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I met Liam’s parents, Pete and Jenna, for the first time at their maternity session back in April.  After meeting them, I knew right away that Liam was going to be one lucky little guy.  He’s been born into a house filled with so much love!  Born at just 6lbs and 1 oz, he was one teeny little guy to work with.  But he was  a great sleeper and oh so precious – I literally had to force myself to put the camera down to wrap up the session.  You can see why for yourself from the images below!
Oh, the sweet, sweet baby lips!
Little Liam was so compliant to all of the posing changes…some of them he even smiled about!

I was SO HAPPY when mom mentioned that she wanted a family shot.  Your baby will only be this small for about two blinks of an eye – these moments are so important to capture, and the connection between Daddy, Mommy and baby are so precious!
One of the questions I ask parents before a newborn session is if there is any sort of a theme to baby’s nursery.  It just so happened that Liam’s room has a safari theme, which thrilled me to no end as I had been looking for an excuse to get some little animal hats!  All of these hats are from Marti’s Creations, also known as my mom   My favorite is Liam the Lion!

I did not super-impose these words onto the image.  This is part of a gorgeous mural that Pete and Jenna put up in Liam’s room.  You can see a few of the leaves, but next to it is a big tropical tree.  It looks so cute with his jungle animal bedding, and the saying so appropriate to have directly above the crib!

Pete and Jenna – it has been such a joy capturing sweet memories for your family the past few months.  The time I’ve spent around you has been so much fun and I feel incredibly honored that you have invited me into your home to share these moments with you.  Liam is so very blessed to have such amazing parents!

All right – down to the nitty-gritty!

How much can I expect to spend on my newborn session?
Newborn session fees are $115 and a 50% deposit is required in order to hold your estimated session date.  Beyond this, there is a $100 print order minimum required within two weeks of your gallery being posted.  This makes the minimum you can expect to spend on your session $215, but chances are you can expect to spend closer to the $350 range.

How many images can I get for my $100 minimum order?
This completely depends on sizes, custom products and specialty items.  Prints start out at $6.99 for a 3×5 just to give you an idea.  If you’re on a budget, my suggestion is always to pick out frames before ordering, or decide ahead of time if you want a high-end product such as a canvas print or an album, before you order.  It’s easier to then focus on the items that are most important to you first!  Once you have placed your minimum order you are welcome to order additional prints at any time without the price increase (minimum orders placed further out than two weeks after your gallery is posted incure a 10% price increase).

What kind of specialty items do you offer?
Albums, cards, standouts, float wraps, canvas, fabric wall clings and albums are all some of the specialty products offered at Christina Ann Photography.  Due to the custom nature of these items it is hard to give a flat price.  If you have questions about ANY products, please ask so that a price quote can be given!  These items will be discussed with you prior to your ordering session.

I really want to send out announcements.  Do you sell these?
Absolutely!  Design AND sell them, actually.  Each newborn session comes with 25 flat birth announcements with envelopes, but you can order additional announcements for a discounted cost of $35 per set of 25 announcements.  Two styles will be created especially for you following your session, and you will be able to pick which birth announcement you prefer, as well as which images you would like to be included in them.  It’s just part of the joy of sharing your new little blessing with friends and family!

From start to finish, what is the paperwork/communication process for a newborn session?
First, contact me to book your session.  Once your deposit is paid, I will send you over any contracts and paperwork that needs signed, as well as a client info sheet to fill out so that I can get to know you a little better!  I also love in-person get-to-know-you session planning.  If you prefer to get together in-person before the session, please let me know and we will make it happen!  Why a contract?  This helps set expectations from the beginning and gives you the security that if I change my policies or privileges that come with a session before your session is held you are still able to get all benefits offered at the time that you booked your session.  It’s just insurance for you!  From this point on you will probably hear from me periodically throughout the rest of your pregnancy, mainly because I end up with such amazing clients that I just like to find out how you’re feeling and what’s going on!  I always invite people to put me on the “call list” for when you go into labor.  This will give me a good heads-up that your session will be soon!  As soon as baby is born you will need to contact me so that a session date can be scheduled.  Once we hold the session, you can expect your gallery to be up with-in about 3-4 days.  Once your gallery is up your minimum order needs to be placed within 2 weeks time to avoid the 10% increase in price.  Ordering can be done in-person (preferred) or via email, phone or internet.  If you are interested in any custom products I greatly recommend in-person.  Once your order is made you can expect to get your pictures within 2 weeks, but usually sooner.  Of course, if you have any questions at all during any point of this process, please, please, PLEASE contact me!  You’re never a bother!

My baby is adorable in every shot!  How do I decide which ones to order?  I want them all!
Don’t fret!  You will get ALL images from your gallery on a low-resolution and watermarked disc when your prints are delivered to you.  Not being able to order every print doesn’t mean not having a copy of it to look back on or share with others online!  While you cannot legally make prints off of this disc, it does give you a way to be able to view them all and share them with friends and family via computer.  If you want hard-copies of all of them, ask about proof prints – an affordable way to get a large amount of images.  Of course, if you want to order 20×30 canvas prints of every image, I won’t discourage you

Is what is presented to me in the gallery exactly what the final print will look like?
Not necessarily.  Depending on the size of the image you order, cropping may occur which may change the look of a picture a little.  Also, if you catch an imperfection or blemish that I did not, make sure to point it out to me so that I can fix it before the image is ordered!  If an image is shown to you in color and you would like it black and white, that can also be done prior to ordering.  Ask and it shall be given!  As a general rule, the coloring seeing on your computer monitor will probably vary a little from the color in the print that you receive.  This is simply a matter of monitor calibration.  You probably won’t notice the difference, but some people do mention that their images look slightly “washed-out” on computer.  Have no fear – your brightness and contrast on your screen is probably just at different settings than mine are, which means it is showing lighter and brighter on your screen than it will in print!

I have compiled a list of some of the questions I am most frequently asked pertaining to newborn sessions.  If I’ve left something out, be sure to leave me a comment at the bottom or send me an email – I’ll make sure it gets answered!

We have a due date, but really don’t know when exactly baby will arrive – so how do we go about booking a newborn session in advance?
This is probably the question that I get the most often!  It can be impossible to predict when the new little mister or miss will arrive, but that doesn’t mean you can’t plan in advance!  In fact, booking your session before baby is born is the best way to insure that I’ll be available to do your session.
In order to insure that each client gets 100% of my attention throughout the session, proofing and ordering process I limit the sessions that I take on to three per week max, but prefer to only two two sessions a week if at least one of them is a newborn session.  Waiting until your little one is born to book a session may mean that my schedule will already be full, which in turn means I may not be able to capture those newborn moments for you!
So how do you book in advance?  Simply pay your deposit to hold a tentative session date.  This date doesn’t even need to be decided.  I will go off of your due date and make sure that no more than one to two other session is booked the weeks surrounding your due date to insure that you will have my full attention during your newborn session!  You’re basically reserving a block of time – easy peasy!

When is the best time to hold a newborn session?
There really is a pretty small block of time when your baby will be in the sleep “through anything” phase.  Generally I require a newborn session to be held within the first 14 days of life, and the earlier the better!  This is the time when baby is still in their precious little curled up position from being in the womb, and it is a much easier process to pose and calm while they’re so sleepy.

What if baby comes early and needs some extra love time in the hospital – can we still do the session?
You betcha.  If baby comes early, just keep me updated on happenings and we will make baby’s scheduled session happen as soon as the doctors clears baby for visitors!

Are there any preparations that I need to do in advance for the session?
There’s nothing required, but well before the session is the best time to plan and personalize!  If you have specific items that you would like included in the session, or have an idea for images, we’ll want to discuss these things ahead of time.  If any items need to be specially made or purchased this will give us time to do so!

How long can I expect our session to last?
Newborn sessions generally take between 2-6 hours.  Yes, you read that correctly.  You’re welcome to kick me out at any time, but I won’t offer to leave until I feel we’ve been able to get enough images of your ‘lil pumpkin!

Really?  That long?  Why so long?!
One thing I have learned about newborns is that they don’t take directions well.  No, really, they don’t!  But they’re cute and teensy so we let them get away with it.  There’s just no predicting when baby will need to eat, be rocked back to sleep, changed or just need some snuggle time.  Posing is a very meticulous and time consuming process and multiple breaks will be needed inbetween shots to feed and calm baby.  Don’t stress!  This is PERFECTLY NORMAL, and baby needing to stop frequently won’t bother me a bit.  I bring my best dose of patience to newborn sessions!  This is a huge part of why newborn sessions cost more as well as why I will not schedule any additional sessions on the day of your session.  I don’t want you or me to feel rushed.  These are once in a lifetime shots and they deserve all the time in the world to be captured!  Besides, six hours with me is like a vacation.  My husband is so lucky, right?!

Who can be included in the newborn pictures?
Newborn sessions are meant as a time to focus on baby, but there are some extra people that should jump in!  Mom and dad are always welcome to participate in a few pictures – in fact, I encourage it.  I know that right after having a baby, getting in front of the camera can be the last thing that mommy (especially) wants to do.  We still don’t feel like “ourselves” and we’re so tired from the new routine of feedings.  But trust me, there is nothing so precious as these first few weeks of bonding with your little one and you’ll end up wishing you’d have captured some of these sweet moments on film.  Rest assured, I will capture you in the most flattering of angles, and my magic lens won’t even see the bags under your eyes.  And daddies – please get in on the action too!  There’s just nothing like seeing big, strong daddy with wee little baby.  A few sibling shots are welcome as well.  While energy cannot be put into getting a great deal of variety in family shots, you are welcome to ask for one or two to be taken to get baby with the whole family!

How many changes of clothing are allowed at the session and what kind of clothing should I bring for my little one?
There are no limitations to the number of clothing changes you can use in the session.  We are only limited by time!  However, my first suggestion is ALWAYS that we forgo most of the clothing and get baby in his/her most natural and perfect form.  Teeny little newborns tend to get lost in clothing and it’s much harder to capture baby’s little features when they’re hiding in clothing.  If you are completely uncomfortable with your little one being naked, please be sure to mention this before-hand.  And don’t worry about the modesty issue.  I would never present photos with anything showing that shouldn’t be!  Added bonus – keeping your child naked will provide you great entertainment when they soil the photographer.  It’s pretty much inevitable!  Of course, there are a few exceptions when I do encourage clothing to be in the shot.  If you have an heirloom clothing item, something that a grandparent/parent made or wore or a clothing item that symbolizes something important to the family then we’ll want to be sure to include it in some of the shots.

I see lots of props on the website.  Who provides those?
Great question.  Most props are provided by me.  I have a continually growing and changing collection of blankets, baskets, boxes, headbands, hats and more.  Props are chosen by myself before-hand specifically for your session, but if you’ve seen something on the website that you absolutely love be sure to let me know so that I can bring it!  I always encourage parents to let me know if there are any special items, family heirlooms or meaningful items that they would like included in their baby’s session.  These might include the outfit baby came home in, a blanket/piece of furniture/toy that has been passed down through the family or made by a loved one, an item that represents a parents profession or a memento of a loved one that has passed that you look forward to telling your little one about.  These are great touches in making your session personalized and meaningful for your family.

Hold up – all of your newborns have gorgeous baby skin.  My baby has some acne, has scratched his/her face and has some bruising/discoloration from birth.  Should we wait to hold the session?
Nope!  This is all part of normal baby life.  Editing of images is all included in the price of your session and print order, so any blemishes that need to be removed are done so at no extra charge.  Of course, if your little one has any unique birth marks that need to stay or you simply don’t want baby skin edited, let me know at our session so that I can make sure to present you with exactly what you want!

Is it best for me to stay by baby during the session?
Yes and no – a lot of this depends on baby and mommy and daddy’s personalities.  I certainly don’t mind mommy and daddy watching, but it can be a distraction IF baby smells mommy and just isn’t happy unless she picks him/her up OR if mommy and daddy have a tendency to be nervous and interrupt the posing process a lot.  If you know this is how you typically are, keep in mind that sticking around might keep us from getting as many shots!  Baby’s safety is ALWAYS my first priority and I will NEVER attempt a shot that needs additional help or supervision without these things being present.  If you’re worn out, feel free to take baby’s session as time to take a nap, pamper yourself, curl up with a good book or grab a bite to eat.  I promise to keep a close eye on baby and let you know if I need any assistance!

So how does a typical newborn session usually go?
I’m not really sure what “typical” means – each baby and situation is unique – but it will go something like this:
I will arrive at the agreed upon location (usually your house) with a van full of props.  You’ll think I’m moving in, but I promise, it’s really just backdrop and prop overload.  I always bring WAY more than needed, but I’d rather have variety than wish later on that I had brought something!  We’ll chat, make introductions and I’ll probably spend more time  than I should ooh-ing and ahh-ing over how adorable new baby is.  I can’t help myself.  Next I will unload and set up some of the back-drops and props that I want to use first (feel free to make requests!).  We’ll try to get any “must-have” shots that we’ve discussed first to insure that we get those before baby has had enough.  If you choose to stick around for the session, I will probably hand baby to you in-between shots and background changes.  Otherwise it is best to leave me with a bouncer so that baby has a safe place to lay while I’m setting up new props.  There will be a lot of me snuggling/holding/posing baby in between each shot.  It is completely normal to take 30 minutes to get a desired shot, so don’t let it worry you!  Baby tends to twitch and move a lot, so we have to bring our best dose of patience.  At some points baby will need to eat, so we can pause at any time that we need to for this to happen.  At some point baby will inevitably pee and or poo on me, the props or perhaps both.  Once again, perfectly normal.  I am prepared for it.  No, you will not be charged extra for anything that baby soils.  I’m using my props at my own risk and expect it.  If I’m smart I’ll have remembered to bring a change of clothes.  At some point you’ll have to eat and will probably feel obligated to offer me something.  Don’t be offended when I politely decline.  I never eat at sessions – I’m too busy being in the photography zone.  But don’t fear, I have a little extra meat on my bones and skipping a meal will certainly not hurt me.  If there are pictures with siblings these will probably be some of the first that we do.  Images with just mommy or daddy can be done at any point, but I usually prefer to do them near the end (this gives you time to prep yourself while I’m taking other shots).  I will let you know when I feel that we have gotten enough images and will start packing up.  Before I leave is a great time to discuss any specialty photography prints or products that you might be interested in so that I can give you some estimates before you start thinking about ordering.  After I leave we’ll all be exhausted and probably take a nap.  Well, you and baby will take a nap.  I’ll be too excited about getting home and getting right to editing your pictures!

Stay tuned…more questions will be answered tomorrow on Part 2 (you know…the fine detail “paperwork and money” stuff!)