I met these little guys 9 months ago at their newborn session and I knew then what a wonderful family they have. I was excited when their mom reached out to do some updated 9 month old pictures. I’m glad we did these when we did as I can see they are already on the move! This felt like a true success getting 2 9 month olds to smile simultaneously. What a fun morning!
Double the Fun {Washington DC Family Photographer}
Photographer Tip: What can I do to prepare for my In-Home Newborn Photo Session {Washington DC Newborn Photographer
One of the things I find myself answering the most frequently is how people can prepare their homes for an in-home newborn photo session? When I take in home newborn photos I only use natural light. This comes up frequently in my Washington DC Newborn world because many of the homes here in Washington DC are row houses and therefore have only limited windows and light. However this is not a problem! We only need one well-lit room. Once you’ve decided on which room you’d like to focus on, there are a few things to keep in mind:
1. How do I prepare the room? The most important thing is to clear your surfaces of clutter. Yes, this means the remote control and your iPhone. This means random burp cloths and baby stuff as well. I know its hard to clean up with a newborn and this is why I always tell people do NOT clean up for me in the rest of your home. Just in the rooms you want pictures in. Spending a little time clearing away things results in much better images!
2. Time is of the essence. I’m happy to help tidy but that’s really not my expertise. Try and be as ready as you can when I get there. This is not the time to start reorganizing a room or hanging the nursery decorations on the wall.
3. What should parents wear? I know this is tough. You are in your past-partum body and do not have a lot of options. So let’s make this easy. Consider patterns and texture and clothes you're REALLY comfortable in. Shy away from things that need constant adjustments or wrinkle easily. Don't forget about accessories like scarves and jewelry. Please avoid clothes with words or logos for you and baby-these are distracting and the focus should be in your newborn. I find that neutral colors (grey, beiges, white) tend to photograph well and these are easy to match as well! Try and avoid all black tops or very bright colored tops (specifically reds, pinks, or oranges) as these will cast a color tint on the skin. As with all my photo sessions, I suggest applying more makeup than you usually wear (a little lip color goes a long way!) as the camera can wash people out a little. I also suggest dry hair.
4. What should baby wear? I keep this one very easy. I suggest dressing your small human in a plain white or neutral onesie with short sleeves or something else pretty simple. If outfits are too complicated, they get all bunched up and often make images look messy. Bright colors on baby or parents can cause the skin to look off so I'd suggest avoiding those as well.
5. What items should I have handy? A Neutral colored or white swaddle blanket, a pacifier, and a wet washcloth. Ideally the face is wiped from anything before I get there but just in case.
6. Can we include my dog? Of course! But at the end so if the dog is not calm, please prepare to have him in another room until we’re ready for him!
