fresh 48 session welcome guide

Hello! I am so excited for our Fresh 48 session! I look forward to photographing your family and baby’s first moments! Our session will be baby-led which will allow us to have a laid-back approach during our session.

your images:

My goal during our session is to capture your family and your beauty in a naturalistic way with light posing. I believe in the power of storytelling through photography and using different perspectives and variety. I will be photographing your baby alone in the bassinet as well as with your family, in a way that documents this special time of caring and being with your fresh, new, beautiful baby.

location:

Fresh 48 sessions take place at the child’s birth place, often the hospital or in the family’s home. We will use the available window light in your hospital room and I will use different elements and perspectives to tell the story of your baby’s first few moments. I will likely move items in the hospital room that do not add to the story, however, I suggest leaving items that are related to your newborn such as flowers and gifts and I aim to include them in the image frame.

time:

The natural light is usually best during late morning around 9:30 or 10:00 am. We will turn off overhead/fluorescent light and work with window light. If your baby is born in the evening, I can come as soon as the following morning, depending on your comfort level.

TEMPERATURE:

Keep the temperature in your room a little warmer than you typically would. Some of the images of your Fresh 48 session include your baby wearing just a diaper so we want your baby to be warm, relaxed and comfortable.

feeding:

Please plan to feed your baby about 30 minutes prior to our session. A full and sleepy baby will help the baby stay relaxed for our session. If baby gets hungry again during the session we can take a feeding break, having the baby lead the session.

length of session:

We will allocate about 1 hour for the fresh 48 session, which should give us enough time for some documentary and family images.

what to wear:

for the baby: we will focus on simple shots of your baby in just a diaper and/or a plain white onesie at the beginning of the session, as well as any clothing you would like the baby to wear during their hospital stay. We will focus most on the baby with the hospital blanket, hat, and being held by family but I am happy to photograph your baby in an outfit of your choosing. When choosing your baby’s outfit, fitted newborn clothing tends to photograph better than baggy, loose clothing.

for you: If you are able to move around, pick an outfit that allows you to remain comfortable and feels natural to you. It's helpful to pick 2-3 colors and coordinate outfits around those colors, without being "matchy matchy". Keep in mind that the main focus is on your beautiful new baby so there is no need to go overboard with planning outfits - leave that for your in-home lifestyle newborn session ;-) It might be best to stay away from too many textures or patterns and clothing with large logos or distracting photos-remember we want the focus to be on your baby. Feel free to add pops of color, however be mindful that bold colors may color cast onto the baby. I would encourage you to not all dress the same (i.e., white shirt and khaki pants) because you are your own and we want that to show in these photos!

Head over to my Pinterest Board for complimenting outfit ideas.

props:

I will not be posing your newborn baby in unnatural positions and I do not bring props to my sessions. I am happy to use available blankets, hospital items, and your hospital room as the “props”. I am there to photograph your baby and family during your fresh 48 session, so your baby will likely be the “prop” in some of the images.

your children (if applicable):

It might be a good idea to let your child(ren) know that a friend will be coming to take some photos and play so that they are not surprised when I get there. We will aim to photograph the larger family photos at the beginning of the session, to ensure the sibling is interested. I have found that the best photos happen when natural moments unfold, so if the sibling needs to leave the area, we will allow them to leave and come back when he or she is ready. Please be mindful of your older child’s eating and nap schedule when planning for our session. If your older child does get hungry during the session, dry and non-messy snacks are ideal and a little easier to keep those faces clean.

please plan to be ready to start on time:

It is important that we start on time because we will be working with available light.

I am excited to capture you and your loved ones!

Here’s a link to the Fresh 48 Gallery and Frequently Asked Questions.

Please let me know if there are any additional questions you may have.

See you soon!

-Tabitha
678-961-4986