The Experience
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Capturing Precious Beginnings
Welcome to the enchanting world of newborn and milestone photography! Capturing your baby's early days is a wonderful way to preserve this fleeting and precious time. With a focus on care and safety, I ensure that every session is comfortable and enjoyable for both you and your little one. Your baby's first days pass by in the blink of an eye—why not preserve these precious memories with a newborn portrait session you'll treasure for years to come? Through sweet poses and a relaxed environment, I will help you present your newborn as the little work of art they are.
When to Schedule
The best time to start thinking about your newborn session is when you're entering your third trimester. While scheduling in advance is ideal, I accommodate new bookings daily. Booking ahead ensures you're on my schedule and allows us to complete all necessary forms and questionnaires in advance. We’ll tentatively set your session date for about two weeks after your due date. Once your baby is born, please contact me within the first couple of days to confirm the actual session date.
For the best results, I typically schedule newborn sessions between 5-10 days after birth. Although I can photograph newborns at any age, I strongly encourage sessions within the first two weeks. During this period, babies are sleepier and easier to pose, allowing us to capture those dreamy, cute photos.
Newborn sessions are scheduled for mornings around 10:00 am, as babies tend to be more relaxed and sleepier at this time of day. Feeding your baby at the beginning of the session helps them become “milk drunk,” making them nice and full, which allows me to wrap, pose, and use props without disturbing their sleep.
From the moment you book your session, I'll guide you every step of the way, making the experience as relaxed, organized, and enjoyable as possible for both you and your baby. The first step is completing your welcome brochure questionnaire, where you'll share your ideas, favorite colors, preferred themes, and any special requests for your baby's session. This information allows me to thoughtfully plan your session and personalize it just for your family.
You'll also receive access to your personalized Newborn Client Hub, your go-to resource for everything you need before your session. Inside, you'll find helpful guidance on what to expect, how to prepare for your newborn session, and a printable checklist to make sure you're ready for the big day. My goal is to help you feel confident, prepared, and able to simply relax and enjoy the experience when you arrive.
During your newborn session, I work alongside a trained assistant who helps create a smooth, safe, and relaxed experience. While I safely pose, wrap, dress, and photograph your baby, my assistant prepares the next setup, gathers props, and helps ensure that while props, wraps, and accessories are being adjusted, your baby is always being closely attended to. Having an extra set of trained hands allows the session to flow seamlessly, giving you the opportunity to relax and enjoy watching your baby's first portraits come to life.
What to Expect
My dedicated Elk Grove home studio is thoughtfully designed with your baby's comfort and safety in mind. Before your session, I'll carefully prepare your baby's sets using the colors, themes, and ideas you've shared with me, selecting from my curated collection of wraps, blankets, bonnets, headbands, outfits, baskets, and props. Everything is prepared before you arrive, so you can settle in, relax, and simply enjoy watching your baby's first portraits come to life. Designed specifically for newborn photography, the warm, welcoming studio provides the perfect environment for creating beautiful portraits while preserving your baby's precious first days.
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The Studio
The Images
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Newborn Gallery
Browse the gallery below to see newborn portraits created in my dedicated Elk Grove home studio. From peaceful, wrapped poses to tiny details and sweet family connections, every session is thoughtfully planned with your baby's safety, comfort, and unique personality in mind. I hope these images give you a glimpse of the relaxed, personalized newborn experience we can create together and inspire you to imagine your own baby's first portraits.
Pricing
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I offer three newborn portrait packages starting at $375. Every package includes the same calm, personalized, baby-led newborn session. The difference between packages is simply the number of digital images included, with select packages also including a product credit to use toward beautiful prints, albums, wall art, and other keepsakes.
Your online gallery also gives you the opportunity to purchase beautiful print products, photobooks, wall art, birth announcements, image boxes, mini accordion albums, and other keepsakes—giving you many beautiful ways to enjoy your newborn images long after your session is over.
In every session, I put my personal touch into the editing process! My vibrant, light, bright, and vivid colors style will give you a gallery full of images you will be proud to show off!
FAQs
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As soon as you reach your 3rd trimester it is never too early to get on my schedule. The best time to do a newborn session is 2-3 weeks after birth.
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Many babies do not sleep thru their session. Some are wide awake the entire time!! I can usually still achieve some amazing images, especially if they are wrapped! Babies are babies and they will cry! I do everything I can to soothe and comfort them and surround them with a comfortable environment. It is important to remain calm as babies can sense anxiety. I work around the baby and have tips and tricks to soothe baby.
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My home studio is fully equipped with everything needed for you newborn's portrait session. However, some parents like to bring a special prop or blanket for the baby. After booking you are sent a prep guide which will walk you through what you will want to possibly bring to the session.
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Newborn sessions usually last between 2 to 3 hours. This allows plenty of time for feeding, comforting, and capturing a variety of poses.
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Your baby's safety is my top priority. I have extensive experience safely handling and posing newborns using techniques designed with your baby's comfort and well-being in mind. My dedicated home studio is kept warm, clean, and stocked with sanitized wraps, blankets, props, and accessories for every session. I also work alongside a trained assistant who helps monitor your baby throughout the session, prepares the next setup, and provides an extra set of attentive hands so your baby's safety always remains my highest priority.
** Have more questions? My Newborn Portrait Welcome Brochure includes additional FAQs and helpful information to guide you through the booking process and the entire portrait experience after you reach out.
Contact Me
If you'd like to learn more or you're ready to book your newborn portrait session, I'd love to send you my Newborn Portrait Welcome Brochure. It guides you through the booking process, explains my newborn portrait packages, and answers many of the most common questions I receive.
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“Shawn was amazing!! She did my son’s newborn pictures and I just loved how patient and loving she was when my baby got fussy. She truly cares and is passionate about her line of work. I felt so comfortable throughout the whole session and loved the way the pictures turned out! She’s creative, warm and has a beautiful newborn studio 🤍 I would book her again in a heartbeat!”
~Daisy Castillo