When Sylvia turned 3 months last week, it dawned on me that I was long overdue to share the family photos we had taken about 12 days after she was born. It's taken me until now, you see, because we received a digital folder from our photographer, Lauren Kirkbride, with literally hundreds of photos from our session, and I loved every. single. shot. EVERY ONE, you guys. She did an amazing job of capturing our new little family at home, and so to narrow it down to just a few took some time.
All the moms out there know that with a newborn, especially one that naps for exactly 20 minutes at a time, you barely have time to take a shower much less sit at your laptop and admire photos of your family. In any case, I've finally pulled them together and am so excited to share them with you!
As overwhelmed new parents, it's hard to know what to look for when choosing a photographer to capture this snapshot in time (pun intended!), so here are a few things we found to be important when finding and scheduling our newborn photographer:
DECIDE ON A PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE: One of the things that was really important to us for our newborn photos was the style of photography. I wanted more of a lifestyle approach that captured newborn Sylvia, as well as us as a family, in our home. Whether you prefer a lifestyle aesthetic or prop photography, it's a good idea to identify your style ahead of time so you're happy with your photos in the end.
FIND YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER BEFORE BABE IS BORN: Do some research and get in touch with your photographer a month or two before your due date while you still have your sanity. Ha! Babies are unpredictable as to when they decide to make their appearance, so it seems weird to book a photographer ahead of time, but many photographers will be flexible with the actual date. Lauren just had us let her know once Sylvia had arrived (which was a week late!), and we found a date a week and a half later that worked for both of us.
FLEXIBILITY IS KEY: Newborn babies break for no one's schedule but they're own, and it's almost certain that they're going to need to eat, have a diaper change or just plain be fussy while you're having photos taken. So if you choose the lifestyle photography route, and have your photographer come to your home, make sure they're flexible on the session's time frame. In fact, Lauren didn't set a time limit at all for the shoot which really took the pressure off and helped set a relaxed tone for the session.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE OPTIONS: Find out how and in what quantity your photographer delivers the captured images back to you. Do they promise a set number or give you access to all of them? I appreciated having full digital access the photos so I could pick and choose my favorites. Receiving the link after the shoot was like Christmas-one beautiful shot after another!
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Hopefully you enjoyed a glimpse inside our life right after Sylvia was born, and found our newborn photographer checklist helpful if you're looking for a photographer for your new bundle. If you have anything to add to the checklist, please share in the comments. I'd love to know what your must-haves are!
