“The image quality is going to be spectacular with a relaxed family.”
Book a large block of time.
Anderson likes to start sessions mid-morn-ing and asks her clients to allow at
least three hours and not to plan anything afterwards. Although she hopes
to wrap up within two hours, she
knows the center of attention could
have a fussy spell that puts everything on hold. “I don’t want to feel
like we have to hurry because they
have a doctor’s appointment they
have to get to,” she says. “If I can’t
take the time necessary to calm the
baby and keep the baby relaxed,
then we’re setting ourselves up for
not getting the images we want:
the peaceful, happy moments.”
Manage expectations. If clients
wish to have toddlers photographed
with their new siblings, warn that
the results may not be ideal. “It’s
not always happy and peaceful and
loving, so I really try to prepare the
families ahead of time,” Anderson
says. Because schedules for shooting and feeding don’t always sync,
she asks the families to be flexible
about chow time. “Babies tend
to need to eat a lot more during
a photo session, because they’re
using a lot more energy,” she says,
“and if we’re rigidly sticking to a
schedule, your baby’s going to get
hungry – and not happy.” (Anderson
prefers to start shooting right after a
newbie’s been fed.)
Baby Colton and his parents Mimi and Theodore.
This is a simple and very safe way to incorporate
a family’s “first child” into newborn pictures.
