How to Prepare for
Your Session
Everything you need to feel relaxed, beautiful and ready.
GUIDE 01
Maternity Session Prep
Scheduling
Best captured around 31 to 36 weeks. For multiples, 27 to 31 weeks is recommended.
Makeup, Hair & Nails
Book a mani-pedi a day or two before. Natural daytime makeup works best. Soft waves or a blow out looks beautiful and elegant.
Wardrobe
Bring up to 3 outfit changes. Flowy long dresses, bandeau tops and maxi skirts work beautifully. Solid earthy tones or pastels only. Avoid patterns, stripes and logos.
Partner
Partner should match your tones and fabric style to keep the image seamless and elegant.
GUIDE 02
Newborn Session Prep
How to Prepare for Your Newborn Session Those first couple of weeks after meeting your new little love are truly magical, and go by in a blink! After having 3 myself, trust me when I say, they will be crawling before you know it! Capturing those moments is something you will never regret. I only wish I took more! Scheduling Newborn sessions are best in the first 14 days after giving birth. Baby is still sleeping a lot and curled up, which makes those lovely cute positions in pictures. As we know, babies almost never arrive on their due date, so most of my clients let me know their due date before, and then call me from the hospital to book the session. The session usually takes between 2 to 4 hours. That is because we take breaks for changes, cleaning up, feeding and cuddling. Preparing Your Home Heating on: Newborns get cold easily. Most of the session involves exposed skin or changes. Set the temperature to around 21 to 24 degrees at least an hour before I arrive. Lightly declutter: In most cases photos will be done in the main bedroom and living room, or whichever space has the most room and best source of light. A quick clear up of bedside tables from chargers, toys and cups would save us time. Baby Prep On arrival I will have to set up first and decide on the best few places for the photos. During that time it is best to keep baby awake (some parents give the baby a little bath) and save the big feed for when we start shooting. A milk drunk satisfied baby is key for those sleepy curled up shots! Please dress baby in a zip onesie without layers underneath for easy changes. If you feel baby is cold do cover them with a cosy blanket. If you are breastfeeding, it is best to have some expressed milk on standby or a little formula as an extra top up. It will not affect baby's breastfeeding. Sometimes babies wake up between changes and want a quick feed. Whether you are planning to give baby a pacifier or not (we have all had that dilemma!) I recommend having one for our session. It will not affect them and will only be used to soothe baby back to sleep. Keep extra nappies, wipes, blankets, muslin and a towel nearby. Babies love making a splash! Wardrobe Keep it simple and neutral. Avoid busy patterns or bright bold colours. It distracts from the purity and from their tiny features. Parents should wear soft comfortable clothing. Neutral linens or cosy oversized knits look great in pictures and add texture. Baby: I provide all baby wraps and outfits. If there is something special you would like to include such as a precious blanket, heirloom or particular outfit, please let me know in advance so I can plan and prepare for it. Mum: Wear something comfortable and loose as you have just given birth. I recommend blow drying your hair and wearing a lovely daytime fresh makeup. Take a little moment to feel good. I know you probably do not feel the most glamorous right now, but most photos will be of your upper body with baby close to your face. I am here to make you look good and I know a few tricks! Manicured hands and nails are a must. Nails do not have to be painted but in most of the photos your hands will show holding your baby. Make sure hands are moisturised and nails are neat. That goes for Dad too. Prepare Older Siblings Older siblings are usually VERY excited! And I am always making sure they feel happy and included, which is why after my setup, older siblings go first. Do not worry about them not sitting still, running around or showing me all their toys. It is supposed to be fun and natural! If the older siblings are toddlers or under 5, I would suggest that after we have taken family shots and siblings with baby, a relative takes them out for a little walk or to the playground. By that point baby will be very tired from all the cuddles and ready for a good nap and those sleepy poses, which can be lengthy and too much to ask from an energetic young child to be patient and quiet. Stay Calm and Enjoy Babies and siblings can feel if mum is stressed, even if it is only because you want everything to go well and for everyone to behave, stay clean and not scream the house down. Please do not worry. I have seen it all and I am well prepared. It is more important to me that you are calm and happy. Last note: I do not force babies into any poses. The session is baby led only, which means that sometimes a certain pose or idea is not a position your baby likes. I have plenty of ideas to choose from. Baby's safety and happiness always comes first.
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GUIDE 03
Family Session Prep
Scheduling Family sessions are usually done at weekends as most children are in school or nursery and parents are at work. I find that the best time is morning as children are in a happy mood and the parks are not as busy. Of course that does not work for every family so please let me know your preference in our conversation. Wardrobe As much as your little one loves his Batman costume and your girl will only wear her Elsa dress (and YES it is absolutely adorable!) I will highly advise to give it a miss for one day. Solid colours are best, especially in group pictures. Avoid prints and logos as they can be distracting in the image. Earthy tones are perfect for family pictures. You do not have to wear matching outfits however I would recommend choosing 2 or 3 shades and sticking to them. If our session is in Autumn, copper orange, dark red, mustard yellow (not the bright one!), brown and cream look wonderful. Please remember to bring a change for each child (or even 2 if you know your little one will run straight for that muddy patch!) just in case. You can also pack a cardigan to easily put over in the event of unexpected weather. Plan the outfits according to the time of year. Linen and light fabrics are great for summer. Knits, cardigans and jumper dresses look lovely in pictures for the colder months. Hair If anyone in the family needs a haircut, it is best to get it done a few days before our session to get used to the new style. Mum, use this session as an excuse to get yourself pampered! Get your hair and nails done. We know how these little things can make us feel great! What to Bring Make sure you pack some snacks for the kids. I recommend dry snacks that cannot stain, drip or stick on children's clothes. Wipes for those tiny little noses. A hairbrush, sometimes it gets a little windy. Jackets if it is cold. We walk around the location and when we find a good spot we will take jackets off, do a little warm up dance, take pictures and put them back on. Setting the Mood Our session is about 90 minutes long. It goes very quickly! The most important thing is to truly try and have fun. It really does show in the pictures. You can just tell the kids we are going for a nice walk in the park and get a few pictures taken. Of course you would want to be well prepared and for everything to go smoothly. However kids just want to play and have fun, which is exactly what we will do! I have a few tricks and games, running around and sometimes I will ask them to be my helpers. I would suggest not to start with the bribes or threats before the shoot as it will make them agitated (and I am not judging here because I use it too!). However in those moments their expressions and faces are everything. So keep it in mind if they play up on the day and you are threatening them with cancelling Christmas.