What an exciting time in your life and in your family’s life! You’re expecting the arrival of your newborn baby, you’re glowing, you’re nesting, you’re planning, and you’re dreaming about the future. You don’t ever want to forget this special season in your life, so you want to commemorate your baby’s birth with a newborn photoshoot.

Maybe now you’ve had a chance to do a little research. You went online and searched for “newborn photography near me,” and you found us. It looks like now all you need to do is contact us to schedule a pregnancy shoot or a newborn photoshoot, right?

But what will the newborn session look like? What about all of the details? 

We’re glad you asked! In this article, we’ll offer and answer some of the most commonly asked questions that we get on what to expect during a newborn photoshoot. This unique season of your life is already full of new twists and turns for you. You might feel a bit overwhelmed with all of the unknowns about the future, so let us ease any anxiety you may be feeling. We’d like to give you a good idea of what it’s like to commemorate those newborn milestones with a photo session. 

So, without further ado, we invite you to scroll through the following.

When is the best time to do a newborn session?

The ideal time to photograph your baby is between the first 6-12 days of birth. Those first few days are very important in the world of newborn photography.

During your newborn baby’s first two weeks of life, he or she will sleep for most of the day. This will make it very easy for us to pose your little bundle of joy into all of our cute little props. After the two-week mark, your baby will tend to be more aware of his or her surroundings and, therefore, more sensitive to touch and noise. If these simulations were to wake up and upset your baby during a photo session, it could cause delays because we would need to take breaks to calm and soothe your little child.

So, we encourage you to book your newborn photoshoot a few months in advance to ensure that we’ll have enough time to plan and design your session. If you’re ready to plan your photoshoot, click here to schedule a free consultation! (If you need to reschedule it later due to various circumstances that could surround your child’s birth, no worries—we can work with you!)

Why arrange a photo session so early in my baby’s life?

The transition from life in the womb to life on this earth can be a challenging one for your newborn baby, so it’s important to take advantage of the baby's very first days. Your baby’s age can sometimes make a difference in what type of poses we’ll be able to achieve during the newborn session—and whether your baby will like these poses or not.

But not all babies react the same way during a photoshoot. We can achieve some newborn sessions very quickly because the baby will sleep through all of it. Other sessions may take a bit more time due to feeding/soothing breaks that the baby may need. But generally speaking, the age of the baby can determine how smoothly the session will run.

However, there are exceptions to this. For instance, some babies might need a bit more time in the hospital or the NICU—which we completely understand! If this is the case, please let us know, and we’ll be more than happy to work with you. We would never jeopardize a crucial stage in your infant’s development just for the sake of a photo op. Session or no session, your baby’s health and safety are our first priorities!

We’ve been doing newborn photography for a long time, so we’re experienced in handling all types of situations. Don’t worry, Mama, we’ve got you and your precious little baby covered!

How long do sessions last?

Newborn sessions usually last for about three hours, give or take. If your baby will sleep through the entire thing, the session can be done fairly quickly. If your baby will need a few feeding/soothing breaks, the session could take a bit more time, of course.

Whether the session is a short one or a long one, we’re okay with it! Since newborn photography can be a waiting game, we’re flexible, and we understand that we’ll be on your baby’s schedule. We’re not in a hurry, and we’re more than willing to work with you and your baby to accommodate whatever you will need during your session. We’re committed to helping you document your special newborn milestones!

What should I expect during a session?

When you become our client, we’ll take care of everything for you. Babies can sense anxiety, especially from Mama, so we want to put you at ease as much as possible. Before your arrival to our studio, we’ll prepare the atmosphere so that it will be quiet, calm, and cozy for your baby during the session. As soon as you arrive, we’ll take your baby and do our photography magic—and we promise to handle your precious one with care! We’re experts in newborn photography, so your infant will be in good hands with us.

During your session, your baby will be handled by professionals who have been trained extensively in newborn photography and who are experienced in working with newborns. Stephany, who has worked with more than 200 babies, has been certified by Accredited Professional Newborn Photographers International (APNPI) in newborn safety. She has taken classes on newborn safety and continually educates herself on that topic.

Since we’ll be working with your little infant during a newborn photoshoot, safety will always be our first priority. All of the props, blankets, and equipment that will be used during the session will be clean and free of hazards. We examine all props specifically beforehand to make sure that your baby won’t have any contact with splinters, glass, anything that could break or shatter, or anything at all that would harm your baby. We also sanitize and clean everything after each session.

During the actual shooting of the photographs, your baby will be supported at all times by human hands—whether it’s a pose in an upright position or whether it’s a pose that involves suspension. And we’ll never position your baby in any way that could compromise his or her health.

If you have any questions about general safety issues related to newborn photoshoots, click here to read another one of our articles. If you’d like more information from an outside source, check out the APNPI website: apnpi.com.

Yes, safety is important, but we always have so much fun during sessions when the creative juices are flowing and the magic is happening! Showcasing these newborn milestones in this unique time of your baby’s life is always our pleasure.

There may be other details involved in your newborn photoshoot specifically that we haven’t mentioned here yet. Don’t worry, Mama—we’ll review all of that with you during our design consultation. We’ll make sure to customize your session so that it can represent YOU and your family!

Our studio is located in Hickory Creek, Texas. Would you like to go on a brief video tour? Click on this link and check it out!

What do I need to bring to the photoshoot?

All you need to bring is just your baby and milk—that’s pretty much it! There’s no need to worry about anything else, because we’ll already be taking care of it. That’s all part of the services that we offer. Our studio is equipped with a clean changing table, diapers, wipes, bibs, blankets, and even pacifiers. We know that adjusting to your baby’s new schedule isn’t easy, and we’re committed to making this newborn photography experience a great one for you!

And if your baby has any special needs or conditions that require any special accessories, etc., of course, you can bring those as well. We’ll work with you and make sure that you have everything your baby needs while we document these special newborn milestones!

What about my baby’s Dad and siblings? Can they be photographed as well during a newborn photoshoot?

Yes, absolutely, and we highly encourage this!

One way to make this happen is with our optional pampering package. This option will enable you to get your hair and makeup done for 90 minutes while we’re taking pictures of your newborn baby. We’ll even help you pick out something fabulous from our wardrobe collection. Then when you’re ready with your hair and makeup, and after we have all of the shots that we need of just your baby, we can take some photos with the rest of your family.

Whether you opt for the pampering package or not, we highly encourage your baby’s Dad and siblings to stop by toward the end of the session (when you’re ready with your hair and makeup). The reason for this is because, as we previously mentioned, a newborn photoshoot can last for several hours. Waiting for this length of time can be very challenging for your baby’s siblings and their never-ending supply of energy. (Patience is a virtue, but it can be hard to come by when you’re young!) So, we typically photograph Dad and siblings at the end of a newborn session—wrapping up our time together with a family session!

What if I have more questions?

We’d love to meet you and answer any other questions that you might have! We will also thoroughly discuss all details that are specific to your session at your design consultation. (If you’re ready to set that up, click here!)

If you have more questions about what we do as a studio, check out this link to a short video that will show you a bit more about the fine art experience that we offer.

And if you’d like to see a sample of what your beautiful photographs will look like after we’re done with your newborn photoshoot, after we’ve prepared your final products, click on this link to a short video.

And, of course, if you’d like to read about any other services that we offer, including our pregnancy shoots, please feel free to browse through our blog!

It’s Worth the Effort

There are so many details involved in planning, setting up, and following through with a newborn photoshoot, but it is so worth it when we all see the finished product! It is an honor for us to participate in helping you mark these newborn milestones, and we know that you’ll be happy with the results.

Click here to book your design consultation, and let’s begin the process!