My Newborn sessions | Arizona Newborn Photographer

This post is propably a bit random and unexpected, but for over a year now I've always been meaning to write posts regarding information on use of locations, props and photographic style.

With photography being a HUGE craze and new photography businesses being started everyday, there are a few things to always keep in mind and consider when scheduling a session with a photographer.

While I could make references to the various photographic styles available and experienced vs. starting out photographers...I'm going to stay away from that topic. What I'm going to share is what I know most about and that's my photographic style and what I offer to the families that hire me for newborn sessions.

Newborn photography is a super popular. There are many amazing photographers in my area that offer incredible newborn photography that create images with the sweetest poses, very creative use of props/hats and create timeless images. I strongly admire those photographers and swoon over their images.

When I'm contacted regarding a newborn session, one of the most popular questions I'm asked is if I do the creative posing (where the baby is hanging from a tree in a sling), propped up on their hands, curled up in the most adorable positions and most often if I have hats, headbands and buckets/baskets.

The answer to all those questions is...yes, I do know how to do those and yes, I can do them and yes, I do have buckets/baskets. Majority of them are composite images (merging more than one image to make one), they take a LOT of time and patience, and EACH of those images are beautiful. While I love a sweet picture of a baby all curled up and posed, I really do LOVE them...however, what I love to give my clients most is the memory of how they felt when they welcomed their baby in the first weeks.

For newborn sessions, I speak to each of my clients about what I work to capture and the memories I want to create for them to cherish. Memories of how they looked at their baby with pure bliss, love and utter infatuation. How crazy life was when returning from the hospital with little ones at home. I want them to remember how they looked when their baby cried in their first weeks, how they smiled for the first time, the first yawn, how soothing a mother's touch is, how small they are in their father's hands, the look in the father's eyes of how perfect life is at that time, how a simple look from a baby warms parent's hearts, how small the baby was in a blanket their great grandmother made for them and most importantly...capturing the flood of emotions felt in the first weeks after a baby arrives.

What I want to give my clients is everything I would want as a mother myself. Photographing my clients as I would want a photographer to photograph for me. I want to give my clients a moment in their life to cherish forever.

While I do bring along baby hats/headbands, buckets, baskets and blankets...I ask my clients to also have out any meaningful blankets, hats or items that hold sentimental value. When I arrive at a client's home, I not only scout out the best areas that I would like to photograph in but I also keep an eye out for items in the home to use as props. The items I bring are cute, they're great but they won't hold meaning. They basically are just props...whereas using a bowl, basket, etc. from a client's home is what will give a picture meaning in 10+ years, not my props.

After writing all of the above, I can't fail to mention that there are a multitude of amazing photographers that create the most amazing images that have me in awe of their work. But, that is their work and style....it's what makes them the artist that they are. And trust me, there are a few photographers in my area that I am in complete awe of their newborn photography...like, images that take my breathe away with their skill in posing, use of props and how they create THEIR art. But, I will leave that art to them...and give them full credit as that is THEIRS. And not for me to recreate.

In the end, what is most important is that I give my client's what they hire me for...my photography and not a recreation of what they've seen by another artist. One thing I'll always say to a client is, "yes, I can do that but you won't see it on my blog, or website, because that isn't what I want to be hired for."

And, a huge honest disclaimer...I have been known to do recreations but in time I've learned that that isn't me. That isn't what makes me smile when I give clients their pictures.

It's only fair that all families looking to hire a photographer to capture a time in their life to hire someone that will capture what they want....whether it's my work or another photographers.

Below are images from sessions over the past couple years. There are pictures with props but all props found in client's homes and blankets that hold special meaning for the clients.

I don't schedule a lot of newborn sessions, and that's okay...I don't consider myself a newborn photographer. But I do love a session that captures those fleeting moments when a family welcomes their baby home within the first few weeks.