PREPARING FOR YOUR NEWBORN SESSION

Please take a few minutes to thoroughly read and understand this session guide.

If you have any questions, let me know, otherwise I’ll see you at your session!

PREPPING YOUR BABY

• Please do not schedule any vaccines or procedures the day before your session. This would make for a very unhappy baby.

• If you are breastfeeding, be sure to avoid drinking caffeine or eating spicy and gassy foods for at least 24 hours.

• Please fully feed baby right before leaving for the studio. However, if you prefer arriving 30 minutes prior to you session start time to feed baby at the studio, you’re more than welcome. Please let me know.

• Please avoid having any diaper ointment on baby’s skin. If you are using it regularly, please be sure to clean any off prior to your session.

• Please remove all bandaids from your baby, 24 hours prior to your session.

• Bathe baby the morning of your session and wash baby’s hair.

• The morning of your session, dress baby in a loose outfit that zips or snaps up the front with a loose diaper and no tight socks.

• Even if your baby doesn’t typically use a pacifier, I ask that you bring one, as they serve as a wonderful distraction for the baby during the session. They are incredibly helpful in keeping your little one happy when moving from pose to pose. Please bring a SOFT pacifier, such as a Soothie brand (without the stuffed animal attached). Pacifiers with a hard outer shell leave marks on baby’s face.

DURING THE SESSION

• If siblings will be photographed at your session, the best plan is for them to come at the beginning of the session only. Toddlers have an especially difficult time sitting quietly through a newborn session. Parents find the experience to be less stressful when one parent, a grandparent or friend cares for the child the majority of the session and brings them to the studio for their portion of the session only. If you need to bring your older child for the duration of the session, please plan to keep them entertained with snacks, quiet toys, or books, etc.

• I have a waiting area for parents to relax during the session. Take this time to rest.

• I do my best to keep the environment of newborn sessions very quiet, calm and peaceful. The more relaxed everyone in the room is, the more relaxed the baby will be. For us, this means pulling out our baby whispering skills, for parents this means relaxing and allowing the photography to magic happen.

• Please do not take pictures over my shoulders during the session, except for behind the scenes shots, which I love.

• Expect my patience and attention to detail to rule the day. I spend the majority of a session perfecting poses, backdrops and fingers, etc. I believe the little things are what makes the difference between a snapshot and a work of art featuring your baby. So that’s what I’ll do.

• Bring a change of clothes... you may be holding a naked baby. You get the idea.

• Mamas, I have a full client wardrobe of maternity gowns if you would like to wear one for your session. As a mom I can completely understand how it feels when you're only a couple of days postpartum and you feel like nothing at home fits. Don’t worry about shoes, as shoes are not allowed in the studio, to protect our tiniest of clients, who spend much time on the floors, I mostly shoot from the waist up for newborn portraits unless specifically requested otherwise.

• This is mostly for the Dads, please do not wear a hat before your session if you intend on having your hair look nice! Or if you feel the need to wear a hat in pictures, please be sure it doesn’t have any large logos, and it is a solid, simple color like black, grey, or tan.

AFTER THE SESSION

• Your viewing and ordering appointment will take place at my studio 1-2 weeks after your session.This is when you will see your images for the first time and make your product selections!

STUDIO INFORMATION

• Have you read all of the above? If not, go do that! If you have, then you’re ready for a great session.

•The studio is located at 215 Distin Road Oswego NY 13126

• PARKING INFORMATION: Park in driveway. The studio entrance is the first door on the right.

• Due to current CDC guidelines please plan to leave shoes, carseat, and personal items other than a diaper bag in the entry of the studio. Only individuals who are being photographed may come into the studio.