Newborn Session: What to expect
You're expecting a new bundle of joy! Yay! Congratulations! Newborns are my absolute favorite subjects to photograph. I can't quite explain the excitement I have while anticipating the arrival of a newborn client. I am anxiously awaiting your baby's estimated due date (EDD) right alongside you and your family. While we wait for your new arrival, here are a few things that you can expect before, during, and after your session.
1. Contact me as soon as you know you want your newborn photographed. This will give us the opportunity to talk about what you envision for your photos. If there are things that you know for sure that you do or do not want in your photos, this is a great time to tell me. The more time I have before your baby is born, the more likely I will be to gather the perfect props and color schemes for your session.
2. Newborn sessions are best held within 10 days of birth. I have found that by two weeks of age, babies tend to be awake longer and are more difficult to pose. So, the sooner you let me know of your baby's arrival, the sooner we can set up your appointment time. On the other hand, if your baby is already past this age don't panic! There is never a bad time to photograph your baby! Babies change just about everyday, and no matter how old yours is we will create the perfect session for them.
3. You can choose to come to my home studio in El Cajon, or to have me go to your home. you can check out what these sessions include and the prices here.
https://www.tinyturtlesphotography.com/baby
If you are coming to me here is what you can expect when you arrive:
I will have my space set up for you to come sit and relax. Drinks and snacks out for you to enjoy. My studio room will be warm enough for baby to feel comfortable, and all of my props prepped and ready to be used.
If I am taking my equipment to your home here is what you can expect when I arrive:
I will have a car full of backdrop stands, lights, props, a giant bean bag and more supplies than you realized was possible! You will probably think I am planning on moving in. Once we decide where we will be taking the photos I will unload everything and get set up. This takes about 15-20 minutes. These sessions usually run on the longer side because of the set up/take down process.
4. Newborn sessions last between 2 and 3 hours, sometimes longer depending on how much we are trying to capture, sometimes shorter if you pick the "mini session" optoin. It seems like a really long time, but it usually passes very quickly. New babies require a lot of breaks. Expect several nursing breaks, lots of burping, multiple diaper changes, and plenty of rocking baby to sleep. I am not in any rush, and can be very patient waiting for baby to fall into the perfect sleep. I know that it is worth the wait, because once baby is fully asleep they allow me to pose them, which produces the most adorable images. Awake babies squirm, cross their eyes, stick out their tongues, and often cry. It's worth waiting for a sleeping baby!
5. If you would like to include siblings in some poses, we will plan to do those first. It is my experience that most older siblings do not have the patience to hang around for an entire session, so I like to get their part taken care of right away. They are welcome to hang around for the rest of the time, or to leave for some fun one on one time while we finish up the rest of the baby portraits.
6. Expect baby to spit up, poop, and or pee on things. It's ok! I'm used to it, and everything is washable. I'm sorry if it happens while you are holding them, but trust me, you are going to look back and laugh.
7. Once your session is over, with your permission, I will share one or two previews on my Facebook page. If you do not want it shared publicly, I will send you an e-mail with it to hold you off while I finish editing the rest of your photos. Expect it to take me two weeks to return your images. At that time I will send you a link with all of the edited images with my logo on them. You will then pick the 15 or 20 images that are included in your package. You can easily press the heart icon above the photo to let me know that it is a keeper! If you choose more photos than are included in your package I will send you an invoice for the remaining photos. ($20 each) Once that is paid, I will upload all of your final photos to a different photosharing site and you can download them from there.
If you have ANY questions along the way, please let me know. I am happy to answer all of your questions and concerns. I hope to make this a memorable experience for you and your family and create portraits that will last a lifetime.
