Are you looking for a newborn photographer?  Are you unsure of where to start?  Are you possibly feeling overwhelmed?!

First of all- congratulations on your bundle.  Second, take a deep breathe.  I know this is just one decision you have to make in the grand scheme of things, and it might not rank as a highly important one.  But I do want to make it an easy one for you.

When I was pregnant with Gemma, I had hundreds of questions that google couldn't answer.  Can I be a mom?  A good one at that?  Can we afford a kid?  How do we save for college?  How does this car seat install (I mean, I have a master's degree, and had no clue where to start)?  Where are we going to live (one bedroom apartments don't necessarily work for a growing family)? 

While Matt & Kelsey were technically already married, they hadn't had a proper wedding day yet.  After initially planning one for April, Matt was at risk of being deployed before they could get down the aisle, so the date was bumped up to March.  Luckily everything fell into place beautifully, and how Kelsey planned a full wedding from states away with two little ones is beyond me.  Props to her!  We started our day at New Beginnings Church, photographed our bridal portraits at Rock Springs, and ended the day at Blue Mound Civic Center for their reception.

As with most wedding days, we start out with getting ready images and the classic "how to put the boutonnieres on, and does this cufflink look right" (notice it is always the guys that have the questions, right ladies?). 

Keys to an adorably successful newborn session?  I'll let you know when I figure it out (I'm kidding).  However, when we do a newborn session, I'll send you over a thorough packet of information (or we'll go over this in the pre-consultation) on how best to prepare for the session to make it as successful as possible.  It starts with keeping your babe awake for a bit before the session (easy peasy, right?!), and knowing that no matter what, we'll get amazing images of your newborn.  Secondly, I'll send you a questionnaire that ensure your session goes as smoothly as possible for everyone involved and customizes your session to your tastes.

But rule #1?  Don't stress.  Please.

I want this to be an easy and enjoyable experience.  I know photography sessions can be stressful.  Kids might hate their younger siblings (so we might have to meet again in a few weeks after the "adjustment period") or dads might hate having pictures taken (I promise to move quickly, and get them out of the studio as quickly as possible, before this happens). 

Kaden is kicking off a huge streak of ALL BOYS.  Aside from one client who is still in her first trimester, every newborn session I have scheduled is for a boy.  Where are my girls at?!  For some reason, dads don't love when I suggest floral tiebacks (older sisters always think it's a fabulous idea).

At 12 days fresh, Kaden was in my studio before his actual due date!  I might have to start doing sessions at this age all the time because this little guy rocked his newborn session.  To be honest, I was a tad nervous because he's the first baby I've had in the studio since I've really started getting big, and my usual helper was in Disney.  Lame.  I had NOTHING to worry about, he never made me work too hard to get him into pose.  Plus, he smiled.  A lot.  Check out  more in the newborn gallery.

Don't be me three years ago.  Hire a newborn photographer.  Here's why.

Do you remember every detail of your baby?  Personally, mine is three, and my pictures of her are ones I took.  And they suck.  At the time, I thought I knew what I was doing.  While none of the "poses" I did were unsafe, I had no idea what I was doing.  I've since taken many classes, done many sessions, and now am finally getting to where I wanted to be (I still have a long way to go though).

Both done safely, but obviously, one taken after I've had a bit of training!

So where am I going with this?  I don't have pictures of her flaky skin around her fingers, or her stork bite that I was so excited to fade, but now can't recall the exact shape, or the other spots on her that only appeared for a few weeks after birth.