When looking for a newborn photographer, this should absolutely be your first question.  A lot of popular newborn poses and images are quite dangerous if executed incorrectly.  There are currently no formal regulations in place for determining whether a photographer is qualified to photograph newborns; Anyone can self-proclaim to be an expert.  It is very important to ensure your photographer has had formal training in safely posing and handling a newborn in a safe studio environment.  In addition to almost a decade of experience specializing in newborn photography, I have taken several online courses in safe posing and studio practices as well as in-person workshops and mentoring.  I keep the studio very warm and clean to provide a comfortable environment for your newborn.  I always utilize a spotter in the studio (typically mom or dad), and when incorporating popular upright poses, the baby is never left unsupported.  I am very proficient in photoshop and often use composite techniques to merge images together and remove supportive hands from the frame.

I have trained and mentored under several highly qualified newborn photographers and have 9 years of experience in the field of newborn photography.  I am also a certified professional photographer through the PPA (Professional Photographers of America).  I have a bachelor's degree in fine art with a focus in painting.  I taught middle school art for 6 years where I spent a lot of time painting and photographing as a hobby artist.  When my second child was born in 2015, I quit teaching to stay home with my kids and pursue newborn photography. 

Booking early is always preferred to ensure there is availability in my calendar, but we can typically accommodate a short notice session as well.  Newborn sessions are typically done when baby is between the ages of 6 and 21 days, however I have photographed newborns as old as 2 months in the traditional newborn style.  After that age, baby's are typically too alert, and not flexible enough for the traditional newborn poses. Milestone sessions work better for babies over 2 months. 

I recommend wearing solid (not patterned) colors in the same color family for the family portion of your session. The focus of the image should be about the baby and the emotional connection between the family.  Busy patterns and bold bright colors will draw the attention away from the baby.  If you plan to print the photos to display in your home, you can also choose colors and tones based on the color schemes in your home. Neutral tones, Earth tones, jewel tones, or pastel tones are all great options, depending on your family's style and preferences.  I have a collection of outfits, wraps, bonnets, and headbands as well as everything else needed for newborns.  I also have several outfits available for milestone and cake smash sessions. 

A proofing gallery of unedited photos will be emailed to you within 48 hours after your session. You will select your favorite images from the proofing gallery for editing. Final images will be ready 1-2 weeks after your selections have been submitted.  As a full time homeschool mom, I am very intentional with my time and only schedule 1-2 sessions per week in order to ensure I have ample time to dedicate to my clients.  With that being said, in order to maintain this schedule, photo selections by clients need to be completed within 72 hours after the gallery is sent.  Late selections put me behind schedule on editing which in turn, puts me behind schedule for the following week's clients. After 72 hours, the gallery link will expire and a fee of $40 will be due to reopen the gallery.