Thoughts on Rose's First Newborn Session

Confession time… I have not had the opportunity to photograph a newborn. It has not come up in the last few years as we are creating this photography business. We photograph lots of kids but no babies and definitely not a brand new one.

When our friend Sharmin told me she was expecting, we began to plan either a maternity (also new to me) or newborn shoot. I even joked that I could be coaxed to come in and do the birthing experience. We decided it was newborn shoot!

I was a bit worried and nervous. I do not have any children so my experience is limited not just in baby photography but in babies too. I have seen many photos of babies posed in flowerpots with hats on their heads. The skills that those photos take are immense – patience, props, and lots of posing. I was not sure I was up to the task for that kind of work. Thankfully, that was not what Sharmin was looking for. She was more in to the style I feel comfortable working in – portraits of the baby and some family shots.

I researched other photographers and their style. I reviewed past sessions we had done with children and sketched out the session so that we had a clear plan on how it was going to flow. I spent a good amount of time on Pinterest and Google and sending Sharmin and Shams photos to understand her esthetic. Sharmin made sure the baby was fed just before our arrival. Babies tend to sleep after feeding so there is less fussiness. In addition, we choose to shoot in their home, putting mom at ease as she recovers. We live in Arizona so outdoor was not an option in June.
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I am glad that my first session was so easy and relaxed. Being in their home made it easy to feed the baby or take breaks when we needed to. It truly was a great experience and now I am ready to take on more little ones. I loved that I was so trusted with someone’s precious gift. I was honored. I also got hold the baby for a while as we chatted after the shoot. It was truly wonderful.

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