New Born Photography
I am a family man with 3 kids, I have 2 girls and 1 boy, and I know how quickly they can grow from a few days to a few weeks and then months, and all of a sudden the chance of getting photos of them at the smallest has gone.
I always look forward to meeting new families and taking beautiful photos of their bundle of joy. I often see wedding couples for the first time after their wedding with their addition to the family which is always great and often I am there taking photos of them every year on a yearly family shoot. I could go on but I will save that for another time.
The Photoshoot
One of the reasons my newborn shoots can take up to 1 and a half hours is that a newborn has their own plans and things can take longer but that's absolutely fine, I will do my best to create the best photos for you no matter what, even if they are unsettled I will still capture there cuteness!
They say newborns are at their sleepiest within the first 10 days, but something I learnt is that all babies are different and not to worry if they are unsettled, or crying I will capture all of it. There are a few things that we can do to try and help, this will help for indoor shoots so if you prefer to outside say at the park that's ok most of this still applies.
Top Tips For Home Photoshoots In this Order
- I love window light so I will always try to do most of the photos in the room with the biggest window if possible, this can be one or two rooms, and try to have anything in the room that might distract from the photos out of the way
- Phones on silent so if they do sleep they stay asleep
- Heating on! The warmer they are, the better. (For Outdoor shoots bring an extra blanket depending on the time of year)
- Plan a nappy change before I arrive, but if they decide to leave a little present when I am there that's no problem I just want to minimise the time we disturb them.
- Plan on dressing them ready for when I arrive, if you would like to have 2 outfits within the photoshoot try the outfit that is more of a priority first, as after the first change they may get restless
- Feed them as close to the time we have arranged for me to start
- White noise helps some babies
Things to have to hand
Some families do not want to include anything but some do. Some things to consider can be:
- Scan Picture
- The first thing you bought them
- First teddy
- Sentimental jewellery, like a ring...
Don't Forget You
Allow yourself some time to get ready before I arrive so you don't feel rushed, that is if you would like to be part of the photos and why not, I can do a mixture of them on their own but with you and your beautiful connection.
Clothing
This is for anyone taking part in indoor or outdoor shoots, kids included, the colours that are generally best are pastels, cool colours, and neutral tones like beige, whites, light blues... If you want something ‘more punchy’ that's ok but be careful, we don’t want to be distracted. Also, staying away from loud designs/logos or too many patterns is a good idea, the plainer the better. One last thing on outfits is to try and have a colour scheme between you all.
My Photography Style
My style is the same whether I am doing a family photoshoot or when I am photographing a wedding which is relaxed but beautiful, I love my photos to be as natural as possible.
For the newborn shoots, just cuddle up, kiss them, let them hold your finger or let them sleep and I will do the rest.
Did You Know
You should never use flash directly at their eyes, (they are still very delicate) so don't worry if you see me get my flash out on stand by, I use a diffuser and I will do a technique where I bounce the light, in a nutshell, don't worry I have their health and safety in the front of my mind throughout the whole time.
