A baby that checks all the boxes.
Squishy cheeks? Check. Head full of hair? Check. Sweet and sleepy? (Mostly) check! I loved meeting baby Randi for her newborn session. We had to push back her session a bit due to doctors appointments, but she was worth the wait. I couldn't get over all her dark hair! Randi wasn't really interested in being snuggly swaddled, so we opted for looser, more open wrap options for her session. She also really wanted to eat, and we took a few breaks to let her snack.
I always get a little nervous before newborn sessions. Parents are trusting me with their brand new, tiny human that they've created, and there's so much that goes into a newborn session from hauling my props and gear to the client's home, to safety of the newborn, and hoping the baby is sleepy and cooperative. Safety is always number one in my brain- no picture is worth risking a baby's safety. I'm constantly checking baby's hands/feet to make sure they're warm and pink (ensures good blood flow) and making sure that I am keeping baby's head positioned in a way that protects his/her airway. I always have a parent near my posing bag to spot baby while I step back and snap my pics, and I always have my camera harnessed to my body to make sure I don't drop my heavy gear on a baby. If I try a wrap/pose a few times and baby isn't feeling it, I move on. I'll never force a baby into an uncomfortable position during a session.
There are a lot of incredible "fine art" newborn photographers that do elaborate set ups and intricate posing, but these all require quite a bit of training to ensure a safe baby, and a lot of post-shoot work in photoshop. It's cool, but not my vibe. I prefer choosing a few wrap colors and styles, and getting all the angles and details of a new baby in a more natural setting.
