So, if you are following me on instagram, pintrest or facebook you already probably know that I also specialize in newborn photography! Being that a newborn session is so different from a family or engagement session I wanted to give some information that may be helpful for those looking into having newborn photography done... If you have any questions or comments on newborn photography or how it works after reading this little article, please leave me a comment and I will try to answer and/or elaborate as best as I can! If you're just here to see some sweet little newborns only days "new", you're in luck as well!

How does a newborn session with Katie Donnelly Photography work?

To get the sleepy, curly, adorable photos of your newborn baby, it's best to try scheduling your session in the first 12-15 days of your baby's life. Essentially it's when they are the most sleepy and become a bit "milk drunk" after eating. Once they are sleeping I can put them in the adorable poses that you see throughout my newborn portfolio and in this article.

Why have a newborn session? 

The birth of a child is the start of all things new; a new life and a new adventure for your family. Your baby with change within the first year of life at lightning speeds. He will go from sleepy newborn to smiling back 2-month-old, to sitting up 6-month-old and eventually to walking and starting to talk 1-year-old.. It's so important to catch that gorgeous yet fleeting "new" stage in your child's life! Having a newborn session is a wonderful way to be able to memorialize your baby's first days, share them with friends and family and have them later to look back on. 

How long does a newborn session take?

I recommend putting aside about 2-3 hours of time. Sometimes it takes a little more but sometimes it takes a little less. I leave time for setting up, feeding breaks and photographing. I try to set aside more time than I need for photographing to leave room for flexibility for your family and your baby. Who knows that if the day of your session he/she will have a growth spurt and go from eating every 2 hours to every hour (It's happened) and I want to leave extra time for this. Sometimes newborns go right to sleep and sometimes they fight it because they're more stimulated by seeing a new person.. who knows but whatever may happen I will be there until we get all of the photos that you would like from the session. My primary focus is to keep everyone comfortable and relaxed so we can have a great newborn photo session and create the most memorable photos from this very exciting time.

What time of day is best to schedule a Newborn photo session? 

On the day of your newborn session, the best time to start is right after the baby has eaten. Lighting-wise I try to start photograph between 9am-3pm. As I use mainly natural lighting, the best time is to start photographing whenever there is the strongest indirect natural light coming into your home.

What kinds of props are used in a newborn session with Katie?

I personally come to your home for the session with posing props and blankets. I have some wraps and other props to include in the photos. However, I encourage you to think about any sentimental things you would like to include as well. Think homemade blankets, your own hat from when you were a newborn or maybe the toy box that your dad made for you... I love including family history in your newborn session to make it even more special.

If you have anything to add to this or have any other questions please feel free to leave a comment below!

If you are interested in booking a newborn session with Katie head over to the contact page or simply send an email to katie@katiedonnellyphotography.com!