How does a Boston Newborn Photographer Prepare for a Photo Session

Every time I leave for a newborn or family session I’m always a little nervous. I think a lot of us photographers are a bit anxious. We love capturing your families but we want you to love your photos too. Plus, there are a lot of unknowns that occur at every family session – How will we interact with the family? Will we be able to get the children to cooperate? Will the lighting cooperate? Will there be enough light? Some of your concerns and our fears overlap. While there are steps you can take to prepare for your newborn sessions, photographers have a list to review, too. Despite any anxieties that pop up, there are a number of things that I do to prepare for the session in order to make sure that everything goes smoothly.  Below is my mental checklist about how I prepare for any Boston newborn photography session.

 

• Check the forecast

Following the weather is an on-going process.  Even for inside session we don’t want a stormy day.  A light rain is usually okay and gives us enough light but a downpour creates dark skies and not enough light for an indoor newborn session.  While I will check a week out, an accurate weather prediction doesn’t come until a day before anyway.  I’ll also check the hourly forecast to see if it is more likely to rain in the morning or the afternoon so we can adjust the time of the session as needed.

•  Confirm with the family  

A few days before a session I send the family an email to confirm the day and time.  It is a reminder on both of our ends that we have an appointment.  If I think the weather might be an issue we can start thinking of an alternative date, if needed.

• Review client emails and questionnaire if applicable

One of the last things that I do before heading out is to review client emails and the questionnaire. I’ve already done this earlier in the week when I’m planning out my schedule but I’d like to review it one more time so everything is fresh in my mind. Specifically are there any client requests?  Did the family mentioned a particular photo that they want to take?, etc.

• Look up directions and estimate time

Knowing where I’m going is also really important. In the Boston area something that takes 10 minutes one day I can take 30 minutes with traffic on a different day. I like to use Google maps and adjust the time so I can get a better idea of potential traffic, especially in the morning or late afternoon. I’m also a bit of an early bird – I hate being late – so I like to give myself enough time. By arriving early this short breaks allow me to focus on the session and clear my mind which can be difficult when you’re running around trying to manage a household and making sure kids get to school on time.  Even just sitting in my car  provides an opportunity for me to slow down so I can relax.

• Prepare my equipment

The last thing I want at a newborn session is a technical issue so I always make sure to charge my camera batteries the night before and add a second battery into my camera bag.  Additionally, I’ll clear my memory card and make sure I have  backups with me. Again, it might seem obvious but during the busy season I might not be editing as quickly or all of my memory cards might not be in their work bag.

• Pack my camera bag

Before heading out the door, I like to double check my camera bag to ensure I have everything I need to bring with me to my photo session.   This includes any lenses I think I want to use, my back up camera, extra battery, multiple memory cards, and my flash.

 

Are you ready to book your newborn session?