NEWBORN SHOOTS // All you need to know about your newborn shoot.
Manchester Newborn Photographer on all things newborn shoots - when to book in your newborn shoot, flexibility, what you need to do, where you can have your shoot, what to prepare, and what to expect.
Booking a Newborn Shoot in/around Manchester
Eekk you’re having (or have just had) a baby - HUGE congrats! The early days are beautifully chaotic; filled with snuggles, constant googling, questioning everything, checking their breathing, breathing them in, introducing them to their loved ones, establishing your new role, all the feeding, and all the love. It is a really special time to capture - especially as these days, as long as they may seem, are gone in a flash. Before you know it they’re progressing through the stages, becoming more and more interactive and turning into little chatterbox whirlwinds (like my toddler, Marnie)!
So you’re wondering when is the best time to have your newborn shoot?
I like to photograph newborns when they’re between 7 and 14 days old. Newborns are only super new, teeny and sleepy for such a short amount of time. So if you’d like those sleepy newborn shots, pre-2 weeks old is best.
Less than a week old and you might not feel like you’ve had enough chance to start the recovery from the birth and settle into the groove of things (as far as you can with a newborn).
They become more and more aware as they becomes weeks old - so whilst they’re still technically newborns after 3-4 weeks, they start to have longer wake windows and you might not get the sleepy shots and have more chance of periods of unrest. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still capture those hazy newborn days.
When should I make the booking?
It’s a good idea to get your session booked in before baby is born to make sure you can secure a session in that short period of time. Either after your 20 week scan or as soon as possible after that.
I usually open my diary season by season. So, in April I’ll release by summer (June to August) diary, then in July I’ll release my autumn (September to November) diary etc. There are a couple of exceptions to this - and one of those is for newborns!
I remember what it felt like to want to get all my ducks in a row before Marnie was born. I held off doing anything until after my 20 week scan due to my own anxieties, but after that it was lists and spreadsheets galore! If you’d love a newborn shoot for your new arrival, pop booking in your photographer on the pre-baby prep list.
But I don’t know when baby will be born?
Unlike other shoots, newborn sessions have to be flexible as most babies come whenever they are ready! So what I do is book in your shoot for 7-14 days after baby’s due date, then you can check in with me if you go overdue / baby is early, and when baby is born, and we can jiggle that date around if necessary. I always make sure I keep enough time in my diary to accommodate newborn date changes, so you won’t miss out if baby rocks up 2 weeks late (let’s hope that’s not the case for you though!).
My girl, Marnie, was a lockdown baby - so I missed out on having newborn photos which still upsets me. If you’re on the last minute and baby is due any minute or has already arrived, and you’d love for me to capture your newborn bubble, please do still get in touch as I will always do my best to fit in a newborn shoot. You never get chance to capture those early days again, and I am acutely aware of how special that time is, so I’ll do everything I can to squeeze you in!
What time of day shall I book my newborn shoot in?
In the vast majority of cases, I find newborns are at their best in the morning. So I’d recommend booking it in for early morning - just allowing yourself enough time to make yourself feel comfortable before I arrive. The most popular time families book newborn shoots in is between 9-10am.
Where can we have our newborn shoot?
Newborn shoots are usually done in your home. You’re recovering and adjusting and it is nice to have your home comforts on hand. You may not yet have been out and about with your new addition, or at least may not be comfortable with it yet, so having your shoot at home takes away the pressure of having to get out of the house at a certain time.
It is also nice and warm so we can capture those little detail shots of baby’s hands and feet without them getting too cold!
If a home shoot is not for you, that’s totally fine. I’m finding more people are opting for an outdoor newborn shoot now. If you’re up to heading outdoors, we can totally make this work for a newborn shoot (as long as it is not raining of course!). We can lay blankets down to get some lovely images of baby by themselves, and capture the rawness of early parenthood in the elements.
Another option would be to have your shoot in a studio space. I have access to a space inside a converted mill - with beautiful big windows. It is perfect for newborn shoots and only costs an additional £45 (payable with the shoot fee in advance of the shoot). The image below is from this studio space.
What shall I do to prepare for our shoot?
I send out a Welcome Guide once you have booked on with a full list of things to pack for your shoot. Of course, if you are having the shoot at home, there is no need to pack a bag as you’ll have everything on hand.
I’d recommend trying to give baby a big feed just before the shoot so that they’re as settled as possible.
It is also a good idea to pop your heating on to avoid baby getting cold - especially if you are getting them changed once or twice during the shoot, and if you’re having photos of them without a full outfit on. This can help avoid full meltdowns!
If you’ve got any special blankets, comforters or other items that you’d like capturing with your baby during the shoot, please get those ready.
Don’t worry about having to make sure the house is immaculate - you’ve got enough on your plate - all we really need is 2 spots by some natural light to take some lovely photos. I usually try and get some photos of the family on the sofa together, stood up by a window / patio doors, in baby’s nursery if they have one, and maybe cosied up on mum/dad’s bed. We certainly don’t have to do all of these - you can always just choose a couple.
If you have a garden, we can always get a few photos outdoors too!
What should we expect from our newborn shoot?
If you book a newborn shoot with me, it will be very calm and relaxed. There will be no pressure to get through loads of shots in a short amount of time. We’ll take our time and be led by baby. Don’t worry if we need to pause to feed and/or change baby - that’s all expected.
We’ll keep things very laid-back and capture some beautiful images together.
Whilst I don’t do the posed newborn shoots and I keep things very natural, I do have a newborn “posing” cushion (as you can see in the photo above) which is great for capturing those sleepy newborn photos whilst keeping things natural - baby all cosied up, their little toes, their tiny features. If baby is still really sleepy, it will make things easier to capture those details.
I also have a small collection of newborn clothes which I will bring with me (if you select this option on your pre-shoot questionnaire) for you to use, plus some blankets. They’re all neutral so they work for my style of photography and also they’re gender-neutral.
My shoots usually last for around 60-90 minutes, but I allow up to two hours for a newborn shoot, so there is plenty of time to feed , change etc, without feeling the pressure!
Why should we have a newborn shoot?
I always remember in those early days when family were meeting my daughter Marnie, that everyone constantly said how quickly she would change. I didn’t want to keep hearing it; I just wanted to sit in my little newborn bubble and soak up her being so teeny. But time moves on, and as much as we don’t think they will, the memories of all the details do fade over time. Photographs and videos are, in my opinion, the absolute best way to give you a teeny tiny time machine back to your newborn bubble. You can soak up those little details, have a hit of oxytocin, and be transported back to that time when they were so tiny, reliant and adorable.
Would you love for me to photograph your newborn and family? Get in touch here to enquire.
Thanks so much,
Laura
Manchester Newborn Photographer.