Session Styling Questionnaire | Best Houston Newborn Photos

Sarah Borchgrevink Photography shares the newborn styling questionnaire and how she creates stunning baby portraiture sessions by keeping your preferences in mind.

Designing Gorgeous & Unique Photography for New Babies

Hi, gang! Good morning to you! Today's blog post is all about what you can expect when it comes to newborn styling and session design. If you've ever taken a quick peek at my Houston Newborn Photography Studio, you'll see that I have a huge array of props and items on hand just for you. Part of booking a newborn collection with me includes having full access to all of the amazing, custom and handmade items for new babies.

However, sometimes it can be overwhelming to parents when they try to consider all the different options. They see the buckets, bowls, crates, headbands, wraps, backdrops, etc., and it becomes what I call "analysis paralysis" where it's just too much and overwhelming. Since most parents do one newborn session and these truly are once in a lifetime photos, I have developed a great newborn styling and stat questionnaire tailored to each baby to ensure you have the most beautiful, breathtaking and gorgeous photos possible!

For example, the questionnaire covers things like skin tone, baby's weight, and your feeding preferences. These type of questions are really important to ask because it helps me know what colors will look good against baby's skin, which props they'll fit best into, and also if I should bring you in earlier since a formula fed baby eats quicker than a breastfed baby. It helps with scheduling and planning. 

Moreover, your questionnaire covers things like the type of colors in your home or baby's nursery or if there is a prop you love on my website and you'd like to make sure it makes your way into the nursery.

What You May Expect from the newborn questionnaire

• What is baby's birthday?

• How much does baby weigh?

• Is baby jaundice?

• Is baby bottle fed or breastfed?

• Does baby take a pacifier?

• What colors are found in your nursery?

• What are a few colors you would like to avoid?

• Is there a prop you love?

• What are your favorite poses?

• Is there a pose you'd like to avoid?

• Do you have any concerns I may assist with?

These questions are a fantastic starting point for me so I know how to design something you're sure to love, treasure and adore for generations to come. Remember: these photos will be passed down as heirlooms and you're not just taking these for yourself, but for your little one, who will then show them to his or her own children (many years from now, ha).

Creating the Best Houston Newborn Photography

Each session is an individual - just like your family and baby. I take your answers to the styling questionnaire and creating a unique session just for you. It removes the guesswork for you and takes stress away from parents. Everything is provided by me. Please do not feel like you must bring any props from home. :-) 

For example, for this session I am going to preview, Mom relayed answers to all of these questions listed above. She explained baby weighs just under 8 pounds, is not jaundice, is breast fed, does not take a paci, and that she really would like to see only mint, sage, pink, blush, neutrals and purples in baby girl's session. She was also open to all sorts of props. Mom and Dad did not want any naked bean bag posing - just simple, cozy and sweet newborn styles of wrapping for a more modest session.

Here's what I came up with for Baby girl R. 

I am so excited to have worked with this family again, too! They're some of my favorite clients and we've had a wonderful time getting to know one another. :-) 

Girl Newborn Photography Session Color Scheme Ideas

Baby R's session was filled with all things girly, sweet, timeless and classic. Soft, muted colors such as lilac and blush pink; sage and mint also made an appearance as well as organic neutrals. Check out some of my favorite images. She is truly one of the most stunning newborn baby girl's I've had the honor of photographing!

As always, thank you for visiting my little creative corner of the earth in which I share fun details about my professional Houston newborn photography! If you enjoyed reading about the newborn styling questionnaire, you may like reading about these topics, too:

• Favorite newborn poses during baby's first photo shoot

• Cozy & unique styles of newborn wrapping

• Why Sarah is the Best Houston Newborn Photography Choice for You

When is the Ideal Time to Schedule Your Posed Newborn Session?

Houston Newborn Photographer, Sarah Borchgrevink, shares important details about the ideal time to schedule your baby's first professional photography session.

Age Matters | Posed Newborn Appointments

When you first see the + sign on a pregnancy test, you're probably not thinking about when you should book your custom posed newborn portraiture session. That's perfectly okay! Awaiting the arrival of a new baby is full of excitement and many important details. There's numerous (and sometimes lengthy) doctor appointments, baby showers, nursery decor, prenatal classes, breastfeeding classes, and several other items that contend for your attention such as scheduling your maternity leave, etc. Pregnancy is a wonderful time but it's filled with hustle and bustle! 

In addition to the above, you're also thinking about your health and the responsibility of growing a new life: drinking plenty of water, sleeping enough, taking your prenatal pills, trying to get through morning sickness, figuring out when and how to announce, touring hospitals, etc. It's no wonder newborn photos are often put on the back burner.

Before I specialized in newborn portraits, I figured photographers took photos of babies at pretty much any time. I assumed that because baby is only a few months old, it did not matter. However, it does: age is one of the most important parts of having a successful newborn session.

The Best time to Book is the second trimester

Scheduling your baby's first photo-shoot in the second trimester is the most ideal time to book because this ensures you have an appointment on the photographer's calendar. Just because babies come on their own schedule does not mean photographers book babies once they're actually earth side. Part of offering a luxury service is having a calendar full in advance, but also taking a limited number of appointments so each client can have the attention to detail they deserve. This includes consultations and designing a beautiful, timeless baby session for your little cherub. By booking in advance, you're sure to have an appointment when your baby is the right age.

For example, I take 15 due dates per month as of 2018. This keeps me very busy. In addition to my photography sessions, I also have many business tasks, as I am a full time business owner, and I cannot take last minute appointments typically since I usually will have a deadline or consultation already scheduled for that day.

Furthermore, finding the right newborn photographer can take time. It's a lot of research and many important factors to consider, such as the 9 Questions You Should Always Ask.

When do newborn sessions take place?

Newborn sessions at Sarah Borchgrevink Photography take place when the baby is 5-8 days new if they're a full term baby. Premature babies have more flexibility in scheduling, however. I will take newborns up to 30 days if needed, though I rarely go this old since the older baby is, the less the cooperate. Around 14 days old, the baby becomes very alert and does not sleep through the posing, wrapping and all of the set ups.

For scheduling, I have parents notify me when baby has arrived. Afterward, parents are sent 3-4 dates from which they may select. By booking early, your due date secures the appointment on the calendar and makes sure I don't book too many newborns in the same time frame as you. 

Newborns have top priority on the calendar. Babies come when they come.

By booking in advance, you're sure to have an appointment during the optimal time listed above, which is 5-8 days new. For instance, I have four young children myself and with my last baby, I booked his newborn session with a professional photographer when he was 16 weeks new. It was very important to me I have my preferred portrait artist and I made sure I secured her talent so we can have her stunning work on our walls. :-) 

What can you expect?

At my photography studio, expect to have an absolutely stunning newborn session! I delight in working with brand new babies + their darling parents. This time in life is beyond special and precious; there is something almost sacred about the first few weeks as parents bond with their new baby. You can expect the most lovely posing, organic wrapping and textile, hand made and custom props, as well as baby to be at peace. Baby's session should evoke a sense of tender, unconditional love. 

Sample Images of Babies Who Visited at 5-8 Days New

As always, thanks for visiting my blog! I hope you enjoyed reading about when is the best time to schedule your little one's first professional photography session! If you liked reading about this topic, you may find the following blog posts to be helpful, too!

• 22 Babies who Rocked Their First Photos

• How to Work With Alert Newborns in Studio

• How I use Artificial Lights to Create Natural Light Look in Studio

Posing Ideas & Color Scheme for Newborn Boy Photography | Jayce

Houston Newborn & Baby Portrait Photographer, Sarah Borchgrevink Photography, shares timeless and classic posing + color scheme ideas for your next baby boy in studio!

Jayce's First Portrait Session ~ Earth side at 3 weeks new

Good morning to you! Today's blog post is all about some fun posing ideas and color scheme inspiration for your next baby boy you have in studio. This is also a great post for parents to check out since it talks about how we select colors for your own posed newborn session. 

When baby's sweet Mom first contacted me to book the session, baby was a little older than I normally take, however, she was so kind and easy to correspond with that I decided to add him to the calendar. After the booking process, Mom and I chatted about colors she would like to see in his session. Her favorites were grey, mint, burgundy, ivory and also a neutral set up, too.  I like for you to share color preferences with me because it's a great way to know where to begin on session set up, styling and design. You should love each and every photo so by starting with your favorite colors, I'm able to ensure you'll adore the gallery. 

GRAY

For little newborn baby boys, I truly adore a gray set up to make its way into your session because gray is extremely classic, timeless and lovely. 30 years from now, the color will still look fantastic! It also is a wonderful choice no matter the skin tone. 

As you can see above, I posed handsome Jayce in many sweet poses, with froggy (also known as chin in hands) being one of his mom's must have poses. :-) Afterwards, I moved baby to tootsie wrap, seen below, so we could not only capture him in a cozy style of newborn wrapping but also have the opportunity to have a macro image of his toes.  

Ivory, White and Cream

Each newborn session can totally benefit from having a soft, pure and fresh set up that falls into the lighter, cleaner tones like ivory, white or cream. This style of wrapping, seen below, is called "potato sack" and I love all the different textures. Texture is a wonderful way to create timeless yet unique newborn photography galleries because the options are endless. Instead of using one type of fabric when posing the baby, as the newborn artist, you have the option to use perhaps a fluffy flokati rug, chunky knit wrap, or a classic hand crafted bonnet. I also pulled a fantastic vintage quilt pillow that's navy and white; such a sweet touch. Vintage props are a favorite of mine and you'll find them weaved throughout all of my colors and posing ideas since they're timeless, classic and perfect for sweet cherub babies. :-) 

When posing baby in potato sack pose, my favorite part of this pose is when each hand is perfectly placed beneath baby's chin. Take the time to look at the details as whole; don't rush. Taking your time makes sure the posing looks excellent and that each color you've selected for the session is arranged in a thoughtful way. It also makes for less editing time. 

Burgundy 

When in studio with a new baby, I like to pull a darker, more rich or vibrant tone for baby because it adds much soul to you final gallery. :-) Burgundy is a favorite newborn boy color of mine because it can be used in a variety of ways; in this particular set up, I wrapped baby and used back lit studio lighting to illimuniate him from behind with a heavenly, soft glow. 

Mint, Sea Foam or Light Green

A rustic and natural wooden bucket is a must have for any newborn photographer. In this particular set up, Mom requested this light green color, previewed below. The color looks fantastic here because the baby in a bucket pose is truly a standard for any newborn session. Each baby who visits has a bucket shot included in their gallery. 

The sea foam and mint are particularly favorites of mine because they match the wood wall you see in my studio and also contrast with the wooden bucket. 

Neutrals + Knits

Ahhhh, neutrals and knits! When I first began newborn photography, I did not use any knits because I had yet to discover them. However, a few months ago I started perusing more variety and started purchasing all sorts of knitted wraps and layers, blankets, etc. I have them in every color typically, however, for a neutral set up I like a soft oatmeal color, muted thistle or taupe, even. This pose is in potato sack wrap and the color works well here because the wooden, antique crate is distressed and when used with my custom wood wall, it has all the warmth you need for a unique baby portrait.

Thanks for stopping by the blog to see a few posing ideas and color schemes you may want to try with your next newborn session. If you're a parent, this post may also have been fun for you to read since it might cover colors or poses you have not considered before. Wishing you a great rest of your evening!

Before you go, however, you may like seeing what's new on instagram:

You may also like reading more about the following topics:

• Check out Sarah's Houston Newborn Portrait Studio
• Newborn Styling and Props: Vintage meets Classic for Timeless Results
• Compare a boy to girl newborn gallery

Sarah Borchgrevink Photography is a Houston Newborn Photographer specializing in gorgeous posed newborn sessions. Her studio is located in Northwest Harris County. In addition to breathtaking baby portraiture, Sarah also offers stylish natural light family photography as well as dynamic outdoor maternity sessions for expecting mothers and couples. Sarah joyfully serves the entire Harris and Montgomery county areas including Houston, Cypress, Tomball, Spring, The Woodlands, Kingwood, Memorial & West Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland, Richmond, West University and Rice Village.

Sarah's Studio is located here: