Happy Birthday Lennox and Rowan!

“His name is CHEEKSTER. His middle name is Lennox!” - Rowan, age 4

One of my favorite phone calls is from previous clients who are ready to update their family portraits. ❤️

Meet Rowan, newborn 2018

Last August I received a phone call from Meghann with the wonderful news that they were expecting their second baby in December. I remembered doing their newborn session for their daughter Rowan 4 years earlier, so I was excited to capture their little boy when he arrived. 

At the time we did Rowan's session, I was still a part time photographer, working on the weekends to accommodate my full time work schedule. When Meghann called I was just about a year into working as a full time luxury portrait photographer, so this was a great opportunity to show a previously happy client an even more elevated experience. 

I was also really grateful that she booked early, especially since the new addition was scheduled to arrive right before Christmas. Calling well in advance gave me plenty of time to be sure the studio schedule could fit them in whether he arrived early or late. Nothing is more disappointing for expecting parents than to call to book a newborn session only to find out there aren't any openings! That's probably my top tip when planning your newborn portraits - book as early as you can, even months in advance. No newborn photographer will ever tell you that you're calling too early, but you definitely can be too late. If your due date is imminent, or your baby has already arrived, it may be impossible to find availability. 

Designing with the end in mind

While I offered wall art and other printed products for my sessions four years ago, now the portrait experience includes full In Home Styling and Design Consultations. This in person appointment is where we collaboratively expand on the dreams you have for your portrait session. I always have two goals for this 90 minute session: first to identify places in your home where you would love to enjoy framed portraits, and second to shop your closets and guide you to the best wardrobe selections for every member of the family. 

Since I'd done their last newborn session, I was totally aware of the color palette we chose, and I knew what framed pieces she wanted to compliment. Meghann had picked out her own dress before I arrived, so my work was to choose items for Dad Brendan and Big Sis Rowan. While we were working, Rowan very politely informed me that she "would like a purple dress please!" Immediately I knew I had just the thing in my collection of little girl gowns - a lavender floor length dress with a beautiful tulle skirt. 

I captured pictures of the spaces where they wanted to hang new portraits and pre-designed several options for them to choose from.

Lennox makes his arrival

Baby brother Lennox decided to make momma wait 5 extra days before making his debut. When Meghann called to let me know he was here, not only was I excited, but I started thinking he was born awfully close to his Big Sister's birthday. If you can believe it, they now share the SAME birthday, just two days before Christmas. Even more ironic is that we ended up doing their portrait sessions on exactly the same date four years apart!

The night before their session I pulled out all the coordinating furs, backdrops, wraps, props, and beanbag fabrics to perfectly blend with Rowan's newborn portraits. Meghann's dress would be sage green, and Rowan's special request purple dress was ready to go. What was special about Rowan asking for purple is that Meghann chose purple for the dress she wore in the family portraits at Rowan's newborn session. Did Rowan know that, or was it serendipity? Who knows!

I put together several combinations of blues and greens for the newborn setups, as well as some neutral tones to balance it out. One advantage to hiring the same photographer year over year is the ability to bring color harmony and a cohesive feel to portraits taken even several years apart.

Session day!

Meghann had her hair and makeup done early on the day of the session, and then the whole family arrived at the studio. After Lennox had a quick feeding, I got to work wrapping him up so we could get started. Newborns love to be wrapped and swaddled, and it wasn't long before he was pretty much asleep, making him a very willing portrait subject. 

Because we'd pre-designed for Meghann and Brendan's walls, I knew what I needed to capture to fill those frames. We worked quickly through each setup, capturing a variety of expressions, swapping in and out hats, props, and wraps to create a beautiful gallery. 

I like to work in some sibling poses whenever I can. Sometimes we are on borrowed time with newborns, so being efficient and pre-planning the session really makes a big difference. 

Before we moved on from the blue wraps to the greens, I quickly had Dad put Rowan in a blue dress that perfectly complimented this set. Sometimes a vision just comes to me and I have to run with it!

I love how the greens in this showcase image tie in perfectly with the greens we used in Rowan's session. This gave us lots of options in choosing the final images for their wall art, since we knew they would look beautiful if they were displayed next to each other. 

Bringing it all together

Meghann had purchased a collage frame for Rowan, an item I no longer specifically carry. It was important to her that we create a matching piece for Lennox, and I was happy to oblige. This is where the attention to detail from one session to the next, and the in-depth preplanning we do becomes essential. 

A newborn session is the perfect time to capture new family portraits, and feature all the new relationships the family has. I absolutely adore it when the older siblings are engaged and involved. Rowan loved looking after her baby brother and was just so perfect in the studio. Any time Lennox made a peep, Rowan would come right in to check on her baby brother and make sure he was OK! Adorable!

After their session, Rowan proudly told me her baby brother's name is CHEEKSTER, and only his middle name was Lennox! Well played my young friend, I think you nailed it!

The end result - Gorgeous Cohesive Wall Art!

Top Tips for Choosing a Newborn Photographer:

Are you or someone you know expecting soon? Here's a checklist of things to consider when hiring a maternity and newborn photographer. 

• Book early, weeks or even months ahead of your due date. Avoid disappointment due to lack of scheduling availability.

• Ask how much experience they have. While newer photographers may be more available or more affordable, consider that once the newborn stage is passed, you can't go back for a reshoot.

• Newborn safety should be a top priority. How much experience they have ties into how comfortable they are handling newborns. It's OK to inquire about how they were trained or how they learned to operate in this genre.

• What type of studio do they use? Retail studio or a home studio? Either option is perfectly fine and both are common. Regardless, is it in a safe area, is it clean, and will you be comfortable there?

• Do you like the style of portraits the photographer produces? If you really want wrapped and posed portraits, but the photographer's website or social feeds show lifestyle images, you may not be a good fit for each other.

• What is the output of the session (small prints, wall art, albums, digital files), and does that match your goals?

• How much of an investment are you willing to make? There are photographers for every budget, but only you will know if the estimated expense balanced with all the above points will work for you.

• Consider using the same photographer for maternity and newborn sessions so that images from both sessions can flow cohesively in an image collection or album. This is also a great time to be sure you like working with that photographer before entrusting them with your newborn baby.