What is Newborn Photography?
Professional newborn photography provides you with amazing and beautiful baby portraits that will last a lifetime. Photographs allow us to reminisce some of the most memorable and important fleeting moments in our lives.
Beautiful precious newborn babies … they are so tiny! This is the smallest they will ever be! It is hard to believe when they are that small that they one day will grow up and go to school, high school, have boyfriends, girlfriends, jobs and start learning to drive! It all happens so fast. It’s amazing how much they change in the first year. But even more so, in those first few weeks!
The days are long, but the years are short. You are probably just home from the hospital… feeling tired, excited, overwhelmed and so so in love! I remember with my own babes, just staring at their tiny toes, little noses and just wanting to stare at them all day, wanting to remember all those sweet little features.
But the truth is, those memories tend to fade quickly when the exhaustion sets in, so I know you probably don’t want to put on pants and take your precious new tiny human out into the world at 7 days old, but in 1 year… 10 years.. 20 years.. you will be so glad you did! When the memories start to fade, your photographs will always be there to take you back!
Being a Newborn photographer can be an art in itself. Newborn photography shoots may be the most difficult pictures to take in the photography industry. The first rule to live by with baby photography is SAFETY of baby and that THEY are the boss of their newborn photography session! Always ask a newborn photographer if they have had proper training in newborn posing. It takes special skill to know how to properly and safely pose a baby, keep them just warm enough, but not too hot and to know any cues of discomfort or hunger from the baby. The hardest part of getting a great looking portrait is having a 7 day old baby cooperate lol. Experienced newborn photographers will have tricks and soothing techniques that will help keep a baby comfortable and happy while safely posing the baby. I also like to send a Prep Guide to all my clients to help them prepare for the photo session day!
You might have heard other new parents talk about how their baby suddenly seemed to “wake up” when they are a couple of weeks or so old. Baby spends their first couple of weeks sleeping and drowsy through the day, and then suddenly baby is awake more often, more focused and more alert. Fresh newborns tend to sleep as much as 18-20 hours a day and they often sleep more during the day as they do at night. Which isn’t ideal for mum and dad getting a good night’s sleep, but it does mean they’re more likely to be in that super relaxed sleepy stage during their photo shoot. Your baby may also have a growth spurt around 2 weeks old and want to feed constantly, similar to what they were like the 2nd or 3rd night after they are born when they are trying to bring mum’s milk in. If you are trying to photograph them on that day, it is a nightmare!!
After the first couple of weeks your baby is becoming more alert, so they can become harder to settle. This means it takes us much longer (if at all) to get them into the perfect pose. It also means that any slight movement we do to get them into that perfect pose may wake them up and we may never get the shot. Babies in that first 2 weeks sleep through so much! Now I have had some 4 week old babies in the studio be perfect for their session, and some 8 day olds want nothing to do with me. But the odds are, to get the most sleepy, squishy adorable photos from your baby is to be in studio when they are 6- 10 days old.
Do It For The Props!
From blankets and baskets to hats and headbands! If you want something very specific incorporated into your newborn photography session, like a personalized blanket or toy, I’ll happily work it into your newborn’s photos. But otherwise, most professional newborn photographers will be able to provide you with the props you’ll need for your baby’s photo session. Adorable buckets, bowls, tiny teddy bears and dainty little outfits help to make your photo session unique and artistic. I love using colors within your session that will match your home or babies nursery, what better kind of wall art, than art featuring your beautiful baby!?
Occasionally, some parents are hesitant to invest in a newborn photography session because of the cost that comes along with it. While it would save them some money to take photos with their own cameras or smartphones, I often hear from parents how much they regret not having newborn portraits of their older children. But you’d be hard-pressed to find many parents who regret making the decision to invest in newborn photos of their children. Your little newborn will change so quickly that, in just a few short months, it will be hard to remember how tiny and squishy they were. Once everything is all said and done, most parents are glad that they made the decision to invest in a newborn photography session that will help them remember the short time when their babies were still babies.
Interested in learning more about hiring a professional photographer for your Newborn Photography needs? Rayven Jade Photography would love to speak with you about it! Call us at 250-617-9672 or email rayvenjadephoto@gmail.com today for additional information about scheduling a newborn photo shoot.
Rayven Jade Photography’s Studio is located in Prince George, BC.