The first few weeks of your baby’s life are absolutely precious. You have a tiny little addition to your family who is ready to soak up your love. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the moment and if you’re not careful, it’ll be over before you’ve had a chance to savor this special time. Very soon, your child will transition into being a toddler, and you’ll struggle to remember those cute moments when your baby fit into the crook of our arm and went to sleep on you.

Newborn photography is a great way to preserve these precious, fleeting moments and provide a lifetime of memories for you and your family to look back on fondly. When you work with an experienced infant photographer, you can capture the essence of this amazing time, showcasing the joy and love you feel as your family expands.

While your infant photography session is an exciting time for your family, it’s natural to be a little anxious as you prepare for the photoshoot. The following tips will ensure you know exactly what to expect so that you can relax and enjoy the session.

Newborn Photography Do’s

There are several things you should keep in mind when preparing for your infant photography session. The following “do’s” will help you make sure you’ve covered all the important points.

Do – Schedule Your Infant Photoshoot within the First Two Weeks After Birth

Newborn photoshoots go more smoothly when your baby typically sleeps for longer stretches and is more likely to sleep through the session. This will make it much easier for your newborn photographer to place your baby in cute poses that will make for adorable pictures.

Keep in mind that while the first two weeks are generally the ideal time for a photoshoot, this isn’t a hard and fast rule. Some babies are very sensitive to outside stimuli during the first few weeks after birth. In these situations, you may find that waiting until the third or fourth week after birth may make for a smoother session.

Do – Feed Your Baby Before the Photoshoot

A hungry baby is a fussy baby, and a fussy baby makes for a challenging newborn photography session. You can reduce the risk of this issue by feeding your baby shortly before the photoshoot. If you forget to feed your baby in advance and they start fussing during the session, ask your newborn photographer if you can take a short break for feeding. This will help your baby relax and (hopefully) go to sleep, making for a much smoother photoshoot.

Do – Keep Your House Warm for the Infant Photography Session

If you’re doing your photoshoot at a studio, this tip will be moot. An experienced infant photographer will know the optimal room temperature to get the best possible photos. But if you decide to hold your photoshoot at home, this tip could mean the difference between getting adorable pictures and having a batch of crying baby photos.

It’s common for new mothers to feel hot due to postpartum hormones. But you’re better off sweating through these pictures so that the temperature is just right for your baby. Infants get cold very easily, and they won’t be happy posing for photos when they’re uncomfortable.

Do – Plan for the Unexpected

Babies are unpredictable. They will pee, poop and spit up when you least expect it. Make sure you show up to your photoshoot prepared for these bodily functions to interfere with your session. Always come with extra outfits, blankets, diapers, burp cloths, and anything else your child might need when these situations arise. You’ll always be glad you have these extra options on hand.

Do – Give Yourself an Extra Hour to Get Ready

This is a great follow-up to our last tip, since nothing ever goes exactly as expected with a newborn. You need to give yourself plenty of time to get ready before the photoshoot – at least an hour more than you would typically need – so that you won’t feel rushed or stressed out if your baby throws a tantrum, needs to eat, or has a poopy diaper while you’re trying to make yourself look beautiful for these photos.

Do – Pick Out Your Outfits in Advance

The last thing you’re going to have the time and energy for right after giving birth is picking out a wardrobe for your newborn photography session. Make sure you take care of this before the baby is born. If you’re buying new clothes for the photoshoot, keep them fresh in your closet until the session so that they don’t get worn, stained or wrinkled right before you need them. If you’re going with some of the favorite items in your current wardrobe, make sure to have them cleaned, pressed and ready to go well in advance.

Another outfit pro tip – coordinating outfits makes for gorgeous pictures.

Do – Keep Your Baby Awake Before the Photoshoot

Newborns sleep a lot, and there’s a good chance they will be ready for a nap shortly before the photoshoot. But this could create a scenario where they’re awake and fussy during the session. You’ll get the best photos if your baby is asleep during the photoshoot, so keep them up for a while before the session. This way they’ll be ready for a nap when it’s time to meet with your newborn photographer.

Do – Think About Props in Advance

Most infant photographers will have a variety of props to use during your photoshoot, but if there is a particular prop you want to include, make sure to let your photographer know in advance. This will ensure you have the props you want when you arrive for the session.

Do – Stay Calm and Relaxed

A newborn photography session can be an exciting event. It can also be chaotic or stressful, especially if you have other young children participating. Make sure you do whatever it takes to keep the environment at the photoshoot as calm and relaxed as possible. If it’s really loud in the room or if you appear stressed out, your baby will feed off this energy and it may not yield the best photos.

Newborn Photography Don’ts

Now that you know what you should do to help ensure this photoshoot delivers the priceless memories you desire, it’s time to review some of the important pitfalls you should avoid. Keep the following “don’ts” in mind as you plan your infant photography session.

Don’t – Wait Until the Last Minute to Schedule Your Photoshoot

Newborn photography sessions typically occur within the first two weeks after birth. That’s a small window of time, and you’re most likely going to be overwhelmed and exhausted during those first couple of weeks. Make sure to schedule your session well in advance of your child being born.

There are several reasons why waiting until the last minute to schedule your photoshoot could leave you high and dry:

Many of the best newborn photographers will have a busy schedule and if you wait too long to reach out to them, they may be fully booked when you call
You may not have enough time to vet your photographer, and this can result in working with a less experienced person who won’t be able to deliver the photos you want

The ideal time to start reaching out to infant photographers is during your second trimester. You won’t be able to nail down an exact date this far in advance since you won’t know when you’ll go into labor, but you can let the photographer know your due date. This way, your session will be on your photographer’s radar, and it will make it much easier to nail down a specific time once the baby arrives.

Don’t – Hire a Newborn Photographer without Doing Your Research

Not all photographers have experience in newborn photography, and not all infant photographers deliver equal quality photos. Make sure you do your homework before you decide to work with a newborn photographer.

The following tips will help ensure you hire the right photographer:

Ask the photographer how much experience they have doing infant photography. Ideally, you want to work with someone who makes this a primary focus of their work.
Ask the photographer how long they’ve been doing newborn photography. A photographer with years of experience will have seen it all and know how to structure the session in a way that delivers the best results. On the other hand, working with someone who is relatively new to infant photography may result in a bumpy session that fails to deliver the pictures you want.
Always look over pictures of the photographer’s previous newborn photography work to get a sense of the quality of their pictures, the vibe of the studio, and the style of photos you can expect to receive.
Read reviews from their prior newborn photography clients. This will give you a better understanding of what to expect when working with this person. You don’t need to stress over one crummy review if the vast majority are glowing, but if you see multiple reviews expressing the same complaints or frustrations, there’s a good chance you’ll have the same experience.

Don’t – Prioritize Your Schedule When Picking the Time of the Photoshoot

It’s understandable that you will want to make sure your newborn photography session works for your schedule. This is a busy time in your life and you’re most likely juggling a lot of other responsibilities at the moment. But you’re much more adaptable than your baby and if you want to get the best possible pictures, you will need to prioritize your baby’s schedule when picking the time of your photoshoot.

Since you’ll typically get the best pictures when your baby is sleeping, you’ll want to pick a time they’re usually ready for a nap. In most instances, the ideal time for your photoshoot will be in the morning after a long feeding session.

Don’t – Wear Chunky or Gaudy Jewelry

Chunky, gaudy jewelry or large watches may be a part of your personal style, but they create distracting elements when you wear them to your newborn photoshoot. You also run the risk that the style of these accessories will look dated when you’re thumbing through these photos years from now. Streamline your jewelry so that it doesn’t become the focus of your photos, and stick to timeless accessories that will still look great even when your child is grown up.

Don’t – Bring Your Other Children for the Entire Photo Session

Including your entire family in your newborn photoshoot is a nice touch. You’ll love having pictures of the older children interacting with their newest sibling in these early days of the baby’s life. But young children typically don’t have very long attention spans, and having them around for the entire photoshoot may be asking too much of them.

The best approach is to take the bulk of the photos with just you and your baby and then bring in the older children at the end for the few photos you’ll need them in. This will keep them fresh and attentive during their time in front of the camera, rather than cranky and antsy while they sit around waiting for their turn. If you need to bring your children for the entire time, make sure you have some games and toys to keep them occupied until you’re ready for them to pose for pictures.

Award-Winning Newborn Photography on Kauai

If you’re looking to book a newborn photography session on Kauai, Betty Laurent Photography will deliver the priceless memories you desire. Betty Laurent is an international award-winning photographer specializing in newborn and maternity photography. She’s a fine arts photographer with an emphasis on the creative process. Her goal is to curate a photography experience that celebrates the joys experienced right after giving birth so that you can capture these cherished moments of your life.

All of Betty’s photos are hand edited and handcrafted to bring out the beauty in her subjects. In addition, her studio has been designed to achieve the best possible lighting and aesthetics for newborn photography. She offers a variety of backdrops and props to use during your photoshoot to help deliver the exact look and feel you desire.

You’ll also benefit from Betty’s unique Ohana Concierge Approach™ that provides a tailored and handcrafted experience, allowing you to unwind, relax and enjoy these fleeting moments. As part of this approach, she’ll take the time to get to know you in order to understand your vision, personality, unique style and goals for the photoshoot. She’ll also take care of all the details, including providing outfits, props and other accessories that will make your photos look stunning.