Older newborn photography sessions, what they are and what it means….
I decided to write this post mainly so that all the lockdown parents know what to expect from an older newborn session, just because they aren’t teeny tiny and new doesn’t mean this isn’t the session for you! A lot of babies from the previous lockdown attended sessions at around 3-5 months old and everyone loved the images! Your baby is still a baby, yes they might be more awake, and yes they might be more feisty, but they are also shining with personality, have a sparkle in their eyes and big gummy smiles! What’s not to love?!
Ideally everyone imagines the sleepy, snuggly baby phase and the reason you’ve booked is to capture that snapshot in time, it’s often not just the images themselves but the experience. The newness of it all, and because it’s something we are excited to do as part of being a new parent.
Don’t fear, they don’t turn into giants overnight, they still have tiny hands and feet, they can also still curl up into little sleepy moments (I say moments because it doesn’t always happen and sometimes it’s literally minutes, but trust me it happens).
So what can I offer you and what can you expect…..
From around 6 weeks old I would consider them “older newborns” and although I would still consider it a newborn session and attempt everything I would in a “newborn” session at this stage it can be a little bit harder to get a sleepy baby, instead we start with awake shots in whatever outfit they’ve arrived in, so dress them in something you love them to wear upon arrival, this allows me time to bond with them a little and to get them used to their surroundings before stripping them down to vests and nappies. The room is nice and calm and warm so don’t worry if they hate being naked, everyone tells me this, and they all relax and settle in fine in the end.
Not all older babies will settle in straight away, they are used to routine, smells, faces, voices and their own surroundings by now. And I will most likely still be wearing a face mask, not ideal I know but these babies are used to seeing them in certain situations now already so they know no different and actually still smile (I promise!).
Once they are calm and showing me some smiles or interaction we can start to undress them, usually to a plain vest or right down to their nappy, the stages I aim for are clothes, vest, nappy…. once they are down to their nappy I can use little outfits and hats or blankets and wraps to help calm them or add some extra cuteness. Whatever you feel comfortable with and whatever they allow is good for me.
Every session is baby led, if they aren’t happy it’s cuddles and feeds until they settle. And then we try again. For this reason the sessions can last anywhere from 1-4 hours. It sounds a long time but it does pass extremely quickly and waiting for a baby to sleep or be calm enough is a huge part of the session.
I will be extra patient and I will always try and get some sleepy shots for you, but like all newborn sessions this is never a guarantee. I wish they had an on/off button but they don’t. So it’s all down to them on the day. If a baby is very unsettled after a period of time or trying we need to listen to that and be happy with whatever we have captured. Most of the time parents end up choosing the awake ones anyway and all that extra time and work ends up being left behind.
Can we still have family or sibling images? Yes, of course, I urge you to! This is a moment you want to capture, together as a family. So often we aren’t in the photographs and here is an opportunity to have your first family portrait. Grab it!
I am really excited to welcome you all back soon, some good tips for a successful photo shoot would be to start giving your baby some time in a vest or nappy at home, keep the room nice and warm and have them used to no clothing on from time to time. Practice taking lots of photos of them (I know most of you have 1000’s by now) but if you have a camera over an iPhone use that as not seeing my face behind it can be a little bit daunting for them when they are used to the phones and seeing your face, and even have some mask time around them to familiarise them with how I am going to look on the day. A baby scared of masks won’t end well.
Most of all just stay relaxed, don’t set too high an expectation and know that you will love the photos either way!
I hope you love the example images included in this guide and it helps you to imagine what to expect from the session. See you all soon!
Dani x