What should I expect?
Home studio
My studio is currently a home studio located in Freshwater. There is space along the road to park for free, and occasionally space on the driveway. I do have a cat and dog, however you will not see either on the day as they will be shut away. Neither animal has access to the studio and all fabrics are washed and stored in the studio away from them. It is a non-smoking home and the room is kept clean and tidy.
Arriving
When you arrive, there will be refreshments available for you. We will start by soothing baby and making sure they're comfortable before photographing. This can take some time, so don't worry, patience is key! There is also seating for you to relax while I photograph baby.
Length of session
I aim to start a session for 11am as I find newborns are least cranky in the mornings. The session is roughly 2 hours long. However, this depends on how easily baby settles. If we need to be longer, we will! Please bear in mind, baby may need feeds or extra soothing during the session - they are the boss! This will not cut in to photographing time, the session should feel relaxed and we can be flexible around baby's needs.
What should I bring?
what to bring
Understandably, it can be a stressful time when baby is first born. Below is a checklist that you can screenshot to help you prepare for your shoot.
You may wish to bring a comfort of some kind; a dummy, blanket, toy, etc. to help soothe baby.
You will also need to bring a changing bag (a changing mat is provided).
If you have a noise machine that baby is already used to, it would be beneficial to bring this too as it is a familiar soothing sound for baby. If this is not possible, I can use my own.
clothing
The best clothing for baby to wear would be simple, soft, plain, and neutral. We want baby to be as comfortable as possible to ensure a relaxed session. Neutral and plain clothing allows your photos to be timeless and means prevents any bright/bold patterns from looking out of place. I provide some outfits for baby, but you may wish to bring some too.
Parents are included in photographs so think about co-ordinating with neutral colours. I don't recommend anything too formal as it can look stiff in photos.
siblings
If you have other children that you wish to include in the photos (or that you need to bring with you), please do! I have some colouring and toys that they can use to keep them entertained and a beanbag/soft cushions for them to sit on while they wait.
It can be really special to include siblings in the photographs, so please let me know if you'd like some!
