Ruby didn’t seem to like me at all- or at the very least, didn’t like not being held by someone. I’ve learned a few things over the years, but Ruby wasn’t being won over by any of my tried and true methods. Parents sometimes worry that their babies ‘won’t cooperate’ for a session, but I’m here to tell you that babies can be nothing but honest. If something is bothering them or if they need something, they’ll let you know. It’s our job to figure it out and to give them what they need, to get them comfortable and as happy as possible. They don’t know how to cooperate- they just know how to let you know they need something. Nothing matters more than the baby, and no picture is worth making a baby unhappy. So, what’s plan B when things don’t go well with plan A? Here are a few things that worked, and we ended up with beautiful pictures of her first days.

She wanted to be held, so we got pictures while she was with mom and dad-

instead of using the bean bag, we used her nursery-

she loved being swaddled (sometimes swaddling works when nothing else does)-

she was adorable awake!

use even fleeting moments to get peaceful shots- this lasted only about half a second, but cameras are quick!so even though these aren’t all the ‘typical’ newborn pictures, I love them. We’re seeing her personality shine through, her tininess compared to her dad and her nursery, and how much she was cherished and tenderly cared for. And that’s exactly what newborn pictures should show!

Expecting a baby and have questions about newborn photos? Email or call me here– I’d love to talk over your ideas for a session!