Tips For Hospital "fresh 48" Sessions

"Fresh 48" Sessions

For most photographers, a “fresh 48 session” is the most preferred session. It is not so hard to see why; after all, it’s the time when the babies are getting familiar with the world. There can be something unusual about sharing in the excitement of the parents as their babies spend their first few hours on earth.

You know for sure that this moment is pure bliss. Probably one of the best moments you will live as a newborn photographer.

The problem, however, is that not everybody can handle these sessions. Yes! They are fun, but they do have to take a little more planning and preparation. It helps you get the perfect shot of all the moments that the parents spend with their newborn as the wave of excitement runs through them. In this article, we will be sharing some of the fascinating tips that can help you stand out as a “first 48” photographer. After spending years in the photography business, we know all the suggestions.

Is this your first time to manage a newborn photography project? No need to worry as we have a piece of informative article for you – Planning Your First Baby Photo Shoot? Here’s How!

We can say that we’ve enough experience in photography. That’s how we are standing up in this field of photography. Also, we want to share some of these experiences with you in this article, hoping that you will pick one or two lessons from it.

Helpful Tips for Hospital Newborn "Fresh 48" Session

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Prepare Mom and Dad

Of course, Mom and Dad are the two most influential people in the life of the baby at this moment. Thus, you should treat them well. Preparation is the key to getting a perfect shot in this case. Having the parents take a few extra steps out of the ordinary can be the difference that they seek towards a successful session. Let the mom know when you would take the pictures. Thus, she can at least feed the baby some minutes before. It ensures that the baby tummy before the session, and of course, that there’s enough time to clean-up any subsequent diaper mess.

Dads, on the other hand, need to prepare for this session, too, by taking a few vital steps. They should turn the heat in the room up to about 80 degrees. While this may sound too hot for an adult, it is just the perfect temperature for these little ones. Additionally, the heat will keep them cozy as you swaddle and unswaddle them throughout the photography session.

It’s also the job of the dad to get the room ready. If it’s a hospital setting, then the dad will probably need to do a few clearing to create space around the window where natural light can come inside.

We have shared A Parent’s Checklist to Baby’s First Pictures. You can either ask them to read this post or dictate some of its essential points. 

Finally, be sure not to set unrealistic lofty expectations. During this preparation period, you should tell them how long you expect the session to hold, and of course, show them samples of your past works. It will help them know what to expect and what not to expect. Don’t promise another thing and end up delivering another thing as that cam shatter the joy of the parent.

Know Every Detail

It is true that babies one in their schedule, and this can make the whole planning process a bit more complicated. As follow-up support to the one above, you can use honest communication to beat this. Not every parent will be open to discussing sensitive information relating to the birth of their newborns. 

But, you need to be tactical in seeking for the information you want. While waiting for the baby’s arrival, take time to have one on one discussions with the parent. Get professionally familiar with them, as this can help to make them loosen up and start sharing information with you. Some information you should seek includes the address of the hospital where the client intends to deliver. Also, how soon they would like for you to arrive at the hospital after the birth of their baby. 

Moreover, if they have any unique props, they’d like to see at the scene of the session, or if there’s anything that they would not like to see. Finally, ask if there are any particular moments that they want to capture. Talking about all these beforehand would help reduce your stress. It will also make clients relaxed, especially since they probably have already experienced so much stress. 

So, having all the information well sort out before the due date will make it easier for you when the news about the baby’s birth comes to you. Finally, drop your number with the expectant parents and have them call you once labor starts. It will give you ample time to pack up your camera gear and get ready for the beautiful adventure that’s about to come.

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Get Familiar With The Location

The four walls of the hospital where the new mother is wheeled into for delivery would forever be unique to her and the baby. They want to remember this room and every element of it because it is where they first heard the cry of their baby. They may not tell you, but as a professional photographer, they expect that you can capture every beautiful moment. Since you’ve probably discussed the hospital beforehand, you can come before the time.

After that, you can know a thing or two about the surroundings, so it doesn’t look strange to you when the time comes. If you can’t get yourself familiar with the environment beforehand, however, you can do it on the D-day. Just be sure that you can improvise with anything available. You can do it as long as it allows you to step back and get the best shot of the location possible.
A great way through which you can do it is the use of a pullback photo. If you don’t understand how to handle it, be sure to take a few moments to read up reviews and how-to articles online. Another thing about getting familiar with the location is that you will know what to bring and what you can improvise with even before the moment to use them arises.

Capture The Emotions

It is probably something you already know before now – that emotions speak a thousand languages in a photo. As a professional newborn photographer, you want to be able to bring the feelings of the day into your picture. Capturing the emotions isn’t exactly going to be as tricky as you are probably thinking.

The euphoria at the moment is that of total excitement. Thus, you would be photographing a parent that’s full of honest and raw emotions. To get some inspiration, read our post – Shot List for Newborn Baby.

Just make sure you aptly capture the awe of the parent. You can also click whatever feelings that they are having at the moment. That’s because it will be in abundance at that moment. Depending on your level of professionalism, and how much you are willing to experiment, you can even try capturing different waves of emotions and weaving it into one. 

This baby has stayed for so long, waiting to meet its amazing parents finally. Thus, be sure to capture the moments when the little ones start to bond with their parents. Have the parents get as close as possible to their little ones and probably look them in the eyes. This action will create a wave of raw emotion as you stand back to photograph every moment.

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Tiny Prop Wrap Options

The new baby will most likely lay in their traditional hospital bassinet at one point or the other. It is a tradition; their parents and grandparents did it, so the chances are high. Guess what? Not only do the parents want to see the beautiful moments of their baby’s first days, but the babies themselves also want to see this when they grow.

To this effect, get a few dozen shots of them lying so innocently on the bassinets. Get creative with the pictures, because this is where you get to stand yourself out as a topnotch newborn photographer.

Thankfully, most bassinets have bright sides, so you can use that opportunity to get your creativity flowing. You can even employ the use of unique prompts here to get the best out of every session.

Skin to Skin

It is one of the most important aspects of a “fresh 48” photo session. The birth of the new baby is significant to the parent, and they want to enjoy every moment of this. Leverage at this moment to take pictures. These pictures will always remind them of the beautiful moment, even after years to come. If your client is comfortable with it, photograph the moments of their most fabulous bonding.

For example, when they hug the baby, feed, and even bath it. It will make memories in the future, seeing the first moment. However, they began to bond with their lovely babies.

To Wrap Up

Depending on how you handle it, a hospital newborn “fresh 48” photo session can be one of the highlights of your career as a newborn photographer. The key here is to handle it with care and paying attention to every little detail. Lastly, you will be surprised by how well it turns out.

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