It is never too early to contact me regarding your newborn session and I find that the 2nd trimester is the best time to assure your spot on the calendar. Having your session scheduled and confirmed well ahead of delivery, will relieve some of the stress those first few days after baby arrives. If your due date is quickly approaching, or baby has just arrived, please do not hesitate to call or shoot me an email to check availability.
I have found it is best to photograph newborns between 5-14 days old. During this time, baby is still super curly from being in mom’s belly and more importantly, they are still super sleepy. A well fed, sleepy, curly baby gives us the best chance of getting the yummy newborn poses we all love.
I currently do not travel to client’s homes. Instead, you will be coming to my home studio for your session. My space is set up with your baby in mind which allows me to be in full control of the environment, light and temperature. It also enables me full access to my extensive prop collection and back up equipment, if needed.
Once we have spoken to go over the details, we are ready to book your session. I will send you a client agreement to read, sign, and return with your full session payment. When your payment is received your due date will be put on my calendar. I will then send you a questionnaire to help me plan your session wardrobe, props, etc. Once baby arrives it is very important you contact me within the first 48 hours to share the happy news and we will schedule and confirm your session within those first 5-14 days. If you have a Fresh 48 session planned, we can schedule at that time. It is super important you notify me ASAP after delivery.
Absolutely! We want you to have everything your heart desires and will work with your budget to arrange a convenient payment plan. I also offer a Baby Registry so gift givers can purchase print/products for you as well.
Your newborn session lasts between 2-4 hours. This allows plenty of time for feeding, cuddling, soothing and posing. The baby runs the show and the clock.
A few days prior to your session, I will send you a Preparation Guide with some tips on how to prepare for your session. My years of experience with newborns has helped me put this guide together. Please do your best to follow the tips outlined in the prep guide. While there is no sure thing in getting a perfectly sleepy baby ready for a photo session (if there was I’d be a millionaire), these tips will certainly help tip the scales in our favor.
Nope, I have everything you could possibly need. I invest a significant amount of time and money researching my high-end knitted goods and props which are made specifically for newborn photography. All goods that we work with are made from natural materials and are soft and non-irritating to baby’s skin. I’ve got soft fuzzy blankets, wraps, bonnets, newborn clothing, headbands, buckets, boxes, bowls, drawers - you name it, I’ve got it. This is a rare chance for you to travel light. Just bring baby, and some extra food to keep their belly nice and full.
In this case the best advice I can give is, less is more. Sticking with neutral colors (white, cream, grey, black, and beige) or soft colors (blush, baby blue, sage, etc) is always a good idea. You don’t want your clothing to overshadow your beautiful baby. Try to avoid patterns and think soft cozy materials. Stay with soft tones for your older children as well. Stores like Target, Gap, and Old Navy often carry a line of solid color T-Shirts that work great for boys and girls. I put together a Pinterest board with a few ideas that you are welcome to check out. You can find it HERE. (link to pinterest board)
I am always happy to see the types of images you get excited about however, I cannot outright copy another photographer’s work. That is their art and style and it is my hope that you are hiring me for my art and my style. Additionally, not every baby will do every pose. It is critically important to me that your baby is safe and comfortable at all times. What one baby will do easily may not be possible for your baby without discomfort. We will still get beautiful images regardless. It is my hope that I can create something unique and beautiful for each of my clients. It’s fantastic to draw inspiration from other photographers and I welcome you to find one or two images you absolutely love to share with me. Feel free to browse through Portfolio and Blog for images to pin as well. (link to these pages on website when clicked)
We aren’t talking if, we are talking when. It happens every single session so don’t sweat it and don’t be embarrassed. I am used to it and everything gets wash and sanitized once your session is complete. Clean up and laundry is part of my day. Just consider it a laughable memory to share with family and friends from your newborn session.
I will be handling your baby the majority of the time. I do work with an assistant to help me with setup transitions, to spot baby and to ensure that eyes are on baby at all times. I do not allow parents/grandparents to pose the baby as it presents a risk to your child and creates a liability risk. This is a perfect time for you to sit back, relax, and live in the moment. And no joke, many moms use the time to take a nap. How awesome does that sound!
Of course. Siblings are always welcome and encouraged to be included. Generally, I plan to photograph sibling images at the start of the session so that a parent, grandparent, friend or babysitter can take the sibling once their part of the session is complete. The studio area needs to remain calm and quiet for baby, and it is understandably difficult for toddlers and older children to remain quiet and still while baby is being photographed in a heated studio for several hours.
I request that you leave the picture taking to me. While the urge to take a quick iPhone photo is strong, having an additional camera in the studio can distract me from the true focus of the session: your baby. I request that you respect my artistic set-ups by not taking your own photos.
We will meet for your viewing/ordering appointment between 2-3 weeks after your session to go over your images and place your order for prints/products. Plan on spending about an hour with me. You are going to love every second of the big reveal!!
My turn around time on regular prints is usually 2 weeks. Canvases take at least 3 weeks. Albums will take 3-4 weeks. Some handmade specialty items take longer. I will keep you advised of the status on specialty items.
I apologize for being blunt but in a word - NO. Greenwood Photography retains the copyright to all images so it is illegal to scan, copy or reproduce my images in any manner without written permission. Thank you for respecting my artistic property. I also reserve the right to use images for personal advertisement, web, publication and display.
I have attended several hands on training courses across the country for newborn posing and safety. I have techniques to settle and soothe your baby and I am very patient. My commitment to quality and care sets me apart and I will go above and beyond to make sure that you have an enjoyable and fun experience. I know that this time in your baby’s life is very special, but an anxious time as well, and I take to heart the trust you have put in me to handle your most precious baby.
Your session fee covers the 7-10 hours required to not only correspond with you on the planning and styling of your session, but to set up your props and equipment, the session itself, clean up and artistic editing of your images. Although I wish I could do this for free because I absolutely love what I do, it is simply not feasible for me to do so in order to run a successful business and contribute to my family. Please know it is an amazing honor to be invited into this time of your life and I adore getting to capture these moments for you. I want to make sure you are getting the absolute best I have to offer and when you book a session with me you get all of my time and attention.