Arrival: Pease feel free to park in the driveway and then just knock on the front door. Please remove your shoes at the door, I crawl around on there and so do little ones, if you're planning on wearing shoes for your photos please bring dry/clean ones to put on in the studio. I will be wearing a mask for your little one but MASK ARE NOT REQUIRED you are welcome to wear one if you prefer though.
Feeding: Please make sure your baby is FULL and bring EXTRA FOOD. Please feed your little one right before you leave for your session. Be prepared for an extra hungry baby as the session tends to make them hungry, and they will go through more diapers than normal.
Dressing: Please dress baby in a zip up or button down sleeper only, nothing that needs to go over babies head that will disrupt/wake them. If you are doing a session where the diaper is coming off please make sure it is loose so it does not create lines.
Soothing:
Using a pacifier at your session is not necessary but if you are introducing one and are open to using one at your sessions it can be a big help with the more difficult poses. I recommend the Advent 0-3 month one (with the hole for your finger) I find most babies prefer and will take that one.
Medical:
If baby has any medical concerns please inform me of them. For boys if you are planning on circumcision please schedule it for after your session or at least 5 days before.
Temperature:
I keep my studio at 25 Celsius to keep baby nice and warm during those naked poses.
Parents: I recommend dressing in neutral colours (white and black) that are tight fitting. When selecting wardrobe keep the background you'd like to use in mind. Baby will be without a diaper and accidents sometimes happen, it's a good idea to bring an extra set of clothes or to change into what you'll be wearing for your photos right before. My studio is also hot, so not coming in the clothes you're going to be photographed in is a good idea! If you are using the white background, please note that darker colours on white turn the white to a more grey colour. Here are some examples of the different poses I do with parents to get an idea of what to wear. If you want to go shirtless please let me know!
Siblings:
We only need siblings for about 15 minutes at the session, if you want to bring them about 30 minutes into the session it can be helpful. This is so they do not get bored/disrupt baby and keeps them happy for when it's their turn plus it's a nice break for mom! If they're going to stay the whole time make sure to bring plenty of things to entertain them with and non-messy snacks! I have toys and books for little ones, I recommend avoiding use of a screen in the studio as it can sometimes effect how the little ones co-operate.
I recommend neutrals for them also well and not dressing them until they arrive. Depending on age it's also a great idea to have some non-messy food that they like.
Jennifer MacCallum works out of her home studio in Oshawa Ontario, where she has everything needed for your newborn session; props, blankets and accessories, to make sure she is able to style your session in all your favorite colors. Come, relax and let Jennifer do all the work while she poses and photographs your sweet new baby.
Newborn sessions are held within the first 2 weeks after birth. It’s recommended to contact Jennifer when you are in your second trimester to ensure availability. Visit the newborn information page to learn more!
Jennifer MacCallum specializes in newborn and maternity photography, offering all varieties of photography. If you'd like to book a session please contact Jennifer. Her studio is located in Whitby Ontario (Brooklin) but she photographs families all over Durham, including, Oshawa, Pickering, Ajax, Bowmanville, Courtice, Markham and Port Perry.