Looking for Vancouver Newborn Photography? If you are here you are most likely waiting to welcome your baby, so congratulations!!!

This quick guide will tell you the most important things you need to know to prepare for your session.

1-Choose your Photographer

There are a variety of styles for newborn photography, so it’s important to choose a photographer that aligns with what you are looking for.

You might be looking for more traditional and posed newborn photography. When I think of this style I think of Anne Geddes.

This style usually involves a lot of pictures of baby on their own, wraps and props. These are normally done in studio and baby will most likely need to be sleeping for the majority of it.

My style of newborn photography is very different from the traditional. Photos will be done in your home or even outside if the weather allows and you prefer that.

Your baby can stay in your arms for the majority or even the entire session. No props are used. The focus is on the connection between parent(s) and their newborn. Coziness and love are at the center of it.

2- Indoor or Outdoor

Next step when looking for Vancouver Newborn Photography is to decide whether you’d like your photos  indoors or outdoors.

Here’s a breakdown of both:

Indoor:

• great for all kinds of weather
• no need to rush out the door
• baby is cozy in a familiar environment
• all family pets can participate
• more opportunity for breaks
• flexible session time
• the quality of light cannot be controlled, so the spaces we can use in your home might be limited
• you might feel pressured to clean and organize the whole house ( even though that’s totally not necessary)

Outdoor:

• lots of beautiful location options
• light will be more dynamic and will add interest to the images
• limited to the warmer months
• older kids might like to explore the location
• session times are less flexible due to sunlight ( early morning, late afternoon)

3 – Choose Outfits

This is definitely where all the fun starts!

Choosing outfits for your newborn session is not complicated at all.

If you are working with me you get 1 on 1 styling assistance. I will be there to help you choose color combinations, textures, patterns, etc. You will get a board from Style & Select with specific ideas for the whole family to make things even easier.

Pinterest is another great way to plan your family outfits. A quick search will give you tons of amazing ideas that you can use to inspire you.

Here are some quick tips to get you started:

• choose a color palette and have each family member in different colors that compliment each other
• add some texture with knit, leather, faux fur, hats and leggings
• when in doubt, stick to neutral tones like oatmeal, beige, brown, natural white
• add one pattern ( more can be fun too but will need to be well coordinated)
• the key is to coordinate but not match
• neutral and flat shoes
• layers work great to help the kids be comfortable in colder weather conditions

4 –  Your Vancouver Newborn Photography Session Day

Now that we planned all the details together it’s time to  document those beautiful memories.

The most important part is to make sure your baby is comfortable.

If the session is in your home, that tends to be super easy. I recommend doing things that you think might calm them down around 30 minutes before we start. A warm sponge bath, feeding session or calming music/white noise tend to help.

Try to keep the time before the session as calm as possible ( although I totally get that is not the easiest task when you have more than one child). You could have your partner or a relative take your older kids out before the session for some light play at the playground ( we don’t want them to be super tired, just slightly less energetic).

For morning sessions ( most likely when in home – around 10 am), have everybody’s clothes laid out and ready the night before so you don’t stress out.

Pets are welcome to participate. If your dogs like walks, that can help them stay calmer during the session.

For outdoor sessions, make sure to plan the location on your navigation system with the correct arrival time entered so that you can account for traffic. The less stressful your journey there, the better.

Bring layers for the kids ( unless is over 75 outside of course) just in case they get a little cold. Non- messy snacks like chips, gummies, a granola bar, banana or a cutie are a great idea to have at hand.

Not all the locations have restrooms, so be prepared to have your older kids go potty in nature if they need to.

Manage everybody’s expectations beforehand by sharing with them all the information you got from the photographer. I always ask my clients to share with their partner what my style is like so they know that looking at the camera and forced smiles are not necessary.

5 – Display your Art

Once you receive your images back and  download them make sure to plan some time to decide where you will be displaying your photos.

Most photographers offer prints through their gallery system. The system I use is super user-friendly and absolutely the easiest way to get wall art and albums for your family.

Whatever way you decide to print your photos, make sure the prints come from a professional lab. Unfortunately the more affordable and fast printing options will not give you the full quality you will get from professional pictures.

Ask your photographer for advice before printing elsewhere.

Looking for tips on how to organize your photos? Check this blog post

Ready to plan your newborn session? Start here

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