What every parent should ask before booking a newborn shoot — including the safety questions most studios hope you will not raise.
Newborn photography is the only genre where the photographer's technical skill matters less than their safety training. A ten-day-old cannot tell you they are uncomfortable. Everything below is written from that starting point.
Book in your third trimester
Newborn sessions are booked around a due date, not a fixed date. Reserve in month seven or eight and we hold a flexible window; you message us the day the baby arrives and we schedule within days 6–14.
The safety questions to ask any studio
- Is there a dedicated spotter? Someone whose only job is keeping hands within reach of the baby. If the photographer is also the spotter, that is not a spotter.
- How warm is the set? 26–28°C. Newborns cannot regulate their own temperature, and a cold baby will not settle.
- How are props cleaned? Wraps washed and props sanitised between every single session — ask to see the process, not just hear about it.
- Are "froggy" and hanging poses composites? They must be. Any pose where the baby appears unsupported is created by merging two supported frames in post. A studio that says otherwise is a studio to leave.
- Is the team health-screened? Vaccinated crew, no one working while unwell, hands sanitised throughout.
How to prepare at home
- Feed fully right before the session — ideally at the studio, unhurried.
- Dress the baby in a loose zip sleepsuit with no elastic. Tight cuffs leave marks that take an hour to fade.
- Keep the baby awake for a short window before leaving, if you can manage it.
- Bring more than you think — nappies, wipes, a change for yourself, a bottle if you use one.
- Do not schedule near vaccinations. Leave 48 hours on either side.
Expect it to take three hours
A newborn session is mostly waiting. Feeds, settling, nappy changes, more settling. Studios that promise a newborn shoot in forty-five minutes are either rushing the baby or cutting the setup list. Ours run two to three hours and we never rush a settle.
Styling: less is always more
The baby is the subject. Neutral wraps, one or two textures, minimal headbands. Bold props date quickly — the ivory frame you shoot today will still look right in twenty years, and the elaborately themed one will not.
If your baby is older than three weeks
Nothing is lost. Older babies simply photograph differently — more awake, more expression, less curl. We shift to a sitter-style or awake-and-alert session and the results are just as strong, only different in character.
Read our full Little Luxe safety protocol, or message us on WhatsApp with your due date and we will hold a window.
