Newborns Brand new babies are best to work with 5-10 days old. I will have them naked the whole shoot, so please do not bring extra clothing unless it is for sibling photos or sentimental. Dress them in something light (onesie) that is easy to take off. Parents please wear black long sleeved tops if you desire the “baby in the hands” pictures. Its a good idea to bring an extra shirt as you are holding a naked baby and may be soiled. : ) Please do a little manicure on yourself as your hands will be photographed with the baby. It is best to book this session while you’re pregnant, preferably 2 months in advance. I save limited slots for newborn sessions each month.
- Bring lots of diapers & wipes
- Binkies are helpful if they’ll take one
- Extra outfits & blankets
- Cute hats/accessories (I have plenty…but you’re welcome to bring yours if you’d like)
- The studio offers a lounge area for feeding and a private bath.
Sitting-Age babies Its great to photograph babies when they can sit, but not crawl. They can’t escape me! : ) There is no limit on outfit changes…experience tells me you’ll get them in two or three and then naked. Please bring them in the first outfit.
- Bring diapers & wipes
- Binkies if they take one
- Clear drinks and ‘clean’ snacks (crackers, pretzels, puffs)
- Couple cute outfits to choose from
- Cute hats or accessories
- Boys - khakis and/or jeans
- Any ‘lovey’ or favorite toy/stuffed animal they have that makes them happy
- The studio offers a lounge area and a private bath.
One year olds These little ones can be hard to photograph, you know they are busy! But its totally worth the work. I’m used to chasing them and love every minute, so relax and enjoy. It is such a milestone age, so it’s important to get some pictures of them. It is best to photograph them in just one or two outfits, but that depends on your baby. They usually won’t wear hats, but we can try. Just relax and have fun!
- Couple cute outfits (great to bring things that layer so it looks like different outfits by simply adding another layer or removing one)
- Cupcake or Smash Cake – perfect ending to our session when they’re attention is gone : )
- Cute hats or accessories
- Boys - khakis and/or jeans
- Clear drinks and ‘Clean’ snacks
- Favorite toy, stuffed animal or books that makes them happy
- The studio offers a lounge area and a private bath. There is a tub in the bathroom you are welcome to use if the smash cake gets extra messy. : )
Children It looks great to layer clothes with texture. I love hats. Have your child wear clothes that express their styles and personalities. Bare feet and jeans look super cute for boys and girls. I’ve found kids are more resistant when they feel pressure from their parents to cooperate. Please come relaxed and enjoy!
Family I usually find one piece of wardrobe that I love and build everyone else off of it. I have style guides posted on my Pinterest page – search for Laura Polen – if you’d like some inspiration. I try to choose a location that suites your family. I’m happy to help you style the session. Sessions are done with either morning or evening light.
* I have lots of hats, ties, tutus, pettiskirt, flower clips, headbands, leggings, blankets, and some clothing items
Everything in my studio is washable. So if your baby pees (or worse) on my things, it’s fine. I will wash it. : )
PLEASE…try to stay away from solid white or black clothing as it tends to wash out the photo and the child.
Some great places to find cute hats and clothes locally: Gymboree, Baby Gap, Anthropology, The Children’s Place, Nicky Nicole, Nordstrom’s Rack. If you’re an online shopper you can visit these sites for adorable options:
- Etsy.com
- MatildaJaneClothing.com (a personal favorite for girls)
- JCrew.com has an adorable kids line
- Naartjie.com
- Persnicketyclothing.com
The Fine Print
- Relax and enjoy your session. I may ask you to help or let you know if I would like some one-on-one time with your child. Sometimes it’s best to have one person talking to them and gathering their attention. We want the best photos for you, so we will work together to make it happen!
- Package price is due at the session. It can take up to 3 weeks to receive your finished CD.
- Please NO sick children. It’s not fair to them to expect a good photo shoot. I’m happy to reschedule.
- Even if you arrive and your child is simply having one of “those” days, we can reschedule last minute – I don’t mind.
- Please do not bring siblings that are not being photographed as they have proven to be a huge distraction to the baby/child that is being photographed (and often the parents).
- If you have a conflict and need to reschedule, please give me (at least) 24 hour advance notice. Not only for myself, but for my sitter.
- Laura has the right to use all images she creates for display, brochure, website and advertising purposes. Please request if you would not like your child’s pictures used for any purposes and Laura will respect your wishes.
- You will receive a phone call or email when your CD is ready (approx. 3 weeks) for pick up. Please do not call to check the status of your pictures. If you would like your pictures done sooner for any reason, there is a $50 rush fee. If you would like your session CD mailed it is an additional $10.
- Please make copies of your CD’s as these are your negatives and Laura only keeps negatives from sessions for 3 months. If in that time you need a replacement CD, there will be a $35 charge. After that, she will have no way to replace your CD if it gets lost or scratched.