There are so many uncertainties around dates and timings of
having your baby that you’re probably a little bit confused about the details
and practicalities of booking in.
At Captured Forever, I make it my aim to make your life as
easy as possible when it comes to booking your precious bundle in for a newborn
photoshoot – I’m passionate about capturing irreplaceable memories of your
child’s early days, forever.
So, here’s the first thing you need to know.
I come to you. In
your home.
I’m a fully trained newborn photographer who will come to
your house in the first few days of your baby’s life, to capture stunning
images for you to keep forever.
I don’t have a studio, I don’t ask you to come to me. I bring
everything I need to your home so that you and baby are as safe, secure and
comfortable as possible. Believe me, having been a new Mum myself, I know that
it might seem like a good idea to book a day out at the photographer’s studio
to get out of the house, but the reality is often SO different.
OK. So now we’ve covered that, let’s have a look at some of
the other questions I’m asked on a regular basis, so you have all the
information you need when you decide to book a newborn shoot with me.
Contacting me for the first time once your bundle has arrived
can be tricky as I limit the amount of Newborn shoots I take on in a week. I’d hate to let you down by not having the
availability to squeeze you in.
Contact me during your second trimester and I’ll pencil you
in for around your due date. Don’t worry though. Nothing will be written in
stone – I understand the uncertainties of having a baby and just ask you to
contact me as soon as you’re able, once baby has arrived, and we can book you
in.
When will the photoshoot happen?
Newborn photoshoots are best done in the first 10-14 days of
your baby’s life. They’re still so sleepy and curled up – perfect for those
squishy, snoozy shots. We won’t have to worry about cradle cap or milk rash at
such an early stage and the cuteness will be turned right up to maximum.
I’ll arrange a time that suits you and your family and
generally block out around 3 hours to allow for changes of background, outfits
and the inevitable feeds and nappy changes in between.
I’m always upfront about my costs. And I’m upfront for one
major reason.
When I was a new Mum I got hooked in by an unscrupulous
photographer who took advantage of my inexperience in the field to lock me in
to paying too much for my newborn photographs – and I wasn’t even that happy with
them!
I don’t want that to happen to you.
So, my promise to you is that you’ll understand all my costs
before booking and can make an informed decision about which package is best
for you.
Here goes – this is my simple cost equation:
Shoot cost (£80) + package price (chosen by you) = total cost
And that’s it. No hidden costs. No nasty surprises.
My packages start from £199 (if booked on the day of the
shoot) and don’t go any higher than £530.
Within my packages I’m really flexible about canvases, prints
and digital images – so just shout up with your preferences and we’ll see which
package is best for you.
This part’s easy. Pay me the shoot fee (£80) and that
secures your booking in my diary. PayPal or bank transfer make the payment
process simple and reliable.
I’ll make a note of your due date and you just need to let
me know as soon as possible after your little one makes an appearance and we
can get the shoot booked in. But remember, the ideal window is before your baby
is 14 days old, so don’t hang around too much.
How do I choose the style of my baby’s photographs?
The key phrase is here, is YOUR baby. Its your money, your shoot, your baby, and your images, I like you to be involved in and influence styling. Just have a look through my newborn
albums on Facebook
and ‘like’ the images that you prefer. This just gives me an idea of what props
and set-ups to bring with me on the day. Some parents don't feel they have the creative flair and just let me loose to have a play as they love my style - this is no trouble at all, you still get the final say before anything goes near your baby.
Having said that, if you don’t see the style you really
like, have a chat with me because (as all my friends will tell you) I’m never
averse to buying in new props and outfits for a shoot if they fit my style! Ok, I admit it, I’m a
prop addict! I love include anything that you have that is personal to your family aswell, a special teddy, parent hobbies, or movie themes!
What if my baby isn’t sleepy or is hungry or unsettled
during the shoot?
Don’t worry! These things happen – all the time!
We all know that babies don’t always conform with our
wishes, so I just take each photoshoot as it comes. Babies come with wind,
tears, pooh and growly tummies and all our best-willed planning can’t change
that. I just do everything I can to make you and your baby as comfortable as
possible and take the rest as I find it.
I have been referred to as the baby-whisperer because I have
a whole range of techniques and tricks to settle babies and persuade them to
play along. But if that doesn’t work, we’ll make the best of your wide-eyed
beauty any way we can.
Can siblings be involved?
Yes, of course, if you’d like them to be. It’s probably best
to do those shots first, before your older ones get bored and lose interest.
Once they’re done we can settle down to capturing the sleepy, curled up shots
of your newborn on their own.
Can we have some parent shots too?
You can create your newborn shoot to suit you and your
family. If you or your partner (or both) would like to be involved, then let’s
discuss it and get something organised. I know you'll be suffering a lack of sleep and sometimes don't feel your best physically, so we can work around shots you feel most comfortable with.
How many images will I get to choose from?
You wouldn’t believe how many photographs I take during a
newborn shoot! I take so many more than I’m going to need to make sure that I
capture the perfect moments for you to treasure, forever. During the editing
process I’ll select the best 30-40 images for you to choose from and I aim to
make your job as difficult as possible at this stage! Tee hee!
What if my midwife or health visitor needs to be here at
the same time?
Please don’t worry! This is the genius bit of having a home shoot, you can keep to all your midwife and health visitor appointments. Flexibility is core to my business and
I’m so used to having midwives and health visitors around when I’m doing a
newborn shoot. It can actually work really well – babies can be weighed and
inspected between shoots and so many of the health professionals who have seen
me at work have LOVED being a part of such a memorable occasion.
So now you have all the information to hand, I’d love to
have a chat to you about your newborn shoot and get you booked in to my busy
diary.
Contact me here
and let’s
arrange a newborn photoshoot!
