are a few things that you might want to think about before the photo shoot if you have time, but they're completely optional so please don't worry if you don't. I'll bring with me plenty of blankets and wraps for us to use during the photo shoot, but if there are any special blankets or soft toys that you've been given or have bought that you'd like to include in a few shots then you've more than welcome to do so so please feel free to put these on one side in preparation.

Please don't go mad tidying! I will be using blankets as backdrops for most of the photos so please don't worry about how your house looks - you have a new baby and the last thing you need to be doing is tidying! However a lot of clients like to have a few photos taken with the baby, in which case you might want to think about where you would like these to be done. The master bed is a popular option as you can sit and relax with your new arrival, or some people opt for a few shots on the sofa. If the weather is dry we can even go outside into your garden for a few shots. So if you'd like to be in a few shots (or any older siblings) then you might just want to clear that particular bit of the house of any clutter so that it makes for a nicer backdrop.

During the Shoot
Setting up: I'll bring with me everything that we need - a beanbag (for placing the baby on), lots of large blankets (to use as backdrops), a backdrop stand (to clamp the blankets to), and some smaller blankets and wraps for covering the baby with. The set up is a compact as possible, but does take up a bit of floor space so we might need to move a coffee table etc, but otherwise it shouldn't cause any disruption and should fit in almost any room. I will set up in front of a window to make use of the natural light, so please keep this in mind when condiering where might be best for the photos.

Sleepy baby! For newborn photo shoots we aim to have the baby sleeping peacefully but of course this is sometimes easier said than done! Of course babies will do whatever they please, especially when they're so young, but there are a few things that you can do to help give us the best possible chances of a sleeping baby...

* try to keep them awake before the photo shoot if at all possible, for example many of my clients find that giving them a bath before the session helps keep them awake for a bit without upsetting them. If they've just woken from a long nap when I arrive then it might be some time before they will sleep again!

* try to time a feed just before or at the start of the shoot if this is at all possible to encourage them to fall asleep as I'm arriving. Of course this isn't always possible, but often just a little bit of extra milk can help make them sleepy.

* if they fall asleep before I arrive then try to have them in just a nappy and wrapped in a blanket to keep them warm, so that we won't have to risk waking them by undressing them for the photos.

If none of this goes to plan though don't worry! I never book more than one photo shoot per day so that I have plenty of time if it takes them a while to settle, and of course we will stop for feeds/nappy changes as many times as needed - it's all very relaxed and baby led. If they do decide that they're going to be awake (and happy!) for a while then we can use this opportunity to get some awake photos before they do finally fall asleep. It's also a good opportunity for any family shots you'd like.

What should the baby wear? Most clients opt for the baby to simply be wearing a nappy for most photos, and I will then wrap them in blankets to hide the nappy. This way is very popular as it means we get to see that precious newborn skin and it's also easy to change the blankets on them so that we can change the look of the photo without having to disturb them by changing their outfit. As they'll be wearing fewer clothes than normal you might want to make the house warmer than normal to ensure that they're comfortable throughout. If you have a special outfit that you'd like to put them in for a few photos though then that's great too - please feel free. The photos with parents/sibling are often a nice time for this outfit change as it doesn't matter as much if the baby has woken up for this part of the shoot as they are usually happy to be held.

How long will it take? This really depends on how long it takes for the baby to enter a settled sleep, but as a general rule I would say that 2 hours is average, with some shoots taking closer to 3 hours for less settled or hungry babies. 

SIBLINGS
Including any older siblings (or other family members): If you'd like any siblings or other family members (such as yourselves!) including in some photos then that's great! My newborn backdrop set up is designed only for babies so I take family shots like these slightly differently, with more of a lifestyle approach. As mentioned above, this means we will use your house as the backdrop (a sofa or double bed is ideal, or your garden with a blanket) for some lovely relaxed and natural photos. If you want to think ahead about exactly where you think the best spot in the house might be and declutter around it then that is helpful, but please don't worry about tidying the whole room as most of it won't be visible!