How To Have A Successful Newborn Photoshoot
Newborn photography is a one chance thing. Every day your baby is growing and changing. We both want to document these moments in the most perfect of ways. Here are some portrait session secrets I use for beautiful, meaningful sessions.
Light
I love diffused light. At your session in the studio, I’ll use the best source of natural light, a large window with white sheer curtains. Nothing flatters like natural light, so I prefer to use it whenever possible.
Heat
During newborn sessions, I keep the studio warmer than you’re used to. New babes are used to being swaddled up and snug. A warm room is guaranteed to make the session flow more smoothly and help them sleep better. We may be a little too warm, but baby will be very comfortable, and that’s the most important thing.
Sleep
Awake or sleeping, newborn portraits are completely adorable. Some of the images I’ll be taking of your newborn work best if your baby is in a deep sleep. To encourage this, I recommend you give your baby a bath about an hour before I come, followed by an oil massage. Keeping his or her arms and legs moving is sure to tire them out a little. This is very important for a successful session.
What to Wear
Simplicity is the key to achieving images consistent with my photography style . Light, neutral, solid colours ensure focus on skin tones and personal connection. I have a full studio wardrobe with everything you need right here in the studio.
Please remove all nail colour as natural is best. If you or your husband aren’t planning on participating much in the session, you’ll still be handling your baby a bit. It’s a good idea to trim and tidy your nails.
Feeding
Full tummies make for happy babies. Please feed and burp baby right before our time together. You'll be encouraged to nurse your baby during the session as well. Just as we’re more thirsty when we’re hot, so are our little ones.
Noise
We'll do whatever we can to keep the noise level down during our session. If you have more than one child, it’s a good idea to bring some help. After we photograph your children altogether, they can play in the studio or hallway. Having a friend or family member bring them to the park down the street is also an option.
Safety
Your baby’s safety is our first priority. I take every measure to ensure that your baby is never in any danger. For that reason, I will always make sure that a parent or assistant is nearby to lend support if needed.
Patience
Newborn sessions can last anywhere from 1-2 hours. It depends on your baby’s mood and contentment. Please remain calm as your baby will pick up on any frustration in the room. Should your baby not want to sleep, we will take amazing images anyway. Wide-eyed newborn images are incredibly beautiful. I will follow your baby’s lead. They may need to be fed or cuddled a few times first. Half of your session time will involve feeding, diaper changes, and cuddling your baby.
About This Sweet Family
If you follow my blog, you’ll recognize Leslie and Jeff. They wanted to capture their newest addition (baby boy James) and their daughter Hannah in portraits as a family of four.
One of my favourite things about this family is how calm and gentle they are. You’d think a session with a newborn and sibling would be chaotic, but not this one. Leslie and Jeff trust me completely, so we ended up with so many beautiful images.
Here are link to two previous sessions we’ve done together, Hannah’s precious baby/family session and newborn session.
Are you looking to capture images of your sweet little ones? Book your session today.
Clothing provided by the studio wardrobe.
Client Testimonial
"We absolutely LOVE working with Karen! This is our third time having our family photographed by Karen! She is incredibly talented and we always come away with beautiful, natural and timeless images. Karen makes the photography experience seamless and stress free from start to finish with her lovely and caring personality, attention to detail, quick responses, in studio wardrobe, tips on getting ready prior to, bright airy studio, photo reveal (with photos available just one week later) and gorgeous images and quality products. Karen is a baby and toddler whisperer. We have a newborn and a three year old and she has a wonderful talent with little ones to get natural, beautiful photos. We are looking forward to our next session!" - Leslie Mullaly
View Their Heirloom Album Design
Hey there mama, I'm Karen Byker. I live in my hometown of Grimsby, Ontario, Canada. I photograph through all the stages motherhood - pregnancy, newborn, toddler and children well into their teen years.
I am a mother of four that understands what it’s like to be busy, but I've learned how to embrace and enjoy the beauty of it.
I have helped hundreds of mamas to slow down and create artwork so they can remember these special times. Let's chat about documenting the beauty through your chaos.
