It’s always a privilege when families choose me to capture those special early days in their journey as new parents. A newborn session will take place at your home or outdoors. During the session, I will capture precious moments between you and your baby, the connection, love and joy. I aim to photograph your life as it is at that exact time for my clients, so they have images to look back and remember the happines, excitement and even a bit of chaos during those days. Each session is uniquely planned included your preferences as well as my clean and minimal style with minimal usage of props.

I know that in the run-up to a newborn session, parents can feel quite anxious and worried about what will be involved. The last thing I want is for you to feel I expect your baby to behave a certain way or for you to do a very time-consuming preparation. I have a relaxed approach to newborns, and my sessions are very much led by you and your babies needs on the day. I will guide you during every stage of our cooperation (from setting up details, through preparation, and session day). To help put your mind at ease, I have put together this guide to a newborn photo session.

Newborns are best to photograph before they reach 21 days of age. Because we can never be sure when your baby will make an appearance, I will pencil in a provisional date – usually one or two weeks after your estimated due date. Unless, of course, you have an elective c-section or induction booked. I do newborn sessions only during weekdays. I also require a session fee to secure the session date. All details about payments and packages you can find in my Pricing.

We’ll keep in touch as the time approaches, and if your baby arrives earlier or a little later than expected, we can move the booking as needed. When your baby arrives, please let me know so we can arrange a firm date, ideally within one or three days, so I can rearrange my diary if necessary. Where possible, I prefer to schedule newborn session in the morning  (11 am). Usually, this is when babies are the most relaxed, and the light in your home is optimal to capture the perfect images.

Many parents worry they need to make their house look like a show home for the photoshoot. Please know this is not necessary! I understand that having a baby is life-changing, and if you are worried about the tidiness your home, please do not go out of your way to clean excessively. If we need to move things as we go to capture a particular image, I will tell you during the session or I will move things by myself. Before I start photograph I usually spend a few minutes arranging the space. I would much rather arrive to a relaxed, happy family than one that has been rushing around cleaning for my benefit.

In most cases, I will capture the majority of images in the master bedroom, your babies nursery, livingroom or other areas of your home with an interesting background or lighting. I have captured beautiful moments in homes of all shapes and sizes, lighting conditions and different decors. Whatever the style of your home, I will capture idyllic images of you and your family. Your home is the location of your families story, your safe place and the first place your children will become familiar with as they grow. All these factors make it the most natural and perfect location for your newborn session.

The great benefit of using your home for the newborn session is that you have everything on hand you might need, from feeding bottles and nappies to outfit changes. However, there are just a couple of key things I would advise you to do ahead to help us capture the best images.

If possible, clear any items that could cause distraction in the photographs, such as clutter on bedside tables or laundry that hasn’t been folded away. It’s ok just to move these to another room for the duration of the photoshoot.

Please, please, please have a dummy (even just for our session). It can be a huge lifesaver during the session.

Consider using light natural coloured bedding for the photoshoot. In some cases, bold and bright patterns can distract from the beauty of the image.

Newborns find it difficult to regulate their own body temperature, so to keep them comfortable and sleepy during the session I would recommend heating the room around 29-30ºC. It’s also a good idea to heat the blanket with a dryer or a heater fan before placing your newborn baby on them.

Have any special items to hand that you would like included—identity bracelets, family heirlooms, or a favourite teddy. Try to keep it simple to create clear, uncluttered images.

A question that often comes up is. How can I make sure my baby is cooperative during the newborn session? The short answer is you can’t! Babies are unpredictable, which is one reason newborn sessions are scheduled for longer than other shoots to take care of you and your baby needs during the session. Baby is the boss.

Please don’t worry if your baby cries or needs a feed, it’s perfectly natural, and I can assure you it happens all the time! Extra time is factored in for outfit changes and feeds. I would recommend feeding your baby just before the session to make them as sleepy and content as possible.

If possible, keep your baby awake for 2-3 hours before the session. If your baby has just had a nap before the session, it may take longer to get them back to sleep to capture any posed shots with props that you request. Keep them awake with a bath, playtime and a feed, and hopefully, your baby will go down for a sound sleep during the session.

Dress your baby in a loose baby grow for easy undressing and avoid socks and vests as these can leave lines on the skin. If your baby is awake when I arrive, I recommend undressing, loosening their nappy and wrapping them in a blanket before a feed.

Aside from worrying about what the baby should wear, I often get asked what the parents or siblings should wear. I don’t want to dictate your wardrobe for the session, and my only advice would be to consider avoiding bright primary colours and opt for softer pastel and natural colourings instead. Subtle patterns and prints can add an interesting texture to the photography. Try to avoid clothing items with logos or slogans.

Above all else, make sure you are comfortable and that your choice reflects your style. If pastel and natural colours are not you, consider adding pops of colour using accessories and jewellery.

If you are worried, you’ll have to pose during the session the good news is you don’t! It’s my job to capture beautiful natural photos of you and your family during the session. So, I won’t ask you to pose or even look at the camera if you prefer not to. I may ask you to move slightly to capture you in the best lighting, but that’s as far as my expectations of posing go. However, I’m also happy to help you with posing for classic family pictures.

I photograph in a style that captures real-life moments in your natural surroundings. The only thing you need to do is have fun with your family, and I’ll be there to capture the moments as they unfold. If you have older siblings, you would like to be involved we can initiate tickle games or jumping on the bed. Basically, anything you know they will love and will bring smiles and laughter.

I may ask you to abandon any strict feeding schedule for the duration of our session. This is because to achieve those adorable curly posed newborn shots, we need your baby to be content and sleeping deeply. We can take breaks throughout the session so you can feed and soothe your newborn as required, or even if you just need some time of rest.

Being present and enjoying the moment during the session will mean I can capture the memories of this special time that you will look back on for years to come. I understand the first few weeks of parenthood can undoubtedly be emotional and draining. You may not be feeling your best after a series of sleepless nights, I will always be respectful of your situation, and we will work together to make sure your newborn session is everything you want it to be.

I will need a few days (usually 7 working days) to prepare a gallery (around 50 pictures) from which you can choose your favorite for final retouching. For prints, you may need to wait up to 2-3 weeks after delivery of the final digitals (jpg format). You can find more information about packages in my Pricing.

As a newborn photographer, my goal is to make the baby look just as their parents see them – beautiful and natural. The reality is that newborns are not born with perfect skin. Most babies have acne, eczema, rashes, flaky skin or other marks. I will ask you about your retouching preferences during the session.