Houston Newborn Photographer | Preparing for Baby’s Posed Studio Session

Hi there! Thank you for choosing me to document your baby’s first photos. As a professional photographer, I document newborns full time and have been doing so since 2013. Your baby is in great hands! Not only do I have 4 young kiddos myself, I have mentored under some amazing newborn artists, taken many newborn workshops, and have tons of experience in newborn safety, handling, posing, etc. I also use top of the line gear when it comes to my lenses, camera body, and custom built PC and the type of lighting I utilize.

The quality of your images is very important to me! This prep guide is helpful because posing a baby for two hours is much different than putting baby down for a nap at home. We must keep them slumbering through several set ups! I cannot thank you enough for entrusting me to document this time for you. I promise to handle your baby with love, care, and respect.

Designing Your Session: What You Can Expect

• I provide everything needed for your posed newborn session. Your session will be 2 hours long. The styling questionnaire ensures all your color preferences and favorite props are displayed.  

• If there is a personal item you'd like included in your session, let me know in advance and it’ll be worked into your session. Check out this blog post on how I incorporate props from home into your session. 

WHAT TO WEAR

• Children looks nice in dark jeans or khaki pants with a white t-shirt or neutral colored top. Dad looks nice in a light grey/white V-neck and jeans; Mom looks lovely in a maxi dress or a light colored tank top. Colors that photograph well are grey, white, cream, black, tan, lighter colors, etc. I use the wood wall in my studio for the family images and will also utilize the backlit white sheer curtains. I will wrap baby for the family portion so we may go straight into the session. Please avoid anything with a pattern. All photos are hip up to showcase baby. Nothing is full body. Mom – feel free to wear a pair of yoga pants if you like so you can be comfy

Studio policy on session start times and tardiness:

• Your newborn session begins at the time you have been given. Clients who are late by 30 minutes or more will automatically be rescheduled to the next available date and a new non-refundable retainer will be due to secure your appointment on the calendar. I highly recommend you check travel times a few days before your session so there are no surprises on the day of. The studio is located near Barker Cypress/290 so keep this in mind when traveling from other parts of Houston.

Sibling Studio Policy:

• It is studio policy that siblings aged 2 or under are asked to leave with Dad after the family portion. There is a park and many fast food options with an indoor playground around the corner, which is about ½ mile away. Your session will be anywhere from 1-2 hours long and while young toddlers add much joy and spirit to life, we need the studio to be calm.

BEFORE YOU ARRIVE:

• From experience, babies that have been asleep prior to arrival are very difficult to pose. If baby has been sleeping, they often will not cooperate. To encourage this I highly recommend stimulating the baby at least two hours before your scheduled arrival. A warm bath always does the trick. The bath also makes sure their hair is clean and fluffy for the session. Clean hair photographs beautifully!

• This also means keeping them awake during the car ride here and refrain from feeding 2 hours before arrival as well {if possible}. Play with their feet, tickle their toes, talk to them - I promise it is well worth it!

•  Please dress baby in loose fitting clothes to avoid lines on their skin. A sleeper outfit is best. We want to avoid anything that must be pulled over baby’s head. I also request a pacifier for baby. I understand not every mama uses a pacifier so I respect your parenting wishes. A pacifier, however, helps soothe baby for the prop shots.

• Please bring additional diapers for baby and formula if you're bottle feeding. It's always best to be over-prepared than be in the middle of a session and have nothing to feed baby. Baby is happy with a full tummy!

Keeping in mind these instructions will most certainly give you a well- prepped baby. In return we’ll be able to maximize the time you have in the studio with plenty photos so for that reason please do not underestimate and risk how well your baby sleeps after a feeding. We need your bundle of joy to be tired and a bit hungry. I know it will be hard, atop of your own sleep deprivation but I promise you, it will be well worth the effort. Your gallery will be amazing. I promise!

Once You Arrive at the studio:

• Once you arrive you will feed your baby right away, once burped, we will then start preparing him/her for their session, meaning any and all clothing must be taken off, except for the diaper.
• I'll have the temperature set to 77 degrees, white noise on, and I'll have everything set up & ready to go for our time together. 
• Family, parent and sibling photos take first followed by Baby as the star.

DURING YOUR SESSION:

• If you are comfortable pumping a bottle for baby, I highly recommend doing so. This allows us to begin the session immediately and ensure we hit all the poses, props, and setups within the allotted time coverage. If you do prefer to nurse baby, however, let me know so I can bring you in half an hour early so we begin/end the session on time. In no way do I want to cause you any stress so this is just a tip, nothing more. I understand the breastfeeding experience is very delicate and I respect your wishes.
• If you do not pump, you can also formula feed baby just for this session. Breast-milk doesn’t keep our babies fuller longer so choosing to formula feed for the session, will not only be a little easier for you but it will keep them asleep longer during the handling and posing for a scene. Moms, please just be advised, it’s just a recommendation so if you choose to do neither, it’s completely okay. As a newborn photographer, I feel it’s my duty to offer any advice or tips that you as a parent can use to maximize the time we have in the studio and in return you’ll be able to showcase and display more than the average number of baby photos! I have four young children myself so I understand the way you feed baby is very personal and important to your family. 
• Feel free to sit back and relax. I won’t need any assistance so take advantage of this time to rest. Feel free to bring a tablet or laptop to catch up on work or even take a nap. Also feel free to bring a snack or drink with
• Think of me as your baby sitter. I am very comfortable working with newborns and really enjoy my time with them. Don't worry is baby goes potty or spits up on anything; everything is cleaned and sanitized after each session so no worries! 
• Always feel like you can ask a question. I am an open book and if you're ever curious about a pose or why baby is in a certain position, I am happy to explain. I want you to feel comfortable during our time together. Your comfort is very important to me. :-) 
• Please do not take DSLR photography during our time together. You will have access to all of the best shots and if a parent is standing behind me with a camera, I cannot work efficiently. I will need all of allotted time for the session. 
• While I do my best to ensure you receive each set up that comes in your session, sometimes baby dislikes a pose or set up. In this case, I replace the missed pose/set up with something else that baby prefers. If we've spent 10 minutes or more one set up and baby is crying, I will move on because I do not want to sacrifice the whole session for the sake of one pose. It's important to remember babies are little people, too, and have their own autonomy. 

AFTER YOUR SESSION:

•  2 weeks after your session, your final edits are completed. I retouch sessions in the order in which they’re photographed. Kindly note I do not edit or release any sneak previews until your final balance has been paid. The two week timeline does not begin until your final invoice has been fulfilled.

• There is a $30/day late fee (per your contract) for invoices that remain unpaid. Your final balance is due the day before the session. Late fees are added to your final invoice daily. If you would prefer to pay by check, let me know in advance.

• Please note, per my contract and studio policy, I have final say on which images make the gallery and how they’re edited. You will see the best images from each portion of our session together. If you have an editing request, they are subjected to a custom quote. While I will clean up baby’s skin, I do not remove every single imperfection because then the baby no longer looks like themselves. I leave a few flakes here and there; I also will remove a majority of redness and baby acne but as noted, it is my discretion.

If you have any questions about this prep guide, please notify me immediately. I truly want you to have an amazing portraiture experience! I know this can feel like a lot of information at once and I do not want to overwhelm you, however, I also want you to know that newborn photography is an art and often requires some prepping for the session. :-) I have a lot of experience working with newborns and I am committed to giving you a great session! These photos are once in a lifetime, so this is why you have received such a detailed prep guide so you may have these fantastic portraits to treasure. I cannot tell you how much I adore looking back at my own children's photos and am very happy to have invested in beautiful newborn photography.

All my joy and warmth to you,

Sarah

Sample photos of what you may expect: 

Father and Newborn Photography Posing

Mom and Newborn Photography Posing

Parent Posing during Family Portion of Studio Newborn Session

First Floor Prop on Rustic Wood Floors

Cozy, Sweet Wrapping is next

Second Floor Prop 

Third Floor Prop

Potato Sack Pose

Tootsie Wrap

Naked Bean Bag Posing (included in petite and full newborn collections)

Sarah Borchgrevink Photography is a Houston Newborn Photographer specializing in gorgeous posed newborn sessions. Her studio is located in Northwest Harris County. In addition to breathtaking baby portraiture, Sarah also offers stylish natural light family photography as well as dynamic outdoor maternity sessions for expecting mothers and couples. Sarah joyfully serves the entire Harris and Montgomery county areas including Houston, Cypress, Tomball, Spring, The Woodlands, Kingwood, Memorial & West Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland, Richmond, West University and Rice Village.

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How to Incorporate Client Props into your Houston Newborn Session

Houston Newborn Photographer, Sarah Borchgrevink Photography, specializes in the custom art of posed baby portraits and serves the entire Houston area. Here are some fun ways to incorporate clients props into your studio sessions.

Seamlessly Add Client Props into your session flow

Greetings, friends! Happy Sunday to you! Today in Houston the weather is absolutely beautiful and we have temperatures in the 60's, wow! That's essentially winter for us, ha! However, this morning I am at my desk catching up on print orders, contracts, e-mails and blog posts. I have an adorable little boy coming to my studio in a few hours for a family + newborn session so I am looking forward to that part of my day. Today's blog post is going to chat about what's included in a newborn session and how you can add parent props into your workflow seamlessly while being on task with your time.

Parent props are a common request. Oftentimes, there is an heirloom item, such as quilt or wedding ring, that mom and dad would like added into to their session. They also may have had a cute knitted hat a co-worker made them or maybe even a blanket grandma crocheted just for their little darling. While I do provide everything for your session and style the images so they're classic and timeless, I allow a few outside props in to add a bit of spunk to your sessions. I ask parents to please limit the number of props to about 3 since we must hit all your other set ups in the time allotted for our time together. 

Introducing Ava 

Sweet baby girl Ava visited my Houston Newborn Photography Studio when she was just over a month old. She arrived earth side early and with Hurricane Harvey, scheduling was a little bit hectic. However, her sweet parents booked a wrapped mini session with me, which is what I recommend for newborns who are a little older. While full time babies have their session at 14 days or newer, for babies who make their entrance into the world earlier than expected and perhaps spend some time in the NICU, I will go a little further in age to accommodate NICU stays. 

The wrapped mini includes the following:

WRAPPED MINI NEWBORN COLLECTION | $450 + TAX

One hour studio session featuring cozy, beautifully wrapped newborn images with full styling provided by Sarah. Please note this session does not include naked bean bag posing. Includes (2) family poses, (1) pose of Mom with Baby, (1) pose of Dad with baby, (3) unique styles of gorgeous wrapping, (2) floor props such as bucket/bowl/crate, flokati rug set up, and macro images up close details such as lips, eyelashes, toes, hands, etc. 20 retouched high resolution digital files are delivered to you via digital download + released printing rights, as well as (3) 5x7" deep matte professional prints of your choice. Black & white conversions of each image are also included. See the three styles of cozy newborn wrapping I always implement in these sessions. See a full gallery of a wrapped newborn mini session. Please note these do include family photos for parents who choose to do so but there is no obligation or discount if you choose to not utilize the family images. This is simply a perk I offer to clients and it has no monetary value.

Darling Fox Hat during Potato Pose

The potato pose is one of my favorite parts of the session because baby is wrapped to perfection in an organic textured wrap, often one of the softest quality. I love the way their little hands are tucked delicately beneath their chins and they sleep so sweetly! This is a great spot to incorporate a prop the parents brought from home because you can easily swap items out such as hats, wraps, flokati rugs, etc. This allows you to stay within your time limits, but also incorporate the parents items. I truly believe each parent should have the newborn images of their dreams! By being flexible and kind to your clients, you exhibit great customer service skills and still maintain the authenticity of your brand. It costs nothing to be kind. Always go the extra mile. :-) 

All tucked in with grandma's blanket

If grandma has created a knit or crochet blanket for little one, a great set up to add these items into your posed newborn session is during a tucked in shot. For Ava, I used an adorable rustic crate and added the soft baby pink hat and matching blanket in here. Like potato pose, listed above, this is a wonderful way to make your client happy and ensure they love their gallery.

Check out more highlights from Ava's wrapped newborn session

Sarah Borchgrevink Photography is a Houston Newborn Photographer specializing in gorgeous posed newborn sessions. Her studio is located in Northwest Houston. In addition to breathtaking baby portraiture, Sarah also offers stylish natural light family photography as well as dynamic outdoor maternity sessions for expecting mothers and couples. Sarah joyfully serves the entire Harris and Montgomery county areas including North Houston, Cypress, Tomball, Spring, Jersey Village, The Woodlands, Magnolia, Conroe, Willis, Montgomery, Humble, Kingwood, Porter, New Caney, Waller, Memorial & West Houston, Katy, Fulshear, Sugar Land, Pearland, Hempstead, Richmond, West University, Rice Village and Porter TX. Connect to chat with Sarah today! Please consider booking your session at your earliest convenience in order to secure your appointments on the calendar.

Here's where sarah is located

 

Candid & Natural Photography | The Tiny Tribe of Wild Women

My philosophy on letting my kiddos be little and embracing the spirit of the Tiny Tribe of Wild Women

Everyday Happenings With Emma, Lucy, and Amelia

“So let them be little, cause they’re only that way for a while.
Give them hope, give them praise, give them love, every day.
Let em cry, let em giggle, let them sleep in the middle.
Oh, just let them be little”

— Songwriters: Billy H. Dean / Richie Mcdonald

Hi, friends! Today's blog post talks about how I started my photography journey and the inspiration I find in my daily life, how I apply this to my own portraiture work, and why I enjoy using a more candid and natural photography style to preserve my little ones in the most authentic manner.

Welcome! If this is your first time visiting my blog, you should you know I do specialize in posed newborn photography, however, I work often with my own little ones and photograph them in our everyday lives. My kiddos are what started me on my photography journey which has eventually developed from a small hobby to a thriving business in which I am the breadwinner for my family.

Over the years, my husband, Kevin, and I have welcomed three little girls into our home! Emma is our eldest, who is 7, followed by Lucy, 3, and Amelia, 1, who will be 2 in December, though, so I am looking forward to that birthday milestone! We're also really excited to announce we're having a little boy, Jack, in December so stay on the look out for fun newborn and family photos once he arrives, ha! 

As time has passed, Emma, Lucy and Amelia's personalities have truly flourished and we've started called the gaggle of red headed girls the "Tiny Tribe of Wild Women", lol! Yes. We even have had a sign made for their playroom (seen below). 

Why they're called the tiny tribe of wild women

Emma, Lucy and Amelia are certainly modern women who do not have meager, quiet, or meek personalities. A few words I would use to describe them are perhaps: spirited, lively, ardent, courageous, vivacious, and truly remarkable. As parents, my husband and I celebrate their personalities and really enjoy raising them. For example, my spouse is the stay at home parent while I work full time, so there are often days I come home to dance parties and lots of dresses and glitter, ha! Kevin is a great sport and awesome daddy. He is always up for a trip to the park, baking cookies, or painting toe nails. He is also the ultimate story reader and puts extra bubbles in the tub because that's what makes life interesting, right? Who needs a bath without bubbles? 

When photographing my children, I embrace their spirit and will document their everyday lives candidly. My children don't respond well to sitting quietly or being told they must wear a fancy gown and sit perfectly still and smile. This simply is not who they are and part of having their photos taken is preserving their childhood. 

Love letters to my children

I am taking everyday, natural, and candid photos for my little ones. These are for them to have when they're older, it is my love language. This is my gift to them: albums and prints and canvases showing them as they are, allowing them to be their own people, and showing the journey as they grow. Life is not perfect. Nothing is ever going to be precise (unless you're doing math problems, but that's another blog post, ha!). By allowing them to be who they are, it removes expectations that are unnatural for them and also will be a connection to our past. I adore looking through older images of them and sometimes it makes me a little sad because it's not until a milestone has passed do you realize how precious it is.

As parents, we're sometimes so focused on what's next, what our children will accomplish next, we forget to see the everyday beauty right in front of us. Photographing them in their everyday moments, the simple truth in our daily lives, will forever preserve this sacred time. I know I will miss them being small. I distinctly remember crying the day my eldest went to kindergarten. She stepped onto the bus, waved goodbye to me, and the doors shut. I looked at my husband, in a complete panic, and said, "We have to follow her. I don't even know the bus driver! Who let's their child in a vehicle with someone they don't know?" Of course, these milestones are harder on me than them and by having many everyday images of them, it it truly wonderful to look back on their lives and celebrate them.

I also must note: a yearly family photo shoot is a must. Once a year, I do like to have professional family photos taken and I would never discount the beauty in this type of photography. However, one photography session a year is not enough to capture who they are as they do change very quickly.

Having young children inspires my own family portraiture work because it teaches me patience and how to engage with others without being intrusive. It also shows me that mothers will relish in those precious, candid images and enjoy looking back on them. It's totally nice to have 3-4 images in which your whole family is smiling at the camera, but it's also okay to have more natural images, too. There is a balance. I tell parents to not worry: we always do the more posed images first and then we play, have fun, and I give you many tips on interacting with your children. 

Here are some of my favorite everyday happenings from November.

Sarah Borchgrevink Photography is a Houston Newborn Photographer specializing in gorgeous posed newborn sessions. Her studio is located in Northwest Houston. In addition to breathtaking baby portraiture, Sarah also offers stylish natural light family photography as well as dynamic outdoor maternity sessions for expecting mothers and couples. Sarah joyfully serves the entire Harris and Montgomery county areas including North Houston, Cypress, Tomball, Spring, Jersey Village, The Woodlands, Magnolia, Conroe, Willis, Montgomery, Humble, Kingwood, Porter, New Caney, Waller, Memorial & West Houston, Katy, Fulshear, Sugar Land, Pearland, Hempstead, Richmond, West University, Rice Village and Porter TX. Connect to chat with Sarah today! Please consider booking your session at your earliest convenience in order to secure your appointments on the calendar.