Behind the Scenes: A Glimpse into Creating a Newborn Photo Session
Behind the Scenes: A Glimpse into creating a Newborn Photo Session with Kelly Jacobi Photography: Wisconsin Photogrpaher
As a newborn photographer, I have the privilege of capturing the most precious and fleeting moments of a baby's life. Today, I want to offer you a glimpse into what goes on behind the scenes in my newborn photography sessions.
First and foremost, creating a comfortable and safe environment for the baby is paramount. I currently offer in-home newborn sessions or outdoor newborn sessions. In-home sessions are perfect for newborns for so many reasons. There is no packing up a load of stuff and heading out just days after delivering your baby. Instead you are in the comfort of your own home, with everything you need right there. In home newborn sessions are also great because it documents the home you brought baby home to. Don’t worry about cleaning or decorating, we just use a sliver of space usually in the bedroom, nursery, or living room; or a combo. You’d never know what the rest of the house looked like.
I work close with all of my newborn parents so planning is easy and fun. My clients all receive a Welcome Guide so they feel confident and prepared for a session. They also receive my Client Styling Guide and access to my client closet for mom and baby. My infant items are timeless and classic pieces and I make sure to stock my client closet with pieces for mom that are comfortable and beautiful. I want to make planning and the photo session as easy as possible, there is already do much on your plate - let me make this easy!
If you haven’t seen it yet, check out my blog post about When to Schedule Your Newborn Session.
Even for newborn sessions I bring my Moses basket, blankets, and wraps to be used during the session, carefully choosing colors and textures that will accentuate the baby's delicate features. My focus is always on capturing natural moments, so I do not contort baby into studio poses. Instead I help guide them into natural poses with you and just of them to capture this chapter of your story in an honest and beautiful way.
When the session starts my clients are often filled with excitement and a touch of nervousness. It's understandable; after all, this may be their first photoshoot experience with their newborn. As a photographer, it's my responsibility to put them at ease and reassure them that their little one is in good hands.
Before we begin, I take the time to chat with the parents, getting to know them and learning about their vision for the session. Occasionally, they come with specific ideas or requests, such as incorporating certain props that hold sentimental value. Understanding their desires helps me tailor the session to their unique preferences.
Once we've had our introduction, it's time to focus on the star of the show – the newborn baby. Most often, the baby is in a deep sleep when they arrive, making it easier to pose them and create those adorable, serene images that parents are longing for. I delicately position the baby, always ensuring their safety and comfort, as I begin capturing their tiny details – their tiny fingers and toes, their delicate eyelashes, and those perfect little lips that often elicit a collective, "aww" from everyone in the room.
I also capture the full story of your family. This means I’ll capture you as a family, just baby, baby and any siblings, and even just mom and baby and just dad and baby. All of those special connections are so important to capture!
Throughout the session, I work at a gentle pace, allowing time for feeding breaks, diaper changes, and soothing the baby back to sleep. I don’t put a hard time limit on these sessions, I never want you to be worried or distracted by time. Patience is key during these delicate moments, as babies can be unpredictable. A newborn session may take a couple of hours, adapting to the baby's needs, ensuring they are content and calm in front of the camera. Typically I saw plan for about an hour and a half to two hours for these sessions.
If baby needs to nurse we can incorporate that intimate connection with the newborn to producing stunning images. Nursing images an be as honest and artful or modest and documentary as you are comfortable with or want to documents. (I also offer my clients full discretion over if and which photos are shared by me, so these moments an be just for you.)
Many times my newborn clients like to use their optional outfit change for an intimate skin portion. For this dad is usually shirtless, and mom is either skin to skin as well, or in a bra and/or one of my beautiful kimono robes.
This is a chance to capture those fleeting moments of skin to skin and the details that remain from the delivery like c-section scars.
Behind the scenes of a newborn photography session, there is a whole world of love, patience, and creativity coming together. Capturing the innocence and beauty of a newborn is a privilege that I am grateful for every day. It is my passion to freeze these precious moments in time, ensuring that the joy and love shared between parents and their newborns will be treasured for a lifetime.
To ensure that every detail aligns with your dream session, I offer a complimentary consultation where we’ll get to know each other on a short phone call. You’ll be able to tell me what you’re hoping for in a session and I’ll be able to answer all your questions. When you book your session we'll discuss your vision, preferences, and location ideas to create the amazing newborn session you’ve always dreamed of!
Ready for your own amazing newborn photo session??
