I would be lying if I said that newborn shoots arent hard work – but they are totally worth it!

Posing your little one takes time and patience, and teaming that with safety and the demands of baby means it is not unusual for newborn sessions to last between 2-4 hours.

We usually start the session in the morning between 10-10:30 am. In my experience I find newborns sleep better in the morning but not too early that you have to be up at the crack of dawn if you have had a bad night.

I work in a relaxed and informal setting, the studio will be very warm, as most of the photographs are taken whilst baby is unclothed so it is best to dress in layers or something light so you don’t overheat.

From when you arrive, I will undress, soothe and position baby, enabling you to relax. Feel free to bring a book or magazine too!

As baby is unclothed for the images it is best to dress baby in loose-fitting clothes that can be easily removed so there will be no red marks on the skin. I find a baby grow, with no vest underneath works well and then wrapped in a blanket too for the car journey. Don’t worry if baby needs a feed just before you set off, or just as you get here, as a warm baby with a full tummy is the best kind of baby for the session!

And yes, if baby is nappy-less we do have accidents. It is not uncommon for the blankets and props to be wee’d or poo’d on – even myself! Don’t feel the need to apologise or be embarrassed – it comes with the job!

Older brothers and sisters are more than welcome to come along to the session and I will try and capture some lovely shots of them.

Depending on the age of the child (under 3) they tend to get bored easily, so if possible have someone on hand who can come and collect them, or take them out of the room. Shots including yourselves as parents, and either baby, or other siblings can be taken too – please let me know upon arranging your session date that this is something that you would like to include.

This price does not include any images, prints or digital files.

It includes time spent preparing for your session, editing and cleaning up after the session, including washing after some of those little accidents which may happen.

It also includes your private online gallery for choosing your images. 

£50

Plenty of Nappies

As I work at baby pace, we may need to stop for feeding and cuddles. Nappies back on at this point are always advisable.

Plenty of Milk

If baby is bottle-fed please bring more milk than would normally be required for the amount of time you will be at the studio. Babies can feed more if they are being posed and moved and due to the temperature of the room. If you are breastfeeding please remember to keep yourself hydrated, if you require privacy for feeding then please ask.

Dummy

If your little one settles with a dummy then please bring it along with you to your session. Alternatively, if you do not have one but wish to try one as a last resort to see if baby settles at the studio, we do have new pre-packaged ones available.

Lunch

You are more than welcome to bring a packed lunch or some nibbles as sometimes sessions run over lunchtime. There is also a corner shop and butchers located nearby along with Morrisons supermarket.

Entertainment

Feel free to bring phones, books, magazines etc to entertain you during the session – this is your time to relax!

I know that after your shoot you will be excited to see your images. 

Within two weeks after your session you will be sent a private online password protected gallery to view your images. Your gallery will be live for 7 days for you to make your decision for which items you would like.

Payment is available by cash, cheque and debit and credit cards.

Why do I have to book my session before baby is born?

With limited spaces within my diary per month, if you wish to capture the memories of newborn photographs then booking in before your baby is born is the best way to guarantee a newborn session with myself.

What do I do once my baby arrives?

Babies are unpredictable. Your due date is booked into my diary, but this is only a guideline.  I ask for yourself, or someone else to contact me after the birth so that we can get your session date firmed up regardless if baby is early, or late we will shuffle the diary where needed.

Why is the session scheduled for the morning?

In my experience I find that babies tend to fall into a deeper sleep in a morning session rather than in afternoon sessions, and to get all those cute squishy shots – we need baby as sleepy as we can get them!

It is likely that your little one has had you up and down during the night – so this is their time to ‘catch-up’. I do advise to try and keep your baby awake for around 1-2 hours prior to your session, and then this teamed with a feed and a settle it should make for a happy sleepy baby.

What if my baby doesn’t co-operate?

If your baby is unsettled for any reason during the session I may just need an extra little bit of time, this is why i schedule around 4 hours for the session to take place. However, if baby is very unsettled i will suggest re-arraging for another day but this doesn’t happen very often.

Can you get rid of spots, scars, baby rash etc?

yes i can, however if this is not requested originally i will leave them in and show a couple of images fully re-touched – this will mean that you will get to be able to see which images you prefer. Birthmarks and moles are not removed as these are a permanent feature of your little one.

What if i am early, or late to my session?

I only shoot one newborn a day, and i do allow 30 minutes grace as leaving the house with a new little bundle can take some getting used to. This is why I suggest a start time between 10-10:30am. If you are running later than this then i do ask if you could please let me know an eta so we can prepare if baby is unsettled.
I am in the studio earlier than your session but this is to set up and warm the space – so if you are running early please do not try and be too early or we may not be ready to start.

Will you need help in handling my baby?

From you walking through the door of the studio, I will take baby and let you relax. I will cuddle and undress baby and pose them for most of the session to get baby used to me, however sometimes baby just needs reassurance that mummy is there and may need to pass back for a cuddle, or a feed. Some of the set ups will need your help – but we will talk about this in depth before i do any of these setups, and you are always there for the safety of baby.

Can i ask you for a certain pose or set up?

You can ask to use any prop that you see in my gallery, on the wall or on the website – and everything is available to hand. However each newborn session is unique to the family, and dependant upon baby. I will not do anything that baby isn’t comfortable doing.

What happens if baby soils on your props?

Part of being a newborn photographer is that i know that wee and poo are a high risk on props and blankets – and even ourselves! Don’t apologise, or feel embarrassed, its expected.

What does my baby wear to the newborn session?

Nothing! If you look through my photographs you will see that the babies are not clothed, but I have little props, or wraps that i can use. Most of the poses that i do cannot be achieved with clothed babies. If you are wanting to keep your baby clothed then i would advise to wait until your baby is older.

Do I pay for my package on the day of the session?

Not quite. You pay our £30 booking fee, with the remainder of the session fee (£45) due on the day of your session. Then package or singular items need paying for when ordered at your viewing and ordering session.

How long will it be before i see the photos from our session?

We will book your viewing and ordering session at your newborn session to take place within approximately 10 working days after your newborn session. If requested i aim to have a sneak peek on facebook for you within 24 hours.

Where will my session take place?

Your session will take place at the Blue Lights Photography studio.