HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR NEWBORN SESSION BY TONYA BEAVER PHOTOGRAPHY

NEWBORN PHOTO SESSION:

Congratulations on your new little one! We are so excited to be a part of your journey.

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Checklist for parents:

Book Session well in advance and send us a photo of your nursery/home so we can see your style and color schemes. We like to do sessions 7-10 days after birth for posing. So please contact us once the baby has been born to finalize the exact date/time.

Bring snacks, lunch, drinks, or coffee. The shoot will last a minimum of 2 hours so bring anything you need to be comfortable. There are lots of coffee shops or restaurants nearby as an option as well.

Pack blankets, wipes, diapers, pacifier (a HUGE help for us to sooth during posing), formula if you're open to it (makes for sleepier baby), breast milk in a bottle for us to do the feeding, and hairbrush. It's key for the milk to be in a bottle for us to feed during and in between poses. And bring extra! Full belly means sleepy baby.

If siblings are coming, bring some entertainment and snacks to occupy in the waiting.

If you can keep your baby awake a minimum of 3 hours, preferably 3-4 hours before arriving, it helps to have a very sleep baby once arriving to us. Giving a bath in that time frame will help them stay awake.

Wait to feed until you arrive to us. Once you arrive we'll ask you to have baby in a very loose diaper (or one size too big) as to not have any red marks on legs and tummy. Remove clothing and wrap in a blanket while feeding so the transition to us can go straight into wrapping and posing.

If you're doing parent/sibling poses, bring the clothing with you and change at the studio. Stick to solid tops that match so either all black or all white/cream. Feel free to bring hair and makeup supplies and touch up at the studio before go time.

Managing expectations:

Before the photoshoot, many parents are doing research online and have cute ideas they would love from the session. This is great for us to see the style and poses parents love. At the same time, please remember not all poses are doable for all babies.

Some babies do not like certain poses based on if they prefer wrapped, not to be on tummy, etc. I will try a pose several times and for a certain length of time and move on if it's not happening. Please take a look at my social media and or newborn galleries (see the links below) to make sure our styles match with each other.

We have a fully stocked newborn prop closet filled with wraps, headbands/hats. I tend to lean very minimalist in my preference and mostly prefer neutral colors of whites, tans, grays. If you have specific colors you like, please let us know.

Once you arrive:

Upon arriving to the studio, we'll help you settle in and get comfortable. The shooting area will be kept very warm so we ask parents to relax in our office space which is kept cool and comfortable. This allows us to transition and work quickly and get as many poses as possible.

Also, when a newborn smells their mother, it can keep them awake and hoping to cluster feed. It's super helpful for us to have the space to work in our element and flow.

If we're doing family/sibling shots, I typically wrap your baby and do those family photos first. Once they are done, you're off the hook to relax and let us take over. From there I'll do more wrapped poses and finish up with baby alone photos.

As discussed above, for family photos bring matching tops. For siblings, think less is more. Simple dresses for girls and jeans with plain top for boys.

There will be pee and poop. Please understand that it's normal and don't feel bad when it happens. We're used to it.

After your newborn session:

I typically send out billing the following day or few days after the session. So don't worry about that on session day. Editing usually takes about 2 weeks. Once editing is done, your gallery will go online for you to choose your favorites that come with your package.

Of course if you want to add on images, that's an option as well.

We are so excited to be a part of this with you! Kathleen and I will take very good care of you and your new little one. It's our honor to be in the newborn stage with you, and we take pride in our ability to sooth and "whisper" your little one into calm and sleep.

Please reach out if you have any other questions not covered here.

Please send me the following information before your newborn session:

Favorite 1-3 colors to be used in shoot
Any favorite photos from my instagram you would like to have recreated
Photos of your nursery/home
Are you doing family photos? If so do you prefer light background or dark background?

Tonya Beaver Photography Studio Location: Jacksonville Beach, FL

318 First Ave N
Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250

To see more newborn sessions, please visit:

https://blog.tonyabeaverphotography.com/category/newborns-and-kids-photos/

To view newborn pricing, please visit:

https://www.tonyabeaverphotography.com/maternity-baby1

Hi, I’m Tonya, a Jacksonville Florida Photographer. I specialize in photographing weddings, families, and babies. I would love to hear all about your photography needs to see if we’re a right fit for each other. As a photographer, I get to capture the most exciting and life changing experiences in people’s lives.

Not only in Jacksonville, but all over North Florida: Ponte Vedra, Amelia Island, St. Augustine, etc.

I know there are quite a few photographers in Jacksonville so it can be overwhelming. But I invite you to check out my wedding, family, and newborn portfolio. Also, feel free to check out some of my reviews that my previous clients have given me. Jacksonville is one of the most beautiful areas for photographing engagements, weddings and family photos. From the beach, golf clubs, parks, downtown, gorgeous churches and so much more. I look forward to hearing from you and getting to know you more!