Why should we get newborn portraits?

Good question! See this blog post all about this!

What should we expect at a newborn photo session?

A newborn session lasts about two hours and the room is nearly 80 degrees – so many parents take a nap! We have drinks and snacks and a comfy couch. Vera will pose your baby on a beanbag designed especially for newborn photography, and will also pose baby in your arms, in a prop of your choosing, and with any siblings. We average 20 to 40 finished images in the end, depending upon whether there are siblings, and how content and sleepy baby is.

Why does baby have to be 5-12 days old?

We do posed newborn images with the goal of creating fine art for you and your home. Many of these poses only work safely when baby is sound asleep. For the first couple of weeks, babies sleep most of the time and like to curl into the same positions as when they were in the womb, which is pretty dang adorable! We are happy to photograph your baby at any age – they are always cute! But the style of images will be very different for babies from about 3 to 12 weeks. Babies this age are usually awake and flinging their little limbs about, and it is very difficult to get eye contact with the camera, so with this age we generally do more of a “lifestyle” shoot, with baby in parents arms. You might actually prefer this style – this is one reason we like to talk beforehand about what your goals are for the images so we can help determine what style you would prefer.

What should we bring?

1. Baby
2. Lactating breasts or formula (we are a good place to practice breastfeeding away from home for the first time!)
3. Pacifier if you don’t mind us using one during the shoot

That is pretty much it! We have many blankets, hats, headbands, and props to choose from (okay, too many, we can admit we have a problem!). If there is something of sentimental value that is important to your family, we can incorporate that, but please do not buy things for your session. So many things that are adorable do not actually work well in photos for various reasons. Styling the session is another of the things we like to go over in person or by phone ahead of time. We have diapers, wipes, snacks, and drinks here, so not to worry if you forget something.

What should we wear?

Solid neutral colors are best! In particular, no logos, loud patterns or bright colors. We are happy to consult on this as well, you can send photos of options if you are undecided. If possible, shirts without buttons are nice, as sometimes buttons can catch delicate baby skin. We can also dress mom and sisters in sleeveless wraps, which photograph beautifully. Big brothers look adorable in jeans and no shirt or socks.

Is it safe?

That is an important question to ask any newborn photographer! Safety is not something to take lightly with such precious new little people. You can see some of the ways we ensure your baby’s safety here: http://www.veradavisphotography.com/blog/2016/3/5-ways-we-ensure-your-newborn-s-safety-in-our-studio

How much does it cost?

We have a $150 session fee which includes a pre-consultation in person or by phone (to go over your needs, style, and determine an overall plan for the session), the session itself, post-processing, and an ordering session. At the ordering session (usually about two weeks after the shoot) you will view your images and select your products. We offer albums, wall art, prints, and digital files – our goal being to create something for you that your family can enjoy for years to come. We always feel there’s not much use in hiring a professional photographer to create a USB to sit in a drawer, and we are here to do the work for you and guide you through the process. It’s hard to say just what your cost will be without knowing what you are looking for, but we have albums starting at $400, gallery-wrapped canvas starting at $375, and we also have packages that bundle our most popular items starting at $800.