I am a behind-the-scenes junkie. I love to know how people plan, how they manage their time, prioritize, all the things. Is that weird? If it is, don’t mind me. But if you’re anything like me, feel free to come behind the scenes of a newborn session with me at my studio in Canton, Connecticut.
Behind the Scenes of a Newborn Session: Pre-Session Prep
First, coffee. Haha, sort of kidding, but also sort of not. I have the cutest coffee shop down the street, called Giv Coffee. A well-timed, pre-session mocha always gives me the kickstart I need for a marathon newborn session. These sessions can sometimes last 2-3 hours! With coffee, in hand, I report to my studio to crank up the heat and get organized for the day.
My newborn sessions are usually around 9:30am. While I wait for the studio to warm up to a balmy 80 degrees (confession: I don’t hate it), I review the questionnaire that the newborn parents completed. This questionnaire gives me a lot of information. For example, it lets me know how the baby was delivered, which helps with posing mom. It also tells me if the baby is breast or bottle-fed so I know if I can assist with feeding or not. Finally, the questionnaire tells me what colors to incorporate to customize their session.
Behind the Scenes of a Newborn Session: Prepping Props
My first step is to pull each of the colors that were requested in the newborn questionnaire. I pair them up with the best props, trying to ensure a variety of options. To be completely honest, I go off script and provide families with 2-3 other options that they didn’t necessarily request. The reason I do this is sometimes I get new props in that I want to try out. Other times, I have something seasonal or I notice a color combination that I know will look great with the baby’s skin tones. I always prioritize what the parents have picked first, but they are often appreciative of a variety of options as well.
Once I have all of my set-ups laid out (usually 4-5 options in case we get lucky with a sleepy babe), I get my heat fan plugged in. Then I put on my yoga socks, plug in my sound machine, set-up my bean bag poser and then sanitize the studio surfaces as I wait for parents to arrive. I’ve been caught more than once dancing in the studio to a little Thomas Rhett on Spotify.
Sometimes I find myself with a lot of extra time before our session begins. Note: if you’ve ever left the house with a newborn, you can totally relate to the fact that clients aren’t always on time. During this time, I schedule social media, rewatch training videos on different wrap techniques and organize my newborn props. The props can quickly get out-of-control after 2-3 sessions.
Arrival Time
When the parents and their new bundle arrive at the studio in Canton, Connecticut, we are off and running… but that’s a post for another day!
So, what do you think? Are you a fan of the behind-the-scenes or should we stick to business as usual?
