Newborn FAQ’s
I'm Belle and I get to call photographing tiny humans my job, pretty sweet!
My approach to newborn photography is to capture you and your baby as candidly as I can in the comfort of own surroundings this could be my studio or in your home. I don't use props because I think babies are perfect just as they are. Peeling skin, asleep or awake even the little faces they make are perfect.
Below are some commonly asked questions to assist you with your session:
What is baby led posing or minimalist style
This can mean different things to different folks so let me explain. To me, it means our session is done in the comfort of my studio or your own home and we focus on your natural interactions together. That doesn't mean I don't pose you or direct you into beautiful light, I definitely do. But the magic in the image all comes from the real emotion that's happening between you and your family. Or from the cute little expression on bubs face as he/she stretches its arms above its head. For your baby's portraits, I focus on baby led posing in a more natural set up on my posing pillow in studio or like the bed, their crib, a rug, the couch in your home rather than a more formal set up with a backdrop. I used to incorporate some of this into my sessions but over the past year I have come to realise it's not where my heart lies, nor are these the images that feel true to my style. In addition to baby led posing for individual photographs of your baby, one of my favourite ways to take portraits of newborns is in Mama or Daddy's arms. Babies are always more content close to one of their parents and I personally feel like it adds another element of emotion which makes the photograph more meaningful to you over time. Your probably still asking whats the baby led posing mean right? This means I simply take ques from bub when moving them if they fight me I don’t pursue that pose. I also take a lot of images of bubs moving. Generally I start with bubs fully wrapped and then I slowly unwrap them. It usually gains you images of bubs sleeping and then images of bubs awake stretching, looking around and hopefully pulling cute faces at the camera.
What happens if i book and my baby arrives early or late?
Don’t worry about it, lots of babies don’t arrive on their due date. Once you are booked in I allow for your baby to be early or late by blocking various dates out for your shoot. I also limit the amount of newborns I shoot each month so I always have good availability for every baby, no matter when they decide to appear.
Where do the sessions take place?
In my studio based in Traralgon Vic 3844 or in the comfort of your own home.
How long will the session take?
1-3 hours depending on your baby’s mood :-)
What if my baby won’t settle?
Don’t worry about it, if you are stressed and anxious, your baby will sense that. All newborns are different and my style of shooting is very natural so it's not a problem.
Do you use props?
Not really, I like to keep the images very minimalist, focusing on all your baby’s little details.
What should our baby wear?
In the studio baby is generally wrapped in items I have on hand.
In a home session I think something plain and close-fitting works best so baby is the main focus, but anything you like is fine as these are your images so you can pick out whatever you want.
How many photographs will we get?
You will get 20 images for your $550 session fee.
You can purchase all images in your gallery 50-150 for an extra $250 or individual images for $25 each.
Do we get the digital files?
Yes, you will receive all of your final images via password protected digital download making it very convenient for saving your images to your devices at home.
Can we make our own prints?
You sure can, until your heart’s content. You can never have enough cute baby pictures.
How long does it take to get our final pictures?
3-4 weeks.
When to book
It's usual to book whilst you are still pregnant, anytime after your 20 weeks scan is perfect. We won’t know when your baby will actually arrive so I block out session times and we confirm an actual date once your baby has arrived. If you want sleepy images its recommended you book early and your session is conducted within 14 days of baby arriving.
If your baby has already been born, I can sometimes fit sessions at shorter notice so please do get in touch.
How to book
To book simply accept the quote that came along in this email and that’s your hand up with a eeeek yes please photography my baby. A $50 non refundable deposit is required up front to secure your date. The remaining balance is due prior to or on the session day.
Time and duration
I usually find mornings (10am) are best babies are usually most happy and settled in the morning. But if you can not do a morning this can be negotiated if I have availability. We also offer what we call a split session where you and your baby come to the studio for a 1-1.5 hour session where we concentrate on baby and then the whole family can come back at another time for the 30 min - 1 hour family part of the session. This works well when Dad’s have to go back to work and kids have school commitments.
My newborn sessions are ideally between 5 – 14 days old. We book you in for around 10 days after your due date and then move the session as we need to depending on when bubs joins us in this world. I am fully immunized including the flu shot and Whooping cough. If I or my kids are unwell when we are due to do our session I will reschedule with you, our highest importance is the safety of your little one when bubs is so fresh in this world.
How long have I been snuggling babies for a living
I have 2-3 years experience posing newborns including training for babies safety (not that there is a lot of posing in my sessions). And I capture anywhere from 1 – 4 babies per week (I assist a fellow NB photographer as well as my own sessions so I have tons of experience). Should your little one have any major health or physical problems after birth that might affect our session I request a letter of approval from a midwife or maternal health nurse to ensure you and I are not putting your precious gift in any danger.
Documentary sessions at home
My in home sessions are candid and documentary in style. The focus is you and your little one and telling the story of your family, whether that’s giving baby a bath or just cuddling on the couch. I also take lots of pictures of baby on his or her own, focusing on all the tiny details. For those images I might photograph baby on your bed, in their crib or somewhere else in your home. I don't bring any props or equipment with me other than my cameras, it's all about using your environment as the backdrop. These sessions can take place from birth to 6 weeks old.
What is a fresh 48 session?
Like most things it's caught on from a trend that started out in America, but don't hold that against it!
Fresh 48 is a short documentary style shoot which takes place before baby is 48 hours old, and as such usually happens when you are still in hospital. For these sessions I will be with you for around 1 hour and my aim is to leave you with a record of those early hours. Newborns change so much in the first days and fresh 48 is a beautiful way to record baby at his or her newest and tiniest. If your interested in a Fresh 48 let me know as I do not offer these to everyone.
