Hi, I’m Gabriela, a newborn photographer based in London. Newborns are best to photograph before they reach 21 days of age. A newborn session will take place at your home or outdoors. I have all the props, kits, headbands, baskets, colorful wraps, and blankets so you don’t need to worry about a thing. Each session is uniquely styled included your preferences as well as my clean and minimal style. During the session, I will take a wide variety of natural and prop images of your newborn baby and also timeless family portraits.
Newborn photography is very demanding and time-consuming. Usually, during the session we will need a few breaks for feeding, changing, and comforting the baby. What is important, try to stay relaxed during the session as babies will sense it. Prepare some snacks for yourself. Remember, newborns need some time to fall asleep so no rush is needed. Fine-tuning small details, such as straightening the fingers, also takes time.
How to prepare for a newborn session
I recommend scheduling the newborn session in the morning hours. I usually start from 10-11 am. This is the time when most babies sleep more peacefully. The afternoon can be very difficult as it gets closer to the afternoon hour of trouble. Most parents can agree that children of all ages are usually not in their best mood as it approaches late afternoon. The same goes for newborns.
Try to keep your baby awake 1-2 hours before the session. A good way to do this is to bathe your baby. This is a great method to make the baby more tired before the session. Bathing also helps to create photo-appealing baby hair that will be more fluffy.
Newborns find it difficult to regulate their own body temperature, so it is extremely important to keep them comfortable without clothing 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. If you decide to use a heater fan, always remember to keep it away from your baby. If it is too warm for adults during a newborn session, it may be pleasant for your baby and he or she will be able to sleep more peacefully.
During the newborn session
During pregnancy, sounds in the womb are very loud, so babies are often used to them. Newborns will sleep much more peacefully if there is a constant noise in the room. During a newborn session, I used to play the white noise, e.g. rain, sea, dryer. You can even find a suitable phone application for this.
However, your favorite music also can be good. Music is very helpful not only for the child but also for the photographer and parents. Relaxation is crucial as newborns gather a lot of attention and concentration. Sometimes parents bring in their music that they are used to making the newborn and family session even more enjoyable and relaxing.
