After many years of doing newborn sessions, I, as the photographer, usually know exactly what to expect from a session. That’s not to say that every session is alike…actually, no two newborn sessions are EVER alike! BUT, I know what to expect in general, and I always try to relay that information to new moms, especially 1st time moms, before a session. Unfortunately, no matter how much I try to prepare a mom or dad for a newborn session, until they have done one, they have no idea what is in store for them! I can’t begin count how many times I’ve heard something along the lines of “Wow, I had no idea it would be this much work!” or “I didn’t realize it would be this hard to get him/her to go to sleep” etc…….
Well, let me be brutally honest…..
Newborn sessions are
1. A lot of work (for mom, dad, and the photographer)
2. Stressful for the parents, especially a new mom who might be tired, still in pain from delivery, horribly sleep deprived, and just getting used to their new little one! (I photographed my own baby’s newborn session 7 days after I had her…I know EXACTLY how parents feel during a session!).
3. Possibly (probably) long…..as in 2-3 hours long!
4. Completely unpredictable
5. In my opinion, the most difficult of all types of sessions for the photographer (because we are at the complete mercy of whether or not our tiny little subject feels like sleeping or not).
6. Completely worth it in every way, shape and form!!!!!! You CANNOT get this opportunity back!!!
Soooooo, to better help new moms and dads, I thought that the best way to really share information about what to expect, how to prepare for, and whether or not doing a newborn session is worth the time and effort required, was to survey past clients. I have put together some questions and asked real clients to give me real, honest answers….now I am going to share them with you!!!
Question 1: What advice would you give to any potential new moms and dads how to best prepare for their newborn session….what to bring, how to prepare their baby, etc…
“My best advice is to make sure both mother and father attend the session. If possible try to schedule it when you are most comfortable. Take your time getting to the session and during the session. Linda is very patient! ”
“Bring a lot of burp cloths–cloth diapers are great because they can be used as burp clothes and they’re usually white/neutral and are inconspicuous if they happen to be in the picture.”
“I would bring a change of clothes just in case baby gets dirty and a bib for feedings. Wouldn’t worry about shoes, we wanna see those baby feet! Also, the REAL beauty isn’t in the perfect outfit, it’s the wonder of your baby. So, don’t get too hung up on what they’ll wear, the more simple the better.”
“I would definitely try to schedule the session early on as suggested by Linda as they tend to sleep more and are easier to work with.”
“Feed your baby when you get to the studio then, hopefully, they will fall asleep and have a wonderful session!”
“Book their session before the birth.”
“Take your diaper bag nice and full -just in case!”
Question #2: What would you have done differently, or what will you do differently for your next newborn session?
“This is a tough question…All babies are different so you’ve got to play it by ear!”
“Brought more burp cloths!”
“I probably would have purchased a really nice colorful blanket like the one I used at your studio. That way, when they look back at the picture years from now, I would have something to pass down to them.”
“Nothing!” (there were a couple of duplicate “Nothings”)
Question #3: What advice would you give new moms/dads that might help them during their session?
“Don’t be rushed! Take a morning or afternoon off if you are back at work. This is primarily for the fathers since most women are still on leave. Be prepared! Pack up everything but the kitchen sink! Once again Linda understands, she’s got 3 kids of her own!”
“Try not to be nervous so that the infant can be as calm and comfortable as possible. Relax and have fun!”
“Relax – I had no idea what to really expect and because I was a new mom it was a little scary to help with turning him over, etc. during the session. It wasn’t bad at all – I just had to relax!”
Question #4 Would you say that doing a newborn session was worth the time, effort, and money spent? If you do feel that it was worth it, please describe why. I feel that newborn sessions are very difficult for moms and dads, and I want to be honest about this…please share any experiences, and whether or not you would do it again considering the outcome.
“Yes it is all worth it!! Capture the moments while you can!”
“For me, it was worth it!! I knew it was something I wanted to do and am SO GLAD I did it. It’s tough when you’re sleep deprived and overly cautious (as a first time parent at least!) of taking your newborn out of the house so early–but when you see the final product, you realize you’ve captured a precious time in your baby’s life that passes so fast. My session was relatively painless–but even if it was a major struggle, I’ll always have the pictures and they are priceless.”
“I only did a newborn session with my third baby and wish I would have done them previously. They are worth all the effort and expense to capture this brief and precious time. I LOVE my newborn baby pictures. They are too special for words.”
“It is extremely worth it! Having a newborn can be stressful, but this time flies by so fast and by the time you know it, the newborn look is gone. I cant think of a better way to capture and preserve these precious moments. Thank you so much for capturing these moments for our family. Your work is truly amazing!”
“I cannot stress enough how worth it the whole experience was!! The pictures taken of my son are out of this world gorgeous!! I love them, everyone who sees them loves them and I know when he is older he will love them too!! I do think they are expensive, but I think it’s money well spent. I didn’t have a bad experience (except my baby peed on Linda’s blanket and I almost died!!) so undoubtedly I would do it again!”
Question #5 If you were to do another newborn session, would you return to Linda Blackwell Photography? Will you return to Linda Blackwell Photography for future photo sessions with your child? If yes, please explain why, and if no, please explain why not.
“Yes absolutely!”
“Definitely–she was SO GOOD with the baby. She has a very calm, gentle demeanor and was very comfortable around my baby–you can tell she’s a pro! Her pictures speak for themselves–the quality is fantastic and I couldn’t be more pleased with the product. Thank you soooo much!!”
“Of course I would return to Linda Blackwell. She is calm, patient, respectful and gentle with my children. Linda’s photography is beautiful and classic. She is extremely talented and always captures what I love most and see in my children.”
“I will always go to Linda for all my photo needs! She is the best and is extremely patient! My baby is not the easiest and she still gets awesome pictures!”
“Yes! If I have more children I will book my session well in advance-not at the last minute like this time. 🙂 Of course I will return to Linda Blackwell Photography. I like the work I’ve seen of other children – very natural and real”
“I most definitely would chose LB photography again! In all honesty,the only factor that would keep me from choosing LB photography would be cost. There are other photographers that may be less expensive, but no one can capture newborn pictures like you, which is why we chose you.”
So, take from this what you like, and hopefully any potential new mommys-to-be will find this helpful in deciding whether or not to do a newborn session, and if they do, hopefully this, in addition the advice that I will give them upon booking their appt, will help them through the process. In any case, if you are having a baby, please take my advice on this subject….no matter what photographer that you decide to go with, please just do a newborn session!!! You cannot get this time back! Before you know it, you’ve forgotten all of those little things about your baby’s newborn weeks, and they’re turning two, like my youngest is this month!!! Just do it!!!
A special thanks to all of the parents out there who took the time to answer my questions…I am honored that you have chosen me to capture your memories of your precious baby’s life. I can’t thank you all enough for that honor!