Your little one is on the way. It is an exciting time and there is no doubt that you are going to want professional photos. Newborn photography is a very different experience than things like headshots, weddings or graduation photos. Knowing what to expect will help you plan and enjoy the results of your baby’s first photo session.

Newborn Sessions Take Time

     Everything that has to do with a newborn happens in a suspended time portal. Few things happen quickly. There are three main things that take a lot of time during the session.

     First, is feeding. Most photographers have mom feed the baby right when she gets to the studio. The reason for eating immediately before photos  is that it  encourages the baby to sleep deeply. This will give the photographer about an hour ot do to pose and take photos before the baby has to be fed again. 

     Second,  is posing. Nearly all poses require that the baby is  asleep. Newborns have certain behaviors the photographer has to take in to account while posing. Because of this, the photographer often has to stop and soothe along the way and slowly place the baby into those adorable poses. Poses are completed  in stages so that the baby feels safe and secure the whole time.  It can take up to 15 minutes or more to get the baby styled. And that is just for one shot!

     The third thing that adds time to newborn sessions  is waking up too early.  It is not uncommon for a  baby to be 90% wrapped and posed only to  wake up and need soothing . Then, the whole posing process begins again. Patience is something you have to have at your session. Each of these things, feeding, posing, and soothing back to sleep can take time.

Expect Fewer Images

     Not only does it take time to wrap and/or pose newborns for the actual photo, it also takes time processing the images afer the session. Believe it or not, newborn skin requires a lot of retouching. You may not think so, but it’s true. Your photographer will spend upwards of 10 to 15 minutes per image to retouch so your baby looks fantastic.



     Because of this and other concerns, most newborn sessions have about 10 to 25 images in their gallery. While you may be used to wedding photographers who show you hundreds of images, or a holiday mini session where you get 50 images in 20 minutes, this is generally not the case with newborn portraits. The number of images depends on many things such as how well mom and the baby are prepared for the session, the demeanor of the baby the day photos are made and the types of images you want. For example, if you want family, sibling, and baby-alone images, that is a lot to accomplish in a 2 or 3 hour session. Add in a baby who decides to cluster feed that day and images can be even harder to get.

Honor What Your Baby Is Able To Do

     Every newborn session is different simply because each baby is unique. This obvious statement is sometimes cast aside by overly enthusiastic moms who have high expectations for portraits. While it is fun to go on Pinterest and look at newborn photos you may want for your new baby, keep in mind that not every baby can do every pose. Some babies simply do not like to be in certain positions. Other babies do not like certain textures. Your newborn definitely follows developmental patterns and newborn photography pays close attention to how the baby is reacting during the session.

     Yes, I know that camping theme with the baby adorably leaning over a bucket is to die for. But it is good to have reasonable expectations and to rejoice in the images your baby  completes. Newborns already have a personality. They have preferences. Let the images they make accentuate who they are  at this time. When you look back in 15 years, you will recognize attributes that showed themselves in a teeny way during your son’s or daughter’s  first photo shoot.

     Studio newborn sessions have the advantave of showcasing features of your baby that more casual photo shoots can miss. But they do require pre-planning, good preparation, and patience. Following these recommendations will help you get the best images from your session.