Why I Chose A Simple Style… | Dallas Fort Worth Newborn Photographer

Howdy!!  So I desperately need to start blogging more so I thought I would first start by explaining newborn style and why it is important to find a photographer who fits your style and not the other way around.

First off, most people have no clue that there are different kinds of newborn photography, their is “studio” and “lifestyle,” so before booking a photographer you should definitely research your photographer and decide what type of photography you are looking for 🙂  I personally am a studio photographer.  I love it, just absolutely love it.  It’s not for everyone, it takes an extensive amount of patience and knowledge 🙂

LIFESTYLE

Lifestyle newborn photography is just that…LIFE.  The photographer captures the baby in it’s natural setting, normally in the home.  The sessions are normally very relaxed, use natural lighting and highlight those real moments between a bub and their love smitten parents.  Shots generally captured in lifestyle sessions are details of the nursery, baby detail shots (toes, fingers, lashes, etc.), and genuine moments between baby and mom, baby and dad.  These are definitely shots that will take you back to those first moments with your sweet angel!!

My tips for lifestyle sessions

Tip #1      Be sure that your home is clean and has plenty of natural light coming in.  Pay attention to those small details, like organizing their nursery, having seating in places that put you in the prettiest sections of your home/nursery.  Bright clean colors are always a great choice for these sessions.

Tip #2     Don’t freak out about the camera! Be natural, that’s the entire point of lifestyle, not posed, capture you doing LIFE.  Don’t look for the camera, just interact as a family and soak up those unforgettable moments that are sure to be captured by your awesome photographer.

Tip #3     Missed that “window” for newborns, don’t fret!  Lifestyle sessions are a great way you can still get awesome newborns  with a bit older babies.  They will likely be more awake and alert, but those darling eyes will surely melt your heart.

STUDIO

Studio newborns take place normally within the first 5-14 days, but I have had great experiences with babies up until 21 days!  It is really all dependent on baby.  I’ve had 18 dayers sleep like a dream, and then 6 dayers be wide awake and unsettled.  It really is just the luck of the draw.  But as a professional newborn photographer, I do have a few tips and tricks to help get those babes sleeping 🙂  I always send my clients a how to prepare for the session email, and it seems to help a lot!

Studio photography can be either natural or studio lighting or both.  I personally use studio lighting, I enjoy the control over the lighting and the great shadows I am able to achieve.

Studio photography is also called “posed,”  This type of photography is where you capture the baby in those cute little poses while they are sleeping.  It really displays the innocence, and to be honest, they are only milk drunk sleepy for a blink of an eye, so capturing it is all the more special.  When they hit that 21+ day mark in their life they become more alert and have already changed quite dramatically.  Not all babies can do every pose, all babies go into poses differently, and a photographer should never force a baby into a pose they aren’t easily posed in.

Below are examples of some sleepy newborn poses:

“FROGGY” POSE
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“TACO” OR “WOMB” POSE

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pj040516-0246-Edit-Edit“TUSHIE UP” POSE
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“SLEEPY” POSE

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“POTATO SACK” POSE

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“HUCK FINN” POSE

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So those are obviously not ALL the poses you could do, but those are the basics and small variations of these poses can really capture your sweet sleepy baby!

Love the little outfits in the images?  I supply all my clients with high quality professional newborn prop outfits, headbands, tiebacks, wraps, etc.  Professional newborn props vary from $20-$100 per outfit!  But for my clients, I really want them to have images that accentuate the baby, I don’t want you to immediately notice the outfit, the focus is the BABY not the prop 🙂  So invest mucho dinero in top of the line accessories for my peeps.

Aside from these poses, there is a plethora of other poses you can do with flokati rugs, buckets, props etc.  Here are just a couple examples of those 🙂

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My tips for studio sessions

Tip #1       Be realistic 🙂 We are working with little humans, we cannot force a baby to do anything they don’t want to do.  We can’t guarantee your session will go as one you’ve seen online.  We are photographers, not magicians 😉  Though we try our best, your baby is the final say so, and if they aren’t feeling the pose, or a prop, we forego it.  I in particular will not just settle in getting an ok shot, if the baby looks uncomfortable I’m just not going to do it LOL

Tip #2        Look at the photographer’s style, if there is a specific outfit you’d like tell them!  Don’t show up to a session with surprise outfits or props that you haven’t discussed a head of time.  This can really throw a wrench in the over all style of the session.  Especially is the prop brought in is not safe for baby.

Tip #3          Follow the prep guide your photographer gives you (if they give you one).  If the photographer gives you something it’s because they believe it is what helps them to best deliver images that you are paying for.

Tip #4             “You get what you pay for” is such an “I told you so” type of statement (and i hate that), but it couldn’t be more true.  Investing in a true professional newborn photographer, is in no means inexpensive, but there is a night and day difference in quality and SAFETY.  A professional is TRAINED in how to handle your sweet baby, there are so many things that could go wrong when posing newborns if you are not educated.  (i.e. not balancing or supporting baby can result in injury, wrapping a baby incorrectly or too tightly can cause breathing difficulty, posing baby in/on props that could break or be unstable can obviously result in injury.  Just remember not to focus on price SO MUCH, obviously we all have a budget, but if quality is what you want, you will pay for it.  Plan for it, save just like you would any investment you are making.  A lot of photographers have baby registry programs as well as payment plans, kind of eliminates the burden 🙂

Tip #5        Let your photographer do their thang 😉  You are hiring them because you trust them, (not just for price hopefully), so sit back, relax and let them do what they know how to do, they will notice things you wouldn’t dream of noticing and I promise they are harder on themselves than you could ever be.

Tip #6     Family/Sibling Shots?  Make plans a head of time to ensure that dad and siblings can be there, whether they go to work or school a little late, or dad comes on his lunch.  Photographer’s have specific hours they work, because just like you, they have a family and don’t work just any time 🙂  You don’t ask a dentist office to open up on non business hours, you make the time to ensure you can be at an appointment, photography is no different.  I personally do family shots first, then daddy can take the kiddos home so they aren’t expected to sit through a few hours of boring quiet time 😉

Tip #7          Book EARLY! Don’t wait last minute to get your session scheduled, sometimes your photographer may not be able to guarantee you a date, and it also prevents the photographer from being able to customize any outfits or props for your specific session.  After all, we want to meet all those needs, but last minute bookings prevent us from being able to deliver that service.

SO….in a nutshell….there ARE different styles of newborn photography.  Find a photographer that fits the style you want, don’t find a style then expect your photographer to replicate it.  Photography is an art, and a true artist doesn’t just replicate everyone else’s work without developing their own art that fits their own artistic style.

I hope this wasn’t information opinion overload 😉  Maybe it will help you decide on which style you are more comfortable with and help you find a photographer that fits your needs.

GOD BLESS YOU, FROM MY FAMILY TO YOURS!!

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Krystal Sandefur Photography serves the entire Dallas / Fort Worth (DFW) area including:

 

Arlington | Burleson | Cleburne | Dallas | Grand Prairie | Grandview | IRVING | Midlothian | Waxahachie

 

newborn | babies | maternity | family | wedding
krystal sandefur photography

located in alvarado, texas