baby

Newborn & Child photography is BLOWING up. And understandably so – Babies are just so darn cute! Now I’ve been doing child portraiture for a long time but I can admit I’ve learned A LOT since having a baby of my own. I had no idea how aware and tough those little guys are. My daughter used to give me this “I know what you’re thinking” stare at like 2 weeks old. She knew exactly what was going on. It was almost kind of creepy. That being said here’s a little background knowledge for all you parents out there.

Do your research.
Don’t just pick the first photographer you found on Google. Look through every portfolio, compare prices, look at what’s included in each package THEN choose what’s right for you. Don’t pick a photographer just because their the cheapest. They’re probably the cheapest for a reason – like they get your prints done at Walmart instead of a quality photo lab.

Bring way more diapers and onesie’s then you could ever possibly need.
Trust me – your child knows you’re trying to capture beautiful memories that will last forever. They will pee, drool, poop, and spit up on everything. It’s just what they do.

Have an idea of what you want BEFORE the shoot.
Check Pinterest. Ask to see portraits your friends had done of their kids. Whatever. But know ahead of time. Your photographer *should* have pose suggestions for you, but every child and parent is different. Don’t get sucked into doing the photographer’s 5 favorite poses because you had no idea what the other options are.

Bring any props you want to use.
Just because most photographers have blankets, baskets, and tiaras – doesn’t mean we all do. If you have this image of your baby with a crown on her head sitting on a fluffy white blanket… you better bring those things with you. The chances that your photographer will have everything you have in mind is frankly kind of silly.

Tell us about your kid before we start shooting.
If your daughter falls asleep every time she’s on her side or if your son cries every time a flash goes off – we need to know that! We want to take pictures you’re going to love. And the easiest way for us to do that is to have all the information up front so we can plan the shoot accordingly.

And most importantly…
Trust your photographer! They know what they’re doing, its why you picked them. You hovering over their shoulder going “wouldn’t it look better if you…” or “no that’s her bad side” is going to make your photographer want to get out of there – FAST. And when we rush, we don’t do great work. Also, babies can sense anxiety from a very young age. So if you get tense – they’ll get tense. And then you’ll end up with crying baby photos instead of cute ones like this: