Jaidon’s First 48 Newborn Session - St. Mary’s Hospital, Leonardtown, Maryland

This week, Nicole had the pleasure of capturing little baby Jaidon. To the delight of his parents he was born on Halloween.

Just hours old, Nicole popped into meet him and his parents Shelia and Jalon.

Fresh-48 Newborn Photography

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Birth is an amazing experience and the precious moments immediately following are fleeting. A birth space newborn session allows those raw memories to be savored forever. 

If you're wondering what you need to do to prepare for your Fresh 48 session, wonder no more! We are here for you! 

Your Fresh 48 session will occur in your birth space (hospital, home, birth center). These sessions are entirely documentary in nature. I will come to you and capture you connecting with your new baby. These sessions typically occur within forty-eight hours of your baby's birth to capture those first early hours with your baby.

Stock photo - currently building portfolio

HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR FRESH 48 SESSION

Temperature

Crank up the heat if you can. You don't need to make it a sauna, but keeping the room at a warmer temperature will help keep your new little one content when we're photographing little hands and feet. 

What to wear

When packing your hospital bag, include outfits you and your family will wear for your session. Keep it simple; jeans and a neutral solid-colored top for partners work best. The mother should wear something comfortable. 

I suggest moms wear a simple, loose dress, nightgown, or pajamas (cute robe optional). If you want to wear pants, remember that your pre-pregnancy clothes may not fit. Maternity pants, leggings, or yoga pants are all great options. Keep things simple and minimal. We want the focus to be on you and your baby and not be distracted by busy prints or too bright colors.

If siblings are present, dress them in coordinating, comfortable clothing free of embellishments that could scratch babies, etc. 

Stay in Touch

It's crucial to notify us when mom goes into labor. This will give your photographer enough time to prepare for your upcoming session and schedule a time to arrive. Assigning this task to someone like your partner, a parent, or a trusted friend is a good idea.

Minimal to No Visitors

Only the people who will be in the photographs and one additional "helper" should be in the room when your session starts. This will ensure there are not a lot of distractions to eat up your session time. 

Preparing the Room

I will arrive and set up your room to allow for the best possible photos. This usually means opening the blinds and turning off the artificial lights to allow the most natural light in. Before I arrive, please remove any garbage, bags, food trays, or other personal items you wouldn't want to be memorialized in your photos. 

Baby

Wait for me to arrive to dress baby. That way, I can get some snaps of you dressing your new little one, and we can avoid messes. A clean, plain white, or neutral-colored onesie is an excellent option. Because we don't want to upset babies or make them cold, we'll limit wardrobe changes to one. Accessories like a bow or rattle are fantastic, as is a favorite swaddle. These swaddles are lovely for photos.  

Don't stress

This session is about you and your new baby. Fresh 48 sessions are meant to be laid back. I will take care of getting all the good shots. All you need to focus on is your new little family. Baby will be our guidepost. If we need to feed the baby, we will. All is well. 

Warmly,

Nicole

Newborn In Home Photography, D.C., Maryland, Virginia

Our style of photography lends itself to taking a more natural and “lifestyle” approach to all of our subjects, including the youngest among them.

We don’t incorporate any props into our newborn photography sessions, allowing us to focus on them just as they are.

We understand you may have a unique prop, outfit, or heirloom you wish to incorporate into your photo shoot. We are happy to take a few photos with whatever outfit or heirloom you like. Please discuss this with us before your session so we may be prepared.

When To Schedule Your Newborn Session

We encourage you to schedule your session a few months before your baby’s due date to lock in our availability. Then, once your baby has arrived, you will reach out to us to schedule the date and time of your session.

Typically newborn photographs are taken during the first month of birth.

To capture your little one in their home, we prefer to use natural light, so before we arrive, open up the blinds and pull back the curtains. We typically shoot when the sun is bright and high in the sky, allowing the best sort of window light. Mid-morning through early afternoons.

What should we wear?

We recommend soft, neutral colors with little to no patterns. Avoid logos or busy designs. Instead, choose outfits for family members that complement each other without matching.

For babies, the same rules apply. No pattern and neutral colors. If they are wearing a print, small and neutral is best. This also applies to their blankets, crib sheets, and swaddles. You are welcome to choose a few outfits for your newborn if you’d like.

For Mom – soft, comfortable clothing! You did just have a baby. A soft sweater, cotton gown, or simple t-shirt keeps you comfortable. It is ideal for mom-and-baby shots, especially for the more intimate close-ups.

Soft clothing and bare feet look great in the home setting. If you are able, do make this about you too. Get a blowout, a manicure, and put on some mascara. Moms are often behind the camera, and we like to pay special attention to them too.

For Dad – Pretty much the same guidelines. Comfortable, casual, and low-key. Wear jeans and a plain-colored tee or button-up that compliments your partner’s outfit nicely. Avoid large logos, bright colors, and bold patterns. Plain and simple is best!

Your standard neutral colors are black, white, grey, beige, brown, and navy. Jewel tones, like Hunter Green, Plum, and Rust, also photograph nicely if they are solid and not in a pattern.

For more details on attire, please refer to our What to Wear guide.

Your photographs will primarily focus on the baby and your relationship with him or her. We will pay particular attention to the details of their little bodies. The curve of their nose, the wrinkles on their toes, and whether or not they have eyelashes.

Pictures of your baby may include swaddling, dressed in a favorite outfit or a onesie, naked or partially naked (if the parents wish), feeding, and different group shots.

You’re really coming to my home? How should we prepare?

Don’t stress about the mess. You do not have to deep clean your home. However, try to tidy up the areas where we will photograph. Put away excess toys, clear counters, coffee tables, or bedside tables, and make the bed (like clothing, if we’ll be shooting in the master bedroom, a neutral duvet/comforter is best.) Put away the breast pump etc. Fresh flowers are a nice touch to make a room feel inviting. Especially if they’ll appear in the background.

If you’d want some photos of bare skin shots, we recommend warming up the house to about 75 degrees. Anywhere a baby may be lying - in his crib or on a bed, etc., it’s ideal to have a neutral backdrop. Darker colors or patterns can cast shadows on a baby’s skin.

Feed the baby 20 minutes before we arrive. But the theme here is flexibility, knowing a baby may need to eat a bit more during the session to keep the baby happy. So we will take as many breaks as necessary for feeding. Plus, it offers the opportunity for some beautiful shots.

It’s also a good idea to give older siblings a snack before we arrive. Providing a movie or other activity when they’re not being photographed is also a good idea.

What to expect on the day of your session

When we arrive, if we’ve not met before, I’ll introduce myself and get to know the baby and the family. Please have all the window blinds/curtains drawn open and overhead lighting turned off; that way, I can get the best idea of where to photograph. We may shoot in as many as three rooms in your home; totally up to you. The standard rooms we shoot in have the most window light. The nursery, master bedroom, and family room are the most popular.