model info. 

thank you so much for your interest in allowing your new baby to model for a mentoring session!

i’m erin, and i teach people from all over the world my methods for photographing  babies.  i’ve taught workshops in Brazil and all over the US, and have had students from Singapore, Australia, and the UK come here for some in-person, hands on, baby posing action 🙂 for this workshop, i’m borrowing a friend’s studio in Las Vegas.  for your participation, you will get an edited gallery of photos via digital download, 2-4 weeks after your session date, much like my paying clients get.  i always post previews to facebook within 24 hours or so, so you do get some teasers right away. the files are yours to keep and print wherever you choose.  there is absolutely no obligation to purchase anything. *you* are doing me the favor, by giving me a beautiful model to practice on! i will be doing all of the baby handling, and have many years of doing this under my belt, so your babe is in good hands, i promise.

no matter who you are, i can honestly say i am *so* looking forward to your session, because i wake up before every newborn session excited to meet my new little clients and their families.

this prep info is basically the same thing I send my clients… i want you to get the most out of your baby’s session, and that means following directions!

please read this thoroughly, it’s in your best interests, I promise! 

 

time: you may have one of two time slots, either 9:30 am or 12:30pm. I will let you know which. 

you can expect to be here for about 3 hours. the room is very, very warm, so dress accordingly.

the most important thing on this page: I’m going to ask you to keep your baby awake for at least two hours before your session. i know that this doesn’t sound easy for many babes. in fact, it may sound like downright torture. however, this is the single most important thing you can do to ensure a successful session. even babies who ‘sleep all the time’ still need this extra wakeful period to sleep soundly through their session. i will be touching them constantly and moving them around, so it takes a little extra magic to make it happen, and the wakeful period IS that magic.  ideally, your morning looks like this:

wake up (7? 8?)

feed!

{wakeful period}

my tips for keeping baby awake prior to session:

• bath time! babies are exhausted by bathing, even sponge baths.
• no pacifiers!
• walking, talking, stimulation
• tummy time and other “floor exercise”
• if you have a long drive to my place, a cool washcloth on the cheek or other pestering works well in the car… we don’t want to use up our sleepy time up en route!
• no feeding in this time frame! if baby isn’t motivated to eat when you arrive here because they’ve been snacking, they likely won’t sleep soundly.

arrive at studio

feed!

• we want baby to arrive ready to have a nice full feed.  after you get here, we’ll strip baby down in the nice warm room and have a serious meal. whether this is by breast or bottle does not matter one bit, just be sure that there’s plenty of it.  if your shoot is scheduled before you feel you’ve got a good handle on breastfeeding, some pumped milk or supplemental formula can help immensely. it’s essential that your baby be getting a full tummy.
• you’ll be asked to feed as many times as necessary to keep baby content, just like you would at home! newborn sessions contain lots of breaks for eating and cleaning up the inevitable potty messes that sometimes happen.

 

 

stuff: my little home studio contains a ridiculous amount of goodies for your session. we’re talking hundreds of hats, headbands, props, etc, so don’t stress about bringing or buying anything for your time here.  i do all of the styling of the session while you relax and enjoy it!

please DO bring:

• a soothie pacifier – the kind they use at the hospital (I do have sterile ones here at my studio, but most people would rather bring their own!)
• the usual leaving-the-house with baby stuff, a receiving blanket, some extra diapers.

 

what to wear: you may or may not asked to pose with your little one

• for moms, a neutral colored tank top is best.  think beige, ivory, camel.  you will only be photographed from the most flattering angles, so don’t worry about that part! if you have brightly colored nail polish on, it can be distracting so removed or very neutral is great.  I know it’s a lot to think about wearing your hair down, but if you have time, it always looks nice 🙂
• dads: shirtless, or a plain black v-neck tee.

siblings:

• unless we’ve specifically discussed photos with big brothers and sisters, please come with *just* your new bundle.  the space is not very large, and a rambunctious toddler or preschooler will get bored really quickly.

The studio is located at:

Essie Rose Photography

GOOGLE MAPS LINK

just about any GPS or phone will get you straight there with no issues, very easy to find!