Congratulations! You’re having a baby! Maybe you’re looking for a Canberra newborn photography studio. Or maybe you’ve already booked your newborn session, and you’re eagerly awaiting the arrival of your little one! But do you know everything you need to do to prepare for getting those dreamy first photos of your new baby? If you have any questions about your session, I’d love to talk to you! But to make you feel a little more prepared, here are some basic tips to help you make the most of your newborn session.
Choose the right style of photography for you
Our studio is lucky to have not just one newborn photographer, but three!
Steph is our lifestyle newborn artist. If you want to focus more on family connection rather than posed baby photos, then this might be more up your alley! Using a clean white backdrop with filtered natural light, Steph focuses on family connection.
If your preference is for sleepy baby photos, then bring your baby in within the first couple of weeks, however, if you’d also like awake and connected photos then the best age is at around four weeks when they’re starting to see more shapes and can register faces.
Janet is our fine art newborn baby artist. If you love sleeping baby photos, with a gorgeous backdrop, styled to your favourite colour palette, then this is for you.
This style of photography is best suited between seven to fourteen days old as they are sleepy and are more likely to snooze happily for most of the shoot.
Both Steph & Janet provided a full newborn session service, which can last between one to three hours!
We also have our Baby Mini sessions too, and Mallie is our mini newborn session specialist who will work with your family to quickly capture a huge variety of family connected photos of you and your baby. Perfect for the family with a smaller budget or family that only wants a few photos but still wants to capture this special moment in their lives.
Where are we located?
Our Canberra newborn photography studio is located in Chalmers Place, Macgregor (West Belconnen). Opposite the King Swim building, we share a car park and there are plenty of (free) car spaces.
Choose baby’s outfit and accessories
The perfect wardrobe for a newborn? Nothing! You want your images to capture those tiny fingers and toes, sweet little rolls of fat, and soft baby skin. But be sure to dress your newborn in an outfit that’s easy to take off and put on again. You may also want to bring along some accessories or sentimental items that hold special meaning for you and your family, like a blanket that’s been in your family for generations or a toy from your childhood. Items like this are a great way to add personal detail to your images.
Our studio is fully equipped with newborn wraps, headpieces, bonnets and outfits. Talk to us at your consult to let us know what colours you’re hoping for in your session.
Determine your own look
Even though the photos will mostly be of your little one, you’ll want photos of the two of you as well! Take some time to choose your own wardrobe—go for something simple and comfortable. Makeup is definitely not required, but a little touching up can help you feel fresh and at ease in front of the camera. It also helps to use a few basic hair products to keep strays in place. But don’t worry too much about your appearance. After all, the focus will be on your adorable new addition!
Don’t change your routine
To keep your little one happy, don’t change their diet or daily routine before your session. Continue with your regular feedings, and don’t forget to pack plenty of bottles for the shoot if you formula-feed.
Be prepared for a warm studio
We keep the heat on high—around 30 degrees—to make sure your newborn is warm and comfortable, but it may be a little toasty for you! Be sure to dress comfortably or wear layers you can easily remove.
Talk to older siblings
If you have older children, it can be so much fun to include them in the newborn session! Talk to them beforehand about what to expect. Our photographers are all experienced children photographers too and we have lots of tricks up our sleeve to help us all get what we need. However, chatting to them beforehand about what to expect can help.
When your older child(ren) are not needed for photos, they can relax with another parent in one of our consult rooms. We have Netflix & Disney Plus available on hand. Feel free to bring along some non-messy snacks as well!
What to Pack
Not sure what you need to bring to your newborn session? We’ve put together this checklist to help you pack everything you need in your nappy bag!
- Nappies and wipes, however, our studio also has these on hand should you need them.
- Dummy: Baby may get fussy in between shots, bringing along a dummy can help us settle and calm baby so we can continue.
- Bottles: If you are bottle feeding, be sure to bring enough bottles and breastmilk/formula for two to three feedings throughout your session.
- Snacks for you: Parents get hungry too! Pack some snacks and water for you and the rest of the family to snack on. You’re also welcome to help yourself to our equipped kitchen which is stocked with chips and dried fruit.
- Sentimental items: If you’ve planned to include one or two sentimental items (eg. a blanket a family member knitted, your stuffed bear from when you were a baby, a special outfit for baby) then ensure you pack those too.
Choosing your images
When your session is completed, you’ll be invited to make an appointment time to come back to the studio to view the photos. 2-3 weeks after the session, you’ll have your viewing and purchasing appointment. This will be where you get to see all the beautiful photos, select your favourites and work with your photographer to design products to display your photos in your home.
The gallery of digital images are available with your product purchase, so start thinking about how you would like to have these photos displayed in your home.
If there’s a particular wall in the home you are thinking you’d like to display these photos, then send a photo through to us and we can create some ideas based on the space.
Get in touch!
If you haven’t already booked in for your baby session, get in touch or book in for a design consult and we can start the process!
The best time to book is a month or so before you are due to ensure we can fit you in.
