Preparing For A Newborn Baby Photography Session

Booking and Timings

After the birth of your baby it’s a very joyful, but also very exhausting, time of your life. And events take over. So we recommend that you do your research and book your newborn session during a quiet time of your pregnancy. It’s not a concern that you do not know your baby’s birthdate with any strong certainty at this stage (the exception is elective caesarean births of course). At Light Republic we are very happy to accept an advanced provisional booking, knowing that nearer the time the date might get shifted.

In terms of capturing the classic sleepy, curled up and scrunchy newborn photos, the sweet-spot for the photography session is 4 – 10 days after the birth. It is still possible to achieve adorable baby photos with a “newborn feel” for up to 3 weeks; but after ten days, many babies learn to start learn stretching capabilities! (And on a more minor note, the baby may start to develop newborn acne – though if desired, we can handle this in post-production).

Newborn Baby Photo (sleeping in basket)

Pre-Consultation and Planning

Again, try to speak to us about the session before the birth. We value knowing what style of photography the parents love the most; and also their general expectations about finaal products. Also speak to your partner about whether, for example, you would like artistic “skin on skin” shots with your baby (it’s best if you understand each other’s desires and expectations before the day of the shoot).

Light Republic has a range of newborn props, but you might want to consider also bringing personal accessories such as a special cuddly toy, blanket or hairband. You may want to try some different outfits, though the baby is likely to be essentially naked (with wraps) for many of the photos.

Another consideration is whether you want to involve the newborn’s sibling(s) in the session. One possibility is to involve the sibling in the final 20-30 minutes, so that the first part of the session allows for low volume when the baby is (hopefully) sleepy.

And finally, if you would like some family portraits (and not everyone does when they feel exhausted), plan your own clothes, which should ideally be neutral, comfortable and fairly light (the studio will be warm for the benefit of the baby). Avoid pure blacks/whites and distracting patterns and logos, if possible. Sometimes mishaps occur, so bringing along a spare outfit for both parents is often sensible!

Newborn baby lying with a wrap

The Day of the Shoot

Before coming to the studio, loosen up the baby’s nappy to minimise its skin marks and indentations. You may also choose to gently clean away any flaky skin and eye boogers with a wash cloth when you arrive.

The key to a good session is to arrive relaxed and to go with the flow (remember they will be lovely photos whatever happens and we can flexible with timings). But the photography does work best for newborns if the baby is well fed (think milk-drunk!) and in a deep sleep at the beginning. Without worsening your own sleep deprivation, try to arrange things so that the baby is slightly exhausted coming into the studio. We’ll arrange for a warm and quiet atmosphere in the Light Republic studio to help with this (remember the plans for the siblings).

We’ll ask you to work closely with us, trust us – and above all remain patient. At Light Republic you will be in good (and safe) hands!

Newborn baby sleeping against father's bare skin

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