Occasionally folks want their newborn photos taken entirely outdoors. Outdoor portrait sessions will be scheduled as close to sunrise or sunset as possible (this Is called the "Golden Hour"). On sunny days the couple hours after or leading up to the sunset/rise are when the light Is PRIME for photo taking! Photo sessions midday on a sunny day can present a number of obstacles for me (shadows, squinty eyes, colors are off, etc.). Overcast days have more flexibility, but since we can't predict what the weather will be ahead of time I always aim for that golden hour time frame.

For indoor sessions we DON'T need to worry about the golden hour - later In the morning or afternoon will work great, and sometimes better as Indoors has less light and we will want that later-in-the-day sunlight advantage. It's hard to predict when baby will be most content this early on in their life, so think about what works best for YOU the parents - allow yourself to sleep in and take your time getting ready. Typically late morning is a great time for newborn sessions!

IT DOESN'T MATTER. I swear on my life, it doesn't matter. I have take newborn photos anywhere from a field to a 2 bedroom apartment to a fancy studio to a million dollar mansion and they were ALL beautiful! All I really need is natural light, so if your home has windows we'll be just fine. ;-p I know how to utilize a space to create beautiful photos, and I love the challenge of making an unassuming space look amazing.

Absolutely! If you are super adamant about not wanting to use your home, renting a studio space is always an option. There are a ton of really beautiful studio spaces in the Twin Cities area, and many are furnished to accommodate a lifestyle newborn session. Studio fees vary, but most range from $75-$150 an hour and have a 2 hour minimum. If this is the route you'd like to go I can give you a list of suggestions and once we decide I will reach out to secure the space. The fee will be added to your invoice for you to pay upon booking.

Shove everything into a closet and close the door! LOL! I know life with a new baby can be a LOT, I would never expect you to stress yourself out trying to prep for photos. While every home is different based on lighting, the spaces we typically use are the living room, the nursery, and the master bedroom. If you can have at least these spaces picked up that would be great! And nobody will EVER know if you shoved everything under the bed. ;-p A good rule of thumb is to remember that whatever is sitting out has a potential to end up in the photo, so if you don't want it in the picture tuck it away.

Plan to feed your baby right before I arrive so that their belly is full and they are content. Before feeding, have them in the outfit they will be starting off with so that you don't have to disturb them after with a wardrobe change. Keep a burp cloth or bib covering them until we are ready to start to avoid any spit-up getting on their clothes. Babies also hate to be cold so keep that in mind - you may need to turn the heat up a bit or close off anything drafty to prep for the session. And finally, take a warm cloth and wipe off baby's face to remove any crusties or leftover milk.

I'll have more tips on what to wear below, but for baby specifically think "Less is more." Babies do NOT like to be fussed with, they just want to be comfortable. Plan for them to be in one, maybe two outfits total. Any more changes than that and we run the risk of really pissing them off, ha.

Nope! My approach is simple and more documentary style, which means I don't add in anything that isn't already there. If there are certain things YOU would like to incorporate into your photos then you can absolutely have those on hand! Some people have sentimental things like a quilt, stuffed animal, hand-knitted shoes, etc. they'd like to include. Telling me in advance your intentions and ideas will help me prep so that day-of I can be prepared to create great photos.