I LOVE photographing new babies and take the responsibility of capturing your new baby’s first photographs very seriously. It really is a privilege. In the safe and welcoming sanctuary of the Chapter Two Photography studio, here in pretty Wilmslow, your newborn photography session experience is planned to be an absolute pleasure from start to finish. From the moment you arrive at the studio, you can relax and enjoy a truly beautiful experience with your baby. The studio is warm, fragrant, clean and comfortable. Furnishings are soft and plush, deliberately designed for ultimate comfort and relaxation. There’s space to feed or change your baby, privacy when needed, and good, fresh coffee readily available. Come in, sit down, leave any cares or concerns behind and make yourself at home.

As well as a relaxed and happy ambience, the studio’s sumptuously soft furnishings and muted colourways are designed so it’s ALL about the baby. Nothing detracts from that. The studio also reflects my photography style – clean, fresh and timeless. The end results are all about the baby, the connection, a beautiful moment in time, captured forever. The end result is my clients’ smiles when they see the photos. And sometimes, even tears.

When is the best time for a newborn shoot? What is the optimum age for new baby photographs?

Traditionally, the ideal timescale for newborn photography is up to around ten days old for those beautiful curled-up shots, but realistically, anything up to about ten weeks old will catch the real essence of a tiny, new baby. Your precious baby will be the only focus of every image, with a subtle backdrop of whites and muted colours enhanced only by beautiful, soft lighting and natural shadows.

Newborn photography sessions are entirely baby-led, so if baby’s asleep, that’s good. Likewise, if baby’s awake and full of wide-eyed wonder, that’s lovely too! We can capture yawns and stretches, grimaces, sleepy smiles – or we can capture the light in baby’s eyes as they connect with mama. It’s all about YOUR baby.

The approach may vary a little according to the age of your baby:

Brand New Baby: Babies are beautiful just as they are. My approach to newborn baby photographs is to capture your baby just as you know them. We make your precious baby the focus of every image. A minimalistic approach is simply perfect for photographing tiny babies. Those whites, muted colours, and beautiful light really help to capture the little details of the very start of their life journey. It’s wonderful for parents and siblings to be involved, too, even if it's simply using your hands as props to capture engagement and connection. My newborn photography sessions are very relaxed and baby-led; posing and wrapping are kept to a minimum. Newborn shoots are recommended from 7 days old to 16 days old. 

Older Newborns: For many new parents, the thought of getting dressed or having your hair and makeup done and ready for a photo shoot with your newborn might feel too much. I’ve been there; I get it. Maybe you were in hospital a little longer, or perhaps you want to wait until your little one starts to smile and make consistent eye contact. Older newborn baby photo sessions are every bit as adorable. At six weeks and beyond, the star of the show will most likely be awake and less curled than a newborn - but the connections and early smiles are so very well worth the wait.

What to Expect at Your Newborn Baby Photo Session

First things first, you’ll be able to park very close to the studio. Don’t feel you need to bring everything but the kitchen sink, just the essentials for your baby. I’ll greet you at the door and welcome you into the studio before helping you to settle in and make yourselves at home. Then, once baby’s happy and settled, we’ll have a coffee and chat about how the session will evolve. 

Every baby – and thus every session – is different and their and everything will be led by your baby. If a break is needed, or baby needs a feed or a change, we work round that. Once we’ve stopped shooting, I’ll let you know when your digital images will be ready to view – as a guide, we aim for a week, but occasionally it can take up to three weeks.