Newborn Welcome Guide
Welcome Little ONe!
Your precious little babe is a very big deal in a very tiny package. This stage is so big emotionally yet exceptionally small in time. The newborn days are a unique stage in life that cannot be duplicated, and absolutely deserves to be captured in a special manner.
At Beach Photo, we offer posed studio sessions with multiple sets, props, and wraps as well as wrapped outdoor sessions, usually on the beach. We work with each family to craft a custom session with outfits, wraps, and props tailored to each little client.
Booking your Newborn Session
When you book a newborn session with us you will be given a questionnaire to answer about what colors or accessories you are wanting to photograph your baby with.
We aim to have your newborn session when your baby is between 6 and 14 days old. Several poses common to newborn photography are not easily achieved as babies grow out of the flexibility of the newborn stage.
We will reserve a date in our calendar for your newborn portrait session based on your due date, but please keep us up to date if your baby arrives early so we can schedule accordingly.
The Day of your Session
You will want to try to keep your baby awake in the hour(s) before your session, and then feed your baby before you leave.
What to Wear for Studio Sessions:
Baby’s diaper should be worn loosely for studio sessions, to help eliminate marks on the skin where the diaper was. Dress your baby in a zipper or button up footie outfit, and avoid any clothes that need to go over the head to minimize making baby upset.
What to Wear for Outdoor Wrapped Sessions:
A short-sleeved onesie is preferred, as wraps can be placed over the onesie. With the exception of the short-sleeve onesie, avoid any clothing that will need to be removed by pulling over the head.
Preparing your Baby
It’s best to keep your baby up for a while before their session, and then feed them before you leave. Having a full belly and then a trip in the car usually makes for a sleepy baby—and that is the goal for a newborn session.
Most newborn poses work best when baby is sleeping. We usually get a few awake images too since newborns don’t sleep for very long stretches of time.
Most likely your baby will want to be comforted and to nurse, or take a bottle during the session, and will usually need to be changed often. Please do not worry if your baby goes to the bathroom while being posed—it happens! All of our props are washable and this is to be expected with any baby.
What to bring
Please be prepared that a newborn session goes at your baby’s pace and often requires patience. For a studio session, you should plan on 3 hours and for an outdoor wrapped session up to 2 hours. For that reason you will need:
-extra bottles if not breastfeeding
-pacifier (even if you do not plan to use one, it is extremely helpful for the photographer to try to soothe the baby and a pacifier often works wonders when trying to perfect poses)
-snacks for parents or siblings (siblings should only be present if being photographed with baby)
-any sentimental items to be included in your session. Please mention these on your booking questionnaire to make sure we are prepared with backdrops or posing props to go with your items.
