Newborn sessions take place on weekends at my studio in Ashburn, Virginia. I will send you my studio address once you have booked your session.
We will set aside 2 to 4 hours for your newborn session, allowing for feedings or short breaks we may need in order to capture your baby sleeping and awake. We’ll do a mixture of color and black& white imagery, with some of the baby alone and some with siblings and parents together.
We welcome parents and siblings to the newborn photo shoot only at this time. Extended family members’ photographs may be discussed during consultation. Wear comfortable lightweight clothing as the temperature of the studio is set to 82.4° Fahrenheit (28° C) for the comfort of your baby.
Pack a spare change of clothes just in case there are any little accidents.
For the family photos neutral colored clothing in natural tones always photographs well. Please avoid logos and patterns on shirts. Black allows adequate contrast to your images and is also most flattering for new moms. Portraits of mom and baby where there is skin on skin contact are beautiful. If you want to have portraits done like this, wear a dark colored tank top with skinny straps. For those who are more self conscious, wearing a form fitting long sleeve knit shirt in dark brown, grey or cream will also work well. Moms, paper yourself with a new do, a manicure and/or professional makeup (available in studio for extra $). Make sure you get your eyelashes “done” but keep them natural or with mascara as sharp eyelashes look great in portraits. For dads, one of the most important things you can do is getting a professional manicure. Your hands will be in a lot of pictures. As for your attire, stick with a plain black knit shirt, like a t shirt, with no collar. Steer clear of button downs of anything with a logo on it as they will distract from the photo. If mom is wearing a color other than black, then coordinate with her attire. For hand-only shots, its important to wear a black, long sleeved knit shirt that fits snuggly around your arms and wrists.
Your baby should arrive to the session in loose fitting pajamas that button or zip all the way down. The photography session can begin immediately this way, taking advantage of a sleeping baby.
Bring a pacifier — Only if you are using one, as they can be very helpful during the session.
Bring a snack incase you get hungry throughout the session.
If you’re formula feeding bring with you extra bottles just in case.
If you are breast feeding, please pump a bottle if possible and bring it with you. Even if it is the first time you are going to bottle feed breast milk.
For older siblings bring along a couple of their favorite toys or books to keep them entertained.
Babies run the show — Your baby will ultimately dictate how a session will proceed. If he or she is fussy, it is important not to react to it and stress because the baby will pick up on this and will become more agitated. Simply sit calmly and allow me to work with your baby. I have plenty of experience and infinite patience, so know that everything will be fine.
Poop happens – Your baby is going to be in the buff for majority of this shoot. Please do not panic if your baby decides to use my blankets or us as his /her own personal potty. This is natural and I expect it! Please do not feel embarrassed or worry when this happens, because they all do it. I wash all my baby props and blankets between each session with non scented baby detergent. (That is why I only schedule one newborn session per day!).