Help! My baby is older than two weeks and I want to book in a newborn photo shoot. Is it too late?
Most photographers agree that the best time to capture newborn photos is 5-15 days after your baby is born. But why? Well, at that young age babies are naturally sleepy and they’re in that characteristic curled-up newborn position. But what if you’ve missed this two-week deadline? Is it too late to book in your newborn photography session? Absolutely not! As an experienced newborn photographer here in Auckland, I can tell you that I have taken newborn shots of babies up to nine weeks of age with amazing results. The main difference with older newborns is that we’ll capture more photos of your baby with his or her eyes open. Even better, right? Apart from that, I have heaps of tricks up my photographer’s sleeve and set ups to ensure that your photos showcase your baby in his or her delicate newborn state. As with all my photo sessions, I make sure that my home studio is a place of calm and serenity with lovely lighting and relaxing music. Many of my families have commented on how tranquil my studio is, and some parents have even used the session as a chance to catch up on much-needed sleep on my comfy couch! Before you arrive, everything is cleaned to a high standard and the set ups are ready to go. This means that from the moment you step into my studio, all my focus is on you and your newborn. I’m always flexible – no hard or fast rules here; we follow your baby’s lead. Whether your baby is awake or asleep on arrival, if he’s settled then I’ll gently wrap him in one of my beautiful baby wraps and we’ll start shooting using the first set up. Although most traditional newborn photos are of sleeping babies, the photos I take of older newborns are so unique as they show your baby’s beautiful eyes. We move to the second set up once we’re both happy with the photos I’ve taken in the first. Throughout the session, I generally use between three and four different set ups, outfits and accessories. I find that the first couple of set ups help tire older newborns out, so after a good feed he or she is ready to sleep. This gives us the chance to capture those all-important sleepy shots. As for props and accessories, I have a huge library available in my studio. I’m happy to style the shoot myself, or take guidance from my families. I often use fresh flowers to decorate my set ups too, giving them an all-natural feel. You can also customise your newborn shoot by adding a unique hand-crafted item. Whether it be an angel, heart or tiny flower with your baby’s name, these items make your baby’s photos unique. The more personalised your props, the better! Take a look at my gallery for inspiration and let me know your preferences. So, whether your baby is one or ten weeks old, newborn photography is very much still on the cards. Check out all my wonderful reviews and book in your session today. I look forward to welcoming you and your baby into my home studio.
