Elia's Welcome Home Newborn Photos
what better way to celebrate a nicu graduation than an at home photoshoot
The NICU
I'm so glad that we live in a country with such amazing NICU's but no one wants their child to be there. Being a NICU parent is mental, physically, and emotionally draining. On top of everything you are experiencing with your new baby, you may also be experiencing loss of time at work, strained relationships, and you may just be behind on getting everything ready at home. What a stressful time. Would a newborn session add more stress?
Thank you Instagram
Thanks to Instagram, and a wonderful client of mine, Anastasia (Elia's mommy) was able to find my page. A past maternity and newborn client of mine had posted out photos on Instagram and tagged me in them and Anastasia loved the photos and found my page because of them. Thank you Instagram! But all potential client have some questions...
FAQ pag
I'm more than happy to answer any questions for potential clients and current clients but I also have a great frequently asked questions page. The best thing about this resource is that it allows you to get confirmation and clarity at 2am when you're up feeding your baby. The most frequently asked questions about newborn photos are: when should I book newborn photos, how old should my newborn be during our session, can parents and siblings be in the photos too, and what if my house isn't perfect? All of these questions and more are answered on my FAQ page but again, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions and concerns that you have.
Blog post
Another great resource is my blog! If you'd like more detailed information on what a newborn session with me is like, this blog post is great. Maybe you have a toddler and you'd like to wait until they have more time to adjust to a new baby, this blog post is for you! If you are set on booking newborn photo but would like tips and tricks to make your session go smoothly, this is my newborn guide that I send to every client! These blog posts are also great resources because they are available for you to read at any time but again, I'm always more than happy to hop on a call with you before you book a session!
Ease of scheduling
One thing I take great pride in is the ability for my clients to book a session in the middle of the day or night. Using this link, you can book your newborn session at any time of the day and without calling, texting, or emailing me first. When life gets hard, it can really be a burden to have to call someone to book an appointment. I fully understand this, which is why I have made it so easy for clients to book their photoshoots!
Outfits
Once you've scheduled your session it's time to start thinking about outfits! Believe it or not, the outfits that you choose for your baby and your family have a huge impact on the mood and outcome of your photos. Here are some tips to keep in mind: creams, beiges and neutrals are timeless and photograph best but if you like colors, pastels or muted tones look best! Avoid patterns but incorporate textures and layers. Dress up but avoid anything too tight (give yourself grace, you just gave birth) also, keep in mind that you may be a tad "bustier" than your normally are.
When it comes to choosing an outfit for your newborn, don't stress! I do have a handful of newborn outfits that we can use for your session. If you have an outfit that you'd like your little one to be in, we can use it by all means, but if you don't have anything prepared, I've got you covered! I have multiple unisex outfits in grey, beige, and cream from an adorable boutique called Luna + Luca.
Wraps
Using the outfits and wraps that I provide are optional but I do highly recommend letting me wrap your newborn for a few photos. Wrapping your newborn is similar to swaddling them, they will feel nice and comfortable and typically fall asleep or are very calm for the remainder of our newborn photo session. Elias was happy, but wide awake for our entire session until I wrapped him! Once I wrapped in, he quickly fell into a deep slumber for the rest of the session.
Rescheduling
Rescheduling your newborn session is 100% ok and ever recommended, especially when you baby arrives early! I highly recommend booking your session 2 weeks after your due date and keeping me in the loop! Let me know when you give birth or when you get home from the hospital and we can reschedule if necessary! This takes a lot of stress and pressure off of you as new parents by not having to worry about booking a photoshoot after giving birth, or worrying about missing it if you baby arrives early of late. This is a fragile time in your life and I want to make it as easy as possible for you!
Safety
Bringing your baby home from the NICU can we a stressful task but one thing you don't have to stress about with me is your babies health and safety. The health and safety of your newborn is my number 1 priority. I have taken multiple courses on safe newborn handling in addition to 2 courses on newborn wrapping and posing for photography. I promise to reschedule your session if I am feeling under the weather in the slightest. I wash my hands upon arrival of your home, as well as offer to wear a mask. My newborn outfits and wraps are also washed in between each client as well. These are all such small things, but they mean everything when you have baby.
Nursery
Thankfully Elia's nursery was all ready for his newborn session! It was perfectly lit with windows and his crib and decor were just precious but if it wasn't ready, I recommend reaching out to a family member or friend to help with the finishing touches. If you don't have any nearby, please reach out to me and I'd love to help! I prefer to stay in 1 room from newborn session so there is no need to tidy your whole home, in fact, I recommend that you don't! Elia had just gotten home from the hospital and to expect Lafi and Anastasia to clean the whole house is not practical!
No judgement
As mentioned above, I highly recommend that you DON'T clean your home before our session, but to only clean the room you plan on using. This allows new parents to rest as much as possible! I know, it's hard to not have your home look perfect when opening it to a guest but I'm no guest and I promise that I'm not judging one bit. Not cleaning your entire home also helps you to create an environment of peace, not stress.
Creating an environment of peace
Creating a peaceful environment for your newborn session is so important and involves you and me! Scheduling an in-home session is the first step to creating a peaceful environment. No need to pack up and leave the house when you just got home from the hospital. Book a photographer who has lots of experience with newborns and in home sessions. I know that not everything will go as planned and that's ok! Be clear and open with your photographer and spouse about your concerns. This is your family and home, you should be comfortable and call the shots. Right before our session, take a deep breathe, let go of your worries, and turn on some calming music. I pride myself in creating a laid back, intimate, and relaxing experience when it comes to in-home newborn photoshoots. It makes all of the difference!
Receiving your photos
Once our session was over I began editing the photos. Since our session was in April, my schedule is a little slower and I was able to deliver their photos in about a week. I delivered them to them in an online gallery from which they were able to download in high resolution and keep them forever. Once downloaded, these images are without a watermark and can be shared and printed whenever and wherever you'd like. The best thing about an in-home newborn family photoshoot is that you are able to share the love, joy, and emotion of your new arrival with friends and family around the entire globe. Though there may be miles and miles between friends and family they can easily share these photos with them.
Printing your photos
I have found that printing photos from your newborn photoshoot is something that is so easy to procrastinate. As a newborn photographer I want more than anything for Lafi and Anastasia to fill their home with photos from our session. That is why I have made it so easy for my clients to print their photos. I have an online print lab attached to your album which I highly recommend because the quality is fantastic. It's simple and quick for you to choose your favorite photos and have them delivered to your home. It's not easy to get out of the house with a newborn which is why I have made it so that you don't have to.
Client Experiences
As an in home newborn/family photographer I know that the photos I take of your family will be loved and passed down for generations. It's so important to me that my clients feel the same way about their experience with me. I strive to create an experience where my clients feel safe, heard, relaxed, loved, and cared for. When you're spending your hard earned money, the last thing that you want to feel is regret. I promise to put your families health and safety first. I promise to listen to your concerns and wants. I promise to love and care for your family, and your photos. I promise to do my best to create an environment of ease and not rush our session. I promise to do my best, always.
Referrals
It was because of a past clients instagram post that I was able to meet and work with Anastasia and her beautiful family. As a small business, reviews, posts, and referrals are what pay my bills and put food on my table. I rely on my clients sharing their good experiences. Whether they share them to friends or family in person, online or by writing a google review. Thank you!
Becks
