One of the things I cherished the most since Joshua was born is his newborn photos. Your little bundle of joy grows up so fast, and I want to capture every moment of it because once it has passed, you will never get it back again.
When I was working in fashion, I enjoy doing photoshoots the most. So it is no surprise that I love doing photoshoots in my personal life too. If my husband is into it as well, I would be taking more photos and organizing more shoots, unfortunately, he is not. He only does it to make me happy, so when I do have pictures of the two of us or the three of us, it is truly special.
Finding your style
One of the things I was adamant about doing after Joshua was born was a newborn shoot. But there are so many different styles out there that it can be hard to choose. So the first thing you should ask yourself is, what style do you want to do?
Do you like natural lifestyle shots or something more posed? Are you more drawn towards light and airy photos? Or are you into something more moody with a higher contrast? Studio shoot or home sessions? All of these different factors play a part in the photographer you choose.
As I love doing shoots so much, I did two different styles - a cutesie dress up one and the stylish lifestyle shots, both of which I am delighted with. I think they both offer different things and I love them both for various reasons. Here is my personal experience with both shoots.
Why I chose Mouton Photography
For those of you who know me in person, knows that I LOVE dressing up. So I was always going to do a cute dress up photoshoot for Joshua. As all three of us (my husband, Joshua and I), are all born in the year of the pig, so needless to say a piggy outfit was a MUST! That was my starting point for finding the right photographer to do my newborn shoot.
I have done a vast amount of research on different photographers, what they offer, their style, and their pricing. After weighing out all their pros and cons, I finally decided to go with Mouton Photography.
I was very specific on the different themes and outfits, and I wanted a home session as I was still in confinement. After liaising with various companies, I found Mouton Photography offered the best in value in the style that I was after.
On the day
The Mouton Photography team consist of 3 people; Coral is the photographer, Michael as the videographer and an assistant. They were very professional, and I was thoroughly impressed with how much props they brought with them on the day. They had three large suitcases full of props, outfits, and backgrounds, so you will definitely have enough looks to choose from after.
Even though the team appears to be young, you can tell that they are very experienced with Newborn shoots. They had all the tricks and gadgets to help soothe the baby for a smooth sailing photoshoot. Carol was very patient and gentle with Joshua, even when he peed all over her. She was amazing at handling him, and he was pretty much fast asleep throughout the shoot, making it go a lot smoother and quicker. Honestly, I was very impressed with the number of outfits they were able to do in a few hours. In the end, they manage to do a total of 10 different outfits plus some family portraits.
The Highlight of the shoot
I love the fact they managed to do all the different looks I wanted and more.
The team was very professional and friendly, and they were very efficient with the setup and packing up.
I love the making of video that they did.
Why I chose Martina Stevens
Even though I loved cute dress up newborn photoshoot, I also wanted some beautiful lifestyle shot as well. As I feel the lifestyle shots would be more timeless and reflects more of our day to day life. I wanted a set of photograph to document what Joshua was like during his first month.
I was drawn to Martina's style because her photography is clean, chic and beautiful. Her strength lies in capturing the special moment between you and your loved ones. The love in your eyes when you look at your baby, to the closeness between you and your partner, she can capture them all. She has an eye for capturing the essence of the moment in her photographs.
She is ideal for those who are not looking for something too posed. She will still give you directions, but the majority of the time, she will ask you to move around while she works her magic.
If you are after a lifestyle newborn photoshoot, then Martina is the photographer for you.
On the day
Martina's style is natural, and all about capturing the special moments in your day to day life. So shooting with Martina felt relaxed and chilled, as she encourages you to be yourself on the day, as she captures snippets of your time with your baby and partner.
Her strength lies in natural light photography, so the bigger the window you have, the better. We did the majority of the shoot in front of or near the window to give us maximum light to achieve that bright and airy look that we are after.
As a mother of two, Martina was great with handling Joshua. Definitely better than me as a newbie mum. Joshua was very calm as she swaddled him and put him in position for the various shots.
Even though Martina's style is natural, she is still very well prepared with neutral props and wardrobe for the shoot. In our previous meeting before the shoot, I mentioned that my husband doesn't feel comfortable in front of the camera, so she printed out various poses and ideas of how we can shoot on the day, making it easier and smoother process.
The Highlight of the shoot
Martina is a perfectionist, so she is willing to go above and beyond to achieve that perfect shot.
She is very efficient.
I love how she works with her clients, to ensure the clients are comfortable in front of the camera and work with their best angles.
Things you should consider before booking your shoot:
1. Once you have decided which photographer or studio you would like to use, book them in as soon as possible. As the good ones get booked up quite quickly.
2. When to shoot - Photographers usually recommend doing newborn shoots when the baby is between 5 to 12 days old, as they are still small enough to be wrapped up in a cocoon. Their skin is also best during this time, as they would not be peeling or have baby acne when they are so young.
3. Studio or Home session - Most of the photographer and studio offers home sessions and studio sessions. The biggest difference between the two packages is the price and the props they will use.
For studio shoots, it is cheaper plus you get to use the bigger props. The downside is, you will have to go to the studio. So if you are in confinement, you might not want to make that trip. Plus you will be exhausted from giving birth and probably still recovering. For the home sessions, it is more expensive, and you won't be able to use big props for the shoot. However, you can do the shoot in the comfort of your own home, so you can rest and relax when you want to. The only thing about the home session is, you will need a big enough space for them to shoot.
4. Communicate with your photographer - whether you know exactly what you want or have no clue at all, it is important to talk to your photographer about it. They can help guide you and prepare the right props for your shoot.
5. Do you want professional makeup or not? Even though this is a newborn shoot, you will be doing some family shots, so you might want to consider getting a professional makeup artist to do your make up on the day. For me, I had professional makeup for the Mouton's shoot, and I did my own with Martina's. I think both have their pros and cons. When you have someone doing your makeup, you look more polish and sharper in the photos. When you do your own makeup, you look more natural, and the photos reflect more of your day to day life.
6. Choose your outfit wisely. Remember you are going to keep these photos forever, so you might want to pick something flattering and timeless. After all, you don't want to look back at the photos and think - "What on earth was I thinking?"
I hope you find the above information useful and helpful when you are planning your newborn shoot photos. If you would like to contact either of the photographers I have used, please click on the link above.
Sending you love and positive thoughts,
Christine xxx
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