First newborn shoot coming up...

[misspinky]

Actually quite nervous, but even more excited! My sister is due on Friday (16th Sept), so he/she could still take a while to arrive but it's still better to be prepared!

I've done heaps and heaps of research into newborn/baby photography, but I was wondering if you newborn pros had any other little tips or tricks you'd care to share with a newborn newbie!

Thanks x

[SusanH1970]

Allow plenty of time for the session. Between feedings, burping, changing, and getting baby to sleep, I allow about 3 - 4 hours for a newborn session.

Do the session as early as possible (age 5 days - 12 days is optimal). After that, they're much more alert and hard to get to sleep. They're also not as easy to pose after two weeks.

Keep the room very, very warm - at least 85 degrees F. If you're sweating your a$$ off, it's perfect for the baby. A lot of photographers use a space heater if necessary. Don't use a heating pad/hot water bottle directly on the place the baby will be.

Get a beanbag and a boppy for posing. Have lots of blankets to use because they can (and will) get peed and pooped on. Bring a change of clothes for yourself as well, just in case!

For the naked baby shots, have mom remove or at least loosen the diaper well in advance so you don't have the red lines/marks to have to edit out later.

Stay relaxed and calm - if you're stressing out, the baby will sense it and will also stress. Sometimes they fuss if they can smell mom's milk and/or hear her voice, so don't let mom hover.

For the awake shots (moms always LOVE those), swaddle baby in soft cheesecloth - it'll keep them from flinging their arms and legs around and it looks cuter than a receiving blanket.

Safety first! Always have someone spot the baby. Even newborns can quickly roll off a beanbag. Don't try the "hanging baby" (the ones where the baby is in a sling or something of the sort, hanging from a tree branch, etc.) unless you're REALLY good at Photoshop - the ones you see on websites are generally composites.

That's all I can think of for now...if I can think of anything else, I'll come back and post some more. HTH.

[misspinky]

Thanks so much for all the info!! I do have a hanging sling but I don't think I'll be using it for a while until I've got used to the basics!

[~AJ~]

Yep, everything Susan said plus this:

Simple is best. Stick to the really easy, simple poses rather than trying to do anything too complicated. Remember mums just want beautiful images of their precious bubbas - they don't need Anne Geddes style shots, unless Anne herself is doing the photography

To do nakey shots, get mum to (as Susan said) loosen the nappy - but not too much hehe) and just have bubs stripped down to just the nappy right before the shoot. Have her feed bubs while you are setting up, keeping a blanket drapped over them to keep them warm & content. This means that you only have to take the nappy off (if you want to), rather than unsettle a full, content baby by undressing them.

Socks - ask mum not to put socks with elastic in the tops of them, coz this leaves marks on bubbas legs.

If you can, ask if you can be the one to burp the baby after a feed. This means they'll get nice & settled on you before you put them down for a photograph. Otherwise they resettle during burping, then get passed to you, then get put down on a beanbag or cushion etc.... I basically let the mum know that while I'm there, I'm quite happy if she wants to go have a cup of tea/coffee while it's hot, or go catch up on anything she needs to do around the house or just relax with a magazine. A lot of new mums (s'pecially first timers!) love the chance to go quickly make the bed or something knowing that I'm, capable with bubba. This means that bubs gets used to you handelling them and reposing them without too many other people touching them etc...

Even though it's your family, only let the people who are being photographed be around while you are doing the shoot. It can be quite intimidating having a whole family watch you work, and also unsettling for the baby with everyone around.

If you ahve any CDs with some nice relaxing music, take that along to play during the shoot. Can often help everyone stay nice & calm throughout the shoot.