E. Rae Photography
Newborn Session Preparation
Congratulations on your new baby! Soon you will be experiencing a Custom Newborn Photography Session. This is a very special session that takes time, patience, love, and the practice of safety at all times- the most important part of this is safety. I will take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of your newborn so I must ask that when reading this you take all information seriously and to please read every last detail. *Please Note* I will NOT photograph a newborn over 14 days of age. The reason is simple- it’s not safe. I need your baby to be in his/her sleepiest state and this is within the first 14 days of life (not to mention that gorgeous newborn curl that baby still has). I also will not continue on with the session if the baby seems to be far away from a sleepy state (wide awake). Again, this is not safe. If this is a complementary session we will both have to accept this as unfortunate and there will not be a reschedule (this is why I ask you to follow the information to prepare below).
Preparing your Newborn for our sessionDo not bathe or lotion baby the morning of the session but do remove any hospital bandaids or tape. Clip your newborns nails prior to our session. Try to wipe away really flaky skin with a warm damp washcloth the morning of the session. Keep your newborn awake for 2 hours before our session start time (most newborn sessions take place around 10 am) and feed your newborn when I arrive and start to set up. Keep your newborn in a loose diaper and loose fitting clothing the morning of the session. We don’t want any red diaper marks or clothing marks on baby during session, even though they can be edited out, I would prefer to not have to retouch a newborns skin too much.
Preparing your home for our sessionTurn the heat up. This may sound uncomfortable to us but when we are slightly warmer than usual then baby is comfortable. Please keep receiving blankets and paper towels close by for my use during the session (I will sometimes wrap baby in a blanket to keep warm during transitioning to different poses or blankets. Paper towels are used for quick clean up of accidents.) Make sure the room with the most light is cleared for my setup and make sure all blinds in surrounding windows are open. Preparing yourself for our sessionThe biggest thing I stress to parents during our session is to just relax. Take this time to sit and do nothing. Take a shower, read a book, enjoy your alone time (as hard as that sounds Jď Š). A mothers scent can sometimes stir the baby up into thinking it’s time to feed again so I ask that you please not stand right over us during your session but do feel free to watch me work from a distance. If there is a certain blanket or heirloom piece you want to incorporate into your newborns session please have it handy and ready when I get there.
I don’t do unnatural poses. The poses I do don’t involve a spotter or someone to support parts of the babies body. I will be within arms reach of your baby at all times. Posing can sometimes take a little longer with only one person but I promise you the poses I do are safe, natural, and occur because of your babies flexibility. The Session Step By Step I will arrive to your session in a plain white t-shirt and loose fitting jeans (sometimes even yoga pants). Please don’t take this as me being unprofessional. I need to be comfortable to ensure that your baby is safe and comfortable as well. Don’t worry about the pee or poop, it’s going to happen while I have your baby in my arms. I will give you your baby to clean up after an accident and I will change my shirt (probably more than once) to ensure there is no contamination to your baby. I will not come wearing any of my jewlery (I don’t risk scratching). My nails will be clean and clipped. My hair will not be fancy and I will not be wearing makeup. You may think this section is unnecessary but I write this so when you first see me you don’t take me as unprofessional. I want you to understand the reasons why I arrive looking the way I do to your newborn session. I want you to know what to expect from my appearance on this special day.
After we have met and gone over the model release and contract and both of us have signed the papers I will begin my set up process. While I set up I ask that you begin to feed the baby to allow him/her to fall into a deep slumber. After I am completely done setting up I will wash up in your nearest restroom/kitchen. As I wash up I ask that you undress baby down to his/her bare skin and wrap baby in a receiving blanket. When I return from washing up I will take the baby and the session will begin. I will have a small safe spot layed out where I will place baby in between blanket swaps. This is done so that you can continue to relax. If baby begins to get fussy, irritated, uncomfortable, or hungry during our session and I cannot soothe him/her I will ask you to take over. Afterall you are the babies favorite and you have the best arms Jď Š After baby is comfortable and sleeping again we will resume our session.
After anywhere from 2 ½ to 3 hours of shooting time we will wrap the session up. Your sneak peaks will be available for viewing on Facebook within 48 hours after our session.
Additional Information Most poses will be done naked. I will bring some props to wrap baby with but no actual clothes will be worn during this session. I will bring hats, blankets, and a few other props. As stated above if there is a certain blanket or heirloom piece you want to incorporate into your newborns session please have it handy and ready when I get there. I do most of my sessions natural. I don’t use many hats or many different props. This session is done to showcase your newborn, not a bunch of fancy material items. IF I am sick with any type of illness within 7 days of your session I will inform you and reschedule the session. Your babies health and safety is my number one priority. ****************** Thank you so much for allowing me to capture this new life you have created! I look forward to meeting you and your little one!