I know what you’re thinking when you come to see me for your baby’s milestone session. At least, I have a pretty good idea…you’re hoping that all of the planets will align, and that your baby will be the happiest, smiliest, cutest version of him/herself, at least for the 30-45 minutes that comprise your session time. But I’ll be honest with you….more often than not, baby isn’t 100% thrilled with the photo shoot, and they didn’t get the memo that they were supposed to smile on cue and be camera-ready and adorable. BUT….there are some things that you can do to prepare for the session, so that things will go as smoothly as possible:
Make sure baby is fed and well-rested! I know sometimes when scheduling appointments, it’s tempting to want to schedule when it works best with your timeline, but if that means interrupting or foregoing a nap, or postponing a feeding, that can spell disaster for a milestone session! Our time together will be much more productive if baby isn’t tired or hungry.
Let me know if baby is sick! If baby wakes up with a cold, or even if he/she hasn't slept well due to teething or is just generally crabby the day of the session, please let me know—we can easily reschedule to a time when he/she is feeling better. Pushing through a session with a sick baby isn’t fun for anyone, especially the baby!
Remember that the studio is a new experience for your baby! Even if your baby came to see me for their newborn session, or previous milestone sessions, they don’t remember me or my space, so it might take them a minute to warm up—and that’s ok! We will work at baby’s pace, without rushing them through the session.
Don’t stress about outfits! I keep a studio closet of outfits in various sizes that coordinate perfectly with my prop collection, and styling is included at no extra charge with every milestone session.
Don’t stress in general! I know it’s easy to find yourself worried about whether or not the baby will smile or be cooperative, but any stress you’re feeling can be communicated unintentionally to the baby. Remember: our goal is to capture authentic moments that represent who your baby is at this stage in his/her development. Whether we end up capturing smiles, serious or silly faces, or even a few tears, we will have captured the essence of who your baby is right now, and those images will be just as beautiful and meaningful to you as anything “perfect” we might hope to capture.
