Fresh48

We are so excited that you’ve booked your Fresh48 session with us! These documentary style sessions are always some of our favorites. There’s just something about new families getting to know each other, finger by finger, tiny toe by tiny toe.

From beginning to end, we strive to give our clients the best experience possible. We value every single family that invites us into their most precious moments and know how lucky we are to document these families growing.

We’ve put this guide together in order to give you an idea of what to expect, answer any questions you may have, and to prepare you and your family for our session.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns please let us know. The best way to contact us is through our group text.

First things first…

This session takes place in your postpartum room (or at your place of birth*) before you are discharged from the hospital. It is a 1 hour documentary session that captures all of the details of your baby during her first few days earthside.

This documentary session is captured just like our birth stories; we will photograph the hour we spend together just as it happens. Our goal is to capture your unique story, not to pose or stage.

*If delivering at home or at a birth center, your session will take place in your home within two days of your baby’s birth

Because this is a documentary session, your baby does not need to be “ready” when we arrive. In fact, we want to capture the diaper changes, skin to skin, nursing or bottle feedings, so there is no need to get these things done before we get there.

While your baby doesn’t need to be “ready,” she does need to be present. So once we have set a time for us to arrive, be sure to give your nurse a heads up about your plan to have a Fresh48 session, and what time we will be there. This should allow them to plan any scheduled tests before or after our session.

If you will be circumcising your son, you probably want to schedule your Fresh48 either before that happens, or the day after. Babies (and parents) are often tuckered out afterwards and maybe a little more fussy than usual.

We recommend talking to anyone who you have invited to be there, like grandparents, and explain that they are part of the story. There’s no need for them to do anything different, or to get out of the picture.

The most important thing to keep in mind when thinking about your wardrobe is comfort. If you are uncomfortable because of your clothes, it will show in the pictures and video. So keep it simple. A t-shirt dress that is easy to nurse in or a light cotton nightgown with a robe are always great options for Mom.

For your baby we recommend the white t-shirt or onesie that the hospital provides, or a different (simple) onesie. Swaddle blankets are welcome, and add a nice layer of texture. Again, keeping it simple and avoiding multiple outfit changes allows the focus to be on your beautiful baby.

While we understand the pull toward the precious mommy and me outfits that are popular, we want to warn against going too matchy-matchy. If you and your baby are wearing the exact same print it can run together, causing mom and baby to lose definition. We find that everyone blends together and the photos start to lose visual interest. So instead of matching, think of coordinating outfits through color, prints and texture. Neutrals are a great starting point, and please have everyone stay away from large logos and bright neon colors.

Bottom line, wear what you will be comfortable in and if that happens to be the hospital gown you’re already wearing that’s absolutely ok! That’s the beauty of documentary photography…come as you are is wholeheartedly encouraged!

When your session includes siblings meeting for the first time, the structure of our time together changes a little. The first 15-20 minutes will be spent just with Mom, Partner if applicable, and Baby; then we will bring the sibling/s in. This can be done in one of two ways. First, we can walk down to meet the older children and follow them as they walk into the room OR we can stay with Mom and Baby and capture their reaction from Mom’s point of view.

Once everyone is in the same room it’s important to let your older children react however they want to. Again, with this being a documentary session we don’t need everyone looking at us smiling the whole time. If grandparents or other family members will be present they should be aware of this as well. There is no need to do anything that they wouldn’t do if we weren’t there, including trying to avoid being in the picture. We will get everyone’s attention for a portrait at some point, but there is never a need for anyone else to tell the kids to look at us.

For younger children who are used to being held by Mom, it may make sense to have the baby in the bassinet so that Mom’s arms are free to cuddle. Once those initial hellos and hugs are out of the way we can bring the bassinet over for introductions.

Some of the photos we love most are when older siblings are interacting with their new baby. Encourage them to count baby’s fingers and toes, find her belly button, look at how much hair she has, or even help with a diaper change! If for some reason your big kid just isn’t into it, that’s ok! How they choose to interact during that first meeting is the story of your family and that is what we are there to capture. Nine times out of ten, once we let go of trying to control how the big kids interact with their new littles, that’s when the sweetest moments happen.

For video sessions, much of what we have already mentioned will not change. However, there are a few things that are worth pointing out to prepare you for our time together.

We will most likely turn off all overhead lights. Flourescent bulbs used in hospitals can cause flicker, and you definitely don’t want that! We will also ask you to turn the TV off because it will interfere with audio and can also cause flicker.

We do our best not to talk a lot during these sessions, we want your voices featured and not ours!

Both our photo and video sessions include a few preview images within about 24-36 hours.

Full photo galleries are available in 2-3 weeks, and videos are available in 3-4 weeks.