The newborn stage moves quickly. A session is a chance to hold onto how tiny and new your baby is right now, before it all changes again.
Those early newborn days can feel intense, emotional, and faster than you expect.
When to Book
The ideal window for newborn photos is the first two to three weeks, while babies are often at their sleepiest and curliest. Most parents book while still pregnant, usually around the 20 week scan, so there’s space held around the due date. I pencil in a provisional slot for roughly a week after your due date, then we adjust once your baby actually arrives. Only about one in twenty babies turns up on the day they’re due, so a bit of flexibility is built in from the start.
If your baby is already here, please don’t worry that you’ve missed it. I love photographing slightly older newborns too. The session leans a little more towards wakeful expressions rather than tightly curled poses, and the images are just as lovely.
Traditional and Lifestyle Photography Styles
When you book a newborn photo shoot with me, you’ll be able to choose between either a traditional or lifestyle newborn style. You don’t need to book any differently or make a choice until you receive your options form, the day before your session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Welcoming a newborn comes with lots of questions, especially if this is your first baby. Below you’ll find answers to the most common practical questions about newborn sessions, from preparation to safety and what happens on the day. The aim is to help you feel informed, relaxed, and confident about the experience. For emotional reassurance and the worries parents don’t always ask out loud, you can also visit my in-depth guide to booking concerns.
I kindly ask that you don’t take photos or videos during your session. Your booking includes my time, skill, and copyright, and recording in the studio can interrupt the flow of your shoot. If anyone is seen filming or photographing, the session will need to be stopped and will end without refund, and that’s not a situation any of us want to be in. Please relax, enjoy the experience, and let me take care of creating the images for you.
Any digital images you purchase will be sized at 10×8″ at 300ppi in JPEG format as standard. This is ideal for printing up to this size or slightly larger (you have more flexibility on size when it comes to canvases, as they’re printed at a lower resolution).
If you know you want to print significantly larger than this, you can upgrade your digital images to larger file sizes, and they’ll be sent to you on a USB drive, just check your gallery pricing for the options here.
One little note though: always back up your USBs, they aren’t the most reliable technology for long-term storage.
A newborn photo shoot is £95, and that includes your two hour studio session, plus your three favourite digital images to download at print quality and share as much as you’d like.
You also receive free membership to my Baby Photography Club, where you can find the full information here. With this, you get four additional sessions in your baby’s first two years. In the first year, you’ll schedule them at roughly four, eight, and twelve months (which can be a cake smash or tub splash session if you’d like it to be), and then you’ll have a voucher for one extra session that you can use any time within your baby’s second year. You can either choose to have a free digital image from your first three sessions, or your favourite from each in a wall frame at the end of the year. From the fourth session, you receive a free digital image.
When you’ve booked your session, it’s normal to wonder how long a newborn photo shoot takes. The answer is that we schedule the studio for two hours, although I never take back-to-back appointments, so we’re not rushed if we need a little extra time. How long the actual photography takes depends entirely on how your baby is feeling, but we have plenty of time for feeding and settling if we need it. Very often, they don’t take that long, but it’s great to have plenty of time so we can relax and enjoy it.
I’d definitely recommend booking your newborn photography while you’re still pregnant, any time after your 20 week scan is ideal.
This ensures I have availability for you in your baby’s first two weeks, as the studio can get quite busy. If you’re late booking, I’ll always do my best to accommodate you if I can, but booking early means you don’t have to worry about it when you’re just home from the hospital.
When you book your newborn photo session, you usually don’t know exactly what date your baby will arrive. In fact, only 5% of newborns arrive on their due date, so we keep it flexible. With the target newborn photography window of 5 to 14 days old, we schedule your session for your due date plus seven days, and then we just stay in touch nearer the time and adjust it as we need to.
You don’t need to stress, I’ll provide most of what we need in the studio. But here are some helpful things to bring along:
- A favourite outfit if you have one: keep it simple, comfy, and in tones that mix well with your family’s style
- Favourite toys, books, or props that mean something to you and your child
- A dummy, if your baby uses one, plus bringing a spare is a great idea just in case!
- Milk and newborn essentials (nappies, wipes, extra clothes) for comfort breaks
- Blankets or wraps you’d like included in the session, if you have them
If there’s something special you want included, a beloved teddy, a passed-down blanket, or a prop, absolutely bring it. I love weaving personal touches into your photos so they feel unique to your family.
Preparing ahead helps your newborn session flow more peacefully. Here are my top tips:
- Try to keep your baby awake. Keeping them awake for an hour or so before your session can help them sleep better at the shoot. It’s not essential, and it’s virtually impossible in the car, but if you can build it into your routine that day, then great.
- Nappy changes. Unless your baby is genuinely uncomfortable, or you’re not planning any naked shots, it’s best to avoid nappy cream before you come to the studio. Most creams leave a sticky white mark that’s hard to digitally remove. Not that you needed telling, but make sure you bring along plenty of spare nappies in your bag.
- Feed and settle. Your baby will tend to be more comfortable when they’re well-fed and sleepy, try feeding just before we start.
- Give yourself extra time. On the day, leave room for delays. A calm start helps everyone relax.
- Keep your baby warm, but not layered. If possible, dress your baby in a single layer and keep them snuggly with a blanket. It just makes it a bit easier for me when it comes time to get them undressed, so I don’t have to wriggle them out of too many layers.
- Trust me. I’ve done this a lot of times over more than 20 years, so I’ll guide you every step, handle the props, and help soothe when needed.
A little preparation goes a long way, and my goal is for you to relax and enjoy the experience while I capture those early days.
There’s a whole article here that you might find helpful – Preparing for your Newborn Photo Shoot
The ideal time for a newborn photography session is within the first 5 to 14 days after birth. During this window, newborns are typically sleepier, more flexible, and easier to pose gently and comfortably.
That said, every family and newborn is different, if you miss that window, don’t worry. I still love photographing slightly older newborns, though the session might be more about capturing personality, expressions, and family connection rather than lots of curled poses. When you book, I’ll keep your due date in mind and reserve space so we can choose the best day once your little one arrives.
Your baby’s outfit plays a big role in how relaxed and natural the images look. Here’s what I recommend:
- Soft, neutral tones: cream, beige, soft greys, gentle pastels. These hues keep the focus on your baby and work well with studio props and wraps.
- Natural fabrics: cotton, muslin, or other breathable materials that are comfortable against your baby’s skin. Avoid anything scratchy, stiff, or shiny.
- Minimal details and simple designs: avoid heavy prints, logos, or busy patterns that can distract. Small texture like a knit is fine, but keep it subtle.
- Layers and easy changes: zips and a single layer of clothing make it easier to change during the session without fuss.
- Bring extra options: a second outfit, a wrap or swaddle you like, and a simple prop if it means something to you (blanket, knitted hat, soft toy).
- Keep your baby comfortable: if you’re travelling with your baby, it’s really helpful to dress them in just one layer and use blankets to keep them warm and snuggly on the journey. That way I don’t need to disturb them too much when we’re shooting and take them out of multiple layers (the studio will be toasty!).
If you have a special outfit or heirloom item you’d like included, absolutely bring it, we can always incorporate it.
For a lot of a newborn session, we’ll be working on my giant beanbag, but I do have a range of props you can select from as well if you’d like to, from miniature beds, to bowls, and even a little vintage style trolley.
You’ll get a link to the full range I have via your options form the day before your session, so you can let me know exactly what you’d like, and I’ll have everything ready for you when you arrive at the studio so we don’t waste a moment!
Working with newborns in or on props does require them to be fairly settled, so I don’t recommend using more than two in a session. You can find out more about my props by taking a look at my blog, and there’s an article that might be helpful here: Newborn Props.
I’ve been a photographer for more than 20 years, and I’ve been photographing newborns for more than ten of those, since it first became popular in the UK. I’ve never counted, but I must have done hundreds of sessions in that time, so I’ve got lots of experience in capturing these tiny people!
Of course parents and siblings are welcome to be in the photos, although it’s not obligatory, as sometimes new mums and dads don’t feel particularly camera ready. It’s totally up to you.
Where siblings are still young themselves, I recommend they join us at the end of the session so they can be in photographs without getting bored waiting around. If you’re bringing them along for the whole of the shoot, definitely bring them something to keep them entertained. Just as a note, we don’t have very good mobile phone signal here, so it’s worth downloading anything you want before you come if you’re planning to use phones or tablets to play movies or games.
Speaking as the mother to fur babies myself, I know dogs are definitely part of the family!
You’re welcome to bring your dog along to a newborn photo shoot if you think they’ll be happy to attend and able to settle relatively well. It’s helpful for me to know in advance, along with the size of dog you’ll be bringing, so I can make sure I’m set up for them to join in some of the pictures. I recommend bringing along a lead, treats, and a favourite toy to keep them engaged, and if you want to bring along a natty bow tie or other outfit, well, I’m certainly not going to object.
Here’s an article you might like – Newborns and Dogs
One or both of those is pretty likely to happen during the course of your newborn photo shoot, as it’s very rare for a newborn to turn up fast asleep and remain that way throughout. We have plenty of time to feed, settle, and soothe your baby back to sleep, so if they wake up or are unsettled, we just work through it until they’re happy to nod off again.
Here’s an article you might find useful – What if my Baby cries at their Newborn Shoot
It’s completely natural to be protective over your brand new baby (or your child of any age, for that matter), but you can be assured that I’m very experienced at handling newborns.
Your session will be totally baby led, and I’ll always be watching to check that your baby’s temperature is right, their circulation is good, and that they’re comfortable at all times. Of course your baby will sometimes cry during their session, but I’m skilled at knowing whether they’re just having a bit of a grumble or whether we need to make adjustments to get them comfortable.
All the poses I use are safe for your baby, and I would never leave them unsupported or able to startle and fall. Where poses require extra help, I’ll ask for assistance from a parent and use digital compositing to create a lovely image in a situation where it wouldn’t be safe to leave your baby unsupported: an example of this would be a picture you might have seen showing a newborn in a hat or helmet, or resting their head on their hands. In cases like these, there’s always a parent supporting them from different angles, and then the images are stitched together to remove the parent from the final image.
It’s best to book while you’re still pregnant, to guarantee I have availability at my studio for you. However, if you’ve already had your baby and decided you’d like a newborn shoot, I’ll always do my best to fit you in if I can. Just get in touch.
Most newborns have dry patches on their skin after a few days, especially if they’ve been born past their due date. It’s not a problem at all for your session though, I’ll use posing to minimise how much is on display, and then editing to reduce, if not remove, the dry patches. I don’t actually over-process your baby’s skin in your finished images, as I don’t like images that make them look waxy and unreal. They’ll still have their skin texture, which may include some little flakes and dry spots, but that’s part of who they are at that moment in time.
If you’d like to read more about Newborn Editing then you can check out my fuller article – The Art of Newborn Editing
Your baby’s cord can still be attached for your newborn photo shoot, and it doesn’t cause an issue.
We’ll use fabrics and posing to hide it in the finished images, and it can sometimes mean I have to work a little harder to get your baby comfy when they’re tucked up on their tummy (depending on the clamp placement), but it doesn’t cause an issue and their comfort won’t be affected at any point.
If you take a nappy off a newborn, it’s more than likely that they’ll pee or poo at some point during their session. I expect it to happen, and it doesn’t bother me in the slightest, everything in the studio is washable, including me. We clean them up, change whatever got messed up, and just carry on.
It’s more than likely that your baby will need feeding at some point during your session, and that’s no problem at all.
We have plenty of time built in for feeding and settling. Breastfeeding is completely fine, it would be quite strange if that were a problem. It’s a warm and safe space where you won’t be interrupted by anyone, so if you’re new to it and want to take your time, that’s not an issue.
For newborns, I find we get the best success rates when sessions start at 10.30 or 11am.
This is because your baby won’t tend to sleep all that well at night (which seems like poor planning for everyone involved!), so they’re at their sleepiest during the morning. Sessions that start later can result in your baby being more wakeful, although of course it isn’t an exact science.
The latest session start time I’ll take for a newborn is 1.30pm. After this point, we’re edging towards the ‘witching hour’, which traditionally gets very poor results for a photo shoot.
You’re welcome to bring along anything you’d like to include in your newborn photo shoot to make it personal to you.
Over the years, people have brought all sorts of things, including sports equipment, team colours, toys, blankets, and even a giant duck. I’ll try to work in anything you want to have in your finished images. Multiple outfits can be difficult to manage whilst keeping your baby asleep, so I’d recommend bringing your baby already dressed in your favourite outfit if you’d like them photographed in it. If you’re bringing along a prop for your baby to lie on or in, I’ll work with it if I think it’s safe to do so and doesn’t pose any risks to them.
Here’s an article that you might find handy for inspiration – 5 things to bring to your newborn photo shoot
I’ll happily use a dummy at your newborn photo shoot if you’d like me to.
wouldn’t ever use a dummy on your child if it didn’t already belong to you, and I’m certainly not going to wade into the dummy or no dummy debate. If you have one, it can be a useful tool for soothing your baby to sleep, so I’ll use it if we think it will help. If you don’t want to give your baby a dummy, that’s no issue with me, we’ll get there by other means. These are your parenting decisions, and I’m not going to have an opinion either way.
Each of your finished images will have been edited by me, and this takes at least as long as the session itself, and most of the time, a lot longer.
Whoever said someone had skin as smooth as a newborn had obviously never actually looked at a newborn. So I work on their skin a lot to smooth out the colour and texture (without making them look waxy, you still want to be able to recognise that they’re little people). I’ll remove little scratches and spots and other temporary blemishes, but I would never take out any birthmarks, as that’s part of your baby. If you have special requests regarding image editing, just let me know and we can talk it over.
If you’d like to read more about editing, then check out this full article – the Art of Newborn Editing
You’re always welcome to be part of your newborn photo shoot, and those early days family photos can be ones to treasure. In terms of what to wear, I recommend keeping clothes plain and neutral, and coordinating tones if you’re both going to be in the images together, as it gives a nicer feel to the finished images. It’s worth bringing along your chosen outfit to change into (I have a changing area), as the studio will be really warm, so you might be more comfortable in something else whilst you’re watching your images being created. Here’s an article you might find useful: what to wear for your newborn photo shoot: what to wear for your newborn photo shoot.
About two weeks after your session, I’ll have your images edited and uploaded to your private online gallery. There’s no sales or viewing session to attend. I’ll email you a link and a password, and that will take you straight to your finished images.
I believe in complete transparency when it comes to pricing, so you won’t get any nasty surprises. You’ll already know what your session fee includes in terms of images, and you can simply order more from your online gallery if you’d like to, there’s no sales or viewing session to attend.
Here are the prices for additional digital images and prints.
There’s no minimum spend or nasty pricing surprises with any of my photography. You’ll already know the price of your photo shoot and what’s included, and if you’d like to order more, you simply do so from your online gallery.
My studio is based in Crawley Down, West Sussex, conveniently positioned between Crawley and East Grinstead and just a short drive from nearby villages like Copthorne and Turners Hill.
Most newborn, baby club, and family sessions take place in-studio, where I’ve set up a calm, warm, and safe environment for your baby and family. I’ve designed the space for comfort, safety, soft light, and a full wardrobe of props, accessories and wraps.
You can find out more about it including the address and directions at My Studio Page.
Each of your images is professionally edited, so there’ll be a bit of a delay before you can see them while I get everything ready for you. This can vary according to a number of factors, but generally it’s about a two week wait before your images are uploaded to your private online gallery. I’ll be able to advise you better on exact waiting times at your session.
I present all your images in colour, then add in black and white copies of some that I think particularly suit it. Of course, if you’d rather have an image in black and white, just ask and I’m happy to switch it over for you.
My studio (located in Crawley Down, just a short drive from East Grinstead, West Sussex) is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm.
I welcome bookings within those hours, and if you have special scheduling needs or want an evening or Sunday option, feel free to ask, I’ll always do my best to accommodate when possible.
I keep your images for 18 months following your session date, and after this point they’re permanently deleted, so if you’re purchasing digital copies, please back them up safely, I really can’t stress this enough.
When they go online following your session, they’ll be there for a month for you to order from (although I can extend that if you need a bit more time to choose, just ask!)
Absolutely! Photography gift certificates make a lovely, thoughtful present, ideal for birthdays, baby showers, new arrivals, or just because.
You can choose any session type (newborn, family, maternity, baby club, cake smash, or even seasonal minis), and I’ll create a nicely designed certificate for you to give.
Gift certificates can be supplied as a printed version, ready to wrap and hand over, or a digital version, ideal for last-minute gifting. Each one comes with full details on how to book, and the recipient is free to choose a date that suits them.
If you’d like to order one, just click the button below. It’s a lovely way to give someone the gift of lasting memories.
This is a question I get asked a lot, and it’s a tricky one to answer as it depends on so many things. If your baby’s in a great mood, you’ll have lots of photos to choose from, but if they’re finding the session a little harder going, you’ll naturally have fewer. If I had to give an average, I’d say you can expect around forty fully edited images in your finished gallery, but that can vary quite a bit, so it’s not always the most useful number to go on.
When you buy a digital file from me, the copyright stays with me, as it would with pretty much all other photographers. However, that’s just a legal term I retain as the creator of the image. You’re able to print and share the image as much as you’d like, the only thing you can’t do is sell the images or claim that you took them. Other than that, they’re yours to do as you wish with.
PS, back them up!
Payment is due when you booked your photo shoot but if it is more than two weeks away, you can choose to pay a deposit of £20. The balance is due the week before your booking.
There’s never any sales process or meetings with any of my photography, you simply view your image gallery online and make any orders you’d like directly from there.
My online gallery should be fairly familiar to you if you shop online, but in case you need a bit of extra assistance, you can click the button below to access a help document that walks you through how to access your gallery, choose your favourite images, and place an order. Of course, if you’re having any problems, just get in touch and I’m always happy to help.
It’s completely normal for your baby to need time to settle, feed, and cuddle during their session.
Newborn images you see online can be a bit misleading, because photographers are only ever going to publish the ones where the baby is asleep or otherwise content. I can tell you that it’s a rare occurrence for your baby to arrive asleep and stay that way throughout their session! That’s why I allow plenty of time for comfort breaks and work at a gentle, baby-led pace. There’s no pressure, we take things as they come to ensure a stress-free experience.
This is totally normal and nothing to worry about. Most newborns have flaky skin or little spots to some degree.
I always use gentle editing to smooth out any temporary skin issues while keeping your baby’s features looking natural. In fact, you can read all about the editing process for newborn photography in this comprehensive article.This is totally normal and nothing to worry about. Most newborns have flaky skin or little spots to some degree.
I always use gentle editing to smooth out any temporary skin issues while keeping your baby’s features looking natural. In fact, you can read all about the editing editing process for newborn photography in this comprehensive article.
It’s an understandable worry, but the short answer is no, that almost never happens.
In more than ten years of photographing newborns, there have only been a handful of times where a session simply couldn’t go ahead, and in those rare cases, it was usually due to a medical issue like colic, where your baby was truly uncomfortable.
That said, if for any reason your baby is unsettled and nothing we try is working, you should know that you’re always welcome to reschedule. Your newborn session isn’t a one-time-only opportunity, I can capture lovely images at any stage in your baby’s first year. While newborn photos are wonderful, if nature isn’t on our side that day, we can still create special memories at a later time.
It’s really common for newborns to have dry or flaky skin, especially in the early days after birth. Understandably, many parents wonder if it will show up in their photos.
The short answer is: yes, it might be visible in the raw images… but no, you don’t need to worry.
I always edit newborn portraits with care and attention, gently smoothing any flakiness while keeping your baby’s skin looking natural and soft. I don’t blur skin into plastic or remove every tiny detail, but I do take the time to even out dry patches and reduce anything that would distract from your baby’s sweet little features.
You don’t need to do anything to try and fix it before your session, no special lotions or creams needed. In fact, I’d recommend not doing anything different to your normal routine, as some products can actually make flakiness more pronounced or irritate sensitive skin.
So please don’t stress. Flaky skin is a normal part of being brand new, and I’ll take care of it gently when editing so you get natural images you’ll love.
Yes. I hold an up-to-date DBS check. This helps ensure parents feel confident and reassured when bringing their children to my studio, whatever type of child photography session they’re booking.
Yes, studio flash is safe for newborns. The light is very quick and no stronger than walking outside on a bright day. I’ve photographed hundreds of newborns in my studio, and flash lighting is designed for this kind of work. I always make sure your baby is comfortable and calm, and the light never disturbs them.