A brief break in my birth photography series… birth photography and newborn photography – what is the difference?
Do you search for birth photography in Bucks, and something unexpected comes up? Are you really looking for an Aylesbury photographer for a newborn photo session? My previous blog series shares some birth stories all about birth photography and what it is.
Read Ayshah’s birth story – A hospital birth
Birth photography is about documenting the labour and actual birth of your baby. Newborn photography captures your new baby features, still tiny and curled up, usually in the first 2 weeks after birth.
I would like to share with you what to expect from a newborn photo session with me in my dedicated Aylesbury studio. I love to use props, and with my experience in wrapping, I use gentle posing to photograph your new baby in natural and sweet positions. Siblings are always welcome, and I include family photos in all full newborn photo sessions.
I’m going to take you through what a newborn photo session looks like with the various set ups, including a sibling and family.
Props in a newborn photo session
I use a variety of bowls, buckets and beds in my newborn photography work. I have different sizes to suit smaller or bigger babies.
I design each newborn photo session individually, according to preferred colour palette, use of any new items I might want to include, some props I use more than others, and some I have specific requests for prop set ups by parents.
A few of the props we used for the newborn photo session of beautiful Penny…
I often use different props of the same type, and have a few different bed props, and quite a few bowl props! I rarely do the exact same set up with the same colours twice as I love to explore putting different textures together, and I am constantly adding to my prop collection.
“The pictures are so beautiful. I cannot stop looking at them!” – Mum of Penny
Beanbag posing
This style of newborn photography is often very simplistic with the use of a wrap and backdrop material, and maybe some embellishments. Some newborn photographers use a beanbag, others use a table prop, depending on their preference of height, shape and softness. I use a bed poser as I like the wider surface area, versatility to move around the studio and also fold away, and I like to work sitting from the floor.
Beanbag posing can be quite varied, with many ways to photograph baby with materials and different poses. It is also great for any size baby, including multiples.
Sibling photos
I talk a lot with older siblings through the newborn photo session – I love to learn about their character. Sometimes they like to help, and others need some coaxing to get involved.
Penny’s sweet big sister celebrated her 1st birthday just a few days before the photo session, and she was wonderful!
I often take the sibling photos gradually throughout the photo session, asking them to come into the set to capture them together, after ensuring I have all the shots and angles of the baby in the prop initially.
I have a drawer of various bits and bobs to encourage bigger siblings if needed, and always take an individual photo of them too – which they usually love! Penny’s big sister made me work for it, with not yet walking.
Family photos
It is so important to capture all the family together when a new baby arrives into the family. Photos of you, in the image, with your children, let me stress again – is so important!
Being a Mum myself, I know that in those days and weeks that follow after birth, you usually don’t feel your best, but I hope that these images can show you how gorgeous your family photos will be.
Be in the photo – if only for your children in years to come.
It is always worth having them taken during the newborn photo session, you can then choose whether or not to purchase the images. This family ordered a large canvas of a family photo because it was just too lovely not to have it displayed on their family home walls.
Every newborn photography session will differ in terms of props used, and wrapping styles. Some babies like to keep their hands out by their face, others love the full swaddle and like that secure feeling.
I always follow the baby’s lead, and with my extensive training and years of experience capturing many many tiny babies, I will make sure you receive the best photos of your new baby.
For booking information, you can read the whole process in this blog.
Or visit the FAQ page, or of course, just pop me a message via the contact page for anything else; more questions, booking.
I look forward to hearing from you.
See you in the next blog!