I wasn’t sure it could be done. A Newborn MINI-session, that is. But I had enough experience under my belt and an idea, that if I did it the right way, it could work… and, by golly, (as my grandpa would say) I believe it does!!! Every single image in this post is from one of my Newborn Mini-Sessions!
I think it’s important to answer the question, “How does a newborn mini session differ from a newborn full session?”.
A Newborn Mini-Session is 30 minutes long and one set price which includes 12 digital images. Your baby will ideally be between 5 days and 6 WEEKS old. You will receive 6 unique color images carefully chosen by us along with their skillfully crafted black and white conversions. The images will be of your sweet baby. There is simply not enough time to incorporate family or siblings into this type of shoot. Your little one will be snugly swaddled in one of our many wraps specifically designed for posed newborn photography. This makes for a smooth session and a sleepy baby! This also means that it’s not essential for your baby to be VERY young. This is why Mini-Sessions can work for babies anywhere from 5 days old to around 6 weeks old. We’ve successfully and beautifully captured a few 8 week-olds as well!! We will artfully compose two different set ups and photograph your baby in each one. The resulting images are simply stunning.
Some of the aspects our clients are loving about these mini-session are that the investment is very affordable. They’re loving that it comes with 12 images, which seems more manageable for some who have a hard time deciding which ones to frame and hang! And they are loving that they are so quick and easy. It’s a very small time commitment in a phase of life where sleep is in short supply, and you’re adjusting to life with baby! We remember how hard and overwhelming it can be in those first weeks after giving birth to even THINK about gathering yourself and your little one to leave the house! It is our hope that these mini-session can make quality, posed newborn portraits a reality for anyone!
A Full Newborn Session is 2-3 hours long. A session fee is paid on the day of the shoot. A gallery of at least 25 unique images is delivered for to you to choose from and images are purchased separately. Your baby will ideally be 5-10 days old. However, we have successfully and beautifully photographed many babies that are 2-3 weeks old as well as the anomaly of a few that were 5, 6 or even 8 weeks old! There are many more set ups and transitions in a full session and there may also be a number of breaks to nurse and soothe baby. We all work around the newborns comfort and needs. They determine the pace and the poses in a no pressure environment! Siblings, fur-siblings, parents, and grandparents may all be included in the session. Sentimental or creative items or your own (such as blankets, bonnets, jewelry, military uniforms etc) will be beautifully worked into images at your request. We will do images on our “posing bag and fabric” where your baby is safely and gently placed in a variety of adorable poses, some unclothed with no props for pure simplicity and others with wraps or headbands and bonnets for adorable variety. We will also then do 2-3 “prop” set ups using one of the many furs, buckets, beds, crates, baskets and/or bowls that we constantly accumulate 🙂
Some of the things our clients love about Full Newborn Photography Sessions are the variety of images, poses and angles we can capture in that time frame. They like that there is plenty of time for feeding and soothing breaks and also plenty of time where they get to relax… yes even nap! … on our comfy couch living room area. They like the ability to truly personalize the session by incorporating family, pets and personal items as well as having input into color schemes and accessories. They enjoy the large amount of digital images delivered in the gallery and the ability to peruse and choose… or just have them all!
We have prayerfully tried to create Newborn Photography Sessions that cater to a variety of personal preferences and lifestyles. I truly consider it a privilege to be trusted to safely and expertly capture these delicate and fleeting moments in you and your baby’s lives! I do hope to see you or someone you know in the studio very soon!
We’ve sort of quietly kept this Mini-Session thing under wraps for a bit. But now we’re ready to launch it and shout it from the roof tops! Remember, your baby can be between 5 days old and 6 weeks old!
I do it for the snuggles ~Sarah
mercystreetstudio 