Preparing for the Session

Choosing what each family member is going to wear is the biggest thing to consider.

Here are some do’s and don’ts to help you find the right fit for everyone:

Plan your outfits in advance. The more time you allow yourself to plan your outfits, the less stressed you’ll be. Plus, it never hurts to have options especially if you have older siblings to get dressed.
For newborn sessions, soft and neutral colors are always best! Consider gray, navy, beige, cream, tan and brown.
For baby, swaddling them or wearing a little nightie or onesie is best. Newborn outfits are usually too big and end up hiding baby rather than enhancing the pictures. I have a light and dark swaddling blanket that I’ll bring.
Wear clothes that don’t wrinkle easily. This one doesn’t need much explanation. You’ll all be holding baby, which could cause wrinkles. One less thing to worry about!
Avoid clothes that you’ll have to keep adjusting. If it doesn’t lay properly, your bra strap keeps needing to be tucked away, or the shirt is too short to stay tucked in, reconsider those options.
Don’t worry about shoes. Barefoot is more natural and one less thing to worry about.
Wear solid colors or small prints. Keep the attention on the baby and keep your photos timeless by avoiding distracting prints.
Do not wear clothes with words on them. Our eyes are immediately drawn to words in photographs. Keep the attention on your faces and the baby by avoiding clothing with company/brand names and with words like “big sister” for family photos (save the “big sister” shirt for a sibling photo where we can do a quick change).
For the new mom. Wear clothes that you are comfortable in. If that means one of your favorite maternity tops, wear that. If you want to wear a dress, wear that. Your comfort will show through in your photos. Remember the photos are more about you snuggling your baby and less about your clothing. Sometimes the simplest pieces photograph best.
Avoid clothes that have too much extra room around your middle. I know you may want to hide your tummy, but having loose-fitting clothing that gapes at the sides and around your waist will make you look larger than you are.
Lay each family member’s outfit together while planning so you can get a good idea about how the pieces will look next to each other. This will allow you a better idea of what works and what doesn’t. Plus, this way, you can make sure that you’re not missing any essential clothing items.
Select outfits that will make for a timeless portrait. If all else fails, when you look in your closet to find the perfect family portrait outfits think about staying classic. You’ll want your photos to be timeless. Styles come and go but, your photos are forever.
Have fun playing stylist and let your family’s personality shine.

Here is a Pinterest board that can help you in your decisions and give you some inspiration.

other things to have on hand

The session will be between 1-2 hours. We’ll take breaks so you can feed your baby so she stays comfortable. Have a bottle handy or a binky to soothe her. If there are any special blankets, clothes or memorable gifts you’d like to include please have them on hand.

preparing your home

Please tidy up your home in the areas we’ll be photographing. The best lit rooms are best for light and beautiful pictures. So whether that’s the family room, the nursery, or a toy loft, please put everything away that you don’t want photographed. Consider putting baby swings, humidifiers, bouncers and baby toys in a nearby room unless you want them included in your pictures. Also consider the items on countertops and desks. A fresh bouquet of flowers with a pop of color can add a beautiful touch to your photos—put that on dad’s list of things to do :).

If we’re going outside, coil hoses nicely or put them away, position patio furniture nicely and straighten pillows and have toys and bikes put away unless you’d like them included in your pictures.

During the Session

You’ve worked hard getting everyone looking their best so once you arrive you can relax and turn the worrying over to me.

I will do my best to ensure everyone’s hair looks okay and that shirts are tucked in throughout the session… so your job is to stay calm and relaxed. I will take as many pictures as I need to ensure we have the best images possible.

During my sessions I combine traditional posed pictures with candid images of your family cuddling, snuggling and giving sweet kisses to your newest addition. If there are older siblings to be photographed with your newborn I’ll prompt them to dance, joke or whisper secrets to one another. I like to avoid making kids “smile” or “say cheese”, but rather direct them in their interaction to get genuine expressions.

For the playful part of the session it’s super helpful if you can think of a few things beforehand that gets each child to giggle or laugh whether it’s a funny memory, a favorite song, stinky feet, mom and dad shaking their bums and doing a silly dance… whatever creates a laugh.

We will do a variety of poses with the whole family, the kids and baby together, individual pictures of the kids and baby, dad and baby, mom and baby and any other combination you’d like.

After the Session

I am a shoot and share photographer meaning I take a whole bunch of pictures, edit them so they look amazing, and then send you all the best images for you to do what you’d like with them.

How many pictures will I receive?
I take a lot so you’ll get a lot (at least 50 high-resolution digital images and 20 for mini sessions).

When will I get my pictures?
Please allow 4 weeks for images to be edited and delivered. I usually get them to you sooner.

How will I get my pictures?
A link to your gallery will be emailed to you. If you'd like the images mailed on a memory stick, it will be an additional $40.

What can I do with my pictures?
First and foremost—download them and store them in two places for safe-keeping (on a memory stick and an external hard drive are a couple suggestions). Post them to social media (I would appreciate it if you’d use the watermarked web-version and/or give me photo credit https://www.facebook.com/nickiegdp/ or https://www.instagram.com/nickiegdesignphotography/), print them at a photo lab of your choice or put them in a beautiful album to display around your home. You can also send your gallery to family and friends for them to download and share.

Can you help me print my pictures?
Most definitely! I use a professional photo lab for all my prints. They are beautifully textured to help your images pop when on display and printed on age-resistant photo paper to preserve them for years and years. Also, consider print options outside the norm like gallery wraps, metallic prints, wood prints and framed prints. You’ll make your print order directly in your gallery. And the best part is that your prints will be delivered straight to your door with free shipping!

Any Questions

My hope is to make my photography sessions memorable and stress-free for you and your family so please don't hesitate to call, email, or text with any questions. Thanks and I look forward to seeing you soon!

Nickie
info@nickiegraybill.com
(801) 618-6072

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how to prepare & what to expect during your newborn session & after