Before every session I remind myself that this new little life is someone’s gift from God. I try to treat each little one that comes through my studio is if they were my own. I remember how madly in love I was with my six day old babies. How all I wanted to do was lay awake at night and watch them breathe. The last thing I would ever want to see would be someone trying to get them into a pose that seemed visibly uncomfortable or try something that was unsafe just so they could “get the shot.”   This also goes for all prop shots, too. I always have mom or dad be an active participant in our sessions together. For safety’s sake I like to have my parents directly involved in their baby’s well being. When doing images involving props such as baskets or buckets, I always explain to mom that I “don’t have Go Go Gadget” arms and can’t reach through my camera in the event that their baby startles. I always have mom or dad sitting right outside of the shot and will often do composites if it’s not safe for mom or dad to remove their hand for an image.

With every pose I do, I’m constantly checking baby’s comfort level. If I try a pose and baby fusses or seems visibly uncomfortable I will move on to my next position. Never put a baby in a pose that they struggle against. Some babies love being curled up with their chubby feet up by their chin. Others love stretching out their little legs. They are all unique individuals with unique likes and dislikes. Some love to be swaddled. Some like to have their hands by their face. What works for one might not always work  for another. Be flexible and photograph them in what they are comfortable in and I promise their comfort will translate into a beautiful, peaceful image.

Throughout newborn sessions I constantly check for these three things:

• --- Is baby warm enough? Is the space heater a safe distance from the baby and are they comfortable with the temperature?  Keeping baby cozy is huge for a successful newborn session, but the heater must always be kept at a safe distance.

• --- Does baby’s circulation look  good? Are all limbs nice and pink? With some poses, arms or legs can get pinched and babies can lose good circulation quickly. It’s my job to make sure that baby is comfortable and safe in every pose I do.

• --- Since I love to photograph with so many gorgeous fabrics and textures, there is often a lot of fuzz flying around my studio. Because of this, I’m constantly checking baby’s little fingers and toes for any stray fur that might get wrapped around them. I also like to remind mom and dad to check their toes once again before they get them dressed and loaded back into their carrier at the end of the session.

Newborn babies are little miracles!!  And when a Client entrusts me the opportunity to photograph them, I am truly honored. I go into every session with this perspective in mind and  provide my clients not only with gorgeous images of their brand new baby, but great memories of their time with you as well.