Session Tips

Your little one’s are not going to play ball through the whole shoot & it would be an absolute miracle if they did! Their needs take top priority so we can pause for snacks, nappy changes, play time & cuddle breaks! I want you all to have fun & enjoy the session as it’s all about making memories & having me there to photograph them!

For newborns, I recommend a full session (one hour) in your home. This means we can take things slowly and stop for as many feeds & nappy changes as necessary. Staying at home takes the pressure off you all & keeps your new arrival cosy & warm at all times!

For older babies and children try to pick somewhere fun where you & the kids can play together. Places like the beach, forest or park are great as there’s plenty of space to run around & play whilst being a pretty location for the shoot! Staying home can also be a great option, especially if you’ve just welcomed a new addition to your family.

Grandparents and other family members are also welcome to join in when booking a full session! We can discuss your priorities for your shoot & work out a rough time plan - for example, it might be that you guys take the first 40 minutes of the session then the grandparents join for the last 20 minutes.

Most importantly of all, enjoy it! If you’re stressed & flustered during your shoot, you won’t have good memories when looking through your images which means you’ll love them less. Things may not go exactly to plan (that’s kids right?) but laugh it off & enjoy some quality family time!

Text or a large logo can draw the eye & can be very distracting in a photograph so best to avoid!

Try and coordinate your outfits - by choosing a handful of harmonious colours it stops any single item of clothing standing out above the rest & again, doesn’t distract from the image as a whole.

However, please DON’T all totally match… think about those 80’s photographs of everyone in matching tartan or blue jeans & white t-shirts. Avoid at all costs, ha!

Dress for the location! If your session is in a forest, wear suitable footwear & be prepared for a bit of mud, especially when picking up little ones with muddy shoes. If it’s cold out, bring layers or if it’s hot, wear suncream & cool clothing. The more comfortable you all are the more that will shine through in your photos!

For sessions at home, you can still get dolled up if that’s what you fancy but avoid wearing things you’d never usually wear round the house such as your highest heels or poshest frock. These type things will look out of place in a home setting!

For newborns & young babies - as tempting as it is to have them model their cutest dress, I tend to find they ride up & easily shift out of place so it can end up giving me a much smaller pool of photographs to choose from. Sleepsuits, vests & trousers, rompers etc all stay put much better & mean we don’t have to stop to adjust their outfit between every shot.

Again for newborns, if you’d like to do some nappy only photographs (or if you’re super brave, no nappy!) - it’s really helpful to have a handful of muslin’s or light blankets to chose from to cover their nappy or little bums! If you’re going to brave no nappy at all, we can use a towel or puppy pad under a blanket to catch any unfortunate accidents!

As well as bringing the usual nappy/kids bag you would normally travel with, make sure to pack a change of clothes just in case, warm layers in case it’s colder than you think & most importantly, SNACKS! No on wants a hangry toddler. Try to bring things you know they can eat quickly & create as little mess as possible!

Whether we’re meeting in the forest, beach or your garden, a blanket can be really useful to sit down on to give us some variety in your photographs. Try to co-ordinate the blanket with the colours you’re wearing or alternatively, go for a nice neutral colour! If you’d rather brave it without a blanket that’s absolutely fine too but be prepared for a soggy bum!

If you feel your little one/’s might need some toys to keep them amused, have a think about what you bring & bear in mind that it may feature heavily in your photographs. Whether it be a comfort blanket, soft teddy or toy, try to chose something subtle. For example a little wooden car is going to blend into your photographs much better than a bright red plastic one!

For newborns sessions in your home, if you’d like to do some nappy only photographs (or if you’re super brave, no nappy!) - it’s really helpful to have a handful of muslin’s or light blankets to chose from to cover their nappy or little bums! If you’re going to brave no nappy at all, we can use a towel or puppy pad under a blanket to catch any unfortunate accidents!

When shooting in your home - especially for newborn sessions - I tend to use soft comfy area’s such as the nursery (if it’s ready,) your lounge & a bed. We can also use any other area’s you may want to so feel free to suggest your favourite spots! These are the only area’s that need to be photo-ready & I am very used to a household with baby mess & child clutter so please don’t spend hours washing bottles or tidying away toys. A quick tidy up of the area’s I’ve suggested is all that’s needed.

Light is THE most important factor though when deciding on where to shoot in your home. It’s helpful if you can open all the curtains and blinds so we can get as much natural light into your home as possible.

I do recommend putting on some fresh bedding & making sure to stick to something nice a neutral. White is always a winner but a subtle pattern is great too! Just avoid stripes as these can cause distortion in the photos!

We can also use the outside areas of your home such as your garden, front door & in front of your house, especially if you have children or older babies! For newborn sessions, this might only be suitable in the warmer months as we want to make sure they’re as cosy & warm as possible.

That being said, for newborn sessions during the colder months, crank up the heating so your little one stays nice & warm if we do outfit swaps or some nappy only photos! It also means you can avoid having to dress your baby in too many layers as thick cardigans and jumpers can ride up and cover their little faces.

My advice for newborn sessions is don’t book in before you’re ready! Whether that’s 3 days old or 6 weeks old - it’s important not to rush these things and turn it into a stressful experience. If you’ve had a c-section it’s even more important to wait till you’re able to move around your house easily & not to put any strain on yourself!

For maternity sessions, I recommend around the 30 week mark. You want to make sure your bump is bumping but that you’re not too uncomfortable!

For family & baby sessions, all seasons can work & look beautiful, you just need to choose a suitable location for the season! I love shooting Autumnal sessions in the forest or timing a Spring session surrounded by cherry blossom. Winter sessions can be amazing, especially if we catch the morning frost or snow. I am always happy to reschedule a session if the weather isn’t on our side too so don’t worry about that!

Choosing the right time of day for your session is also important & I’ll advise a time when we arrange our shoot. Firstly, avoiding nap times or meal times is essential for the obvious reasons! But secondly, choosing the right time of day can make a huge difference depending on the weather. Winter shoots need to be between 10am & 3pm catch the most light & during the summer months, avoiding the peak heat/sun is really important too!