In this page there will be lots of information to help you prepare for the session and to help it run as smoothly as possible.
Before your newborn session:
On the morning of you shoot before you leave your home dress baby in a baby grow only, no vest, baby grows are easier to remove as vests have to come over babies heads and are more likely to wake them if they are asleep when they arrive.
Before the shoot, please feed baby 2-3 hours before the shoot and then plan on feeding as soon as you arrive, babys are normally the most sleepy in the morning, let baby lay in just a nappy tickle toes, this will help baby sleep when you arrive.
The studio gets VERY WARM so wear layers you can remove this is for babys comfort, I do have an outdoor seating area if it gets to uncomfortable.
Arriving on time is very important I have sessions all day and can’t extend the session past the 3 hours, please allow plenty of time to leave and get ready, learning to leave the house on time with a brand new baby is a skill and I understand that you can get held up, especially if it is your first outing with baby.
What to bring with you:
If you bottle feed bring extra as baby will feed more as they will be hot and thirsty and as I disturb their normal sleep pattern by moving and posing they may need more to help them relax.
If baby uses a dummy please bring it, even if baby doesn’t and you have one, please bring it, these are very useful during the session to help sooth a restless baby.
If you have anything you would like to include in the images you are welcome to bring this along.
Who to bring with you:
The studio is a fairly large space but due to the equipment and props I ask that only the babys parents and siblings attend the session, if one parent can’t attend clients are more than welcome to bring someone in place to help especially if you have had a c-section and need someone to drive you here.
Older Siblings:
If you are bringing other children to the studio it can get boring for them, I tend to do the sibling shots first if they can be easily occupied (tablets/phones are good for this) then they are fine to wait for baby to finish, however if you other children/child is easily upset or playful this can be very distracting or can wake baby up so sometimes if a partner or grandparent is available they can take them out while we finish the session.
If older children/siblings do stay in the studio as you can image I have some very expensive, hot or heavy equipment, a lot of things are breakable but look very attractive to children, these things are not allowed to be played with and parents must keep a close eye on their children.
During your session:
If you breastfeed the studio is private and not overlooked and I breastfed my children too so I would like you to feel comfortable to feed your baby.
The session can take up to 3 hours this is to allow plenty of time for your baby to feed, for me to clean up messes and settle your baby if needed, but allow plenty of time if you do have to be somewhere afterwards in case we do need a little bit longer.
I will ask that during the session you allow me to take over. Babies can smell their mums and may not sleep well. You will be able to watch me mold your baby into different positions, and I may even ask for your help in supporting baby, you may feel the need to comfort your baby when he/she seems unsettled or starts crying but please do not worry. I have been photographing newborns for a long time now and have techniques to settle your baby back to sleep.
What to wear:
For your family shots the best things to wear are plain clothes, usually lighter tops and darker trousers.
Avoid anything with logos, or hats, NO WATCHES or hairbands on wrists.
For sibling shots simple and light coloured works best and no socks.
Additional Information:
SMOKING! I am not a smoker and do not allow smoking inside the studio, however I understand clients may smoke, I have an area outside for you to go if you need to smoke.
I politely ask that for the duration of your session that you do not video or take photos with your phones or camera, this can hold me up and interfere with my shooting process, not to mention can be very distracting at a time where I need my full attention to be on your baby.
The safety of your baby is the most important thing to me and I will only use safe poses that I have used many times before and have trained in.
After the Session:
Depending on how busy I am at the time, the images could take anywhere between 1 and 2 weeks to be edited.
When the images are edited they will be uploaded to a viewing gallery and a link sent to you to view them.
The images are then available as a download.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
„People feel good in front of the camera only when you learn to help them feel comfortable being there! It is about infusing them with your passion and educating them about the how much they will enjoy the process.” ― David Beckstead
Aneta Wojcik • Photographer