NEWBORN STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY IN KALISPELL MONTANA

Newborn photography sessions are by far one of my favorite sessions to photograph. There is so much love and joy that surrounds the birth of a new family member and being the one to capture those moments is such an honor! Though I love setting up props and posing for baby, family photos always end up being some of my favorite photographs.

WONDERING HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR STUDIO NEWBORN SESSION?

I always touch base with my clients as we get closer to their baby’s due date and send over my prep guide with tips on how to get their baby and their family ready for a newborn session. Believe it or not, some of these things are key to ensuring a successful session (one where baby sleeps well and let’s us do all the posing!). Here are my recommendations on how to prep for your Kalispell newborn studio session.

PREPPING BABY FOR THE SESSION

Fully feed your baby right before leaving for the newborn photography studio. It’s important baby arrives with a full tummy so we can start your photos right away. Sometimes this might mean just “topping baby off” if they fed a little while before but it helps immensely to have a happy baby and accomplishing as much as possible during the session timeframe.

Remember to remove bandaids from your baby prior to your session, so we don’t have to remove them during the session and risk waking baby. Please don’t put lotion or oils on baby before the session as this can create a shiny look under studio lights. No need to worry about flaky skin as this is easy to edit when needed.

The morning of your session, dress baby in a loose outfit that zips or snaps up the front and no tight socks. This helps to easily remove baby’s clothes for wrapping or posing without waking them (we all know how much baby’s hate having things pulled over their heads) and avoids lines in their skin from tight socks or clothing.

PREPPING FAMILY FOR THE SESSION

I will usually take family photos at the start of the newborn photo session. This is especially helpful if siblings will be involved in the session as it allows them to get their part done quickly and saves parents from trying to keep them photo ready. I highly recommend that one parent or another friend or family member leave with siblings after the family portion is complete as this allows for a quiet environment for baby’s photos and usually saves mom and dad some sanity during the remainder of the session. I also try to get family newborn photos done first so if a spouse or partner needs to leave for work, they can be there for the family portion and then head out. Please make sure your family is prepared for a warm environment so a change of clothes or dressing in layers you can remove is recommended.

WHAT SHOULD WE WEAR FOR PHOTOS?

For family newborn photos, I want all of the focus of the image to be on the connection you share with your baby, rather than the clothing. For this reason, I suggest a simple solid colored top for mom (neutrals are great!) and a matching plain tee for dad with jeans. Family shots are close up, so most of what you wear will not be shown.

For Moms, I suggest more natural make-up and hair as a “soft” look photographs best with newborns. Be sure to take old nail polish off (we’ll be up close on hands!), or paint nails with a neutral color. Avoid long earrings or necklaces, if possible, as we want all the focus to be on you and your baby!

Bring a change of clothes, just in case! It’s best not to wear a Smart watch or large bulky watches, bracelets, etc. as these draw attention and take away focus from you and baby.

Please make sure you don’t have a hair tie or anything unwanted on your wrist and please remove cell phones, keys, etc. from pockets before taking photos.

For siblings, a simple solid colored dress, tee or tank (avoid bright colors) with jeans and bare feet/socks since they likely will not show. Please feel free to remove their shoes at the start of the session to get them used to it! For little girls, it’s best to avoid hair accessories unless they are very small and a neutral color.

WHAT TO BRING TO YOUR NEWBORN SESSION

Things that you’ll want to bring to your session include:
– Extra clothes for everyone (just in case!)
– Extra diapers
– Extra milk/formula
– Burp cloths/Receiving blankets
– Pacifier (soothie is best to avoid marks from plastic) Even if they don’t use one, I highly recommend a pacifier as it can be immensely helpful to keep baby distracted while changing wraps or posing.
– Feel free to bring snacks and drinks, coffee, whatever you need!
– If for some reason siblings can’t leave after their portion, please feel free to bring books, toys, coloring books, etc. to help keep them entertained.

READY TO BOOK YOUR KALISPELL NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION?

Head over to my Contact page and send me an email. I’ll send over my Newborn Welcome Guide with more details on my sessions and what is included. I offer mini and full session options and include high resolution digital images in all of my packages.

Scroll down for some photos from a recent Kalispell newborn photography session and check out the posts below for other sessions you might like!

Kalispell Newborn Photo Session

Kalispell Maternity Photo Session