C A R L E T T A G I R M A | WASHINGTON, DC WEDDING + LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHER

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LIFESTYLE NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY - WhAT TO EXPECT

First things first - congratulations! Adding a new baby to your family is a big freaking deal! If you’ve found your way to this tiny corner of the internet you’re probably curious about what a session with your new bundle of joy might look like and I am happy to share just that with you. To start - I’m not going to put your baby in a bucket or pretzel them into a yoga pose - there are lots of folks who are so good at that but my personal style is decidedly more relaxed. This guide is designed to help and your new addition have the absolute best session possible but please know that if you have any lingering questions after reading - you can absolutely use the contact form linked above to ask me.

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?

I am always, always, always and all ways going to tell you to choose comfort. When you wear things you feel good in - it absolutely reflects in the way that you carry yourself. If when I meet you - your comfortable, confident self is thriving in pajamas? Let’s do that! No matter what - think about utilizing neutrals, textures and smaller patterns (note - keep patterns to a minimum, so if one person is doing a pattern, they ideally would be the only one doing so. an exception to this would be mixing stripes and florals if that’s something you’re into (because I definitely am!)).

WHAT SHOULD THE BABY(BABIES!) WEAR?

It is my very humble opinion that newborns look their best in simple things. A solid onesie in a softer, neutral color is a great option. If you have items that are sentimental and you would like baby photographed in them - please have them clean and on hand. This includes blankets or swaddles that you would like to use during your session.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO WITH BABY BEFORE YOU ARRIVE?

The best time to start a session with a newborn is when they’ve just eaten and have gone to sleep. Having said that - babies do whatever they want and it makes little to no difference to me if your baby is awake or asleep during our session. For this reason - almost all of my newborn sessions are at least one hour, so we have a built-in buffer should the tiny overlords have different plans for us :) NOTE: Your home should be pretty warm. Ideally between 75+ degrees. I know this seems slightly absurd but a warm baby is a comfortable baby!