Lunch! The only ‘prop’ in my newborn studio sessions
When I take my newborn photographs I am looking to get a stunning portrait of your newborn. Your baby is a beautiful beginning. When nature has given you pure, unadorned perfection why add bows and flowers? I find all of these things a distraction. I want to be drawn to the eyes, the lips, the yawn, the (occasional) smile, the chunk (for sure) and not to a flower arrangement competing for attention. I prefer to use wraps and blankets in a range of subtle colours and textures, all of which you can see in my images.
If the morning rush meant skipping breakfast, fear not—I've got croissants, tea, fresh coffee, or juice ready for you. Come midday I really don’t want you to be feeling hungry either, there’s nothing worse! My clients love it when I give them something to eat, usually sushi (cucumber or chicken - don’t worry there won’t be any raw fish!) If nothing else, indulge in letting someone else wait on you. Your photoshoot should be stress free and relaxing.
What to expect from your photoshoot
Newborn photography is best taken when your baby is between 5 - 21 days old. Babies at this age are still very flexible, tiny and super sleepy! Hence they can be posed quite easily. However if you find that you’ve missed this window then all is not lost, just give me a call and I will book you in as soon as is possible. The images and poses might be slightly different but everlasting nontheless! (Click here to see a photoshoot with a baby age 12 weeks).
Pre call consultation
Prior to the shoot we will have had a phone call or face to face chat so that I can talk you through the shoot from start to finish. We will discuss diary dates, siblings, blanket colours, any additional needs, concerns and importantly what food I will be giving you on the day! Should you want to be in the photos, we will discuss what you might like to wear (colours, textures click here for more info). Importantly I’ll also explain how best to prepare your baby for the shoot.
A morning session but not too early…
Pending my availability, newborn sessions are generally Monday - Friday, starting at 10am. I find the morning slots to be the optimum time for the baby. Once the date is agreed, I will send you the necessary paperwork and when you’ve paid your deposit, your slot is booked!
Get ready for a long, warm, relaxing morning!!
Newborn photography requires patience and generally last 3-4 hours which allows your baby time to settle into a lovely deep sleep. Therefore, before the session starts you need to make sure that the baby has had a full feed so they are ripe for a really long nap. To facilitate this further, my home studio will be kept really warm - practically tropical, so when your baby is undressed and posed into position he or she will remain happy and content.
As snug as a bug in a rug!
You will be able to watch me swaddle, soothe and pose your baby and perhaps pick up some helpful tips along the way. I am baby led so if they want feeding mid session then I would just ask you to top up their tummies as required!
Not forgetting siblings - as if you could!
Any sibling/ family shots are usually taken at the end of the shoot. The newborn session is way too long for a young child to sit though, so I usually ask you to get dad or a grandparent to bring them to the studio separately, so they are fresh and excited to see what’s going on and get their photos taken.
What to bring to the shoot?
Just your regular change bag with spare nappies and a feed or two as babies tend to feed more as the morning is a little bit different to what they’re used to! In addition please bring a simple white baby vest and if you’ve got anything special to your baby - perhaps a knitted blanked by a grandma that you’d like to include, then please bring that along too.
Then suddenly, a bit of time for yourself!
Yep. Just sit back and watch the photography unfold. You can even use this precious time to catch up on your emails and thank you’s, scroll through social media and see what’s been going on in the rest of the world.
On the day of the session, please have your diary to hand so we can schedule a date to view and order your photographs. This usually takes place about 10 days after the shoot!
After your session
Decisions, decisions!
At our viewing and ordering session you will be able to view your images on a 55” high definition screen, so you can decide which ones to order. I will have samples of photo books and frames so you can think about which ones would look best with your home decor. The session usually lasts about 1 to 1.5 hours and takes place in my home in Harpenden where you can sit back, relax with a drink and just enjoy the experience.
Click here to see if a newborn photoshoot is right for you!
Click here to see what a newborn photoshoot at home looks like.
Prices
£349
2- 4 Hour Session
Face to Face Viewing and Ordering Session
Five high resolution, fully edited files on a USB stick
Five 6" x 9" Prints matching your chosen digital images
£499
2 - 4 Hour Session
Face to face Viewing and Ordering Session
Ten high resolution, fully edited files on a USB stick
Ten 6" x 9" mounted and boxed prints matching your chosen digital images (see below)
£50 credit towards any medium/large sized framed image or photobook
£649
2 - 4 Hour Session
Face to face Viewing and Ordering Session
Total Gallery of 20+ high resolution, fully edited files on a USB stick and in a personalised presentation box (see below)
£75 credit towards any medium/ large framed image or photobook
£999
2 - 4 Hour Session
Face to face Viewing and Ordering Session
Total Gallery of 20+ high resolution, fully edited files on a USB stick and in presentation box
Ten 6" x 9" mounted and boxed prints matching your chosen digital images
Medium sized framed image 16” x 20” (see below)
£100 credit towards any medium/ large framed image or photobook
For more information about prints, digitals and frames, please click here
Kind words
“I was blown away with the amazing photos Celine was able to capture of our little girl. To have pictures where your precious bundle of joy is captured so beautifully, while she’s still so small and so darn cute, is completely priceless. I can’t thank Celine enough for the great advice, perfect photos and her amazing calm, professional yet relaxed approach to the shoot, which put both myself and my daughter at ease and produced such beautiful, timeless, precious photographs.”
