We all love those perfectly posed and beautifully styled newborn photos. Many would say “well, that’s easy. The baby is sleeping in those photos and you can move and dress them however you wish.” But that assumption can’t be any further from the truth. Through this article, I would like to describe the reality of how newborn photo sessions are conducted and some of the challenges we face. Hopefully this will help parents gain a better understanding and have a much more enjoyable session.
It is almost certain that the baby will cry at some point during the session. Especially when we are trying for those cute and curvy-posed types of photos. Ideally, the baby is in deep sleep and we can move and style the little angel freely. But it normally does not work like that. Every slight move of the baby wakes them up and each baby behaves differently when they are being disrupted. Oftentimes, babies cry for a short few seconds while they are being adjusted into a pose. We usually give them a little massage to help calm them down and they fall right back to sleep quickly. If crying resumes, we pick the baby up and hold them until they fall back to sleep. This process can repeat itself many times over and I understand when the parents instinct to protect their baby and may be worried or even concerned the cries becomes more frequent and louder. However, staying calm and having patience is the best way to calm your baby. My team has over 5 years of experience handling newborns and small children and we place your baby’s safety and comfort as our top priority. Let’s try not to be overly worried first; if you really don’t feel comfortable with the process, please let us know and we are more than happy to stop at anytime.
For each session, we aim to try for at least 3 different styles for the newborn photos and also some family portraits. Another challenge exists if you have toddlers and/or multiple children. We have to keep the toddlers engaged and the newborns calm simultaneously for the photos to turn out perfectly. We’re also mindful that newborns have very frequent feeding and diaper changing schedules and we work accordingly to seize those precious free moments we have in between. Consequently, a standard newborn session can easily run up to 3 hours.
Each session requires a good team on all sides – we should all stay calm and try to relax. The best photos are captured when everyone is genuinely having a good time and with minimal stress involved.
I hope by now you have gained a clear idea of the challenges we face during the newborn sessions. Have a little faith in yourself and us – together we can create the most amazing photos that your family will treasure forever. Want to know more? Give me a shout and I’m happy to answer all of your questions.
Stay tuned for more tips on newborn, maternity and baby photography
byJanelle, your hong kong newborn and maternity photographer (previous post)
