Congratulations on your growing family! The first few days, weeks, months even, can be such a whirlwind. Being able to capture all the tiny details for you is such an honor. In order to best prepare for your session, please read the information provided in this guide.

What to Wear

I know planning what to wear for photos can sometimes be stressful but I don't want you to stress!  The most important thing to remember is to keep it authentic to your true style (dressy, casual, country, etc.),  and follow these helpful tips on how to make it work.

I cannot stress enough how big an impact comfort has on how you will feel about the session and your final images. By wearing something comfortable you will be at ease and it will show in the photos. “Comfortable” doesn’t automatically mean “casual” however. You can be very dressed up (if that’s your desired look) and still be comfortable with proper attire and shoes.

A good rule of thumb is to coordinate but don’t match. Choose one person’s outfit first (usually the person planning the session) and then style everyone around that. Pick a 2-3 color palette with some neutrals and mix patterns, textures and fabrics. Pinterest is a great resource for inspiration on what to wear. If you need some help getting started, here is a STYLE BOARD I put together with some good examples of coordinated outfits and complementary colors.

Note: Tops with big logos, images, and/or words on it is not recommended. Also, no fluorescent colors please. Neon colours usually clash and distract from the beauty of the photos in any scenario so this is something I don’t recommend. They can also leave a color cast on the person's skin, or those standing next to them and there's no guarantee that I can edit that out. 

If you’re feeling stuck, I encourage you to send me a photo of options you’re considering and I can help decide!

The Baby

For the Baby I encourage picking out some swaddles you like, an outfit or two (hello spit up) and do let me know if you’d like any diaper or naked shots! Everyone’s preferences are different and I want to deliver to you exactly what you dreamed of.

Feeding before I arrive is always a good plan. This ensures baby has a full belly and will hopefully be happy and relaxed. If you would like any feeding/nursing pictures, we absolutely can do this.

The Space (In-Home)

How special to capture your new baby in the home you’ll welcome them in?! In-Home sessions offer us a chance to tell a story in the place that is most special to you. We’ll likely focus on a the nursery and/or primary bedroom, or wherever the best natural (window) lighting within your home is. Please make sure any clutter in these areas is put away. I recommend clearing away surfaces, visible cords, anything you don’t want in the background of your photos. I will also be on the lookout for these things while shooting and will delicately move things as needed. I always ask first or explain what it is I’m doing, but f you are uncomfortable with my touching/moving anything please don’t hesitate to say so!

Another piece of advice I like to give is to keep the house warm! This allows for babe to be comfortable for any naked/diaper pictures (if you want) and isn’t so upset to have their clothes changed if the house/room is warm.

The Space (Studio)

The joy of a studio session is the simplicity it can offer. Oh, and you don’t have to lift a finger preparing! Just you and your newborn baby! I like to keep it light and classic and still capture all of baby’s details and a variety of poses and moments.

Weather & Rescheduling (Outdoor)

Weather can change rapidly here in Missouri. If the forecast is questionable, I will contact you the week beforehand to talk about options and schedule a backup date. You are also welcome to provide an indoor option for the session as an alternative if the date cannot be changed. I will wait until the day of to make the “call” for a reschedule. This includes rain at the time of your session and temperatures at or below 40 degrees fahrenheit. Overcast skies, moderate wind or rain earlier in the day are not automatic triggers for rescheduling. I may ask to move up or push back by up to 30 min when necessary and your flexibility is appreciated. If we do need to postpone due to weather, I make every effort to find the best date for both our schedules.

Shot List

This an example of what I usually aim to shoot. This is not comprehensive, rather a guide to work from so I encourage you to share with me any ideas or examples you have. You can also view my NEWBORN BOARD on Pinterest and let me know if anything speaks to you!

• Mom with baby

• Mom with the baby in front of the crib and/or Mom with the baby in nursery chair

• Dad with baby

• Mom & Dad with baby

• The whole family - mom, dad and any siblings together

• Wide shot of nursery

• Baby in the crib (or) bassinet (or) lounger

• Baby on master bed

• Close up of baby’s face

• Newborn details, like tiny toes and hands

• Any gifted items or sentimental pieces around the home - on request

• Baby/Family with pets

Props

If you have special heirlooms or other things you’d like to include in the session, we will absolutely work them in. I also have available to you a Moses basket, rattan bassinet, snuggle me organic lounger and various blankets we can use if you are interested. Just let me know! If you have any questions about including certain items, don’t hesitate to ask.

Siblings

When working with children of all ages, it’s almost a guarantee that things won’t go as planned and I want to assure you that that is absolutely OK. If they aren’t feeling the family shots, we will let them play and then capture more family moments later on. Flexibility is the key to success.

Also, telling your children how important the photos are, or how they need to smile or act a certain way, can cause stress on little ones. Set them up for success by making it as casual as possible, and just encourage them to be their (best) natural selves.

I do recommend feeding your kids before the session (lots of protein and little sugar) and they should be good to go! Feel free to have non-messy snacks like cheerios, raisins etc. on hand. Avoid chocolate, or crumbly items. I may have a little pocket full of treats to hand out to (aka bribe) age appropriate kids but if you prefer me not to, just let me know.

Connection not Perfection

The session will start with some posed portraits but will then become more relaxed to give you a chance to have fun as I take candid photographs. This session is about capturing you as a family, whatever it authentically is. My desire is to capture you and the ones you love genuinely enjoying each other’s company. My best advice is to think of it as a fun activity and I encourage all my clients to be in the moment and not stress about the end result. Relax, enjoy the time spent together, and I WILL catch some amazing moments for you that you can cherish forever!

Gallery & Delivery

All sessions will be delivered via a personalized online gallery for viewing and downloading within 2-3 weeks, unless otherwise agreed to; i.e. holidays and fall when turnaround is longer. I include all of the best images taken at your session in both color and black and white.

Social Media, Sharing & Privacy

I understand that privacy is a concern for some of my clients and do my best to balance any concerns you may have with my own need to market my business, much of which is necessarily done online. I will usually share a few ‘sneak peek’ photos online and once I know that you have seen your full and completed gallery, I aim to showcase your session on Instagram and/or other social media sites(blog). Unless given permission in advance, none of the photos I share online are tagged in any way, and I don't mention first or last names in association with any images. The most identifying thing that I do is tag images with a general (town) location... otherwise, I try to make it as anonymous as possible, such that individuals would only be identified if someone who knew them happened to be perusing my social media or website. That level of privacy is built into how I run my business.

If you would prefer that identifiable images of specific people from the session not be shared (i.e. you don't care if your photo is shared but don't want your kids' faces, or vice versa) please let me know prior to your session! Your privacy and wishes are my top priority and I like to discuss this with you in advance.

I hope these tips are helpful, but if you have any questions/concerns about anything written above, or just about the session in general, please do not hesitate to ask. I look forward to working with you soon!