We are so excited for your portrait session!
We are so honored to help you create memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
We’ve created this guide to help you get the most out of your photos, and by the time you’ve read through this, you'll have all your questions answered and feel more than ready and prepared for your session.
Then we’ll take care of the rest!
Your only job is to be yourself, laugh a lot and let us create photos you’ll love forever. We can’t wait to get you in front of our cameras!
let's create heirlooms for you to look back on forever..
..because they won't be like this for long.
we want these photos to reflect your family!
preparing your home
Your newborn session will take place at YOUR home - that's the best part of a Lifestyle session!
Worried because your house is a mess? Don’t even stress out! You just had a BABY! If you didn’t have dishes piled in the sink, dirty clothes and baby items strewn all about, we’d think you were weird. Clutter is definitely expected! We’ll also probably be moving furniture around if we need to make room for ourselves, but don’t worry – we’ll put it all back when we’re through!
We ask that you open all of the blinds and curtains in your home prior to our arrival. This enables us to find the best source of natural light in your home, so that we can set up our “mini studio” in the best possible location. Nothing flatters like natural light, so we prefer to use it whenever possible.
For this reason, sessions are normally done mid-morning to late-afternoon when window lighting is as its best.
When we arrive, we’ll walk through your home looking for the best light and that is where we’ll do a majority of the shoot. Sometimes the best location ends up being a foyer, by the backdoor or kitchen…usually wherever there is a large window.
We’ll also bring additional lighting equipment to help out when needed.
CRANK THE HEAT!
We recommend that you keep your home a bit warmer than normal during the session. (Like a toasty 80 degrees or so.)
Newborns are used to being all bundled up,warm + cozy…and then we come in and yank off all their clothes for those adorable naked baby shots. They tend not to like that too much!
Pushing up the thermostat is guaranteed to make the session flow more smoothly and help them sleep better. We may be sweating, but baby will be nice and warm…and that’s really all that matters!
Crank the heat 30 minutes before our session to ensure that it’s warm enough in time for the clothes yanking.
Bonus points if you’re willing to make a few back and forth trips to the dryer to keep baby’s blankets warm! They love that!
• LOOSEN UP!
Please loosen your baby’s diaper and clothing at least 30 minutes before the session. This gives those little imprint marks time to disappear. (You baby will be naked or in just a diaper/cover in most of the shots, but we move them so that all the “important bits” are not on display.)
MAKE THE BED!
Is there anything more simple + gorgeous than a new family cuddled up in bed together? The answer is no!
So we might suggest that we move the session to your bedroom at some point. If that’s something that appeals to you, a few tips:
1. Make the bed
2. A solid blanket/comforter (or something that isn’t TOO busy is best.)
3.We highly recommend white to light cream bedding to keep things light and airy.
SLEEPY BABY:
Most of the images we’ll be shooting work best if the baby is in a deep sleep. To encourage this, we recommend that you do whatever it takes to make sure baby is nice and exhausted. Keeping your little one awake on top of your own sleep deprivation might feel like torture, but we think it will be worth it in the end!
HUNGRY?
A well fed baby is a happy baby! Please feed and burp baby right before our session to ensure a happy, sleepy (“milk drunk”) baby. We’ll also be more than happy to take as many breaks as needed to help him/her re-fuel. It’s tough work being a model!
VOLUME CONTROL!
Please do whatever you can to keep the noise level to a minimum during our session. Turn off the TV and put on soothing music. We will bring our noise machine, too!
RELAX!
Moms tend to stress out because this is a new experience…and they aren’t used to the waiting game that is newborn photography.
They see their baby being fussy or having a difficult time getting settled and panic.
“This is a disaster! They aren’t going to get ANY good photos!”
It isn’t, and we will!
We take the baby’s lead; getting them to sleep before posing takes time and they may need to be fed or cuddled a few times first. In fact, we’d say that a good 50% of your session will involve feeding, diaper changes, and cuddling to get baby comfortable. If that doesn’t work, we’ll take a break or we’ll work with what baby is giving us. Sometimes that best photos happen when baby isn’t doesn’t what we want.
Just remember: Babies can sense stress and anxiety (especially from their mommy’s!) It’s super important that EVERYONE remain calm and relaxed during this session. Keeping the environment as mellow as possible is pretty much the only way we’re going to get the shots we’re looking for.
POOP HAPPENS!
Your baby is going to be in the buff for the majority of this shoot. Please don’t panic if your baby decides to use our blankets (or us) as his/her own personal potty.
This is natural and we expect it! Please don’t feel embarrassed or worry when this happens, because they all do it.
We wash all of our baby props and blankets between each session with non-scented baby detergent.
PROPS (if session includes)
If you have any family heirlooms, toys, hats, props, etc. that you would like me to use in your session, please gather them before we arrive. We may not get the chance to use ALL of the items, but we’ll look through them with you to determine what will work best.
*We also STRONGLY recommend that you discuss any ideas, props or poses you have in mind at least a week prior to your session if you haven't already.
baby prep.
Soft Neutrals
Dresses and skirts look most stunning because they really flatter every female body, especially on camera — which is probably why the red carpet is always full of so many dresses and not very many pantsuits!
However, we know you JUST had a baby! So we understand if you don't feel like putting on a dress in the middle of feedings and exhaustion from a little (or a lot) sleep deprivation.
If that is the case, a few tips:
- Stick with neutral colors (think ivory, white, soft gray, light browns, soft denim blues and bubblegum pinks)
- Avoid at all costs any patterns - keep with solid colors
- With newborn sessions, the more skin to skin interaction, the better. Feel free to wear tank tops, off the shoulder dresses/tops, etc.
Flattering Your Features
In our experience, every woman, regardless of her shape has an area of her body that she’s self-conscious about, so recognizing what that is in advance is key. Choosing flattering silhouettes and colors that compliment your natural features is the best way to ensure you’ll love the way you look in your photos.
Three-quarter length sleeves create an awesome slimming effect on all arms, so be on the lookout for an option with a longer length sleeve. You could also bring a cute jacket, blazer or cardigan along, too.
Go Pro (if possible): Hair & Makeup
Professional hair and makeup is on the top of most of our brides’ checklists because it looks amazing and removes the stress of getting ready on your own. Whether its lash extensions or blown-out hair, professional hair and makeup will give you an extra boost of confidence in front of the camera, and it always photographs like a dream.
If you’re working with a makeup artist, have her apply your makeup in natural light, if possible, so that it looks fresh and not too heavy. Plus, that’s the type of light we’ll be shooting in, so it’ll give you the best expectation of how it will translate on camera. Most of our brides feel like their makeup is “too much” at first, since it’s more than you would wear on a normal day, so if you feel that way at the beginning, don’t worry! Good makeup artists know how to get it just right for the camera — and our brides always love the final result.
If you need a recommendation for hair and makeup, we work with the best in the business and have a go-to team! They’re sweet as pie, talented as heck, unbelievable professionals and wonderful people. You’ll LOVE them!
Just let us know and we’ll send you their information. We know they’ll take good care of you!
If professional hair and makeup aren’t an option, we recommend applying your makeup more than you would on a normal day (a little foundation and eyeshadow go a long way!) but still effortless enough to look natural. We want your skin to look as flawless as possible in front of the camera!
If you are not having photos with the family, please disregard this section.
Style tips
you just did the most incredible thing:
you brought a beautiful new life into this world!
fashion tips: for him
Similar to Mom:
- Stick with neutral colors (think ivory, white, soft gray, light browns, soft denim blues and bubblegum pinks)
- Avoid at all costs any patterns - keep with solid colors
- Avoid shirts with logos or slogans
- Long or short sleeved knits are best. (Make sure there isn’t too much bagginess in the sleeve.)
Undershirts also work well.
We suggest you NOT wear button down shorts, and make sure your t-shirts are free of logos or too much writing.
*Wrinkles do show up in photos, so please make sure all clothing is ironed or steamed. The retouching involved is extensive and will incur an extra fee.
How to Prep Your Man
Most men aren’t overly excited to take photos for two hours, because they don’t have an expectation of what’s to come and why it’s so important to you. Take fifteen minutes to educate and empower your guy. Tell him why you chose us and our style of photography. Show him your three favorite sessions that we’ve done, explain why you love them and express to him how much it means to you. Trust us, once he knows it’s important, he’ll light up the camera for you! The most common thing we hear from guys before photo sessions is this: because of a bad experience in the past, they don’t like taking photos or don’t think they’ll be good at it. By the time we’re done, though, they can’t believe how fast it went and just how much fun they had!
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prepping your family
How to Mix Colors
The goal for coordinating a family is to visually break up the colors and shades so that you’re not all wearing the same color on top and bottom. The more we can mix that up, the better. We encourage you to think about planning each outfit with “dominant colors” and “accent colors” in mind. A dominant color is the color that you see the most in an outfit, while an accent has a smaller piece of visual real estate. When you’re planning each family member’s outfit, if you can aim for each person to have a different dominant color, and then tie in and vary the accent colors, it’s going to look great all together.
Feel free to vary the shades of the colors, too. These color palettes fit in beautifully into a natural environment, and can easily be paired in so many ways. If you are doubting your choices, please feel free to reach out to me to discuss outfit ideas – send photos or talk color palettes if you’ve had your heart set on a certain outfit for yourself!
Prepping Your Little Ones
Before your session, pack a bag with snacks, water and any small objects (like toys or lollipops) that might help us get their attention when it’s time for them to look at the camera. If they are old enough to understand you, it’s a good idea to prepare them for what’s to come before the session starts. Explain how much the photos mean to you so they know to be on their best behavior. A lot of families discuss and pick something fun in advance as a treat after the session if they’re good listeners, like an ice cream cone, for example. It also helps if their bellies are full and they’ve has some good rest beforehand. Once you prepare them physically and mentally, then feel free to give them (and you!) grace! They’re little, and we know that some days don’t always go as planned. We’ve seen it all and will make sure to get you great photos, regardless of their moods. Our goal is to make this as fun and stress-free as it possibly can be for you and your family!
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photo delivery timeline
because they won't be little forever.
Coordinating the Crew
If you are having the whole family in this session, please continue reading.
As you’re coordinating your outfit with your family, keep in mind that your outfits will look the most cohesive on camera when the color palette and wardrobe pieces coordinate, but don’t actually “match.” In fact, we recommend that you avoid thinking about “matching,” and instead think about what “fits” together. This will create more visual interest, and allow each personality to shine through.
48 hours
social media sneak peek with one to five of our favorite photos
4-6 weeks
online gallery with all of your final, retouched, high-resolution images that will be available to download
final note
We know we just gave you a lot to think about. We created this guide to help make your portrait session experience something you’ll look back fondly on for years and years to come.
At the end of the day, though, the location and the outfits you select won’t matter nearly as much as the memories you make together.
Your future memories are the most important thing to us, and we want your session to be a time for you to just be yourselves and enjoy it.
Have fun together. Laugh a lot. And we’ll take care of the rest!
Portrait Session Checklist
1. Set date, time and location with Ciera
2. Review guide for style tips
4. Choose your outfits
5. Keep baby awake!
6. Feed baby 15-20 minutes prior to our arrival
We can’t wait to see you soon!
wedding and portrait photographer
upper Michigan | Wisconsin | Midwest