Cake Smash Welcome Guide


Welcome.


I'm so happy to begin this journey with you. Welcoming a new addition to your family is one of the most exciting, and beautiful moments that you just can't replicate. Newborn sessions provide a unique experience to capture your little one within their first days of life, making sure those precious memories are captured forever.


Each session is designed with your little one in mind along with your own personal style. I will pre-plan with you to ensure that your little one's session reflects everything about your family's story and style. Rest your mind knowing that you are coming to a highly Covid conscious environment. The space will be thoroughly cleaned in between every session and masks are required upon entering. Sanitizer will also be readily available at all times for not only myself but for you as well. Along with that, I am trained with the expertise needed to properly handle your little one with the safest of care. I am trained by the world renowned Kelly Brown and have taken the necessary posing courses/saftey training courses to ensure your little one's well being. Safety is my number one priority when working with newborns.

Preparing for your Session.


It is highly recommended to bring baby in a zip up or button up pair of pajamas. This way I don't have to take anything off over their head and disturb them. I have a wide variety of wraps and client closet pieces that I will be using throughout the session so no need to bring anything extra. You want to be sure to keep the diaper a little on the loose side to avoid any lines or red marks on the skin. Another thing you may want to avoid is socks as they can leave marks as well.

All of my newborn clients always ask the same thing: "What do I need to bring?" and the simple answer is, not really anything other than what you usually carry in your diaper bag! The only thing you need to bring is:


  • Baby (That's a big one!)
  • Extra bottles if not nursing. If you are nursing and can pump a bottle for me to feed the baby throughout the middle of the session that would be super helpful too.
  • A pacifier
  • Any sentimental items we are including in the baby's session. (Please notify me ahead of time of what the items may be.)

How should I prep the baby?


One thing I always tell my parents is to be sure the baby is full by feeding them right before you leave to come to the session. If you have a bit of a drive to get here, you're welcome to feed the baby upon arrival as well. We want to start the session with a full and sleepy little babe. Be sure to clean out any eye gunk as well. The less we can mess with them once they arrive to the studio the better. If they do not need fed upon arrival, I will take them straight from car seat to swaddle poses from there. By doing this, it's a great way to keep them nice and cozy.


Session Length.


This one is usually the one thing that surprises a lot of clients. A newborn session usually lasts about 2 hours (wrapped only sessions usually about an hour) but sometimes sessions can last up to 3-4 hours. Babies are so unpredictable so you never know how long it may take to calm them into a deep sleep for certain poses. Sometimes baby will need to feed a lot or just simply has a hard time calming down for pictures. We never want to rush the experience, patience is key with newborn photography. While you wait for me to work my magic with your little one, this is your time to sit back and relax! Scroll through your phone, watch some Netflix on the studio TV, heck even take a much needed nap. Rest assured your baby is in good hands with me so no need to stress. We will begin the session by going straight into the newborn poses and sets and finish things off with the parent/sibling shots. If you have little ones with you, be sure to bring them something to help keep them entertained for the duration of the session. You could bring them books, puzzles, coloring supplies, tablets, etc. I truly want this to be a fun and stress free experience for everyone involved.


Parent Poses.


Babies will only be this little for a quick moment in time so I love that I can capture the parents holding them. Parent poses can be done on either a neutral background, or dark gray. When choosing your background, keep in mind of what would look best hanging on the walls of your home. I suggest wearing light colors for your newborn session and try to avoid any loud patterns or tiny pin stripes/checkers as they can throw off the camera. Feel free to send me any screenshots of your outfit ideas and I can give my honest opinion on whether or not it will work.


Sibling Poses.


Sibling poses can be so much fun and oh so sweet, but they can also be very challenging depending on the ages. I have a few different go-to setups for the sibling shots and I'm not afraid to break out the bribery tactics. I may offer things such as suckers or balloons (if that's okay with you) and ask for the parents help in getting them to cooperate.

Have more questions?


Feel free to ask me any questions that I haven't answered here! I can't wait to work with you and your newest little bundle of joy and I am so excited to begin designing your session sets. Thank you so much for entrusting me with your baby and choosing me to be your family's photographer. It means more to me than you will ever know. See you soon!

-Tabby