When should my newborn session take place? Lifestyle newborn sessions typically take place when the baby is between 2 and 8 weeks old, but can be as late as 12 weeks. Until 2 weeks, the newborn is typically sleeping most of the time. After 2 weeks, we can capture the newborn while they are both sleeping and awake. At 8 weeks and afterwards, the baby is typically smiling and more alert; this is my absolute favorite time to photograph babies (though photos taken during this phase are not considered “newborn” photos)!

Where will the session be located? Sessions most often take place within your home. Lifestyle newborn shoots are all about capturing the natural relationship between the baby and their new family, within the comfort of their home environment. Please Note: For locations outside of Manhattan and Brooklyn, there is an additional travel fee that is calculated after you submit the Booking Inquiry Form with information about your preferred location for the shoot.

What time will the session take place? We will decide together the best time for your shoot. I typically do newborn shoots in the late morning (from around 10am-12pm) - it is a good time for both the newborn, and often for the indoor light (although it may depend on which direction the windows face in your home).

How do we prepare for the session? If possible, please feed your newborn approximately 30 minutes before I arrive for the session (and please make sure that any older siblings who are also being photographed have eaten before I arrive). Once I arrive at your home, I will walk around to find the room(s) with the best lighting. I often photograph clients in their living rooms, in the nursery and in the bedroom. For photographs in the bedroom, it is preferable for you to have a blanket or duvet that is white, ivory or pastel. Busy patterns and bright colors can distract from the newborn. We will want to remove clutter in the spaces in your home where we will be photographing. If it's possible to do this in advance of the shoot, that's great, but I am more than happy to help do this when I arrive at your home.

For newborn sessions with toddler siblings, it can be helpful for you to have your toddler practice holding their new sibling in advance of the session. I can send you some poses to practice (i.e. toddler holding newborn on the bed, toddler lying next to newborn on the bed, toddler, kissing the newborn on the bed).

What should we wear to the session? After you book your session, I will send you my style guide with ten tips to help you prepare coordinated outfits for you and your family. The guide includes color palettes, numerous images from sessions with me, recommendations for where you can buy or rent clothing and links to some specific recommended items.

I also encourage you to consult with me about clothing at any point between the time that you book your session and our session date. Feel free to email me photographs of clothes that you are considering for you or your family members - I love helping you to make decisions! You can either send me links to the clothing you’re considering purchasing or renting online, or photos you’ve taken on your phone of clothing you already have.

How long will my shoot take? Newborn sessions typically last around two hours, but they might last a little longer deepening on the newborn’s feeding and changing needs during the session. If we do the session during the first 2 weeks of life, the newborn will likely be sleeping for most or all of the shoot.

How should I prepare my home for our in-home session? To help you feel supported in preparing for in-home sessions, I have created an In-Home Session Prep Guide with six tips to help you prepare your home and your family for in-home sessions. I will email you the guide after you book your session. Please keep in mind, however, that if you do not have time to prepare your home (or to even read the guide!), that is absolutely fine. I will help you arrange your home when I arrive for your session.

When do I pay for my session? When we have set a date for your shoot, I will send you a link requesting that you pay the $300 deposit required to secure your session date and time. At the same time, I will send you a link to sign my standard client agreement. Both the deposit and signed agreement are required to book. Immediately after your session, I will send you an invoice for the remaining $650 balance for your session, due within three days of your session. There is a $200 rebooking fee for sessions that are rescheduled within less than 24 hours notice. For sessions cancelled within 24 hours, the $300 deposit is nonrefundable.

How do I pay for my session? You can pay for the deposit and balance with a credit card via a link that I will send you on a platform called ShootProof. You can also Venmo me if you prefer.

What if I need to cancel my shoot? You may reschedule a session once without charge as long as it is no less than seven days before the shoot, and not within 24 hours of the session. In this case, your deposit will be transferred towards the new session date. If you reschedule a second time, your deposit will not be refunded, and you will need to pay a new deposit if you would still like to shoot.

When will I receive my images? Retouched digital images in JPEG format will be available within 2-4 weeks of your session. You can access them via a Shootproof.com link that I will send to you.