Newborn Sessions: What to wear and expect
Hello! I’ve written this blog because I wanted to address some common questions and give you an idea of what goes into these sessions!
What to wear:
For all of my sessions I always recommend coordinating outfits rather than matching, it adds depth to the photos. Fabric textures and layering are also recommended (if it’s your style). You just want to be yourself, feel great, and wear something that makes you feel comfortable. Try to avoid bright, florescent colors on top because they tend to reflect and cause unflattering shadows on the face. Be especially careful with babies about what type of materials you are dressing them (and yourself) in. There are some super cute outfits out there, but if they irritate the baby's skin at all, we will have an unhappy baby on our hands.
When it comes to my photo sessions, I always try to work with the motto "less is more." We don't want to pull the focus from the main subject of the session, the baby! If at all possible, naked baby photos are always natural and beautiful. I will have wraps and blankets with me to cover your baby, but you are more than welcome to bring along anything that you'd like to use as well!
For babies it’s best to keep it simple. Babies’ clothes never tend to fit quite right so go for something snug fitting (cute onesies/ sweatsuits) or opt for naked photos (if the weather allows). You don’t want anything that will ride up and cover the baby’s face or make them uncomfortable.
Here are some tips to prepare your baby for a happy session. If we are doing the session in your home, please have the baby either dressed in his/her first outfit, or if you are planning on using wraps, have the baby undressed and wrapped in a blanket and feed right before the session starts so that they are nice and sleepy. If we are doing them outdoors or in my studio, please be prepared to feed when the session starts. We can get the baby into its first outfit/ wrap and then you can feed. This usually helps get the session off to a good start!
If you need to take a break at all during the session to feed or change your baby that is not a problem! That is why I've made the newborn sessions a bit longer than a typical session, because our tiny ones need extra time and attention. You may also bring outfit changes, as many as you can fit into the session time is fine with me, but keep in mind that babies don't always love being changed so it all depends on how they are during their session. If your baby has older siblings, you may bring them along to work into a few images! It's always sweet to see how these little ones interact with each other!
Please feel free to bring props to your session. I am always happy to work anything into your photos that may be important to your family. Anything with your baby's name on it or any objects that personalize your shoot are always welcomed and encouraged! I will have different baskets and blankets to use but if you have any that you would like to use, again, bring them along!
I try to make sessions as laid back and comfortable as possible. Please don't be afraid to snuggle and be affectionate with your newest addition.
What to expect from your newborn shoot:
With your session you can expect 10-20 edited images (based on how the session goes). These images will be uploaded to a password protected online gallery for you to view, download full resolution images, and print directly from!
You may visit my entire newborn gallery here: http://photosbyrachelimschweiler.zenfolio.com/p854246379
Thank you very much for taking the time to read through this blog, I hope it answered any questions you may have had! I truly love what I do, I hope it shows in my images, and I look forward to our shoot! I hope you are as excited as I am!
~Rachel
