Frequently Asked Questions

What to Expect from your Newborn Photography Session: Frequently Asked Questions

How do we know when to schedule a newborn portrait session?

It is best to let Lisa know your due date in advance. That way, she can anticipate the baby’s birth, be on the alert and be ready to fit you in to her schedule soon after the baby is delivered. 

It's never too soon to schedule !

When is the best age to photograph a newborn baby?

Lisa prefers to capture newborns before they are two weeks old; this ensures that they are still at their sleepiest and tiniest, allowing her  to capture them at this perfect yet fleeting stage.

Why do you prefer the baby to be 2 weeks or younger?

In Lisa's experience, babies younger than two weeks will sleep more soundly, allowing her to position the baby in the precious curled up poses that we love.  After 2 weeks, most babies tend to be more alert and a bit restless, thus much more difficult to capture the images her clients expect her to deliver. The very best time is 7-14 days of age, it is highly recommended that we capture your baby during this time frame.

What should we expect in a newborn session?

Lisa strives to create a variety of photographs of your baby, capturing how special and tiny your baby is. She will do some images of the baby sleeping, the baby wrapped in soft wraps and the baby in your arms, as well as capture all of  those tiny newborn features! She will keep the studio much  warmer than normal, so that the baby will be comfortable and will fall asleep for the most angelic portraits! Keep this in mind and dress yourself accordingly so you will be comfortable as you relax.

Do you offer consultations?

Of course! In fact, Lisa encourages you to come visit the studio in advance of your session. This is such an exciting time for you and she invites you to see her work and discuss the fine details of your newborn session. Contact Lisa to schedule your in studio or by phone consultation.  

Where will my session take place?

Newborn sessions take place in Lisa's Pittsburgh, PA studio.  Here, she has all the props, lighting, supplies and resources necessary to capture amazing portraits of your baby. In addition, she has plenty of extra baby supplies on hand. 

Where are you located?

Moments Kept Photography studio address :    

820 West Ingomar Rd,  Pittsburgh PA 

How long will you spend with us?

Lisa will set aside four hours for your newborn session, allowing for feedings as needed.
Newborn sessions include sibling, parent and family images.
Ideally we want to to capture those angelic sleeping baby images and if possible we will get a few with your baby awake and alert.
Typically, she will begin the session with  portraits of the baby  followed by the sibling and parent shots. 

Patience is key during a newborn session! 

Who can come?

Lisa  welcomes you and your loved ones and any caretakers assisting you. She encourages both parents to be photographed with the baby and we do these portraits at the end of your session.
If there is an older sibling, these are also completed later in the session. 

Siblings:  It is recommended that young siblings are only present for their portion of the session when possible.  It is important that we have a calm and relaxing environment for baby and sometimes the studio is a challenging place for toddlers for a long period of time.

How should we dress the baby?

It’s not necessary to bring any clothes for the baby. Newborn babies are best photographed naked, or adorned with simple props such as knit hats, dainty tie backs and beautiful textured wraps. Lisa has a full collection of beautiful handmade outfits for you baby to wear. She encourages you to allow her to fully style your session. If you have a special heirloom you would like to include please let Lisa know in advance if your session.
Having said all of that a naked newborn is so beautiful and perfect we will attempt these shots as baby allows. 

Do you photograph me with the baby?

Yes, of course. The relationship between you and your baby at this early stage is precious to behold. You’ll want to remember just how tiny your baby was at the time.

What should we wear? 

We suggest siblings wear solid neutral colors. Simple is best!  We really don’t want anything to distract from your newborn being the focus of the pictures.  Lisa does have a collection of toddler/girls boutique dresses for use at her studio. She will gladly style younger siblings for these shots.

Parents should also wear neutral colors with no patterns or logos. Black or white is fine. Creams or off white is perfect. 

New moms can find comfort in a pretty maternity dress as only your upper body will be captured. 

It can also be beautiful to photograph the mother wearing a white wrap (which we have at the studio) around her torso and photograph the baby skin to skin next to the mother’s body.

What should we bring?

You may want to bring a fresh shirt with you to change into after the session in the event of any small accidents while your baby is naked!

I’m so excited, may I take photos during the session?

Lisa kindly asks you to refrain from any picture-taking during your session, even with your smart phone.
With all the time and effort to pose your baby, she reserve the right to be the sole creator of the portrait art of your baby. She appreciates your understanding.

What if my newborn has baby acne? 

No worries — we see this all the time. Every portrait you select as part of your order will be individually enhanced for lovely skin tones. She will smooth and soften the blemishes.

When will I get to see my photos from the session?

Approximately 4-6 weeks following your session you will receive your completed private online gallery.
However Lisa will provide you with 2-3 of the very best images within 48 hours for announcements.

How many images will I see from my session?

Lisa will capture as many shots as necessary in order to present you with a strong body of 25 fully edited images. You will have the opportunity to purchase additional images from your session for an additional 20.00/image should there be more than 25 keepers! 

What should I expect to spend on my portraits?

Lisa offers a wide variety of products including the highest quality prints, metal prints, albums, announcement cards, collages and more! While you will have the rights to print your digital files yourself we strongly encourage you to print though the professional  lab that is linked to your gallery for the very best quality. Lisa can not guarente quality or color from other printing labs. 

What happens if I need to reschedule my session?

Lisa  understands that personal emergencies, illness or inclement weather sometimes require sessions to be rescheduled.
She kindly ask that you provide as much notice as possible in order to make the time available to other clients.

Do you offer birth announcements?

Lisa has a wonderful selection of birth announcement designs available and is always adding new ones.
Feel free to brows Lisa's product catalog below.