While pregnant, there were many unknowns. I didn’t have a birth plan. I wasn’t sure how I felt about an epidural. I had a few ideas for the nursery, but didn’t complete it until after Little Marbles was born. But one thing I was sure of was: I definitely wanted professional newborn photos of Little Marbles.

I became a photography junkie after our wedding, so it was very important to me to find the right newborn photographer. I did a ton of research on local area photographers who specialized in newborn photography, but nothing really jumped out at me in terms of style and packages. Then I had an epiphany; I loved the work of our wedding photographer, Angelica Glass*, but wasn’t sure if she shot newborns and babies. I decided to contact her anyway. Lo and behold, it turned out that she did do newborn shoots and in fact, really loved doing baby portraits, considering that she’d be a mom herself very soon!

The process was very simple – I provided Angelica with my expected due date and she let me know that she was pretty open that week.

Little Marbles was born a day early. I emailed Angelica as soon as I could, and we arranged for her to shoot at my parents’ house three days after LM was born.  It was a godsend that Angelica made a housecall because there was no way I was leaving the house. LM was very cooperative during the shoot and provided us with lots of great coos and even a glimmer of a smile!

Here are some of my favorite photos from the shoot:

This was the image we used for LM’s birth announcement.

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I love shots of little baby feet.

One of our favorites in which LM is wrapped in a muslin swaddle blanket.


LM loved to chew her fingers when she was just born.

A more abstract look at LM.

Tips for Finding and Working with a Newborn Photographer

1. Make sure it is easy to schedule your session and that the photographer is flexible. Most newborn photographers are familiar with the uncertainty of scheduling a newborn shoot. When researching this, I was hoping to have the shoot done when LM was one month, but Angelica advised me against this if wanted those snuggly and cuddly, baby curled up in a ball photos. She suggested that the shoot happen as soon as I got home from the hospital. Angelica made it super easy for us to do that.

2. Check the package details. Every photographer is different. Some offer packages that include a disc of high resolution digital files and/or a select number of prints. Some photographers offer these items a la carte in addition to a sitting fee.  Make sure to confirm all the package details up front so that there are no surprises later on. You don’t want to worry or have to deal with this with baby in tow. Some questions to consider:

– Will the shoot take place at the photographer’s studio or in your home?
– Is there a travel fee?
– What is the length of the shoot?
– Is there a separate sitting fee?
– Does the cost include prints or high res images?
– If not, how much does each additional print/image cost?
– What is the turnaround time for proofs?

3. Collect and share inspiration photos with your photographer. Granted, you probably selected your photographer because you either worked with them before or like the work they showcased in their portfolio, but you can help them capture the images you most want by showing them (either from their own work or other images you find) .

4.  If you’re not shooting at the photographer’s studio, it’s very easy to find simple props and create a setup for a home shoot. Our setup only consisted of a big plastic storage container covered in a fluffy white blanket. Other props to consider: headbands or hats, a knit or crocheted “cape” or “cocoon,” woven basket, scale, and alphabet blocks that spell out baby’s name.  Etsy is a great place to find props and you can do a quick search by typing in “newborn props.”

5. Make the room comfortable for baby. We brought in a separate space heater so that the room was super warm, and that way LM wouldn’t catch a chill when she was in her birthday suit. Be prepared for “accidents.” I had on hand wipes, diapers, washcloth, and spare blanket (in case LM soiled the one we were using for the shoot).

6. Schedule the shoot for the most optimal time. It’s hard to figure out a newborn’s schedule, but try to aim for post-nap and/or post-feeding time frame so that baby is not tired and fed. It’ll make for much a much happier and cooperative subject!

7. Decide if you want to be in the photos. I definitely did not want to be photographed so close to giving birth so I opted out, but make sure to discuss with your photographer ahead of time if you’d like to be photographed as well.

Will you have a newborn photoshoot for your baby?

*If you’re in the local NYC area, our newborn photographer, Angelica Glass is currently offering a promotion.  Angelica is offering newborn/baby/kid portraits at $300 (regularly priced at $500). Some restrictions apply. Contact Angelica directly for details.